2011: The Power of an Idea Whose Time Has Come

The Sidi Bouzid square where Tarek
Bouazizi self-immolated

Never underestimate the power of an idea whose time has come.  Fifty three weeks ago, Tarek Bouazizi, a fruit vendor in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia lit himself afire in protest and started an international conflagration that has not stopped. Regimes ended, dictators fell, and millions worldwide demanded change for the better.  Not too long ago, such an act of defiance would have gone largely unnoticed, happening as it did in an unknown hard-scrabble little town in north Africa.  But, when combined with the incredible reach of today's communications technology and the nearly ubiquitous Internet, even small acts and ideas have unimagined power.  So much so that TIME's Person of the Year for 2011 is The Protester. The protester became the spark that lit decades of  built-up fuel in the form of repressed anger by powerless people, fanned by the instantaneous ability to convey the actual images directly to a world-wide audience.  The world has truly changed as a result.  Frankly, I was convinced that TIME's POY would be Steve Jobs, whose passing at the age of 56 symbolized another kind of protester, whose ideas have changed the world.  Jobs spent an all-too-short life putting that incredible connective power into the palms of each of our hands; his demands for technological excellence and innovation are just as responsible for the change sweeping the world as the acts of Tarek Bouazizi, Tahrir Square citizens, Occupy Wall Street, Libyan rebels, and angry Muscovites.  What binds Bouazizi and Jobs in the same thought?  It is the power of an idea whose time has come.  Whether that idea is freedom from government repression or freedom of internet expression, there are powerful, beautiful ideas which (seemingly suddenly and without notice) have blossomed before our eyes in 2011.  Ideas whose time have come have created a very different world than the one we welcomed 365 days ago. 

This is our 100th blog this year.  365 days ago, Shelly and I lived in Albuquerque, NM, perfectly content with our lives, our family, and our future. We both had excellent jobs, great friends, wonderful close-by family members, and no need to change anything.  Retirement was in sight. Today, we live next to the Indian Ocean in an island republic, where I fight Somali pirates from a comfortable seat in the Embassy, and on the weekends we swim, snorkel, and scuba dive.  How did that happen???  Seems there were a couple small ideas left from decades back; I dreamed of being a diplomat . . . speak languages, work on international projects, and represent my country.  For Shelly, it was the idea that her retirement would be an active one of travel, curiosity, and life-long learning.  Both ideas were powerful, and both seemed to ignite at the same time . . . and combined with the State Department's offer of a post and the 21st century's new communications technology linking us with family and friends, these suddenly became ideas whose times had come.   So what is your idea---don't underestimate its power!   Have a happy 2012, and one filled with powerful ideas!!

Dolphins in December? Really.

You may think this is cruel . . . that we would post beautiful pictures of our December 26th catamaran trip while our family and friends in the Northern Hemisphere are enduring snow, wind, and freezing temps---but think of it this way: since last week, each day is longer than the last, and you folks living in the northern climes are headed toward summer.  In six short months, you will be out on the boat watching dolphins frolic alongside!  Having a houseful of visitors this month has been delightful . . . Heather escaped the frozen Kazakhstan steppes, and Jay, Elena, Moses and Vanessa have been soaking up every ray of sunshine before heading back north next week.  To celebrate the Monday holiday, David organized a catamaran trip for the US Embassy community . . . we managed to have 42 fun and sun seekers on two large catamarans for the entire day.  It started with dolphins on parade through their feeding waters, then some snorkeling to see beautiful fish and coral, lunch on board, beverages, more swimming and sunshine, followed by a surprise return visit of gamboling dolphins escorting the boats back to the pier.  What a day!  Summer's coming!

Firewalkers on Christmas

Fire-walking has been practiced for many centuries by many groups.  On Christmas Day, we were invited to a large  Hindu "Theemithi" firewalking ceremony and were quite overwhelmed by the devotion and the number of practitioners.  There were (by our estimation) two thousand pilgrims making their treks across the 15-foot span of hot coals--barefoot.  Some walked serenely without reaction, some danced, some had dramatic flair; but all crossed, set their feet in a pool of cool milk, and went out to say prayers at number of small temples within the larger Tamil temple.  A few augmented their thanksgiving and/or penance by having a metal rod inserted horizontally through their tongues . . . preventing them from speaking or eating for a full day before the fire walk.  Following the fire walk, they had their tongue skewer removed by a bearded holy man.  Many of the firewalkers also carried a karakam on their heads--a sacred decorated pot filled with milk--which they poured onto a statue of the goddess Mariamman. 

We left the ceremony after seeing hundreds of firewalkers cross the coals . . . amazed at the faith and strength of these believers.  For us, it was a thought-provoking and different way to spend Christmas Day in a land far, far away. 

Holiday Greetings and Music from Our Home to Yours

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A Merry and Bright Christmas

It's NOT beginning to feel like Christmas in any of the usual ways . . . we have spent exactly zero minutes in any store or shopping mall, no putting up lights or tree decorating, and no writing, stamping and mailing our usual letter.  Instead, we've been spending precious hours huddled with dear family members talking, eating, cooking, swimming, touring, reviewing photos, and simply (very simply) enjoying each others' company.   It's been delightful having brother Jay and his wonderful family here; and we can't say enough about the joy of having Heather unexpectedly home for the holidays! 

2011 has been a year of great change. (If you read our blog you already know this; but there may be some who are seeing this for the first time).  In March, David resigned his job as Albuquerque City Manager, and we headed to Washington, DC for diplomat training.  The moving van left our driveway on our 25th wedding anniversary.  Heather beat us out of America by joining the US Peace Corps and becoming a teacher in Kazakhstan.  Damon, the most stable Campbell, kept up with a grueling academic and social schedule in civil engineering at the University of Miami.  Now, at the end of the year, Shelly and David have adapted to living on the beach in the Indian Ocean island Mauritius where David works at the US Embassy.  Shelly is learning French, scuba, and Indian cuisine.  Heather's Peace Corps experience ended abruptly in November when the US pulled all volunteers out of the country.  She's now figuring out what to do next.  Damon expects to spend part of his summer in Peru installing solar panels on village houses, and the other part in Mauritius surfing. 

So, as we enter 2012, the Campbells are healthy, happy, and learning much. We expect to do a good bit of island hopping and international travel.  Shelly and David will continue to work on French and Kreol language training, while learning about the undersea life in the Indian Ocean.  David will keep working to stop the Somali pirates.  Heather will take the next step in her already-incredible life, and Damon will move ever closer to a college degree. The world will continue to shrink as we check in with each other on Skype, Facebook, and email.  And we will continue to wish for you the blessings of peace, health, and good fortune throughout the new year.  A merry and bright Christmas to all!  Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee!

The Campbells

Unit 2450, Box 4269

DPO AE, 09826-4269

USA

David email: davidcampbellfso@gmail.com

Shelly email: shellygcampbell@gmail.com

Heather email:  heather.renee.campbell@gmail.com

Damon email:  d.campbell7@umiami.edu

Summer in December

When it's December in the southern hemisphere, it gets pretty warm!  Lately, it's been a humid 85 degrees or so, and we expect no different for Christmas Day this weekend. The last week has been spent visiting the tourists sites of Mauritius . . . an early French chateau, the botanic gardens, climbing a volcano and a lighthouse, staying at a rustic fishing camp on the coast.  On Monday, when Americans will march back to the shopping centers to return items and spend their gift cards, we will be on a catamaran trip on the ocean, enjoying watching dolphins frolic, and snorkeling in a marine park.  Hardly "dashing through the snow".  We understand another winter blast is headed through the southwestern USA---hope it makes for a White Christmas and some great skiing!  We are thinking of our friends and family at this special time of year and wishing all of you the very best for the holidays.   

Bad Day at Work

Dear Friends: 

We are fine.  I just had a bad day at work this week. 

This report from the Washington Post.

Posted at 10:48 AM ET, 12/13/2011

U.S. military drone crashes in Seychelles

By Jason Ukman

One of the Air Force’s premier drones crashed Tuesday morning in the Seychelles, the Indian Ocean archipelago that serves as a base for anti-piracy operations, as well as U.S. surveillance missions over Somalia.

The crash of the MQ-9 Reaper comes roughly two weeks after a U.S. drone went down in Iran.

The Seychelles, where U.S. officials have worked closely with local officials to establish the drone base, is hardly enemy territory, and the drone that crashed Tuesday was operated by the Air Force, not the CIA, which operated the stealth RQ-170 that crashed in Iran.

Still, Tuesday’s crash once again illustrates the fallibility of unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Air Force acknowledged the crash at the Seychelles airport, and a spokesman for the service said the crash happened as the drone was landing. No one was injured.

The Air Force said the cause of the crash — the first ever of a Reaper in the Seychelles — was under investigation. A statement from the civil aviation authority in the Seychelles attributed it to engine failure, saying that, after landing, the drone failed to stop before skidding into an outcropping of rocks at the end of the runway.

“It has been confirmed that this drone was unarmed and its failure was due to mechanical reasons,” the statement said. The Air Force confirmed that the MQ-9 was unarmed.

Photos of the Reaper show that it sustained heavy damage, with the nose of the drone carved off and one wing partially missing.

Gervais Henrie, editor of the local Le Seychellois Hebdo, who witnessed a crew lifting the remains of the drone with a crane after the crash, said it had burst into flames. Much of the Reaper appeared charred.

“Totally destroyed,” Henrie said in a phone interview.

The U.S. military is believed to have only a handful of Reapers in the Seychelles, based in a hangar located about a quarter-mile from the main passenger terminal at the airport.

The island nation of 85,000 people has hosted the drones since September 2009. U.S. and Seychellois officials have said the primary mission of the Reapers was to track pirates in regional waters, but they have also been used to conduct surveillance missions over Somalia.

The base in the Seychelles is part of a constellation of drone bases that the U.S. government has expanded in the region to monitor or attack al-Qaeda affiliates.

Hernie said Seychellois often see the Reapers flying overhead, and that they have come to accept them as a a routine part of living in the islands.

The Air Force said the cause of the crash of the MQ-9 was under investigation. (Courtesy Le Seychellois Hebdo)

An MQ-9 Reaper is retrieved after crashing at the airport in Seychelles. (Courtesy Le Seychellois Hebdo)

The Last Peace Corps Volunteer to Leave Kazakhstan

is Heather Renee Campbell!  Three weeks ago, the US Peace Corps suddenly announced that it was closing the PC/Kazakhstan program, as they couldn't assure volunteer safety.  They rounded up the volunteers from all over that far flung country, had a short out-placement seminar, and began giving volunteers tickets or cash to go home.  Heather had been there for 8 months of what was to be a 27 month tour.  She banded with a group of 6 other former volunteers and set out for a 10 day trip to see the large country they lived in, but would likely never get to see.  First was a 3 day train ride to the Caspian Sea, where they visited holy Islam sites in caves, then worked their way back eastward on public transportation visiting a number of historic and aesthetic places.  Ten days later, they ended up back in Almaty, the economic center of the country, had a final dinner with the Peace Corps country director, and began leaving for places, and futures, unknown.  There aren't too many flights from Almaty to Mauritius, so Heather was the last PCV (ever) out of the country when she left Sunday night.  Transiting through Moscow, she arrived here Monday morning, to the great delight of her proud parents.  A quick change into summer clothes, lunch by the ocean, and a trip to the market quickly followed.  Then, to paraphrase a John Denver lyric:  "comin' home to a place she's never been before."  We are thrilled to have her home for however long she can stay, while she figures out the next adventure in her already-awesome life. 

Visitors from Home Eclipse Everything

My brother Jay, his wife Elena, son Moses, and family friend Vanessa arrived in Mauritius on Friday . . . and what a wonderful reunion it's been!  They arrived here after spending three days on a photo safari in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Amazing pictures and stories they have  . . . lions and giraffes and hippos and elephants all around their jeep in the wild!  We are now convinced that a safari trip to Africa is in the cards for us sometime in the next year.  We are thoroughly enjoying having Jay and family here in Mauritius with us.  Jay and Moses are amateur astronomers, and let us know that Saturday night would be a full lunar eclipse.  We went out to a beach on the east side of Mauritius and watched the moon come out of the full eclipse just above the horizon!  What a wonderful sight.  Today, we all went snorkeling in the ocean behind our house . . . appreciating more of earth's wonders.  In the next few days and weeks, while family and friends in ABQ and the rest of the US suffer through freezing temps, we'll have museum visits, boat trips, swimming, dolphin watching, and just some great time to relax and enjoy the wonders of family and friends.  Tomorrow, Monday the 12th is another big day for us, as daughter Heather returns "home" to a place she's never been before . . . from Kazakhstan with love.  We're looking forward to an extended stay with her here.  A houseful of family!   We're loving it!

Saving the Giant Tortoises

While we were in Rodrigues Island last weekend, we made a visit to the Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise Preserve.  This is a truly special place.  When Leguat, one of the first explorers of Rodrigues Island first set foot on the island, he described the scene as one where there were so many giant tortoises that one could walk on their backs for kilometers and never step on the ground.  These days, they are not nearly so numerous, but the tortoise preserve is doing a tremendous job of bringing back a nearly extinct animal to abundance.  "It was Charles Darwin himself who set all this in motion. He visited Mauritius on the return voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle in 1836, where he heard about the extinct giant tortoises. Many years later, he suggested that the best way to see that the thousands of giant tortoises then living on uninhabited Aldabra Island (their last stand in the Indian Ocean region) didn’t go the way of the extinct giant tortoises of Madagascar, the Mascarenes, and the Seychelles, was to move some to these other islands and establish populations, and that was done on Mauritius." David A. Burney, Madagascar Conservation & Development.  Aside from being magnificent animals and just as cute as a wrinkly old beast can be, they liked being rubbed on their shells and under their necks.    Shelly and I were thrilled to see the hundreds of Aldabra and other tortoises in a beautiful canyon being scientifically repopulated.  It gave us hope that we might preserve this beautiful creature after all.  

Rodrigues Island

How does the USA help an impoverished, parched little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean?  That is our challenge.  So Shelly and I go to Rodrigues (pronounced rod REEGZ) Island, which is part of Mauritius, but is all by itself way out in the middle of the ocean.  35,000 people live here, mostly descendents of freed African and Malagasy slaves.   The US has a history of providing "self-help" funding for small enterprises in Rodrigues.  It's my job to meet with project applicants and look at what they want to do with small foreign aid grants.  It's a very rural environment, where the work is mostly subsistence fishing, small animal husbandry, and agriculture on a rocky, volcanic, hard-scrabble hillside.  The people, however,  were so welcoming, friendly, and tickled at my attempts at speaking Kreol.  There are few jobs---and a recent creation of a marine park in the lagoon effectively banned fishing for many of the lifelong fishermen.  And quite ironically, the biggest challenge on land surrounded by miles of pounding ocean . . . is water.  The residents barely have enough fresh water to drink and use for domestic purposes, not to mention irrigation and livestock.  Shelly and I came "home" to the Mauritius "mainland" with an appreciation for our more modern lifestyle. 

Octopus drying in the sun