Housekeeping

I'm really glad that no one was around just now to witness my 30 minute battle with a duvet cover. It was literally swallowing me whole at one point and I could barely find the opening to get out!

I have no classes on Thursdays, so I decided to take advantage of my free morning to stock up on more toys for my dorm room. I got a collinder, a thermos, and cleaning supplies...and I couldn't resist the temptation to finally overhaul my room when I got back. Squeaky clean! But I am devoting this afternoon to starting research for my first report at AGS. It is to investigate the progress and/or efficiency of one of the initiatives that have been established in Africa in response to the "resource curse." For example, Transparency International's Anti-Corruption Campaign is a movement that has created a corruption perception index to assess judiciary, educational, and other public processes in a number of sub-Saharan African countries.

We have to call people or go into the Parisian offices of these initiatives if there is one in Paris, and hassle people until we get a clear idea of whether or not they actually achieve their objectives. I'm itching to start, although I probably didn't come across as so at the end of class when I told the professor that I finally figured out who he reminded me of: Shaggy from Scooby Doo!

But seriously, here goes my first project at the Masters level....wish me luck!