Gratified

I've just submitted my second assignment for my Public Policy and Management course, 46.5 minutes before the 25 July midnight deadline (yes, I've been cutting it a bit thin this time). It's an 8-page (2688 words, excl. bibliography) piece on institutional reform in my host country, taking local conditions and most of all local constraints (corruption, weak institutional capacity, hopeless public finances) into account. Whereas I considered the previous assignment as a bit of a joke (turning my home town into some sort of a criminal area), I felt quite serious about this one, even though learning objectives formed a sort of straight jacket when writing: I had to use 'ideal types' for institutional reform, but as the 7th poorest country in the world, our host country doesn't really fit any of them. But it was an excellent day, pure concentration and intellectual flow.

I am now tapering off with a well-deserved glass of whisky, still feeling the adrenalin of getting the piece ready before the deadline. Pure bliss, deep satisfaction. I actually think I did allright. The good mark for my first assignment has whetted my appetite for more.

The next course has already started: Public Financial Management - Planning and Performance., which will be less philosophical and more 'hands on' I guess than the course for which I have just submitted my second assignment, Public Policy and Management- Perspectives and Issues.* It is based on the work of that great teacher whose course on PFM I did in Johannesburg, and whom I am still in e-mail contact with (hi Perran!).

Puppy Dog, the young colleague working in my section, is also taking the Public Financial Management course. He has become something of a social problem among colleague since his arrival. No social capacities whatsoever, an oaf. Whereas he irritates the hell out of me as soon as he comes into my office, I actually find myself sometimes defending him in front of my Italian colleague, who is really pretending to be the professional and moral conscience of the Delegation, it seems. F... him.

I talk to A. and the children every day. Yesterday was the first time that both M. and A. were crying over the phone because they miss me. It's been six weeks since we last saw each other, and that's too long. I'll see them next Monday, two weeks off (apart from studies), lovely. Little by little A. is making progress in her battle with Dutch telecom company KPN. She finally managed to get a fixed telephone line to our holiday home, next week ADSL I hope. And then we should be able to talk to each other face to face trhough Skype, even though nothing beats cuddling the kids and A. Just a few more days.


* I honestly think CeFiMS should do something about the titles of its courses. Who would ever take a course with the utterly nondescript title 'Perspectives and Issues' on a MSc transscript seriously?!