I felt like a fifth-grader all week listening to Ofeibia Quist-Arcton on WSHU. She was narrating a trip down the Congo River, and it brought me back to Mr. Brown’s classroom and the first extended research project I’d ever done: this, on the Belgian Congo. I searched the almanac and our Funk & Wagnall’s encyclopedia for all the information I could find on this exotic and incredibly distant land. And ever since then, I’ve felt a bit of ownership for this region, and when I hear of it on the news, I think they’re talking about a place I know well – not true, of course – and that I somehow discovered as a kid. The five-day expedition was incredibly detailed. The reporter is a gifted story-teller and her unique accent – I can’t ever pinpoint its origins – makes for a unique combination. This is where National Public Radio, with which our own WSHU is affiliated, really shines. I am, I admit, a public radio junkie, and I listen faithfully – too much sometimes – to the news. While there is a constant barrage of Afghanistan and the BP oil spill and the President’s latest poll numbers, the sun breaks through occasionally with rich and substantial coverage like this. The leisurely pace of the reporting over the course of five days allowed for a measured examination of myriad aspects on Congolese life. It is a huge – and hugely important - region, and we know so little about it. And sadly, this is probably the most I’ve heard about the Congo since fifth grade. WSHU – and its many affiliates – is a true gift, and Sacred Heart University is fortunate to have this great resource in our midst.
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