Saturday, May 16, 2009

How (not) to present NAFTA

What happened last week? Why did people quit hearing from me then? Swine flu? Are you joking? You've got more chance of catching it than I do, like I've said!

No,I had a 10 page paper and presentation to do on a subject that I could present back at home. I chose NAFTA (North American Free Trade) and globalized trade/debt in general as far as it impacts here in the state of Morelos.

The night before it was due I stayed up late in Casa Cemal and the little sleep I got was on the Cemal couch (for any number of reasons. Safer not to be in the streets with a laptop computor at 5:00 AM, desire to put finishing touches on my project in the morning etc.)

I asked for suggestions afterwards from classmates. People said it was too scattered (I was trying to relate it to everything I saw).

They thought it was weird that a writer such as myself would do my presentation as a powerpoint with no prepared script.

They were expecting a series of monologues,like my earlier show about this neighborhood's tap water and sewage disposal history (Yes! One can do a series of monologues about water issues!). Judy Shevilev criticized that earlier presentation for presenting my interview subjects' views but not mine.

I should have just done a rap video like my friend Josiah ("Goose") Guzik did.

I may put up some more on NAFTA and/or water issues later, given the variety show that is this blog (nightclubs and landfills?).

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