a WaNdErLUsT with PuRpOSe

40 Day Growth Spurt

2011-03-31T02:08:00.000-06:00

I have really been struggling lately with dissatisfaction with where I am in life and feeling unable to make things happen. As I'm fast approaching 30 I am unemployed, living with my mom, in debt, single, and can't seem to get myself to where I want to be. Any of these circumstances on their own is certainly no crisis, it is the concurrent mockery that gets me down. It really comes down to feeling like I'm not contributing anything meaningful. And also that this is the first time in my life I have set a goal, actively sought to make it happen, and failed. I have focused a lot of effort the past year on appreciating what I have in my life right now and taking advantage of the opportunities before me each day. There is no lack of things for which I am grateful: spending time with my family, exploring new territory in the U.S., being in the mountains (the most immediate and sure-fire way to replenish my soul), developing new friendships, enjoying Colorado's micro-brews, enriching my yoga practice...

But my spirit is restless, challenging me to something more. I have had moments of intense mourning for the people I have loved and lost, and since I identify very strongly with ontologies wherein a individual dies but remains present in our lives (my favorite term for this presence is "shades") I am compelled that there is something I need to learn from them. Since I have been meditating on their lives and our relationships I have had a couple revelations. Some of them not so easy to come to terms with, but valuable nuggets of wisdom none-the-less. And I know there is more. And I believe that these lessons will help lay the path to a more meaningful life both now and in the future.

So, with the intention to ground, push, lift, and expand myself into all the possibilities this life has to offer I have set the following challenges for myself (adapted from my friends 30 day mindset detox). It begins NOW!

For 40 days I will:

Drink lots of water every day (at least 64 oz, including 2 glasses first thing in the morning).

Take a 30 min walk every morning.

Begin a "turn the world upside down" photo journal. This entails getting a picture of myself glimpsing the world upside down every day. Yes, it is totally silly. I need more silly in my life. But it's also about discovering a new perspective.

Do yoga, swim, run, hike or other exercise at least 5 days a week.

Work in the garden at least 4 days a week.

Avoid animal flesh. The exceptions will be fish in general, or meat cooked in family meals at home. I would say no meat at all, but that would isolate me from my family when we share meals and that would be negative for my own growth and theirs!

Not drink alcohol.

Read something uplifting and empowering everyday.

Write down what or who I am grateful for everyday.

Not watch tv/movies/series (unless it’s something outrageously inspiring or educational).

Meditate for at least 30 min. every day.

Write down 10 wins (any accomplishment, big or small) for the day, everyday.

Write down I AM statements: anything that I am, that I'd like to continue to be, or be more of, or anything that I am currently not expressing in my life that I would like to become. Then strive to BE.

Practice random acts of kindness everyday. This means intentionally seeking out and seizing opportunities to share a joyful moment with strangers and loved ones.

Complete the first draft of 1 article for ASnA and at least begin outlining a second for African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review.

Develop and deepen relationships. Reach out to old friends whom I have not been good at keeping in touch with. Share more of myself with those whom I'm close to.

Do something that scares me.

One more which I will talk about if you ask me (helping me to satisfy the previous goal).

Change is in the air

2011-02-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

The winds of change in the U.S. are blowing around the budget proposals in Congress. Everybody wants the government to bring spending under control, but nobody wants to loose access to the government funded programs that we value. Everyone cannot be appeased, but everyone should speak up for what they think the best decisions are. Congress is a representative of the people, there to make decisions for the country on our behalf, which means we have a responsibility to express our needs and wants to them. Believe it or not, it's pretty easy to do!

Being informed is the best first step. Below, I have pulled some numbers from Obama's proposal for each department. I encourage you to look at the full document. Each section begins with bulleted highlights of what that money would be used for, so it doesn't necessarily require extensive reading. Obviously, the GOP proposals are VERY different. There is heavy debate going on, and everything from NPR to fighter jets to NASA to Pell Grants is on the chopping block. You can follow the progress of certain amendments highlighted in the New York Times.

The numbers below are meant to provide an overview of expenditures. How does it compare with how you think our money should be used? It's easy to say what shouldn't get cut, but cuts are being made so it is most productive to identify where to make them. Since we all have different interests and are impacted in different ways (as teachers, social workers, entrepreneurs, students, homeowners, parents, etc, etc), I invite you to share your ideas.

Once you've identified what you'd like to fight for, and what you think should be sliced and diced, then visit Congress.org. All you have to do is enter your zip code and it'll tell you who your representatives are. From there you can either contact them through the Congress.org website, or follow the link to the individual's website and access their contact form. Tell them what you think! It is their job to listen!

Personally, I'm a big advocate of participation, so as long as you take action, whatever your opinion is, I'm happy. Debate is a useful tool for developing and testing opinions, which is why I've asked for you to share your thoughts. If you've seen my recent Facebook posts, you know that I find it disturbing that our biggest budget item (by hundreds of billions of dollars!) is the Dept. of Defense. I don't think that investing in the nuclear weapons complex, weapons delivery systems and fighter jets makes us, or anyone else in the world, safer or more free. I'm not suggesting that medical care for servicemembers should be cut, I am suggesting that we wouldn't have thousands of soldiers coming home with traumatic brain injuries if we weren't involved in violent conflict (and gearing up for more in the future). National security, in my opinion, means investing in the wellbeing of the American public (meaning health, education, a safe and comfortable standard of living, innovation...) and using our resources to invest in the wellbeing of other nations. Why should we care about the wellbeing of other nations? Becuase we need them! Each of us does business with the world at large every single day as we buy gas, food, electronics, clothes, etc. And since I believe in responsible business practices (as opposed to exploitation or oppression), that means spending/investing money in ways that has a positive impact on the people with whom we do business. Now THAT would make the world a safer place.

Obama's 2011/12 Budget Proposal

A New Peacebuilding Tool

2010-07-08T14:39:00.000-06:00

How much did you pay for your cell phone?
How much do you spend each month on the plan to make calls, send texts, and use data?
If you knew that $12.50 could help promote sustained peace in a county at a strategic point in transitioning from a long civil war, would you give it?
If you're on a tight budget (like me) would you sacrifice a meal out at a restaurant, or a cheap new shirt, or a couple of beers, to be able to make that donation? How much is peace in a tiny African country worth?

As many of you know, I did field work for my thesis in Rwanda. The histories of Rwanda and Burundi are tightly knit, and therefore so is their present. In fact, just as no man is an island, so is no county isolated. The politics of each country in the Great Lakes region of Africa reflect and impose upon each other, and those processes and relationships extend even further to the Great Lakes of America. How so? Because we in America (and Europe and Asia) are completely dependent on technology, and a great number of the resources we utilize to produce that technology come out of central Africa. But I don't actually want to pursue this argument. I recognize that there is something in human nature that compels us to want to get something for that which we give. But must we get a 'clean' iphone in exchange for supporting peace in Burundi? Not that I don't want responsible corporations, but is that the only compelling argument? Does the security of fellow human beings hold any weight? Is it worth $12.50? That's certainly a lot less than we might spend on a military or humanitarian operation should violence break out.... But enough with the guilt, what am I on about?

Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities is a trauma healing project which is pursuing an off-shoot project in response to the current elections taking place in Burundi. Since this is the first elections to take place in Burundi since a peace accord was signed in 2008, it is a volatile time in which many fear people will resort to violence to ensure whatever outcome they think is best. Many people feel that who is in office directly affects their daily existence, maybe even their lives, so a lot is at stake. As a result, things can get out of hand pretty quickly, rumors in particular being a fiendish culprit. So, after assessing what areas might be most prone to violence, HROC followed up the original workshop with trainings directly about community building in order to promote networks of support and to influence good communication. Along these lines, they are also training observers in each of the selected areas who will communicate with one another and with HROC 'headquarters' with cell phones. Having this rapid communication available to them makes it possible to stay informed about what is (or isn't) happening on the ground, which observers can also relay to their communities. How often have you felt comforted just KNOWING the details of what is happening? Communication is so important to sustaining healthy relationships!

There's one problem: the observers need cell phones! Few people in Burundi have the disposable income to purchase a cell phone, even when it only costs $12.50. Fortunately, lots of people with access to an extra $12.50 often find themselves wondering how it's possible to make a difference in a country like, say...Burundi, with the lowest per capita GDP in the world and which has essentially experienced decades of civil war. This is a fantastic opportunity! $12.50 puts the power in the hands of one observer, and his/her community, to actively build peace through good communication in a time of fear and questioning. We need to support more projects which use alternatives to guns, bombs and threats; which actively utilize peaceful means to peaceful ends and a more holistic concept of security.

You can learn more about Burundi, the elections, and this project from Andrew and Rich.
You can join the cause on facebook and make donations here.

What's the point of counter-protesting the WBC? (or Peace and Love in Colorado part II)

2010-04-11T14:26:00.003-06:00

1) Showing support to the students and congregants who are being targeted with messages of hate. I am particularly concerned about the students, who as young people are particularly susceptible to the ideas and opinions of others. Many could be deeply hurt and disturbed by the message and actions of the WBC. Countering that message with one of love, support, acceptance, unity, and the power of standing together as a community can impact how they view the world, and their own role in it, in a positive way. It's empowerment! It's so important to show future generations that they have a voice and a choice to make the world a more secure place for us all.

2) It's a message to anyone here in CO who may share the opinions of the WBC, letting them know that an attack on any single member of our community for whatever reason is in fact an attack on the community as a whole, and we will actively pursue a peaceful community that accepts and values difference. If small messages of hatred are allowed, they will only grow. The WBC is not physically violent, but their acts open a space for others to push those boundaries and a potential for violence.

3) It's a message to the children whom the WBC manipulates to participate in spreading their hate. We can expose them to a message of love and acceptance, and show them that love is more powerful, maybe even provide a dash of hope. One of Phelps' estranged children describes a continuum of abuse (http://natephelps.com/), which makes apparent that they are in desperate need of some lovin.

4) How many times have you heard the phrase "American soldiers fought and died for freedom in America" or something like it? How often do you take advantage of that freedom? Westboro Baptist Church is taking advantage of that freedom. There are lots of people around the world who are either exiled for voicing something which their government didn't agree with, or too terrified, even in their own homes, to voice their thoughts for fear of what may happen to them. I don't agree with the message that WBC propagates, I think it is directly and significantly harmful to the peace and well-being of both individuals and the community as a whole. But they have the freedom in this country to voice their opinions (whether what they have to say is a violation of human rights, or even if it should in fact be defined as peaceful simply because they are not physically attacking someone, is an issue for discussion). So the question is, what do you think about what the WBC says? How do you think it impacts the students at the schools they picket, or the congregation at the churches they picket, or the mourners at the funerals they picket? What is the impact for others in our cities who may share the WBC's sentiments? If you believe that the United States has fought for justice and liberty, is it not spitting in the face of soldiers and human rights activists when you let the responsibility to ensure those things in your home pass by?

Peace does not just happen inherently. Nor is it simply the absence of war. We have to dream it, hope for it, build it through our everyday interactions with everyone around us and sometimes with a bold statement against anyone or anything that threatens it. No act goes without consequence.

Complacency is the most dangerous threat to peace.

“Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” Pope John Paul II

Peace and Love in Colorado

2010-04-04T00:38:00.003-06:00

It's come to my attention that the Westboro Baptist Church, a hate group, is planning to picket several locations in Colorado later this month. They like to proclaim that "God hates you" and target homosexuals and Jews in particular. Some think that ignoring the picketers is the best response because it doesn't give them the attention they apparently so desperately want. However, I am of the breed that thinks silence and inaction are unacceptable and send the message to both aggressors and victims that hateful actions are acceptable. Ultimately this is a question of dignity and respect: even if one does not agree with the choice another has made, harassment is not an appropriate response.

Here's the CO picket schedule:
April 22: Pomona High School in Arvada, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Boulder, Boulder Hillel, Chatauqua Community House in Boulder

April 23: Standley Lake High School in Broomfield, Denver Academy of Torah, Intermountain Jewish News/ADL in Denver, Jewish Mosaic in Denver, Mountain Range High School in Denver, Hebrew Educational Alliance in Denver, Comedy Works in Greenwood Village

April 24: Temple Sinai in Denver, Temple Emmanuel in Denver, Jewish Community Center in Denver, Exdo Event Center in Denver

I find it particularly distasteful that they would stand outside schools with messages of hate. So I'm looking for people who want to take a stand for love, acceptance, peace, tolerance, kindness, education, life, choice, and even a God who doesn't hate you and me. The only religious creed or political allegiance that matters here is one that says hateful acts are not ok.

I would like to reach out to each of the places on the list above with a show of support, and to join forces with any other groups that might want to stage counter-protests. Let me know if you'd like to join me, by doing some research to get connected and/or by participating in peaceful protest/standup/shout-out. I emphasize the PEACEFUL nature of our response, countering with messages of hate (eg "God Hates WBC") or violence only adds to their ranks. And, let's be creative! How might we demonstrate love and peace and acceptance?

You can read up on WBC here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church

Here's one organization that is fighting hate-crimes:
http://preview.niot.org/action-hub/local-lessons/three-guiding-principles-when-confronting-hate

And here's how one high school responded to WBC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEiwBCpiA0E

Stand with your community to make the statement that we won't let hate reside on our streets!

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." - Dalai Lama

Elections and Democracy in E Africa

2010-03-30T23:54:00.004-06:00

I've linked to a video from the Carter Center entitled "Africa: Elections Aren't Enough" featuring Paul Collier (author of "The Bottom Billion") and other Carter Center staff. The foundational idea is that elections in and of themselves do not a democracy make. It's a poignant talk at a time when so many African countries are approaching elections. I'll highlight a few in the region where I pay the most attention:

Sudan, April 2010--the first free elections in 24 years. The civil war between the north and south, which continued for over two decades, made holding any semblance of a democratic election impossible. The current president, Omar al Bashir, came into power through a coup d'état in 1989 (and, I should note, is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for Crimes of War and Crimes against Humanity in Darfur). In the south, this election in many ways is considered a precursor to the vote that is planned for January 2011 in which Southern Sudan will decide if it should become an independent state. Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with a population of 40 million, the majority of which are illiterate and live in rural areas. In addition, conflict is still prominent in the eastern Darfur state. As such, logistical issues are a huge concern. Furthermore, the International Crises Group has just published a report outlining the ways the ruling National Congress Party has rigged the election.

Burundi, May-July 2010--the first elections since a peace accord was signed in April 2009 between the ruling government, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD), and the opposition National Liberation Forces (FNL). Burundi had been in Civil War since 1993. The current President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected in 2005 with the first elections since the start of the civil war. Human Rights Watch has produced reports documenting politically motivated killings, assaults, arrests, and other violence intended to intimidate and suppress opposing parties. Recent reports from IRIN identify party youth leagues, made up largely of demobilised combatants, as tools of the ruling party to intimidate voters.
In post-conflict states, elections are pivotal. After a peace agreement was signed in Burundi, people were relieved, but still hesitant about the how long-standing that peace would be. Most people say they will "wait and see" how the elections go: if it is pulled off peacefully and justly then they can feel confident that their country has really made a change for the better, but most worry that there will be new violence and manipulation. To explore the host of issues a country at such a turning point faces, see the recent Peacebuilding Commission report for Burundi.

Rwanda, August 2010--the second election since the Rwandese Patriotic Front took power after ending the genocide in 1994. The first election was in 2003, when then President Paul Kagame was elected with 95% of the vote (it should be noted that political organising was outlawed until shortly before the election was held). The constitution allows for the President to serve two, seven year terms, and most anticipate that Kagame, who has held the office of president since removing Pasteur Bizimungu in 2000, will be re-elected. However, the evidence that the election is being manipulated in order to maintain power is piling up. The opposition is being prevented from registering and meeting; accusations of revisionism and/or denial of the the 1994 genocide and divisionism serve as piercing attacks against the opposition which by law make them vulnerable to arrest; and members of opposition parties are publicly beaten.
Although Kagame has done much to rebuild Rwanda and maintain peace, his human rights record leaves much to be desired. He could stand among the great leaders in Africa if he were to follow in the footsteps of Mandela and step down when his time is up, but I fear he may choose the path of Mugabe, Museveni and so many others who entrench themselves in power and refuse to acknowledge that any other person may be capable of performing as president.

Uganda, 2011--Yoweri Museveni took power in 1985 through a coup d'état. He was later elected president in 1996, again in 2001, and again in 2006 (in the first multiparty election, and after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term). The elections have been contested with accusations of rigging, voter intimidation, and suppression of party activities. HRW documents elected officials who were charged with election abuses but never brought to justice and are still serving, while opposition candidates are arrested on trumped up charges. Conflicts over the upcoming elections are already being reported, and the coalition of opposition parties have hinted they would boycott the elections if changes are not made.
The three months I spent in Uganda were littered with stories of past elections, none of them were positive. Foreigners said that violence was inevitable (speaking from their own experience of riots and bombings) and that it was best to leave the country if you could. A young man in the eastern mountains described being kidnapped, beaten, and imprisoned until he agreed to never work for an opposition party again. Everyone expressed that the only reason President Museveni continued to win elections was through threat and manipulation, and because the international community continued to recognise him as a legitimate leader (although the Obama administration may be looking to change that).

You may recall that the last elections in this region were in Kenya in 2007, the population contested the results, in which the incumbent President Kibaki was declared winner, which led to widespread violence and killings that became ethnically charged in some areas (particularly the Rift Valley Province). A negotiated power-sharing agreement established the office of Prime Minister for the leading opposition, Odinga. The next elections in 2012 are anticipated with trepidation.

Elections are powerful, emotionally charged, and complex regardless of the country they take place in. They can be used as a tool for suppression and domination just as easily as they can be used for the stimulation of human rights and the freedom to voice your needs and desires. I believe it is important for the international community (which means not just governments but you and me) to hold each state accountable and to support good practices. It is also important to remain informed about the processes and voices in other countries in order to better understand your own and better identify good practices, not to mention defining your own needs and desires.

I would love to hear your thoughts or questions on these issues, if you have a response please post a comment on my blog!

"The Crazies"

2010-02-22T23:09:00.004-07:00

I had a realisation today while watching a preview for the new movie "The Crazies": we are becoming more and more scared of ourselves.

Think about the history of horror movies in the US (not that I claim to be an expert). The earliest are based on myths found in literature: Dracula, Frankenstein, etc. In the 1950's it was gigantic irradiated mutants and monsters that reflected the fears at the time of nuclear bombs and the growing connections with mysterious foreign lands: King Kong, gigantic mosquitoes, and aliens featured. Then zombies (who are, or were, humans) entered into popular representation. From what I can tell from the preview, 'The Crazies' are not zombies, but people who are sick or somehow infected (which has been the case in other recent horror films, often reflecting the contemporary threat of chemical weapons and science gone wrong). But the title implies that something is making people go 'crazy' and turn (violently) on fellow humans.

My point is that there has been a slow transition, from fictitious monsters to those that seem much more real and plausible, and more to the point, they are much more like you and me. Having just spent a year working on a thesis about how life is rebuilt after genocide in Rwanda, it's no surprise to me that we should be terrified of what we can do to each other, but how has this notion entered into popular media? Is the public overwhelmed with dumb-downed news blurbs? An odd paradox presents itself: I imagine that the creators of horror films today want their movie to be the scariest it can be, and usually that means making it as real as possible, yet for most people movies are an escape from reality. Or maybe an escape from an individual's present reality.

I say this partially because of the present fascination with "reality" TV and the rising number of films that seem to try to represent some truth or desire to honor the reality of experience (I prefer the more escapist genre myself, unless the film really has something to say). Despite the effort in this new film to strike fear in our hearts and minds (for entertainment purposes, I suppose that's another area for exploration) by creating a plot that seems realistic, they don't come too close. After all, this happens, according to the preview, after "humanity is lost." I couldn't help but role my eyes when I heard that line, because I think our understanding of "humanity", of what it means to be "human", is a bit skewed. I say this because each of us is just as capable of causing harm as we are of being caring and considerate. There are limits of course, one who is exceedingly compassionate can be revered as a saint or an angel, and one who is exceedingly cruel may be reviled as a monster or a demon. But the boundaries are transient, and I think that if we don't acknowledge the not-so-pretty sides of "humanity" (conflict, anger, bitterness, etc), then the good stuff can get forgotten too. The movie preview drew other unnerving parallels for me to Rwanda, where people describe those who killed in the genocide as becoming like animals, putting the question of how we define "humanity" in a different tone.

But I digress (I mean, how we, and others, define 'human-ness' is a thesis topic!). This blog is not well thought out, it's surely flawed. For instance, I do not intend to suggest that Dracula in silent black and white was not terrifying to the audience of the day. My motivating question here is: why is it that what we find terrifying today is ourselves? Or ourselves gone mad? (yet we still try so very hard to relegate that fear to the realm of the mythical, thereby negating any substantial response to or recognition of that fear?)

SMILE!

2009-06-10T10:44:00.002-06:00

This is in response to Andrew's "Smile and Wave" blog. I've been thinking about similar things since I've returned to Cape Town--how people, strangers, interact in different environments. In Gisenyi I became accustomed to, and quite enjoyed, not only meeting people I knew as I walked around town, but greetings between strangers. Now that I'm back in a "big" city (and a fairly hostile one at that) I'm again faced with a very different reality. One in which those who can afford it avoid walking or public transport, and those who chose to walk (or have no other choice but to walk) must constantly be aware of the potential dangers they will face. As a result, people are not only withdrawn as you commonly see in cities, but they intentionally avoid interaction (apart from the street sellers and beggars of course). One finds themself suspicious of everyone. The suspicion is not unwarranted--as you often hear here, it's not a question of IF you will be mugged or otherwise attacked, it is only a question of WHEN.
When, for Rich and I, was last night--we were fortunate that no one was hurt and nothing was taken. Rich was able to fight the guy off and chase him away, but what struck him the most was the anger in the boys eyes and his willingness to use violence--which caused Rich to question why that was the case. It began a brief discussion of how violence can become the norm, as opposed to an extreme, when it is so common in your daily existence for a long period of time. I often wonder though, why is violence so common here? Yes, one can argue that there is a long history of violence rooted in the apartheid struggle, but other areas have long histories of political struggle, and also continue to face extreme poverty, but do not exhibit the extreme violence that is so common here.
In several countries in Eastern Africa, protecting people and punishing criminals was taken into the hands of the community. They decided that if they couldn't depend on the police to protect them, they would protect themselves. If someone sees something happening (usually a pickpocket or the like), they start yelling and everyone else around chases down the criminal, returns the goods if necessary, and inflicts punishment (according to the story I heard in Rwanda, the punishment was a beating and public humiliation, I've heard that in Uganda the criminal is often killed). Last night when I repeatedly screamed--within hearing distance of a guest house and an open gas station, and as it turned out a taxi driver sitting in his car--no one responded. Why is it that the public here takes extreme steps to protect themselves (car alarms, high walls, barb wire, electric fences, home alarm systems, private armed guards, etc), but shows little interest in building systems to protect the community at large? Granted, the criminals in Eastern Africa tend not to be armed, so the people running to assist are not necessarily putting themselves in harms way.
I have no good solution or suggestions. It does seem to me that getting a car or taking cabs everywhere, the response of most Capetonians, is not a solution. I do think that rather than putting on a bad-ass don't-mess-with-me face, a smile and greeting could help both myself and other innocent pedestrians to feel a bit more positive about our commute around the city. And maybe, maybe, it would catch a potential attacker off-guard enough to ward off the threat. Perhaps that's impossibly optimistic of me. But I know I feel better when someone randomly greets me with a happy smile, so why not share a tiny dabble of something positive to balance out the negative vibes?

Neighbours

2009-05-12T09:17:00.000-06:00

What is a neighbour? I anticipate this very question to be one of the chapters of my thesis. Emma's description societies divided by a highway in Mumbai reminds me a lot of Cape Town, where the scars of apartheid still impair the landscape and determine quality of life.

But in Rwanda geography does not divide as history does. As many point out, the genocide was committed by average civilians, by neighbour against neighbour. Today the people who live next door to each other, go to school together, go to church together, stand in the same lines for water and go to the same market, they may be so terrified and angry at each other that those emotions dictate their lives. Perhaps they walk a certain path because they do not expect to pass a certain person there. Or they buy from a certain seller at the market, or go for water at a certain time of day. Maybe they choose to sit inside their house when resting in the afternoon if they see a certain neighbour sitting outside. But that neighbour is always there, reminding them of what was said, of lost loved ones, of the threat to their own life, of the threats to their future. It doesn't matter if you are Hutu or Tutsi, both are afraid, both are angry, both feel lost and hopeless.

In an ideal world, to be a neighbour means being able to ask for help in times of need, it means communal watching of children, it means doing your work--washing clothes, preparing meals, digging--together, it means sharing what little you have and enjoying each others company. It is, in such poverty as the people I know exist in, a relationship of dependency. Social networks are so broken in post-genocide Rwandan that having people close-by who are a source of support (emotionally and physically) is an urgent need. But some have no surviving relatives, many moved to areas where they knew no-one, and the suspicion between social groups creates all the more boundaries and limitations.

The work of reconciliation here is not a vague and abstract ideal with little tangible meaning in daily lives of people (as it may be suggested it has been in South Africa). It is, in reality, about survival. It is not only about a visible peace where people are not killing each other and everyone is treated equally, it is also about an inner peace that allows you to feel free to move about in your own neighbourhood at your pleasure, to build relationships with those around you, and to have hope in the future.

Banning minerals from DRC?

2009-04-18T08:11:00.003-06:00

As a follow-up to my previous blogs on the conflict in DRC and the mining operations that fuel it, I found yet another article (a popular news item of late). It argues that "banning" minerals from DRC is a mistake because it will cut many ordinary citizens off from the only livelihood available to them. He makes the very apt point that the situation in DRC cannot be compared to Sierra Leone's blood diamonds. Instead, he argues for better support of good governance:

"There are a number of people who are actors in this trade because the trade serves their profit motives. So, if we can put the right incentives in place for these actors to also benefit in peacetime from these trades, then we could form a constituency that would allow us to reform the trade and ultimately disconnect it from the military aspect that currently has a severe negative impact on the trade, as such."

With the combination of difficult terrain and widespread insecurity, how can any organization be imposed on the mining operations? Garrett says, "Ultimately, the main reason why a number of these armed groups, including the Congolese army, are allowed to benefit from this trade is the general lack of governance in eastern Congo, which is ultimately due to the severe under-capacity of the Congolese institutions."

He calls on the international community to support and help rebuilding Congolese institutions "to lay the foundation for a large reform process." This includes a well-trained, well-paid national army. "Unfortunately, at the present, the Congolese army is a major source of insecurity instead of a force for order," he says."
(read the full article here )

I agree that there is great nuance in the people and motives involved. But what incentives can be given to the group which is making a lot of money out of doing nothing but being threatening with little chance of reprisal? The banning option takes away the profit, which is probably the easiest and quickest method to impact them, but has the unfortunate side effect of taking away the income of people trying to make an honest living by mining. As such the long-term impact could be increased poverty, which generally leads to increased violence and vulnerability, and more poverty.

Is it possible to design a policy that is effective and that does not ban all minerals from DRC? Wherein mineral purchases are restricted to select companies or organisations that monitor where the minerals come from, who is mining them, and who is controlling the mine? Building local cooperatives could help significantly if there was a structure in place to ensure rebels and the military did not infiltrate them. Of course, this process requires more time and money to set up and monitor initially, but how much is the international community spending now on aid in the refugee camps and the UN peace keeping mission? Prevention is always more cost-effective than a response after-the-fact. Pro-active planning and spending could save a lot of money in the long run if it helps to build sustainable peace.

the wealth of DRC

2009-04-12T07:25:00.002-06:00

I wrote several months ago about the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (a region known as North and South Kivu). It's a complex issue that has developed and changed over the decades. What is highlighted most recently is the presence of a rebel group known as the FDLR (the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Rwanda). This group was formed primarily by genocidaires who fled Rwanda in 1994 after the RPF victory that ended the genocide. The RPF up to that point was itself a rebel group, made up of Rwandan refugees in Uganda who had fled previous massacres in Rwanda, and who had been fighting a war with the Rwandan government since 1990, a war that ended when the RPF took control of the country and stopped the genocide.

The FDLR continue to pursue the Hutu Power ideology to exterminate Tutsi's by terrorising the Tutsi population in Congo. In my previous blog I wrote about the violence that broke out the end of last year when the CNDP (The National Congress for the Defense of the People) threatened to take control of Goma, stating it's goal to protect Tutsi's. Following this a landmark agreement was made between President Kabila of DRC and President Kagame of Rwanda to conduct a joint operation to "root out" the FDLR, considered the source of much bad relations between the 2 countries (Rwanda has invaded DRC twice claiming to be seeking out these genocidaires). The Rwandan military has come and gone, arresting the leader of the CNDP (Laurent Nkunda) in the mean time, and declared the operation a success. Possibly 3000 refugees have returned to Rwanda as a result--when the genocidaires fled the country, they took with them their families as well as Hutus who did not participate in the genocide but feared reprisals from the RPF nonetheless. However, only about 300 of these were combatants and the fact remains that thousands of FDLR remain in the bush of North and South Kivu, and as the Rwandan military left, the rebels continue to attack and terrorise the population.

I pointed out in my previous blog that a big part of this conflict is economics. While ethnic divisions are certainly a motivation, so is money. DRC is an extraordinarily resource rich country. The rebel groups would not be able to sustain themselves without financial support--this is true anywhere. In DRC mining or controlling mines is very lucrative. I've attached two recent articles below that speak to this issue. The first is from the BBC, and while it is long and not incredibly well written, it helps to paint a picture: a villager working in mines to make a living who must bribe the rebels for access, a rebel leader who denies any knowledge that mines even exist in the area, a businessman in town who buys the minerals, and tin cans sitting in your cupboards. (There is also a little tease about the role of China--the newest African colonizer?--the article really doesn't get into it, neither will I except to say that China agreed to build roads in exchange for unregulated access to DRC's mineral wealth):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7991479.stm

Next I offer a piece of a solution--awareness and cooperate responsibility:
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2009-04-01-voa30.cfm

And just as I was about to post this I found yet another, I wasn't able to listen to the report though, so let me know if he had anything good to say!

The public, as consumers, has a voice and has the power to make their voice heard. Globalisation has made access and production simpler or cheaper, but also much more difficult to trace responsibility. Historically there is an attitude that conducting business in the 'third world' means there are no "rules of engagement" and we must continue to break down such colonialist, hypocritical, hierarchical practices. It is encouraging to see the movement towards this understanding in an unrelated article where a judge declared "That level of wilful blindness in the face of crimes in violation of the law of nations cannot defeat an otherwise clear showing of knowledge that the assistance IBM provided would directly and substantially support apartheid."

April 7th: 15th Anniversary of Rwandan genocide

2009-04-09T06:20:00.002-06:00

Yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. April 7th is the National Day of Commemoration and marks the beginning of the Week of Memorial. Each year the government selects one of the many memorial sites throughout the country to hold the National Commemoration ceremony at, and this year Nyanza was chosen. It is in Kicukiro (kee-choo-kee-ru), outside of the city of Kigali, and just up the road from where I stay when I'm in Kigali.

At this site, on April 11, 1994, 2500 people were massacred. Only hours before they had been under the protection of UN soldiers at Kicukiru Technical College. But after 10 UN soldiers from Belgium were killed trying to protect the woman who should have taken over the presidency after President Habyrimana's plane was shot down, the UN decided to pull out the vast majority of their soldiers (that is, the white ones). Only about 150 UN soldiers remained in Rwanda, charged to fulfill their mandate of "preserving the peace". At Kicukiro Technical College, the UN soldiers were told to evacuate the westerners and abandon their post. People tell me that as the soldiers were preparing to leave, Interahamwe (the trained civilian militia) were standing outside, with their machetes and clubs in hand, just waiting for the opportunity to begin killing those inside. People begged the soldiers not to go. They begged the soldiers to take them away. But they had orders from UN Headquarters--sitting in their offices thousands of miles away in New York, making decisions that determined the lives and deaths of millions, seemingly unaware that these were actual humans they were dealing with and not pictures in a video game. So the soldiers left, they left those thousands desperately seeking refuge at the school, and they left millions in Rwanda lost in a horrible nightmare that some never woke from. Some, passing me on the roads today and working their fields, still sometimes get lost in that nightmare, unsure when it began or if ended.

After the UN soldiers left, the victims were marched up the road and into a patch of forest, where the many facets of the fragility of humanity played out in horrific proportions. 2500 were killed. Men, women, children, for nothing more than a word: Tutsi. Decades of prejudice, economics, power plays, politics, and social stigma worked hard to create the opposing dichotomy of Hutu and Tutsi, divided by a canyon filled with fear, anger, hatred, and greed.

That patch of forest is now the Nyanza Memorial. Yesterday tens of thousands gathered there to honor the memory of loved ones and countrymen, to remember what happened and reaffirm their promise (the promise of the world, I might add): "Never Again". It was a formal affair and most of it was in Kinyarwanda so I didn't understand much of what was said. "Icyizere" (which means hope) was frequently affirmed, especially by President Kagame. Cal Wilkins, who was in Rwanda when the genocide happened, and stayed throughout those hundred days, shared his story and spoke about the power of Presence and the power of standing together. One of the survivors of Nyanza (there were only hundred, or less), also shared his story. Many around me wept. Some women, in listening to his story, remembered their own and were overwhelmed with grief. First I heard one woman wailing loudly in the distance, then another, and another. Some of them, wailing does not describe it, they were screaming as if they were under attack at that moment. Some of them were screaming words, I do not know what they were saying, I only understood "OYA!" which means "NO!". Their wails were heart-wrenching. Their screams eery and disconcerting. At one point a foreigner sitting behind me whispered to her companion "Oh my gosh, this is just too much." There were Red Cross and other medical staff there to help them, carrying them to an area away from the crowd to counsel and comfort them. For the next few hours the silence of the crowd, the encouragement of the speakers, and the comfort of the songs were periodically pierced by the wails and screams of women lost in their memories. There is a price to remembering.

For me, bearing witness to their pain is to too small a cost. For me, remembering the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 brings shame--shame that the Western World, which declared after the holocaust that it would ensure genocide would happen "Never Again", failed to recognize and respond to blatant and forewarned genocide Rwanda. Needless to say the Clinton administration is not terribly popular here, and while people are huge fans of Obama, there is trepedation that he has filled the White House with so many staffers from Clinton's administration.

I watched part of a film called "Rwanda '94", it was powerful and I highly recommend it. In it, one woman tells her story, and she ends by saying that she asks only for people to listen to her words because if you cannot bear witness to her life and to the history of genocide, then your ignorance is as bad as the genocide itself. In his speech Cal Wilkins said your story is the most powerful thing you have. Don't let their voices fall on deaf ears. Listen, though it is painful. Learn, though it will disturb you. And pay attention to the world and to our leaders: peace, like war, does not happen accidently, we must actively pursue it.

Journey into Rwanda

2009-02-21T09:47:00.002-07:00

On the eve of my departure for Rwanda I went to Kalk Bay with my housemates for dinner. The wind was blowing fiercely so it was too cold to walk in the harbor after we ate. But we had to stop on the drive back to Cape Town, the scene was to beautiful to simply drive past. The light from the full moon burst bright upon the turbulent surf of the Atlantic. Large boulders scattered the beach and I stood atop one absorbing the moonlight, reflecting on reflections. The whipped my hair and my scarf about, wrapping and unwrapping me, pushing me and pulling me. I had wished I had my camera, but the image lingers with me nonetheless and somehow evokes the journey I now embark upon. The fierce wind, the crashing surf, even the power of the moon over the earth--sometimes gracing it with glowing light, sometimes hovering above imbued in darkness--it all calls to mind the struggle, the hardship, the anger, the fear, and the pain I expect to encounter; all the remnants of a society so violently mangled that the world around them can never be perceived in the same way again. And yet . . .

And yet there was beauty and peace in this night. The wind was violent and stripped me of the the warmth of my scarf, and yet at times it also wrapped my scarf about me, the pushing and pulling both forceful and a kind of gentle prodding. The surf was rough, foreboding, icy, and yet beyond the breakwaters it was calm, reflecting the moonlight in such a way that provokes the imagination and a sense of peace. I was compelled to exclaim the beauty of the world before me (repeatedly).

I am often asked how it is I feel capable of doing work with, shall we say, communities experiencing trauma. All too often it seems hopeless, and it is disturbingly easy to be overwhelmed by the horrors of this world. And yet, piercing through the most hideous of evils there is always the purest love. If the atrocities that people are capable of inflicting can throw you into despair, then the selfless, generous compassion and simple determination for life rooted deep in humanity can restore your hope for this world and the future.

And so it is, this turbulent beautiful night sent me into Rwanda. As I listen to people's stories I know I will find glimmers (or bursts!) of hope: like a lotus blooming in a murky stinking swamp. Not necessarily dramatic stories of rising above or overcoming that Hollywood thrives on, but rather stories of survival, of life, of the everyday. After all, that lotus flower did not float away out of that swamp, it exists within it. So in Rwanda, perhaps more dramatically than in some other places, I expect to find both extremes of humanity: despair and hope, atrocity and beauty, violence and peace. The question for me now is where does reconciliation fall in the negotiation of these extremes?

Peace in DRC

2008-11-03T10:05:00.003-07:00

I'm sure you are watching things fall apart in Democratic Republic of Congo. I am anxiously eying the news daily for new reports, as my plans to do an internship in Goma slowly fall apart with the country. I don't have much to add except on a note of emphasis, as my supervisor for my recent long paper recently advised me. The media continues to perpetuate 'ethnic tension' as the root of all evil here and I'd just like to add a touch of reality to this representation. "Hutu" and "Tutsi" get tossed around regularly in the media as if it explains all this inhumane violence in a post-Rwandan-genocide world, but I must say that I think these words are masks, an attempt to legitmate actions which actually have nothing to do with ethnic identity or security. What it really comes down is control of resources, and the only reason these conflicts continue is becuase it is so damn profitable for those who continue to fight.

Although the companies buying cassiterite (tin ore), gold and coltan (along with other minerals) from the DRC may claim ingnorance--they don't know where the materials are coming from or who extracted them, etc, etc--it is inexcusable. They not only implicate themselves in atrocious violence against hundreds of thousands of human beings by not finding out who they are buying from or where they got it, but they implicate you and I further down that glorious chain of globalisation. By purchasing these minerals that have been illegally extracted by various politcal causes they fund the purchase of weapons and power that make it possible for Laurent Nkunda's CNDP to send the national military fleeing into the bush behind thousands of terrified refugees. I don't have information now on what companies are purchasing minerals from DRC, and I'm now sure how accesible it is, but if I can find it I will let you know so you can boycott them and thier products. Meanwhile, keep your own eyes and ears open! (And check out The Better World Handbook for practical ways to lead a more socially responsible life)

And what of the politicians? The DRC blames Rwanda for supporting Nkunda's forces--who claim to be protecting Tutsi's--while Rwanda criticises the DRC for not rooting out Hutu forces responsible for the genocide in Rwanda. Who will step in to say stop all this useless fingerpointing and just deal with the issues?! The UN? While Ban ki Moon wanders about asking Kabila and Kagami to come together, Nkunda is asking for direct negotiations (and apparently being ignored), and the UN's MUNOC is begging for reinforcement to enact their mandate to "enforce peace" (also seemingly being ignored). Fighting ceased on Wednesday (29 Oct) when Nkunda declared a ceasefire just outside of Goma. How long it lasts is entirely dependant on whether the politicians can get their acts together and face the problem honestly and responsibly.

As the U.S. is on the verge of a critical election, the people of DRC are on the verge of utter destruction. Who we choose to lead our country will not just impact the U.S., it will impact Africa and the DRC: who do you think will make a stand for the homeless and traumatised men, women and children lost in the no-mans-land between peace and war, safety and death?

Gloria Mae Martinez (Mawmaw)

2008-09-30T14:02:00.007-06:00

She loved to laugh—I mean she must have had a sense of humor to name all of her 5 children names that start with G! She loved life and adventure, glitz and glamor. She was very strong and overcame great obstacles throughout her life. She suffered great tragedy, more than anyone should have to endure, and I’m certain her heartbreak caused the slow deterioration of her body. She was a woman of intensity, and intense was her love. She spoiled me rotten as a child (to the great irritation of my elder siblings), and although she stopped dressing me up in frilly pink frocks I think she only very recently began to realize I was no longer a child. Babies were her joy in life, perhaps because they represent a life of wonder and frivolity. I take great pleasure that she now can pursue such an existence herself, free from all that binds in this world (like that pesky cholesterol), reunified with the sons she lost so young.

Efrain Martinez was undoubtedly the love of her life, and he was the grounding foundation of consistency in the second half of her life. The name by which I know him, Papacita, epitomizes much of their relationship for me. After I began learning Spanish in school I learned that this name was technically incorrect in every way (including its feminine form), but by that point it was his name, he was Papacita, so I couldn’t just start calling him abuelito. But I never remember him correcting me as a child, and although he may have tried to correct Mawmaw in the beginning he obviously lost that battle. The language they shared was unique to the two of them, always a compromise, sometimes a point of contention, and an endless source of amusement for me (sitting in the back seat of the car giggling, swaying back and forth with the perpetual swerve of the steering wheel—just like in old movies!). Papacita was everything that she needed, what would any of us done without him?

She can be proud of the role she has played in the legacy of this family. To follow the trail of her journey in life would be a fascinating journey indeed, worthy of the Hollywood she so enjoyed. She has lain tracks around the world, I myself have followed some of the tracks she laid before me to places like Thailand and Japan, and perhaps one day I will pursue paths she walked elsewhere in places such as Peru. As a child I took for granted the snippets of stories from these far away places,but now as a women in the 21st century I hold great respect for what an accomplishment such explorations actually were for her. Any difficulties or dangers I may face are nothing compared to those of a woman in her day: most obviously for the technology available today, not least for the expectations in the middle of the 20th century of what she should have been doing with her days. If Mawmaw could wander in the far off reaches of the globe alone, why shouldn't I? No one can doubt that she was a determined woman, and she has leant great strength to the generations that have followed her, we—the three generations that grieve her loss now, and those that are to come—owe a great debt of gratitude for the paths she laid before us. Just as she held great appreciation for the lives of her ancestors, all that we have achieved is linked to everything she achieved in her own life. I for one have learned a great deal from her, from having the determination to do whatever I damn well please, to learning not to allow bitterness for the horrors of this world to take hold of my life.

She has loved greatly and she lost greatly, but she went on to love more and more: just as she learned we can never go back, we must not regret the past or things we cannot change, rather take hold of the memories and seeds of wisdom gained and invest them in the relationships and opportunities before us. I love her deeply and will miss her wholly, I will seek adventure and spoil children in her name, and I will eat strawberry pie with lots and lots of whip cream in celebration of her.

more on xenophobia in South Africa (and beyond)

2008-05-28T05:00:00.001-06:00

While physical attacks have calmed the country is still in a bit of chaos after the few weeks of extreme violence against foreigners in South Africa. There has been a great deal of discussion about why the violent outbreak occured, and what we can do about it. The government's immediate concern is to deal with some 30,000 diplaced people who fled their homes. Although some communities have asked for their return, from what I hear they are not willing to go back. Until now the refugees have been sheltered in police stations, churches, and community centres, but they are overwhelmed and ill-equipped to deal with a mass amount of people for more than a few days. The current solution has been to set up 7 refugee camps around the city. Some people argue that this is an improper response becuase hasty set up of camps will likely result in poor sanitation and health risks. I also wonder if it won't simply reinforce the divide between the 'local' and the 'foriegner'. On the other hand, some suggest that if incoming refugees were placed in camps to begin with, they would not have set up in informal settlements (townships) and created the competition that influenced the tensions between South Africans and foreigners.

The blame has been heavy on the government: if they had a policy in place to deal with refugees, then poor South Africans would not feel they have to compete with poor refugees for very limited resources. It is noteworthy that the presence of refugees in South Africa is a recent phenomena--they were not allowed in under aparthied, and so they only began coming here in the mid 1990's (initially Mozambiquans during their civil war). Since the South African constitution is so liberal, indeed the 'motto' of Cape Town is "A Home for All", and because it has been so stable and prosperous, South Africa became something of a mecca for refugees thorughout Africa which is why there is now such a large population of refugees from Mozambique, Angola, Somalia, the DRC, and elsewhere. Another major cause are economic factors like an unemployment rate over 25%, which consists primarily of youth with a secondary education--excluded from low wage labor jobs that immigrants are given as well as from highly skilled positions they do not have the training for. Certainly other factors (liquor, cell phones, etc) contributed to the mob mentally and the escalation and spread of the violence.

So the question is what to do next? How do we repair and build good relations between the many "us" and "them" divides that exist here? Leadership is blatantly lacking, President Thabo Mbeki left the country and went on with his planned schedule throughout the crises with very little comment, not even when the image of a man being burnt alive appeared on the front page of the newspaper. He is also criticised for his "quiet diplomacy" in Zimbabwe in the midst of their own crises after elections, declaring that "there is no crises". The 1,000,000% inflation, food shortage, and political attacks there have resulted in a mass exodus into South Africa of about 3 million Zimbabweans, obviously putting further strain on the resources and simmering tensions. Clear and positive leadership (as Mandela demostrated during and after aparthied) is a neccesary ingredient to peace building. Hand outs to refugees have to be carefully thought through--while there is an immediate need to keep them fed and warm and safe, there is also a concern that the local poor will again become angered when they themselves are cold and hungry. The solutions which are needed, primarily policy related, will not be easy or happen quickly, I would just hope that short cuts are made with short term solutions becoming installed long term solutions which will not solve the issues at hand.

xenophobia?

2008-05-23T07:22:00.002-06:00

Funny how a word you almost never hear at home can so suddenly become a part of your daily vocabulary. The divisive culture of aparthied continues to reek havic in South Africa, since I've come to Cape Town I've heard, seen, or been part of discussions surrounding xenophobia on a regular basis. But nearly two weeks ago the situation erupted in Johannesburg and since has spread, in just the past day or so, to Cape Town. Foreigners, more specifically those from Somolia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe (for the most part), are being attacked and the country is quickly going into crises. So far 42 people have been killed, some 15,000 are displaced, and about 500 people have been arrested.

A friend from Congo, who came to Cape Town to escape violence, death, and fear, now finds himself unable to leave his apartment, caught in flashbacks of the trauma he tried to escape. Zimbabweans are returning home to hyperinflation, food-shortages, fear and violence related to the recent disputed elections (and with rumours flying about a possible assassination attempt on the opposition leader--Tsvangirai-- who should be winning the run-off elections on June 27, stability is not soon coming) in fear for their lives. Somali shops and homes are looted and burnt to the ground. The violence is centered in the townships, so (Somalies in particular) are escaping into city centres to seek protection. The mining industry depends on migrant labour, but the migrant workers are not showing up, (in one mine that employs 80% Mozambiquans production has been shut down completley) so the economy will quickly feel the brunt of the effects. And the police force, which underwent reconstruction in 2005, is not capable of dealing with the riots and violence, so the military has been called in for assitance. With some Western countries issuing travel warnings, the tourist industry is already being hurt (I'd like to note that it's not tourists or rich white people that are being attacked here--it's other Africans whom South Africans blame for taking away thier jobs and homes, a sentiment which could be compared to Americans blaming Mexicans for the same. It all comes down to a question of scapegoating doesn't it? Many South Africans--both black and white--were living under better conditions during aparthied (I am not condonind aparthied, just stating a condition of existence), becuase the current government has failed to achieve or successfully implement much of it's promises. When it comes down to it, it's easier to take out your frustration and desperation on a migrant worker who showed up with nothing and now is doing better than yourself, than to take it out on the president. I am not an expert on the situation, this is simply my own understanding and observations from my conversations and reading. There is a lot of history and politics playing into this that I am not fully knowledgable of as well).

In a world that is more interconnected than we realize, the implications of the situation are broad. In Southern Africa, people are returning to unstable situations, as well as threatening reactive violence (attacking South Africans in Mozambique). Foreign investment in South Africa will (has) dwindled, and South Africa's economy plays a huge role through out the continent.

There is still much to learn about what is going on, but I feel compelled to keep people updated with events in my own piece of the world that you either won't hear in your local news, or you won't hear very throuroughly or accurately. Don't worry about me, as I said, being white and not living in a township leaves me fairly far removed from any immediate physical xenophobic threat.

It's been too long!

2008-05-17T08:55:00.003-06:00

It's hard to believe that it's May! How have five months gone by and I've not posted a single adventure or politically pertinent story? Well, much has happened! Let's see, I've:
*rafted the source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda (splitting my lip open in the process--had to walk around with tape on my face for a week, and I still have a scare (and a bump, scar tissue?)
*moved to Cape Town! where I've:
*lived in a backpackers for 3 weeks and then crashed on the couch of a friend I met in the backpackers for another 3 weeks until I managed to find a place to live in Cape Town
*meanwhile I started my Masters in Anthropology at the University of Cape Town, which started a quite a bit of confusion and was initially a bit overwhelming, but I'm loving it
*moved into a fabulous house in Cape Town with chill house-mates (thanks gumtree!), will have to post pics soon
*spent many days lounging on the beach and jumping in (and immediately back out) of the icy Atlantic Ocean
*hiked all over the incredible mountain parks in the area--and still many more to explore!
*swam in a reservoir of iodine red water in Silvermine National Park (something to do with the lead content I'm told)
*got mugged by a guy wielding a piece of KFC as a weapon--luckily only lost my cell phone!
*drove for the first time on the left side of the road, in a car that was not only a manual shift (not a problem) but also a manual choke (a little unnerving initially since I had never even heard of such a thing, but it was fine :)
*got attacked by an out-of-control wave on the beach--my reader is still traumatized and my bag still has sand in it, but we survived
*attended my first rugby match (Cape Town Stormers vs New Zealand Waratahs), also got drenched by the rain falling horizontally, and it was a draw!
*am developing a research question for my MA thesis, something to do with the impact of aid on development, if you have any connections to international humanitarian organizations in Eastern Africa (Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi) let me know!

That surely is not an exhaustive list, but it's the things that immediately spring to mind. Now that I'm a bit more settled I will attempt to post blogs more frequently! More adventures are soon to come as I am planning a short road trip to Namibia the beginning of June and shortly thereafter will head to Cyprus (!) for my friends wedding. Cape Town is an incredibly beautiful, interesting, and challenging city to be in, and I'm ecstatic to have the next 2 years to explore it, it already feels like home!

A wedding, part 2

2008-01-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

The story of a Ugandan wedding continued...

In the following weeks:
A marriage here only happens if EVERYONE plays a role. "Wedding Planning Meetings" were held frequently. At these meetings committees were formed (eg transportation, kitchen, budgets, etc), duties assigned, and contributions requested. We had to establish who had vehicles that could be used, who could help cook, who we could borrow plates and chairs from, who would make the dresses, where we could get decorations, and who would watch the bicycles to make sure they weren't stolen during the ceremony. And of course everyone is asked for contributions. One couple may offer to purchase a crate of soda for the reception. Someone else may offer to pay for fuel for a vehicle. Another may simply give 5,000 Uganda shillings (which is less than $3 USD, but here that's a lot of money). While it was torture to sit through these meetings, I appreciate how much of a community effort it is to put together such a celebration. The old adage "It takes a village..." is actually quite literal here. Everyone is referred to in familial terms (mama, aunt, sister, uncle, brother, father...).
quick explanatory diversion: I was in a village with some friends drinking malwa and chatting with the locals. The old man next to me decided he needed to explain--"in Uganda everyone is family. all the old men in the village are your fathers, the old women are your mothers [. . . . ] so now I am your what? Your father. You are my what? my daughter." I said "ok, papa Simon, give me the what? the straw." The malwa is in a big pot in the middle and everyone drinks from long straws.
This theme extends into nearly every aspect of life.

January 26,2008:
Here's a glimpse at life in "Africa Time"--the wedding was scheduled to start at 10 am. I arrived at about 12. The ceremony began about 1:00. The program had us eating at 6:00, so if things went according to schedule (meaning 3 hours behind schedule) we wouldn't be eating until 9:00pm. This did not give me pleasure!
The ceremony began with singing worship songs. After a while the groom began his march down the aisle with his peg boy and best man, accompanied by a choir. This march down the aisle lasted nearly 30 minutes! It was a very, very slow process. It was followed by more singing, and then the bride's march with her bridal party (quite large: 2 flower girls, a maid of honor, a matron of honor, and 6 maids.), they were a bit quicker than the groom, only took 20 minutes! (Here's just a little snippet of how wonderful it was...)
The two exchanged vows (same as the traditional vows in the west) and then there was a sermon. By the time it was all said and done it was 5:00.

The reception was taking place just outside, so we shuffled around and waited while the bridal party drove off for picture taking. The MC began seating everyone in their proper places (there were 3 tents and everyone is arranged similarly to how they are for the wedding) about 6:00 and got things started until the bride and groom arrived. They fed each other their first meal, cut the cake, gave gifts to parents and other prominent attendees, received gifts from the guests, and then started announcing for various sections to go eat (food was seriously my main concern at this point since I hadn't eaten since 10:00 and had only had 1 meal the previous day). Unfortunately for me I got distracted by talking to people and by the time I stood in line to get food, it was gone! At first I wanted to cry, but then realized that I had been hungry for so long that I wasn't even really hungry anymore. My friend scrounged up some scraps for me (thank goodness for chapati!) and it was fine--this is when the fun really starts anyway--dancing! It didn't last long though, once it gets dark people are ready to head home, traveling in the dark on bad roads is not really fun. Thus ended the excitement that was James and Norah's wedding (and begins the excitement that will be James and Norah's marriage). I'm glad I was a part of it, and hope no one ever expects me to march down the aisle at the speed of a sleepy snail!

A wedding, part 1

2008-01-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

Though my friends James and Norah have officially been married for several weeks, the wedding ceremony, thus allowing them to behave as a married couple, has just taken place yesterday. The various ceremonies leading up to this celebratory day have taken place over the past 6 weeks. Their courtship before this was only several months, and was completely secret from everyone (well, except for a few select persons, *awink*) until about 7 weeks ago. I will describe the whole process in 2 blogs, because I'm sure most of you reading this as emial aren't prepared to read a whole book! So let's start from the beginning:

December 16: Introductions

Spend a day in a village in Uganda and you will be distinctly aware that introductions (like greetings) are of up most importance. Any formal or semi-formal function will involve the host and their family introducing themselves, asking the heads of guest households to introduce their family members, and often key guests will be asked to say something (I've lost track of how many "speeches" I've had to make). This process could potentially take hours, depending on the event, how many guests there are, and how long-winded they are allowed to be.

For this occasion the primary focus is on introducing the community to the person you intend to marry. First our numerous party arrived at the church of the groom's head pastor, Elim Pentecostal Church. After worship and prayers, the pastor announced ever so coyly that a certain pastor whom everyone had been praying would find a wife has come to make an announcement. He called James and his escorts to the front, James said a few words about finding a wife, and then he was asked to identify the woman he has chosen. Music was played and the entourage marched (think wedding march not military march) back and forth through the rows of the church (so as not to be presumptuous) until he finally reached Norah, whom he invited to join him. The church erupted into the "YI-YI-YI-Yiiiiii" exclamations of celebration from the woman as the couple marched to the front with now both of their entourages. James introduced his bride-to-be, Norah was asked to say a few words, and then we begged forgiveness as our whole group flooded out of the church, into our vehicles, and on to the next set of introductions.

As we arrived at Norah's church seats were cleared in the front rows for the guests and we were welcomed and asked to introduce ourselves. This time it was Norah's pastor who announced that something special would take place this morning. Norah was called forward with her entourage. It was her turn to march around the church (keep in mind that these churches are about the size of a living room, so no one gets lost in the crowd!) to identify the man she would marry. After she picked him out and they marched to the front, she introduced him, he said a few words, and again we rushed out.

Last we went to the church that James pastors in a nearby village. Here in this mud hut all parties began to relax, and while the formalities were the same, the atmosphere was much cooler. (This, by the way, was my first introduction to Oderai Village, which is where I spent Christmas and is one of my favorite places to be in Uganda).

December 23: Family Introductions and Dowry Negotiations

James and Norah were looking to make things as simple as possible. If they had their way, they would have had their wedding ceremony the same day as these introductions. Technically at this point they would be married anyway, but socially a marriage ceremony must happen before they can move in together. But Norah's parents weren't going to let that happen today. Nonetheless there was significant hubbub, which involved transporting something like 22 people in 2 vehicles from Soroti (where I'm living) to a village about an hour south called Bukedia. When we arrived we had to declare the purpose of our visit and obtain the permission of the family to enter their property. After a bit of taunting and negotiating, a ribbon was cut and we were welcomed in. A tent had been set up with chairs and we all piled in. Luckily Norah's family had already gathered so we didn't have to wait long. The MC announced the program (nothing here happens without a detailed schedule of events, even a birthday party!).

We began with, that's right, introductions, but I'm hanging with the right crowd because we managed to get through them in about 15 minutes. The chairperson of the wedding party (if you haven't caught on yet they are very formal with their titles and programs and everything) was asked to explain why they were present. There was bit of banter. Then the MC said that the girl they have come for is on her way and if we would be patient, her helicopter would land shortly and we could identify her as the intended bride. We waited. We bribed (the groomsmen came prepared with numerous envelopes containing 1000 shilling bills). Music started playing and 3 young girls marched into the tent and knelt. The MC said "please, is the girl you've come for here?" Some of James' entourage bemusedly pondered the girls and inspected them closely, then announced, "these are but children! The girl we want is not here! Please let me give them money for transport so they can go back to school!" They are handed envelopes and leave.

Again, the MC says the girl is on her way, "maybe she has been delayed by a meeting with the president, please be patient." We wait. We bribe. The music plays and three women march into the tent and kneel. "Please, identify which is the girl you are here to take away from us." The entourage inspects the three and spends some time in discussion, but finally decides the bride is not among these girls, so they offer money for transport and send them away. Again we wait ("I think I hear her helicopter now!") and in march 6 women. They are inspected. There are discussions. Finally they say yes, the girl we want is here, but please first let us give transport so the rest of these girls can go home." Norah is then asked by her family to identify the man in the crowd that she intends to marry. She marches with her entourage and selects James.

Next they have to negotiate the dowry. Norah's family compiles a list and passes it on to James' family. If I remember correctly it consisted of 6 bulls, 4 goats, maybe 10 chickens, and 200,000 Ugandan shillings. While this is a costly list, it is actually a relatively small request, as Norah is considered a valuable member of the family (having a university education). But obviously these things were discussed prior to today, and informally agreed upon. James' family accepted the bride price, and they discussed when the transfer of property would take place and when the wedding would be held.

to be continued...
(sorry my pictures are less than stellar. My skin color draws more than enough attention as it is, so I try to be as inconspicuous as possible in my picture taking--or forgo it completely--to avoid creating more of a spectacle)

Celsius versus Fahrenheit

2008-01-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy that I have an oven in my current abode (I've made some kick-ass chocolate cake, which I hope I can replicate as I'm supposed to bake lots and lots for my friends wedding this weekend!). I'm not always the brightest bulb though. Last night after baking sweet potato ginger muffins (delicious, by the way, recipe to follow) I suddenly realized that the highest temperature setting on the oven was 200 not because it is a wimpy oven, but because it is 200 CELSIUS, not Fahrenheit as I had assumed in my American head. wow. And what's really amazing is that every time I've baked I've started the oven on "max" and watched whatever was baking carefully since I didn't really know what "max" was, and had to turn it down because the top was going to burn before the inside cooked. Still the concept of a different scale of measurement did not occur to me. Luckily I've managed to save all my baked goodies from being scorched (as well as continue to impress my British house mate who is usually quite reluctant about my various random concoctions). Anyway, enjoy these muffins!

Ginger Sweet Potato Muffins

1 ¾ C all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground ginger *
½ tsp ground cinnamon
optional: ¼ tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg (both are highly recommended!)
¾ C light brown sugar, firmly packed
¾ C mashed baked sweet potato, cooled**
½ C fat-free milk, at room temp.
2 large eggs, at room temp., lightly beaten
3 tsp canola oil
1 ½ tsp vanilla
¼ - 1/3 C finely chopped crystallized ginger*

*I had neither ground nor crystallized ginger, so I used 1/4 cup fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated), it was perfect so I recommend it!

**I used "yellow African sweet potato", but I think either sweet potatoes or yams would be tasty.

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In separate bowl mix sweet potato, milk, eggs, oil and vanilla.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add wet mixture just to combine.
Stir in crystallized ginger.
Lightly oil a tray of 12 muffin cups.
Spoon batter into muffin cups.
Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes (test with toothpick).
Cool for 5 minutes before removing from cups.

A New Year

2008-01-13T02:51:00.000-07:00

The sun has set on 2007. It was a busy year for me: living half of it in Korea teaching english to wee ones; then escaping to scuba dive and float down rivers in Thailand, trek the moutains of Burma, and explore ancient temples in Cambodia; then traveling back home to visit friends and family in Colorado, California, Louisiana, New York and D.C.; followed by an adventure in getting to know Uganda.

This friendly, intriguing and diverse country, which while wraught with many problems is also pregnant with possibility, is where I celebrated the dawn of a new year. I found it very ironic that Christmas in Oderai village didn't feel like Christmas becuase there was absolutely nothing western or "christmasy" around, and then New Year's I didn't really feel as though I was in Africa becuase everything was so posh and quite familiar as a New Years Eve celebration. I was in K'la, and stayed with a friend who was house-sitting. This house was really REALLY nice, and I'm talking by American standards nice. We cooked pasta for dinner, drank wine, had champagne, went to watch fireworks on the roof of a very posh apartment building, then went for dancing and drinks at Bubbles, an Irish pub that is very popular among the expat crowd. About 5 am I took a special hire (what we would call a taxi, something that I never take) back to my posh abode and slept on an real mattress. That morning I slept in and then spent most of the day lounging on a leather sofa watching movies on DSTV and eating Brie. This is not something I've thought of doing or had the opportunity to do since coming to Africa, so it doesn't reflect my experience here at all. It was indeed odd.

So anyway, here we are in 2008. After reflecting on my past year, I feel quite satisfied with what I accomplished. As I look forward to this next year I'm filled with anticipation. In less than a month I'll be in Cape Town! Getting ready to start Grad School! I'm eager to explore new places and make a new home for myself, create new relatioships, be challenged, and see what South Africa has waiting for me! I hope wherever you are and whatever you're doing, you are also excited about the possiblities to come, are dreaming of all the things you can do, and are ready to make things happen!

Give One. Get One

2007-12-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that my new project in Uganda is to get a group of "total orphans" (here that means they've lost both parents) set up to go to school through an organization I was recently connected with here (Teso Widows Development Initiative, or TEWIDI). But that's another blog. As I'm researching all the possibilities, wanting to develop the technological exposure and education of the next generation, my mind was brought back to the One Laptop Per Child vision. It's a very exciting opportunity, bringing not just a laptop, but a whole new look at education and creativity and indeed the world to some very isolated and deprived (in many ways) children. It's certainly something I'd like to look into for the future of the school. But in the mean-time, you have an awesome oppotunity to donate one of these laptops to a child in one of the countries participating in the program at this still early stage. If you opt for the "Give One. Get One." choice, you recieve a laptop and a child in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Haiti, Cambodia, or Mongolia will recieve one. I know it's a little late in the season for gift buying (the whole idea of Christmas is just starting to sink in for me here on the equator, where it feels more like July than December), but it's certainly not too late, and the Give One. Get One. campaign runs till Dec.31. So check it out, even if you can't buy one today it's really interesting stuff--and worth knowing about to consider in the future.

Sensory Experience

2007-12-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago I was making my way through the center of town. At one point I had to walk through the old taxi park ("taxi" here refers to vans that serve as buses, a.k.a. matatus; the taxi park being the center point of departure for locations throughout the city and beyond), across a busy round-a-bout intersection, through a gas station and then across a supermarket parking lot. This involves weaving through a throng of taxis--so packed in that I don't even know how it's possible they are moving--and trying to avoid the boda-bodas (aka motorcycles) cutting through the mass. At the road I jump into a space between vehicles I feel brave enough to traverse before getting hit by whatever is coming (much like a game of frogger), which is only complicated by the occasional boda-boda driving on the wrong side of the road and my tendency to look the wrong way for oncoming traffic (because they drive on the left side). Believe it or not cutting across the gas station is even more complicated than the road, since there is absolutely no order to things and any vehicle could be coming from any direction, and the boda-bodas in particular seem to have no qualms about running you over. If accomplishing this weren't hard enough, I also have to be particluarly aware of my belongings because in the crowd is the easiest environment for pick-pockets to operate in.

Simultaneous to this whole experience I realize that the song playing on my Ipod is "La Valse D'Amelie" from the Amelie soundtrack, and I had to laugh out loud. What a contradiction! If I didn't think that I would be killed in the process, I would try to film the whole experience, add the Amelie soundtrack, and post a little mini-movie so that all of you could enjoy my oh-so-contradictory sensory experience of the noise and rush and adrenaline in the streets of Kampala, accompanied by perky, peaceful, French music. I find it highly amusing, but maybe you had to be there ;)

I would like to note, that no matter how crowded the streets get, I have never been bumped or pushed or shoved. This is not something I can say about Korea, where I'm pretty sure they make an effort to do so (especially those ajumas!). For this, I would like to thank the people of Uganda (as well as apologize for when my asian-conditioning occasionally reveals itself!).

Happiness or Freedom?

2007-12-11T10:24:00.000-07:00

Recently I was having a philosophical discussion with some other expats: which would you choose if you had to pick one, happiness or freedom?

It turned into a semantics debate, because really it depends on how you define happiness, and freedom for that matter. If happiness to you requires security and comfort and being surrounded by the familiar, then it's obvious that none of us (this group of expats) has chosen happiness. On the other hand, for us, remaining home and living the life that society generally expects (and understands) in many ways is not happiness. Our freedom, to explore the unknown and pursue a life that we find more satisfying (as challenging and uncomfortable and even dangerous as it may be), is our happiness. Of course this is only the beginning of the debate, as people aren't necessarily choosing between freedom and happiness, they might be pursuing power or love or any number of things.

This is part of why I love putting myself in new environments, it forces you to think about things (like your motivations in life) that it's easy to take for granted in the comfort of home. I've met several people here who seem distinctly unhappy, and through my conversations with them I've learned that they've chosen this life, despite how much they may hate it, because they are doing something they feel is important or valuable--something they think they couldn't necessarily do in an environment they would find more pleasurable. Believe it or not I found this surprising. In my mind. living in a "developing" country (where things aren't convienant--to put it mildly--and it's dirty and there is a whole new world of disease, submersed in a culture so very different from my own, where I'm forever perceived to be an ATM machine) does not equal unhappiness. Not that these things don't bother me, I hate assuming that any man who talks to me is only interested in a visa to the U.S. True my primary motivation in coming here is similar to those unhappy philanthropists: a desire to influence positive changes. But the fact is that you can do that at home (North America and Europe need just as much positive change as everyone else, it just looks different). So what else is motivating them to come and to stay?

I suppose it's part of the natural cycle of expat life and at some point I may feel the same way. I think no matter where you are or what you're doing there are always going to be highlights and drawbacks, and it's just a question of whether the highlights outweigh the drawbacks, and if the drawbacks are things you're willing to live with.

The Amazing Powers of Tea Tree Oil

2007-12-11T07:13:00.001-07:00

Tea Tree Oil is a natural anti-septic that I have used in the past on cuts and I've found it works so effectively that I don't even bother with other things like neosporin. I came to this conclusion after Pentaport Rock Festival in Korea. It was held outside, it was the rainy season, and the grounds were turned into a giant mud-pit, complete with bits of asphalt and rocks and who-knows-what. If you've ever tried to walk through 6 inch deep mud you know that the suction power is incredibly strong--making shoes just ridiculous. Over the course of 3 days our feet got cut up pretty badly, and I can only imagine what horrors were living in that mud. The only thing I had with me to treat the cuts on my feet was tea tree oil, which I applied evening and morning. One of my friends did not. Whereas my cuts did not get infected and healed quite quickly, hers did not. I always travel now with tea-tree oil.

My recent tea tree oil discovery was when I haphazardly decided to put it on my mosquito bites when I had it out to put on a cut and some mysterious cluster of bites on my knee. A few days later someone asked if I had gotten any mosquito bites (we were talking about malaria medications). I realized that since I applied the tea tree oil I hadn't scratched those bites, and they were even healed! I never before even considered putting tea-tree oil on insect bites, but I'm so glad I did! I know it's now winter in most parts of the world, and mosquitoes aren't much of an issue, but come next summer give the tea tree oil a try!

Some other tid-bits about tea tree oil, it's safe to use on your skin, but DON'T get it in your eyes or mouth. Also, it's a dry oil, so you can apply it to your face for things like pimples and eczema and it's absorbed instantly without making your skin oily. You can find it at health food stores like Whole Foods and Vitamin Cottage, but as grocery stores have started carrying more organic items you may find it there too. Happy Healing! (too bad itwon't save me from Ebola!)

Malwa!

2007-12-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

Lisandro is a Peace Corps volunteer that I got in touch with through a mutual friend. He is fabulously lucky to be living in a picturesque little village in the eastern mountains of Uganda--it's true, even without water and electricity I consider him lucky! After our Thanksgiving weekend I followed him home to get a glimpse in the life a first month Peace Corps Volunteer. He's working as a health educator, but has a lot of freedom to do basically whatever work he desires, related to his assignment or not. He has encountered the problem that everyone living and/or working in Uganda faces nearly everyday: corruption. I've heard some say that the corruption in Uganda is the worst in all of Africa. I've had few conversations where it hasn't come up. Everyone suffers from it--in the government, the schools, the NGOs, the churches, the justice system, even among friends, few aspects of life are not impaired by it. Everyone knows it's happening, but few (if anyone) do anything to stop it. This is the main complaint I hear from people about President Museveni, that he's done nothing to curb the corruption. It's a huge constraint on the economics of the country, it under-powers many well meaning organizations, and it creates a general atmosphere of mistrust and helplessness. When I've asked locals how they think the problem can be solved, they all say there needs to be a change of government.

Museveni has been in power over 20 years, he came into power through a coup and made many promises as an interim government working towards a democracy. There have been three elections since he's led the country, but there are many who feel they were far from free and fair. I don't believe that you can consider a country a democracy when there has never been a peaceful transfer of power, the ruling government changes laws and even the constitution in order to retain power, and essentially throws any opposition into jail. So while many citizens in Uganda feel a change of governing leadership is necessary, few have confidence that they can make it happen. The activist in me screams that you have to stand up for what you want, protest, write letters, sign petitions, boycott! But people don't want to stir up any trouble or violence (recent history has created a great deal of fear towards acting against the government), they don't want to go to jail, so they accept the status quo and just go on with their life.

Apparently Ugandans like to talk politics while they drink, so I had a long talk at a birthday party (over Malwa, a local millet based brew, which frankly looks like disgusting sludge, but actually isn't that bad) with a young man who was put in jail for working for the opposition during the last election. It scared him sufficiently that he stopped working for the party and voted for Museveni. He felt that the only way to make anything happen was war, and he didn't want that, so what could he do? I told him about Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, Gandhi and the independence movement, Nepal's protests to oust their king, and Burma's recent protests against their government. He seemed intrigued and encouraged.

The fact is that many of the people here feel helpless to change things. They're riddled with handouts from NGO's and manipulated by the government until they're convinced there's not much they can do for themselves. They even respect the medical opinion of a white man who's not a doctor (despite their mistrust of the west) over that of a local nurse. (Lisandro and I encountered this at a visit to a health center--the people were worried about giving their children vaccines. In the past western pharmaceuticals came and tested drugs in Africa, often to the detriment of their well-being, so this is a legitimate concern. We assured them that they were getting the same vaccines that we ourselves had as babies.* There was also a rumour that Americans thought Africans were having too many babies, so we were giving them these "vaccines" to strelize them. We pointed out that since these vaccines started being used in Uganda 20 years ago the birth rate has gone up!) I have long felt that empowerment is the key to creating positive changes--for the individual as well as the nation--and everything I see here tells me that's precisely what's missing. The question is how to organize the masses, educate them, and give them confidence to stand as a community to peacefully demand an accountable and democratic government. I feel I need many more Malwa induced discussions before I find that answer!

*You may remember that I posted a blog questioning the use of the flu vaccine a while back. I want to point out that while my concerns about many vaccines are still firmly in place, that doesn't mean I'm against vaccination on the whole--these babies need to be getting the polio, hepatitis, diptheria, tetanus, diptheria, etc, because the fact is that some of them are getting these diseases before they are even old enough to get the vaccine. The situation is desperate and the people working to make sure these children get the vaccines they need to survive deserve our praise.

Thanksgiving?

2007-12-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

I had a totally unexpected and totally American Thanksgiving last weekend! Back on November 22, the official Thanksgiving day, I didn't even remember that it was Thanksgiving! My Australian friend reminded me in the evening after we had spent the day at the Uganda Museum getting a little taste of the many different local tribal cultures. After wishing me a happy Thanksgiving she asked "What's that holiday all about anyway?" It was very amusing. Anyway, the following week I got in touch with Lisandro, a friend of a friend back home, who's a Peace Corps volunteer in eastern Uganda. He invited me to their belated Thanksgiving bash, and I was happy to get out of Kampala and meet some more people--I got way more than I expected!

On the 4 hour matatu (a.k.a. taxi, which is the local public transport) ride to Mbale through a few other towns and lots of dust over bumpy roads, I saw some hilarious signs that I just have to share:
"Nice Peaceful Butchery"
"Uganda Martyrs College"
"God's Will Shop"
(the musings are endless!)
Then after another 2 hour matatu ride up into the mountains to Chiholo, I arrived at the "Mizungu Guest House." It was actually just the home of another Peace Corps Volunteer, but because it's unusually large for a PCV house (4 bedrooms!) and it was filled with foreigners (or mizungus), everyone jokes that it's the Mizungu Guest House.

After being introduced to a dozen people (all PCV's) I was pleasantly surprised to learn we would be having not only turkey for dinner, but also mashed sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, corn bread, fruit salad and pumpkin pie! Everyone was busily helping with the preperations, luckily I had just missed the turkey slaughter, but was in time to catch a few photos of the cleaning and cutting. It had to be chopped into smaller pieces becuase it wouldn't fit into the pot to be fried otherwise. I can't say that I was much help with the cooking, but I will say this was one of the most fabulous Thanksgiving dinners I've ever had. Rene worked some magic injecting the turkey with spices and then frying it--I've never had tastier turkey! Sharing such a delicious meal with a crowd of new friends (by candlelight, no less!), was a wonderful treat. We all stuffed ourselves and then sat around chatting under the stars (which are incredible in the mountains with NO light pollution).

The next day a few of us decided to work off all those extra holiday pounds by climbing a mountain. I did not know what I was getting myself into! Lisandro pointed to a peak not too far in the distance and said "that's Mt. Nusu, let's go there" so we did. We were told by some locals after several inquiries that if we follwed the road it would go around to the back of hte mountain and then up. We decided to take a more direct route, so we veered off the road, down a hill, across a stream, and then up. And we kept going up, very steeply up, for the next 2.5 hours or so. I'm so out of shape, and even though I started out determined to make it to the top, I began to wonder if our eager party could make it. We ended up connecting ot another path, which led through people's little plots of crops and passed thier homes. We stopped to say hello and ask if the path led to the top--I'm sure that most of them were completely perplexed why this group of mizungus was asking about a path to the top of the mountain. I don't think hiking is common past-time among the locals. When we were running low on water they provided some for us--which we were certain wasn't treated but we drank anyway, as far as I know no one got sick, pretty amazing. Close to the top a man decided he would guide us, which was very generous, especially considering what we encountered towards the top. After Fred (our guide) joined us, I noticed that slowly other younger boys were also following us, pangas (machetes) in hand. I figured they all had nothing better to do on a sunday afternoon so why not amuse themselves at how winded these mizungus were on our mountain. Seriously these boys were running around and jumping from rocks (all the while with panga in hand) like it was nothing, and all of us could barely breathe! At this point we couldn't even climb for more than 5 minutes without stopping for a breather. Then all the panga weilding members of the party ran to the front and I quickly learned why they come along. The path was no more, instead we were in a jungle of overgrown bushes and grasses, and our guides were cutting a path with their pangas. Pushing our way through the undergrowth we finally reached our pointy peak and the view was amazing. I passed my camera to one of our guides and he hastily snapped a few shots, one of which managed to get all of us in it. After basking in the glory of our feat, we decided we had better head back down, to my dread! It didn't take long for my thighs to start shaking with each step, man was it painful! Our glorious reward at the bottom was a dip in the stream. The water was freezing and possibly pathogenic, but it felt so damn good! Luckily we made it home before the rain began, becuase it would have been nothing more than sliding down the mud and rocks on my butt if we were on that mountain in the rain. 5 days later my legs finally aren't screaming in pain with every movement, and I'm ready to take on another mountain!

EBOLA KILLS 16

2007-11-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

This was the headline I spotted as I jumped into a Matatu headed into town. If you've read "The Hot Zone" fear ran through your veins as it did mine when you saw that title. Apparently the outbreak started in August in a district in the west (on the border with DR Congo) but was only identified (via samples sent to be tested in the US) yesterday. The numbers in the article seem conflicting to me (you may be able to read it at http://www.newvision.co.ug/), but there are something like 51 people infected. The WHO (World Health Organization, not the band!) is involved to contain it, and it's a good distance away from Kamapala (and I'm headed further east this weekend anyway), but it was a striking headline and definately something I'll be paying attention to. My internet time is about to run out, so I'll just leave you with that frightening news, haha! I had the brilliant idea of typing up blogs on my laptop at home and then transferring them to my blog as I've found a few places with a wireless connection, but as of yet that hasn't worked out too well. So at some point you'll be innundated with postdated blogs. Oh! Another shocking read in the paper today was a letter to the editor about how colonialism was a positive thing for Africa! This was not somethign I ever expected to hear from an African. Personally I think his arguements about the introduction of the english language and that curious people "deserve colonies" both severly underestimate the African people and seem erronious. Anyway, I found it shocking. But like I said, internet time running out, so more thoughts later!

Are you ready for CHOGM?

2007-11-23T02:55:00.000-07:00

The face of K'La has transformed in the name of CHOGM, something that holds great potential for the countries future. Meanwhile Americans have no idea what CHOGM even means. The Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting is held (I think) every 2 years, hosted by a different member each time. For Uganda, preparing to host CHOGM takes on a very similar role as hosting the olympics. Roads have been paved, street lights installed, hotels and apartments and other buildings built, and security is unbelievable. It also means that they have the opportunity to dominate the discussion and possibly make lots of really good deals that could benefit their economy for the long-term.

When the Queen of England arrived something like 100,000 people lined Entebbe Road to see her pass--which is supposed to be the largest crowd to have gathered for her anywhere. (Actually, I was joking with some other foreigners that what the queen doesn't know, is that all those people are normally there anyway, it just happened that she passed through! Not really though, the Queens presence has been a very big deal). Many streets are blocked off, which has caused the town to empty out (it's very eerie). Apparently the government did a test run (closing off streets to escort diplomats through town) a couple weeks ago and it caused like 10 hours of gridlock. So it seems they successfully scared everyone away!

It's been interesting to watch the affect on the city, and it will be interesting to see what comes of the whole thing. There are some kind of public forums being held, so I may try to make it to some of them and see what I can learn.

K'la

2007-11-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

Just a note to let everyone know I've arrived safely in Kampala (which will be referred to as K'la from here on out). I was utterly exhausted upon my arrival! I don't think I got a full night's sleep the night before my flight, I lost 7 hours on the flight from DC to Amsterdam and only slept about 1 of those hours. Then I spent about 10 hours running around Amsterdam (which was great fun, I even met up with 2 couchsurfers, one of which was a local which took all the guess work out of it for me), visiting Anne Franks House and the Van Gough museum. It's a very interesting city and I'd love to go back and spend more time there. However, I was literally falling asleep on my feet at the Van Gough Museum, so I thought for sure I'd sleep better on my flight that night to Nairobi. Sadly, I did not, I probably slept about 3 hours, but at least I only lost 2 more hours on this leg. My 6 hour layover in Nairobi was exceedingly painful, especially because I was dying to sleep and couldn't really find a spot that was either relatively comfortable or I felt safe enough. On the bright side, I sat next to a Ugandan on my flight into Entebbe, and when I asked him at baggage claim how much he thought I should pay for a taxi into Kampala, he offered to take me himself. Too bad his driver was the one who had to deal with my luggage! On a random side note, the other guy I sat next to was from Nairobi and headed to K'la for a golf tournament! I was also quite impressed that all the conversations I heard around me on this flight were centered on goverment, city planning, and the like. I've never been surrounded by so much politics on a plane!

Julius, my gracious host for the day, not only took me to lunch and to my guest house, he also took me to exchange money and get a SIM card for my cell phone (contact me for the number), so I had all my basic neccesities taken care of and could collapse for the night. After a torturous shower (it not only was freezing, but there was NO water pressure, so there was no speedy wash up) I groaned in contentment at the feeling of being horizontal and in a bed and happily slept. I must admit that my guest house has got to be the noisiest place in the world to try to sleep, but I managed.

I'm still jet-lagged, which is a first for me, and haven't found much excitement in K'la, but I'm sure it's just a matter of getting to know some locals who can show me the hot spots. It seems that the developing world is starting to feel like home to me, granted this is vastly different from Asia which will take a little adjustment. Once again though I've found that my perception of "dangerous" is just a little different from most people. I met a couple this morning who was asking me how to get out of K'la--they had been mugged and no longer felt safe here, they seemed surprised that I felt safe. But I won't get into that now.

FROM SOMEWHERE OVER KENYA

frost on my window
blurring my vision
yet fascinating in itself
flying on the wings of my dreams
a sea of clouds below me
the sun rising in the east
alone
and afraid
yet is this not what I've been fighting for?
I pursue the unknown
I pursue love, to have and to give
God help me to pour out all that I am
all that you are

the frost is melting

--

cool pics from DC

2007-11-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

On the National Mall:

Washington Monument and the Capitol building

Lincoln Memorial at sunset

At the Hirshorn Museum:

From the Sculpture Garden:

From the American History Museum:

The Puffy Shirt from Seinfield and Mister Rogers Sweater
The remains of a bullet ridden Oak from the Civil War

Louis Armstrong's coronet

Lincoln's Top Hat

George Washington's uniform

From the Air and Space Museum:

a Wright Borther's plane

The most ridiculous plane ever concieved

One of the Apollo landing pods

NY, NY!

2007-11-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

I flew into New York this past weekend to wander around a bit with Rich, and it was (somewhat surprisingly) great to be in a big city again. Being a big fan of diversity, NY is one the best places to find it, even if it means just listening to all the different languages being spoken around you as you walk the streets.

Since this was a stopover on my way to Uganda (which you might say is a stopover on my way to South Africa) I arrived with 2 huge heavy bags and my backpack. Getting from the airport to Rich's friends house (via skytrain, subway, and walking) was a challenging adventure--just not one I'd like to repeat! I have a very ambitious goal of minimizing the weight of my luggage before leaving for Uganda, which I feel is going to take some kind of miracle! But we made it there (and later down to DC via subway, walking, bus, more subways, and more walking).

Speaking of subways, I've decided they are a very interesting insight into a culture. Before NY, all my previous subway experience had been in Asia--where subways are generally immaculate and new and generally easy to figure out. The moment I stepped into the NY subway I knew I was in a very different world! By contrast I would define it as dirty (and a little smelly sometimes), old, and somewhat harder to interpret. In addition the spaces underground were much smaller. People's behavior on the subway--also dramatically different. In Seoul it's generally quiet and they pack a whole lot more people into those cars when it's busy! In NY it always felt like something was happening around you--be it dancing or singing or other generally less pleasant adjectives. The subway in DC is also unique. While it's much newer and cleaner and more spacious than NY, it's not as busy or efficient (in terms of car design, routes, and maintenance) as other subways, and it's definitely quieter than NY.

Anyway, I had a great time in NY--saw Times Square and took a ferry to Staten Island (passing the Statue of Liberty), ate some sushi, perused a farmers market and a book store, and just generally wandered and explored. The 9/11 memorial on Staten Island was beautiful--I've never even heard anything about it, but it was very well done and I definitely recommend it (especially at night).

I'm still busy doing some last minute things to get ready for my move, but slowly I'm seeing different sites in DC and exploring, hopefully more this weekend and early next week before taking off on Wednesday!

Movin' Out

2007-10-29T11:02:00.000-06:00

That's right, I'm moving out of the US and into Africa! After a brief stint in NY/DC, I should arrive in Uganda on Nov.16, where I will be for nearly 3 months helping to do some research related to the mental health of a displaced group (Acholi) from the north of Uganda. Hopefully I will also get to do some rafting at the source of the Nile, trekking on some 16,000+ ft. volcanic peaks, see some of the biggest waterfalls in the world, and maybe even spy on a mountain gorilla (and lions and giraffes and rhinos, oh my!). Of course that all requires cash, and since I will be a student again come Feb, that is one thing I'm short on. That's ok though, because I'll be a student in fabulously beautiful Cape Town! where I'll busy braai-ing and kloofing and diving (did you just hear Bob Barker announce that in your head? I did!). But only when I'm not busy studying, of course.

Really though, I'm very excited at the prospect of living in Cape Town and getting to know it apart from the tourist track. It's an incredibly dynamic city and there's a lot to learn about development, conflict, education, race relations, the role of nonprofits, and so much more.

So here's to the unknown, to finding my groove, to international living, and to being a positive force in society! Cheers!

"Share the Love, not the Flu"shot

2007-10-17T12:38:00.000-06:00

The campaigning and propagandizing for people to get flu immunizations seems to me bigger than ever. This is a problem for me because, like most everything pharmacueticals do, it's not about your health or that of your family, but about making money. The fact is that the average, healthy adult should NOT be getting a flu shot.

WHO SHOULD GET A FLU SHOT?
The CDC recommends children (6 months to 5 years), pregnant women, those with chronic medical conditions, adults over 50, and those living in longterm care/nursing home facilities get vaccinated. In addition, people who live with those who are at risk/cannot get vaccinated (eg if you have an infant under 6 months or care for someone with a chronic illness).

It is dangerous to get a vaccine if you are allergic to chicken eggs, had a severe reaction to the vaccine in the past, if you developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome after receiving the vaccine in the past, if you are under 6 months of age (and I'm SO impressed you're reading this if you are!), or if you have a fever.

However, the following factors (not to mention that GBS issue!) lead me to question if even the recommended population should get the vaccine.

WHY NOT GET A FLU SHOT?
1. The vaccine contains chemicals such as mercury, aluminum, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), phenol, and formaldehyde. Aluminum and mercury have been linked to Alzheimer's. Pretty sure everyone knows antifreeze and formaldehyde are poison. You may be thinking that these things must only be in very small concentrations, but these toxins do build up in your system year after year.

2. There is no guarantee! There are lots of strains of the flu virus out there, and they are all adapting and changing. The vaccine that is given each year is a "one-size fits all" solution--scientists monitoring and evaluating these changes choose which strains they think will be most common that year--given to everyone everywhere. The vaccine does not protect you against all strains. It takes time to produce the vaccine, and sometimes the predictions made so far in advance as to which strains will be common are wrong. Also, after several months the strain your body produced antibodies for could very well have already mutated, rendering that vaccine less effective.

3. If you have a chronic medical illness your immune response may be depressed enough that even in the presence of the inactivated virus particles it does not produce sufficient antibodies to protect you if you are infected.

4. Increased use of vaccines (in a case like this where evolution occurs so quickly), and antibiotics, can only increase the virulence of a pathogen. Meaning that we are acting to create a pathogen that will be far more deadly than it currently is, so we are not doing ourselves any favors.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Promote a healthy immune system! It's there to protect us from harmful invaders, so why not fully equip it?
Diet is essential:
-Avoid sugar! It suppresses the immune system and most of us are totally oblivious to the amount of sugar we are actually eating/drinking each day. I challenge you to try to go just one day without consuming any sugar--read labels!--just to make you aware of where it's coming from in your diet and better equip you to limit your intake.
-Avoid processed foods. They have been stripped of nutrients and contain harmful ingredients.
-Avoid junk food, fast food, trans-fats, etc. (obvious)
-Do consume essential fats and complex carbs
-If you eat meat, buy naturally raised (free-range, hormone-free, antibiotic-free) meat.

Sleep is essential. Do it!

Move your body. The more the better.

Do things that make you happy. (ok, I can't say I've read any studies linking happiness and healthy immune systems--which doesn't mean they're not out there--but as long as I'm talking about a healthy lifestyle, I figure this is pretty important. And it's easy to forget.)

Ultimately everyone has to judge their own situation and decide for themselves what they are, and are not, willing to do. Just don't be guilted into anything by a commercial!

2007-10-04T11:01:00.000-06:00

"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men" - Abraham Licoln

2007-09-27T23:46:00.001-06:00

I wish I were in Burma (Myanmar), where cowards they are not. I know you all think that's crazy. Well maybe I am crazy, but I crave to be in the midst of people who are speaking out against injustice, standing up for what they believe, standing together even the face of physical harm. As some of you know I went to Burma this past June, and I fell in love. I worry about the people who are now my friends, but I am proud of them and wish I could stand at their side.

The demonstrations began in August as a result of the rise in gas prices (I believe it was something like $5 USD/liter when I was there, maybe more, which is pretty expensive by any standards, but all the more so in such a poverty stricken country), and mushroomed when monks joined in on September 19. Obviously big increases in gas prices spells out increases in the cost of everything else, from public transportation to food to clothing to . . . . Of course this isn't just about gas, monks aren't going to risk their lives (and they knew they were risking their lives in light of the uprising turned massacre in 1988) for gas. So why are they risking their lives?

RECENT POLITICAL HISTORY
1886-1948 - British Colony
1948 - An independent democratic republic
1962 - Socialist military coup topples the civilian gov't
1974 - Became the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma"
1988 - "8-8-88" demonstrations for democratization. Military coup. Became the "Union of Burma" and later "Union of Myanmar"
1990 - The first free elections in 30 years. The National League for Democracy party won 392 of 485 parliamentary seats. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)--now renamed the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)--which is the ruling military junta (who received less than 2% of the votes), refused to step down. Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected Prime Minister, has been under house arrest, intermittently, since July 20, 1989. Over 80 of the elected members of parliament have been arrested, 20 driven into exile, and others dismissed or forced to resign.
1997 - Burma was admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

The majority of the population (and estimated 89%) in Burma is Buddhist. Monks and Buddhism became the pillar of protest during the colonial period due to cultural irreverence (e.g. the British refusing to remove their shoes when entering temples), and this continues today. Monks are highly revered and considered the moral voice and foundation of the people. It's very poignant to see Burmese citizens walking hand in hand in a chain on either side of the monks as they march, creating a barrier of protection for the most esteemed members of society.

8888 UPRISING
A national peaceful revolution started on August 8, 1988 (considered an auspicious day) by university students. General Ne Win's socialist military regime had been in power for 26 years and the demonstrators were demanding democracy. It began with students at Rangoon Institute of Technology protesting the governments second withdrawal of currency notes. When a student activist was killed by the military, large widespread protests led the way to the August 8 uprising. The students were joined by thousands of citizens from all walks of life, including monks and government workers. When the Ne Win government fell, martial law was imposed, giving General Saw Maung absolute power to quell the protests ("I want the entire nation, the people, to know that if the army shoots, it hits - there is no firing into the air to scare." NE WIN). It is estimated that over 3,000 civilians were killed in the military suppression of the demonstrations. In the aftermath over 10,000 activists fled to the borders to join opposition forces, and approximately half a million ethnic minority villagers sought refuge in neighboring countries escaping military operations, forced labor, and persecution. (Voices of '88)

CURRENT PROTESTS
Today, Monday Oct.1, the streets are reported to be empty and quiet. A technology school in Yangoon has been surrounded by soldiers, detaining 2,000 students and clergy who are staging a hunger strike in protest of the crack down. Throughout the country 6,000 people have been detained, with possibly over 1,000 monks arrested (their robes taken from them and clothed as civilians), and monasteries are locked and guarded.[1] Some monks have been allowed to leave, carefully watched by soldiers, to beg for food. I wonder how the monks have gotten food for the past several days while they haven't been allowed to leave? Normally monks go out every morning and people give them food for the day (monks are not allowed to work-even in a field to grow food-or cook). On mornings when I was up early enough and in the city I would see hundreds of them, with large brass bowls to hold the food offerings, sometimes in small groups and sometimes in massive lines, walking the streets to collect food.

The eerie absence of this motivational and emboldening religious force seems to have slowed the momentum and strength of the protests. While small groups of citizens still are making appearances, they are quickly scattered by watchful militia out in force, firing shots into the air and throwing tear gas. The government appears to have little regard still for the international community, as Ibrahim Gambari, the UN's special envoy to Myanmar, has thus far been denied a meeting with Sen. Gen. Than Shwe. [2]

Friday, 28 Sept., the government cut off access to the 2 internet providers in the country, claiming that underwater cables have been damaged. Apparently the government took this step after footage got out of a Japanese journalist being shot point blank by a soldier (the gov. claimed he had been hit by a stray bullet). For me this means I have not been able to get in contact with my friends there. This also means the information flow coming out of Burma is more limited (which is obviously the goal of the government), especially because foreign journalists are not allowed into the country. Fortunately, there are very creative and passionate people out there (journalists and bloggers) who I trust will find a way to get information to us, even at the risk of their own freedom and lives. Big companies in Yangoon that have satellite access can still get the internet, and while cell phone service is inconsistent it is an important method for recording and sending videos.

Thursday, 27 Sept., at least 9 people were killed and hundreds were arrested as government forces attempted to break up hundreds of thousands of protesters. This is the first day the monks were absent from the marching. Wednesday night troops raided several monasteries, beating monks, taking hundreds into custody, and thereafter barricading them inside their monasteries.[3]

On Saturday, 22 Sept., Aung San Suu Kyi made a bold move by appearing at her front gate in a show of solidarity and praying with protesters. The following day, as the number of protesters increased to 20,000, soldiers blockaded the road leading to her home, where she is under house arrest.[4]

When the protests began, even when the monks joined in, there was very little news coverage. Only as numbers grew, along with the fear of a government crackdown, did the world start to pay attention. Thanks to internet phenomenon's like YouTube and Flickr, in addition to international news agencies like the BBC and others, information was disseminated quickly by anyone with a camera. Maybe this international attention influenced the government's decision to shoot warning shots into the air (in contrast with orders during the 8888 uprising) and reduced the number of deaths that have occurred. (Granted, we can't know for sure how many deaths have occurred at this point, with the government reporting 10 deaths and witness accounts as high as 200).

I wonder if it's all over. Was the government once again successful in squashing the courage and hopes of the people to end this oppressive regime? What else can the people do, really, to bring in democracy, apart from peacefully marching in the streets and risk getting shot or imprisoned? Should they violently march with weapons, increasing their risk of getting shot and (by matter of opinion) making themselves no better than the military junta they seek to bring down? I hope that new leadership (since the leaders of the democracy movement have been isolated one way or another from the people for decades) will arise to inspire the Burmese people. I hope that the Burmese people will not give up. I hope the world will not forget, that we will protest, educate ourselves, write letters, and maintain dialog.

Stand with the Burmese and sign the petition for the UN Security Council and Chinese President Hu Jintao: Avaaz.org

"THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN WE ARE POWERLESS TO PREVENT INJUSTICE, BUT THERE MUST NEVER BE A TIME WHEN WE FAIL TO PROTEST" ELIE WIESEL

"USE YOUR FREEDOM TO PROMOTE OURS" DAW AUNG SANG SUU KYI

To keep up on events (locally reported):
The Irrawaddy
Mizzima News

Organizations:
Article 19
International IDEA
US Campaign for Burma
Freedom Campaign
Women's League of Burma

Other interesting tidbits:
Burma is the 24th most populace country in the world, ranks 12th in number of active troops, and is 15th in military spending.
Since Burma has refused to restore democracy, ASEAN has stated it will not defend them in any international forum.

New

2007-09-10T17:49:00.000-06:00

I've been irritated by MySpace for a while, and after trying to write a letter for a grad school application I've realized just how poor my writing has become. So I'm here to challenge myself. Here to express my thoughts, concerns, and musings. Here to share my experiences, knowledge, and questions with whoever wants to read and hopefully respond with some knowledge or questions of their own. Mostly I'm here to relearn how to put my thoughts in writing. (Which is scary because that's always been how I best expressed myself and organized my thoughts.)

My life, as usual, is currently in limbo. I'm am without a doubt not happy to be living in the states. While I love the Rocky Mountains and hate to miss the ever-changing wonder of my 2 year old nephew, I feel more displaced at home than I do abroad. Few Americans understand this, and as of yet I can't better explain it, all I can say is that my soul calls me out. To the unknown and the scary. To where there is suffering and hardship and joy. Far from malls and fashion, BMW's, pollution, the rat race and suburbia. I don't care about toilets or running water. Give me a mud hut in the desert, a cabin in the mountains, a shack in the jungle, as long as I'm part of a community that I can bring some hope and joy and love to. I don't care about celebrities and certainly care even less about celebrity gossip. I want to know and be around those society likes to ignore and oppress. This is why I want to travel, live, and study abroad. Specifically in the developing world. So this is where I start. We shall see what follows: volunteering in Uganda? grad school in Cape Town? work in Sudan? Here's hoping.