A Literary Journal

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

DELIRIUM is a journal of ideas, perceptions, feelings; a compilation of what we, as Americans living abroad, see and experience and do day-in-day-out as development workers living in Mauritania. Our lives here often seem a strange and confusing blend of present and past, of who we now are and who we once were. A volunteer struggling to integrate into a new society is at once a dual reality, a conflict of cultures, a self forced to let go of or re-evaluate its once cherished beliefs and convictions about what it means to exist. That is to say, what it means to be a woman or man or husband or wife or educator or farmer or entrepreneur living and working in an unfamiliar world, governed by different social norms and not fully understood culturally determined ways of being. In short, as development workers, we must take on new ways of defining what and who we are in order to be effective members of the society we are trying to understand, perhaps (some would say) change. This often means we must give up—perhaps briefly forget—a large part of the selves we once knew. Thus we fall into estrangement, confusion, conflict with ourselves. We live a divided life. An integrated volunteer is, consciously or unconsciously, at conflict with her/himself, floating between two worlds, an apparition in one, a stranger in the other. With no outlet, Disillusionment sets in. The Malaise comes on. One feels ennui and indifference rise up and overwhelm them. The phenomenon of Madness rules the opposite extreme, brought on by a feeling of abandonment into a world without sense or order. Accompanying anger, frustration, and rage find their outlet, sadly enough, through cynicism and despair. Either way, life quickly loses meaning and purpose, each day but a listless commentary on the last.

DELIRIUM hopes to provide a creative and intellectual outlet for the disillusionment many volunteers and Americans living abroad may face when confronted by the real life issues raised by living in a developing country. Many of these points of conflict are rooted in the concept of cultural relativism. How, for example, is one supposed to interpret, let alone spend two or so years, living in a community where remnants of slavery or female genitalia mutilation can still be found in the social practices? On a less extreme, but no less worrisome level, poverty, malnutrition, starvation, traditional gender and religious roles, arranged or multiple marriages, and similar social, economic and environmental problems present serious challenges for those of us unwilling to question or confront our own beliefs and systems of value.

I also hope that DELIRIUM will be used as an opportunity to express some of the beauty and mystery to be found in Mauritania, a chance for us to look deeper into the vast ambiguity of its landscape, the hidden enigmas and complexities of its social character, the rich diversity of its peoples and languages. Numerous aspects of life in Mauritania have yet to be discovered, appreciated, or adequately explained for the world at large. In many ways the substance of our impressions living here will, if recorded, give voice to a land that has yet to be heard, at least in the Western world.

As is customary, I would like to thank everyone for their submissions, along with Matt C. for his help as sub-editor, Kevin S. for his fast-fingered typing, and Tu D. for designing the cover page. The next issue of DELIRIUM is set for late March. Please send all submissions, responses, requests, inquiries, suggestions, etc., to Paul no later than March 1st. Although a good deal of content in DELIRIUM is Mauritania specific, the editors will not exclude, and highly encourage, submission of other literary material, however obliquely related to topics pertaining to Mauritania.

Paul
Rosso, 2003

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Tables of Contents

Volume One January 2003
Readings
L’esprit du terrorisme By Jean Beaudrillard		Sustainable Development: From Dream to Reality By Prof. Dr. Emil Salim
Conclusion from The Renaissance By Walter Pater
Reminiscences: Village Life
Season Harvest By Kristiana G.		Umi-Anna By Katherine W.
My Day: Impressions By Beth B.
Poetry
Melancholy: A Boghe meditation By John O.		This Place By Tu D.
Diamonds or Words By Shelagh S.		The Nymph and I and The Nightengale By Anton J.
Poem: Untitled By NK
Critical Essays
Labor and The Economy By Jason K.		Sustainable Development: from the field Racy B.
Drama
A scene from Excelsior, A play in progress By Matt G.
Short Story
Go to the Cult By Matt C.
Letters
Slavery in Mauritania		A letter Home By Anton J.
The Schopenhauer Page
The Mind of a Pessimist
What I Have Lived For By Bertrand Russell

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