Name: Jeanine Boulay
Home: Brooklyn, New York

About: Jeanine Boulay, American teacher and poet, joined Amazwi for the month of July to teach a Travel Narratives workshop titled “Postcards from Acornhoek.” Jeanine’s work with Amazwi and travel to South Africa was supported by a ‘Fund for Teachers’ Fellowship.

* * *
Your most marked characteristic?
I am undecided between optimism and indecision.

The quality you most like in a man?
Loyalty. Empathy.

The quality you most like in a woman?
Empathy. Loyalty.

What do you most value in your friends?
Their ability to make light of my crises.

What is your principle defect?
Procrastination.

What is your favorite occupation?
Ice Cream Scooper.

What is your dream of happiness?
I’m not sure you need to dream it; I think you know it when you have it.

What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes?
I don’t really want to think about this one. (Are you trying to jinx me?!)

What would you like to be?
Or rather, who would I like to be?

In what country would you like to live?
South Africa!

What is your favorite color?
Orange.

What is your favorite flower?
Queen’s Lace.

What is your favorite bird?
Red-billed Hornbill (especially the one that flies into Maggie’s kitchen window every day).

Who are your favorite writers?
Too Many! Virginia Woolf, JM Coetzee, Mark Strand, Charles Simic, Philip Roth, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Elizabeth Bishop……

Who are your favorite composers?
Jonny Greenwood (There Will Be Blood soundtrack)

Who are your favorite painters?
Mark Rothko

What is it you most dislike?
Green Olives.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
Flight.

How would you like to die?
Quickly.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Wasting Time.

What is your motto?
“Oh-oh child, things are gonna get easier. Oh-oh child, things’ll get brighter.”