Continuum: Rising To The Challenge

Writing this as of my fourth academic day, and my fifth day here at the program, I have experienced most of the phenomenon of the program. I've had at least one lecture with each of the professors, some I've had two or three in a row (a pattern which provides my seminar group with an issue unique and not present amongst the other two.) My professors are:
Dr. Aja Boakye-Boaten, History and Politics
Dr. Solomon Losha, Art and Architecture
Dr. Khadiadatou Gaeye, Literature
Dr. Benjamin Neimark, Environment

All of them provide lectures (cycling), that the entire group attends. Then the group splits into three, equal, smaller seminar groups to get more specific education and discussion. Aja's seminars have been very interesting, and have had some really thought-provoking discussions (not all of which have been wholly depressing, which History and Politics can be). At this point, I really feel as if my knowledge of the complexities of the continent are expanding. Dr. Gaeye's class is also of paramount interest to me, because it alone has provided specific information on the cultural and religious atmosphere's of Africa, both pre- and post-colonization. Religion and Mysticism is very interesting. Losha's seminars provide a paradox: the diversity of the cultures of the continent is too great to really examine the specifics of art and architecture, as pertaining to empires, nations, or clans, while at the same time using only the commonalities or general understandings of the culture is what provided the Western world with an inaccurate point of view in the first place, not to mention the conscious need to avoid discussion of specific customs is boring and leads at least a third of us to fall asleep during his seminar. I also like Dr. Neimark's (who, by the way, is the only non-African professor) contribution, though he clearly has a political base in some areas. Unfortunately, when many of my classmates talk about development, its often at the conscious expense of the environment...which seems incredibly short-sighted, even for the human race. Perhaps you can trod on the environment in order to develop, but will the continent adopt sustainable practices after modernizing? Guessing by the trend in the rest of the world, not really. So, more paradoxes. At this point, I am simply going to start taking the paradoxes, and use them to build houses. Paradox bricks, paradox mortar, paradox wiring, paradox shingles...you get the picture.
One startling and disturbing characteristic I'm noticing about my classmates... The discardment of the value of the culture, especially literature, as important to the development of the society. They seem focused on modernization at the expense of all the rich cultural history created so far. Personally, the cultural facets of a civilization are the products of years and years of human achievement. If the products of individuals meeting their potential isn't worth preserving, than what is?
The work has been manageable so far, and I'm attempting to stay at least one seminar ahead of what's necessary, so that when I get visitors or an opportunity to do something fun I don't have to avoid it for the sake of work... But that's somewhat hard when you have the same seminar three days in a row, and no syllabus. You have no choice but to do the work that night, and make it your first concern... At least I will always be a head in literature, since Dr. Gaeye is the only one kind enough to give us a syllabus.
The last two nights have given us tremendous, bellowing thunderstorms. They were really rather beautiful. Coincidentally, the tallest tree on campus is about ten yards outside our dorm, so we saw lots of lightning. The rain has given way to an inexplicable smell of manure across the campus, which is somewhat troubling, but has lowered the temperature, humidity and air pressure, which is a godsend!
The past three days were like walking in a sauna everywhere you went. Good for the skin, bad for the hair and totally no fun.
I did try and take pictures of the storm last night, but did so through my window screen which seems to have..er...prohibited me from getting a real image. What I did get is cool looking though, so I'll provide it...

EDIT: So, okay, the pictures really aren't that interesting. The thumbnails looked cool but the rendered versions look like, well, screens. So I guess I'll have to take good pictures of something tonight.