Cultural Event #5: "Lessons I Learned in the Peace Corps" by Dr. Carrie Messenger

For my final Cultural Event, I attended a Leadership Lounge Workshop titled "Lessons I Learned in the Peace Corps," a lecture by Shepherd English professor, Dr. Carrie Messenger. The lecture started off with Carrie describing how her family had always been into the Peace Corps, what it is all about, and how she got involved. I learned that it is a two year commitment. The Peace Corps works in countries from Central America to Asia and Europe to Africa. In each set countries, volunteers work with schools, entrepreneurs, governments, health, business, information technology, and environment. When Dr. Messenger joined, she committed to teaching and wasn't sure which country she would be placed in. She described how at 22, she hadn't had any previous experience speaking any other language than German and got placed in a village in Moldova, a republic located in between Romania and the Ukraine. She mentioned how the language was the most difficult part about the experience, but that there were not many other ways to experience travel with someone else paying the way Peace Corps does. In the village, Dr. Messenger taught students who took onto her quite well. She mentioned funny stories of how she was kind of like a celebrity of the village she was placed in as her students were interested in her as an American willing to help. 

Flyer in front of the Rumsey Room

Dr. Messenger explained how she received a living stipend for her village and how she got by on a little over $300 each month. She explained how it was exciting to do simple things like purchase stamps, take villagers out to have a Coke, and find oranges because they were rare and expensive in the market. She explained how she used to save up to buy oranges because she disliked potatoes which are richly loved in Moldova. When asked how much of an impact she thought she had on her village, she mentioned how Peace Corps actually made more of an impact on her than it did the village she served in. She mentioned how she is also still in touch with her host family and students in Moldova even though she served over 12 years ago. Carrie even explained how most teachers only got paid in sugar, so they would stop teaching because they couldn't pay for anything.

I was handed a note card in the beginning so that I could ask her the following question: Were there any things that you found to be universal or true for all people based on your experiences? Dr. Messenger kindly answered my question by telling me how she would attempt telling jokes in the Romanian language and how humor can connect the humankind. As many life lessons were learned, Peace Corps is commonly known as "the toughest job that you'll love to do." Dr. Messenger's lecture changed me in a sense that I have considered joining Peace Corps in a means to give back to the world. She mentioned how much of a privilege it was to have become so fluent in the Romanian language simply by experiencing it for a full two years. Dr. Messenger also translates Romanian literature now. She mentioned how she wouldn't have been able to do that without the experience.

Cultural Event #4: Music of the Jazz Age-Midnight in Paris with Zelda, Scott, and Ernest

As my fourth Cultural Event for Capstone, I attended a Jazz concert titled Music of the Jazz Age-Midnight in Paris with Zelda, Scott, and Ernest. The music was set to allow the audience to explore the two most significant writers in the Age of Jazz, both American expatriates of the early Modernist period: Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.The audience was also asked to consider Fitzgerald's wife, Zelda Fitzgerald as prototype for the Flapper and inspiration for Scott's best written fiction. As many do not know, the legacy and origin of the Jazz Age is defined by the sound of its music of the 1920's. In that time, there was an idea of letting go of the old ora and rising to a newer, different style of music. Jazz played a significant part in wider cultural changes during the period, and its influence on pop culture continued after.

With the women's suffrage at its peak in the 1920s and the entrance of the flapper women, it began to make a statement within society and the Jazz Age-also known as The Roaring Twenties was not blind to these new ideals. With women now taking part of the work force after the end of the First World War, there were many more possibilities for women in the terms of entertainment and social way of living. The ideas of Free sexuality and equality were thriving and women capitalized in this time. Fitzgerald's writings often portrayed people who became successful in the social and financial worlds, but did not share the same prosperity in their morals. 

My view of the quartet performing

In listening to this fine quartet, I noticed how the idea of syncopation defines the personality of jazz. Syncopation is, of course known as the displacement of the usual rhythmic accent away from a strong beat onto a weak beat. The presence of improvisation in jazz affects the entire performance. The subtle wilt of it makes jazz what it is. In between songs, the pianist explained the roots of jazz and how the blues notes are related to many used within the genre.

In this time, music was a big part of the film industry. The Importance of The Jazz Singer film marks the affects of just how significant the music was to the video. The Harlem Rennaissance affected the music as well as other art forms of poetry, literature, and art. I recall the quartet playing a tune from the Harlem Renaissance titled "Caravan"by Duke Ellington. The song is meant to sound like you are on a camel in the desert and defines the ragtime feel of the jazz age.




The quartet ended with a piece titled "Don't get around much anymore" which is easily recognized not only by fans of the jazz age, but also those today. The piece is originally performed by Duke Ellington as well, but commonly known as being performed by Nat King Cole. The quartet did not perform it with lyrics, but the instrumental was easily recognizable with its smooth yet creative feel. I found myself very relaxed after listening to a few pieces such as this.



I am very glad that I attended this event as I learned a decent amount about The Jazz Age and how it influenced American culture and society. The legacy of women during that time was very interesting to discover as I listened to great music that reminded me of that time. It was great to be able to experience something like this completely free of charge and gain so much knowledge and insight.