after weeks of having no idea what i want to be when i grow up, i woke up this morning to two emails.
one telling me that i have been selected to participate in a week long training to be part of ocha's protection capacity roster in bangkok. there were only 5 spots for canadians and i got one. thank you norwegian government.
and another inviting me to be interviewed for a position in uzbekistan with one of the few un agencies that i would like to work with. i am really not sure it is the right fit for me, but i will answer their questions about my strengths, weaknesses, knowledge of trafficking of persons (lots) and drugs (none) and see what they have to say.
so, yay.
and decisions.
and a little bit of eek, too.
but mostly, yay.
Showing posts with label stans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stans. Show all posts
Friday, April 09, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
An Imperfect Offering from me to you
another book that you absolutely must read (well, if you are in to this kind of stuff, that is) is An Imperfect Offering by Dr James Orbinski. again, like many of the books i read, it explores the challenges of humanitarian assistance during a violent conflict. which, coincidentally was also the name of the masters degree that i finished a few years ago.
this book is not always easy to read, it is haunting, it is disturbing, and it left me with a lot more questions than it answered, but i think that that is the nature of humanitarian or development work and Orbinski was honest, modest, and sincere in the telling of his personal story, which includes a career as a doctor, time spent as the director of Medecins Sans Frontieres, and many missions to countries in the tight grasp of war and violence.
like i said, it certainly doesn't give the answers to the questions of how best to implement humanitarian response activities, but it does provide insight into providing basic health care to those affected by war. i'd be lying if i didn't say that this book made me wish that i was doctor because that seems like it could be more simple than what i do know how to do and this isn't the first time i have thought that.
i can never imagine being in the position that Orbinski was in to decide whether or not to go against organisational philosophy and principles (msf has historically refused to engage in the 'political' aspects of conflict) and speak out against government action (and indeed, inaction) and make bold statements about why the situation in rwanda, somalia, kosovo, afghanistan, and the drc is the way it is. he chose to point msf's finger at the actors that could change things, if they so wished. often, these actors are foreign governments and in reading his accounts of each of the above regions, i began to understand even further the complexities of humanitarians' involvement in a conflict.
the book could have easily gone the direction of Lloyd Axworthy's concept of The Responsibility to Protect, which i was a wholehearted follower of years ago (but my faith in this concept is no longer as strong as it once was) and will never become a reality, but Orbinski never gets overly idealistic and keeps the dialogue in his book based on the real challenges and potential impossibility of having one 'right answer' to its many questions.
the book's title, An Imperfect Offering, comes from a Leonard Cohen lyric and it couldn't be better suited for the realities and complexities of its content.
this book is not always easy to read, it is haunting, it is disturbing, and it left me with a lot more questions than it answered, but i think that that is the nature of humanitarian or development work and Orbinski was honest, modest, and sincere in the telling of his personal story, which includes a career as a doctor, time spent as the director of Medecins Sans Frontieres, and many missions to countries in the tight grasp of war and violence.
like i said, it certainly doesn't give the answers to the questions of how best to implement humanitarian response activities, but it does provide insight into providing basic health care to those affected by war. i'd be lying if i didn't say that this book made me wish that i was doctor because that seems like it could be more simple than what i do know how to do and this isn't the first time i have thought that.
i can never imagine being in the position that Orbinski was in to decide whether or not to go against organisational philosophy and principles (msf has historically refused to engage in the 'political' aspects of conflict) and speak out against government action (and indeed, inaction) and make bold statements about why the situation in rwanda, somalia, kosovo, afghanistan, and the drc is the way it is. he chose to point msf's finger at the actors that could change things, if they so wished. often, these actors are foreign governments and in reading his accounts of each of the above regions, i began to understand even further the complexities of humanitarians' involvement in a conflict.
the book could have easily gone the direction of Lloyd Axworthy's concept of The Responsibility to Protect, which i was a wholehearted follower of years ago (but my faith in this concept is no longer as strong as it once was) and will never become a reality, but Orbinski never gets overly idealistic and keeps the dialogue in his book based on the real challenges and potential impossibility of having one 'right answer' to its many questions.
the book's title, An Imperfect Offering, comes from a Leonard Cohen lyric and it couldn't be better suited for the realities and complexities of its content.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
international women's day
today is international women's day and to celebrate, i went shopping. well, not exactly (but sort of: purple shoes - check, dress - check, 2 button down shirts - check, skinny black belt - check, fishnet tights - check, 2 pairs of work pants - check, scarf - check, green spring coat - check, bronze woven belt - check), i went to a function at the calgary public library last night with one of the greatest women i know.
we listened to senator pamela wallin and afghani journalist khorsied samad speak on the status of women in afghanistan and canada's involvement in the military and humanitarian efforts in the country. the event was hosted by the calgary based foundation canadian women for women in afghanistan and i was completely and utterly impressed by the speakers themselves and the work that this local ngo does.
the price of our tickets went towards a specific initiative to build libraries in afghanistan and 100% of all the money raised by the organisation goes straight towards the development projects. their focuses are on teacher training and building libraries, did you know that the annual salary of a teacher in afghanistan is $750? i am sure that many of us could afford that if we saved just $14.40/week for 1 year or even $7.20/week for 2 years.
we listened to senator pamela wallin and afghani journalist khorsied samad speak on the status of women in afghanistan and canada's involvement in the military and humanitarian efforts in the country. the event was hosted by the calgary based foundation canadian women for women in afghanistan and i was completely and utterly impressed by the speakers themselves and the work that this local ngo does.
the price of our tickets went towards a specific initiative to build libraries in afghanistan and 100% of all the money raised by the organisation goes straight towards the development projects. their focuses are on teacher training and building libraries, did you know that the annual salary of a teacher in afghanistan is $750? i am sure that many of us could afford that if we saved just $14.40/week for 1 year or even $7.20/week for 2 years.
one of the interesting aspects of the speeches included a discussion on the resurgence of the use of the burka for safety and security and that is was originally a fashion trend introduced to afghanistan by the indians (now pakistanis) as clothing worn by the aristocracy and it was only when the taliban used it to force women out of public society that it became a tool of oppression.
pamela wallin brought up many good points about military funding and if the canadian military had more money to spend, it could pave roads or use helicopters to travel in insecure areas to prevent improvised explosive devices from continuing to take canadian soldiers' lives. she also hit the nail on the head, as far as i am concerned, by calling canadians on their anti-americanism, which has come into vogue in the last decade and is completely against all that canadians claim to be - tolerant, accepting, and diverse.
after our educational saturday night, we went to divino and enjoyed a cheese plate of 5 of the most amazing cheeses i have ever had (seriously) followed by a crume brulee that ties the one that i had in paris for sweet, sweet decadence. i am not ashamed to say that it was so good it almost made me cry.
and at the end of an evening celebrating women and our achievements and challenges throughout the world, a nice gentleman offered to carry me through a snow storm to my car. and i didn't take him up on the offer! he was cute and charming and i am still kicking myself that i did not say yes and allow him to throw me over his shoulder and save my tootsies and their hot pink flats from the cold and wet.
as gloria says, the fact that i had a choice to be carried to my car, or not, is proof that women in this country have come a long way.
happy international women's day!
Monday, November 17, 2008
judeo-christian reading
by design or by chance, i have recently read a few books that have the theme of religion threaded throughout. all of them are worth a read, but my recommendations for each are for very different reasons. interesting that they are all non fiction reads.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
it took me awhile before i decided if i liked greg or not, but his story is captivating regardless of how you feel about his values and focus. the short version of his rather long story is that he fails to climb k2, happens across a poor village in pakistan, makes a commitment to return one day to build a school, and that is the beginning of an ngo that builds schools in northern pakistan and afghanistan.
the book fascinated me as it challenged and confirmed some of the opinions i have about international development, but even more, it is a excellent and user-friendly historical account of pakistan and afghanistan in the 21st century.
i have never spent much time researching and studying that area of the world and have just assumed it is very complicated and an outsider would never be able to grasp the influence that ethnicity, religion, and clan-based governance systems. but this book puts a stop to that type of fatalist thinking and just gives you the story of a man who wanted to build schools for people who couldn't build them for themselves.
have you read it? i would love to know what other people think about how greg neglects his family and own health to achieve his goals. is it worth it? is he a martyr for an unwinnable cause? does his wife get enough credit in the book? i would love to have a book club-type conversation about this book!
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
the true story of a somali girl who lives in somalia, saudi arabia, ethiopia, kenya, and the netherlands is also fascinating. ayaan writes a book that challenges islam and those liberals and muslims who defend its values and practices (and has lived with death threats because of it). i have personally struggled with elements of islam and it was refreshing to read that someone else had done the dirty work of dissection and investigation and presented them for you to either accept or reject.
i also like her description of eastleigh in nairobi and of the smell of sukuma wiki. (fun fact - sukuma wiki is an inexpensive spinach dish in kenya and swahili literally translates to 'pushing the week' because it is what you eat when you are trying to stretch your shillings to the end of the week). ayaan's telling of her experience with unhcr and with the social welfare system of the netherlands also challenges what you thought you knew about refugees, social assistance, and the acceptance of foreign cultural values in western societies.
it's long, but it is worth it. and another book i would love to discuss with other people!
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
i just finished this one and it was much more lighthearted than the previous two, but still interesting in its obvious religious subject matter. aj attempts to live as close to biblical scripture as possible for one year. as a secular jew, he focuses first (and most) on the old testament then moves to the new testament, consulting numerous self-proclaimed experts along the way.
i don't think that he digs too deep to get to the bottom of the different interpretations of the bible, but he does give a bible virgin like me a watered down version of the seemingly incomprehensible chapters and verses that are somehow supposed to tell you how to live. he provides a lot of background and information on various groups who interpret the bible throughout the scale of literalism and like the other books, it did challenge me to think about the bible and the ways it can enhance your life if you let it.
if i had one criticism of this book it would be his lack of organisation and slight self indulgence. i would have liked to see his thoughts and revelations throughout his year of eating the bible a little more coherent. and in the same vein, i think that some things he throws in are simply a self-indulgent documentation of his own actions and even though it was a memoir of sorts, it was a bit distracting after his 12 months.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
it took me awhile before i decided if i liked greg or not, but his story is captivating regardless of how you feel about his values and focus. the short version of his rather long story is that he fails to climb k2, happens across a poor village in pakistan, makes a commitment to return one day to build a school, and that is the beginning of an ngo that builds schools in northern pakistan and afghanistan.
the book fascinated me as it challenged and confirmed some of the opinions i have about international development, but even more, it is a excellent and user-friendly historical account of pakistan and afghanistan in the 21st century.
i have never spent much time researching and studying that area of the world and have just assumed it is very complicated and an outsider would never be able to grasp the influence that ethnicity, religion, and clan-based governance systems. but this book puts a stop to that type of fatalist thinking and just gives you the story of a man who wanted to build schools for people who couldn't build them for themselves.
have you read it? i would love to know what other people think about how greg neglects his family and own health to achieve his goals. is it worth it? is he a martyr for an unwinnable cause? does his wife get enough credit in the book? i would love to have a book club-type conversation about this book!
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
the true story of a somali girl who lives in somalia, saudi arabia, ethiopia, kenya, and the netherlands is also fascinating. ayaan writes a book that challenges islam and those liberals and muslims who defend its values and practices (and has lived with death threats because of it). i have personally struggled with elements of islam and it was refreshing to read that someone else had done the dirty work of dissection and investigation and presented them for you to either accept or reject.
i also like her description of eastleigh in nairobi and of the smell of sukuma wiki. (fun fact - sukuma wiki is an inexpensive spinach dish in kenya and swahili literally translates to 'pushing the week' because it is what you eat when you are trying to stretch your shillings to the end of the week). ayaan's telling of her experience with unhcr and with the social welfare system of the netherlands also challenges what you thought you knew about refugees, social assistance, and the acceptance of foreign cultural values in western societies.
it's long, but it is worth it. and another book i would love to discuss with other people!
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
i just finished this one and it was much more lighthearted than the previous two, but still interesting in its obvious religious subject matter. aj attempts to live as close to biblical scripture as possible for one year. as a secular jew, he focuses first (and most) on the old testament then moves to the new testament, consulting numerous self-proclaimed experts along the way.
i don't think that he digs too deep to get to the bottom of the different interpretations of the bible, but he does give a bible virgin like me a watered down version of the seemingly incomprehensible chapters and verses that are somehow supposed to tell you how to live. he provides a lot of background and information on various groups who interpret the bible throughout the scale of literalism and like the other books, it did challenge me to think about the bible and the ways it can enhance your life if you let it.
if i had one criticism of this book it would be his lack of organisation and slight self indulgence. i would have liked to see his thoughts and revelations throughout his year of eating the bible a little more coherent. and in the same vein, i think that some things he throws in are simply a self-indulgent documentation of his own actions and even though it was a memoir of sorts, it was a bit distracting after his 12 months.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
messy
headlines on the SAME page of the calgary herald this morning:
Expectant mother shot dead in Baghdad
False reports cited in deaths of 24 Iraqis: Bush vows to punish any guilty marines
Officials admit U.S. troops fired on angry Kabul mob
it is a mess in iraq and i don't think anyone has the answer, or if someone does have a good idea how to bring peace to iraq and encourage a real democracy i doubt anyone with any kind o fpower would listen to that person because i am sure it would have something to do with the removal of american troops (which would be seen to them as a failure unless it was their decision) and installation of an international force (which doesn't exist and most countries wouldn't want to fund since it is seen as a problem the americans created). i suppose until a big change in policy or the international community shifts its attitude then the americans will be in charge, even if they do it poorly.
i am even more confused about afghanistan. and although i don't like canadians fighting there i know that we can't up and leave like so many other times in the past as it creates an even larger mess in the future.
Expectant mother shot dead in Baghdad
False reports cited in deaths of 24 Iraqis: Bush vows to punish any guilty marines
Officials admit U.S. troops fired on angry Kabul mob
it is a mess in iraq and i don't think anyone has the answer, or if someone does have a good idea how to bring peace to iraq and encourage a real democracy i doubt anyone with any kind o fpower would listen to that person because i am sure it would have something to do with the removal of american troops (which would be seen to them as a failure unless it was their decision) and installation of an international force (which doesn't exist and most countries wouldn't want to fund since it is seen as a problem the americans created). i suppose until a big change in policy or the international community shifts its attitude then the americans will be in charge, even if they do it poorly.
i am even more confused about afghanistan. and although i don't like canadians fighting there i know that we can't up and leave like so many other times in the past as it creates an even larger mess in the future.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
i (heart) lists
some things i have been thinking or wondering lately, in list form...
- i love lists
- lloyd axworth is a cool canadian, i wish i had of known how cool he was when he was an mp
- i have always wondered why canada and other countries aren't doing anything in darfur in the sudan and after reading axworthy's book and some other articles i am really wondering why the hell the world isn't doing anything
- lent is going well, i have had chocolate chips in home baked muffins, but i decided that was ok, only 7 more days to go
- why is it so difficult for people to call the inuit 'inuit'? why do people insist on using the word eskimo immediately after it was just explained to them why inuit is more appropriate?
- why do people feed you chicken the very day after you've said you don't eat it? oh well, it was in chicken-finger form which is more handleable and less chicken-like
- this surprise afghanistan visit by harper is too bush-like for me
- i am still struggling with this make poverty history thing - did it just take attention away from the real protesters and the real alternatives to the g8 or did it actually bring awareness to the masses of the relics of colonialism and the effects of the policies of the international monetary institutions that plague the african continent? i am doubtful that there were many people who attended those concerts that have done anything since to combat world poverty, as if the problem was solved with a white wrist band and bob geldof
- i own a white wrist band, but am hesitant to wear it
- does it seem to anyone else that itunes always has a new version to download?
- i have been reading a lot about canadian identity and it has got me thinking that although i love politics and international relations, my favourite courses in my undergrad were those in women's studies, sociology, anthropology, and the liberal arts and if i ever go back to school after this, i think i will study one of those. not for a job, not for any type of world-saving or improving, but just cause i like it
- i keep dreaming that i have eaten chocolate and am disappointed in myself for not lasting the entire lent period, but i am determined to even though my mom sent me mini eggs in the mail!
- instead of deciding on essay topics, i am preoccupied with thoughts of what i will do come september, i am anxious and nervous and incredibly excited even though i am still so up in the air about what it is i want to do first. i have lots of things i want to do, just not sure the order of them all
- i am having a 'breakfast-off' with some friends to settle whether or not canadians make better breakfasts than the british and i think team canada will take it, any suggestions on what to serve at a 'traditional' canadian breakfast? i do think we do breakfast better than any other country i have visited. something about sitting around, drinking cup after cup of coffee and eating something sweet, salty, and spicy all in the same meal. normally not my style, but for breakfast i make an exception
- i've been thinking a lot about my grandpa, he is a cool canadian too, i think anyone who met him would find it hard to disagree with that
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