Why the 4377 not?

I've got this idea that I think is fantastic. It's like, I don't want to study for my last final which I was supposed to take today (but maybe I'll put it off until tomorrow) because I can't stop thinking through the details of this idea, and how it could be pulled off.

Here's the idea:

I want to take a trip to Argentina, preferably with a few other people (a couple or three?) this summer with the purpose of writing a book. Maybe for all of May, or something.

The book would be in three parts, I think.

The first, and this is why it would require the trip, would be a collection of poems by amateur/unpublished Argentine poets. We would go around knocking doors, almost like missioning, but asking at each door if they know anyone who writes poetry. And we'd travel around the country for about a month doing this (while, of course, also seeing some sights, visiting friends...) until we found enough of these poets willing to have us put their poems in a book. We'd include the original poems plus our own translations.

Part two would be an account of our trip around Argentina finding poets. This could take a lot of different forms, and would probably take shape as the trip progressed. I'm thinking it might be nice to have one person on the trip with the assignment of documenting everything and putting together this part of the book.

The third part of the book would be a collection of true short stories. One for each poet featured - when we found them and got their poems, we would also interview them for biographical information and some interesting stories from their lives, or something like that.


So that's the idea. I actually am fairly serious about it - I've been wanting to go back to Argentina, and I figure the less I wait, the more likely it is to happen. And I think I'll have enough money to do it. Plus, if you're going to travel around Argentina, wouldn't knocking on doors looking for poets be a fantastic way to do it? If you can think of a better way, let me know. Anyone can go to the tourist sites, and can come away saying that they've seen the tourist sites. But this would be a way to have some real positive interaction with random people. The book, in some ways, just kind of serves as an excuse.

In posting this here, I'm inviting suggestions, and looking for collaborators. Really, I'm wondering if you'd like to join in, Tim. Not only would you be a great traveling companion in Argentina, but you've got those mad writing skills that would be so handy for writing a book. And Caitlin, you'd be much more than welcome to come. I'm sure you'd contribute in many ways, but the main one that comes to mind right now is you'd make it so people wouldn't think we were gay. If Tim gets you that Rosetta Stone software for Christmas, you'll be more fluent than either of us by May. (I don't know if there's anyone else who might read this that might be interested, but if you are, let me know.) But the problem is it would cost a bit of money - airfare is at least $1000 right now, and a month of hotels and food and traveling across a country won't be cheap, even if it is Argentina. Room sharing (but always complying completely with the Honor Code) could cut costs. If we find a way to boil potatoes (or get used to eating raw potatoes), we can dramatically cut food costs.

I guess taking a month off of work/school could also be difficult. But worth it.

Also, I'm wondering about other people to invite. I was thinking I'd invite Chandler - he's got his reasons to want to return to Argentina, knows the East coast better than any of us, and could also contribute positively to a book. I don't know how his financial situation looks, but my gut tells me he's loaded. Even if he is kind of cold.

Do you think there's some kind of grant floating around out there for cross-cultural poetry-related book-writing? I'll look. Maybe there's something more that could be added to the plan to get it funded somehow. Or if someone has some rich relatives? Or maybe some random person with plenty of money will stumble across this blog and feel the sudden urge to donate to the cause...? We could work out a deal to give you a cut of any royalties from the book... (This even has major motion picture written all over it). Otherwise, it'll be a question of pinching pennies for a while. Or pinching Benjamins. But lawfully. If possible.

And if you don't want to go/can't afford it/can't take the time off, it will break my heart and I'll become depressed and spend all of the rest of my life wondering about what could have been. But don't worry about it.

So what do you say?