Happy Chinese New Year or the Announcement of Bike-Naming Contest Winner or Let’s Get Radical!!
Whew! What a title! But I am back in time to celebrate Chinese New Year 4703! It’s the year of the dog!! Woof.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, what we have all been waiting for since last November, the winner of my Bike-Naming Contest! Drumroll please… There is a tie! The two entrants AB and Ed (not posted, but emailed) are both winners! Woohoo-the name of my fancy schmancy Trek bike is: Blucy, the Dream Weaver! Go ahead winners and give yourselves a solid pat on the back, or have someone in the room do it, because you are both very creative and have contributed finely to my contest. Congratulations to all!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Just to bring you all up to speed on the happenings in this blogger’s life: SKBT, an absolute blast! Thanksgiving and Swear-In Ceremony for the newest, freshest batch of Mali PCV’s, including my new team-mate, Lindsay! A technical exchange/information-gathering trip to Koutiala, Sikasso region! A much needed 3-week vacation! A wonderful return in time to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Tabaski! A Peace Corps’ Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Sector Retreat! The installation of a low-energy evaporative cooler in the CLIC in my town of Kangaba! And the beginnings of an awesome chicken project with an animal-raiser’s co-operative! 2006 is off to a fabulous start!
!@#$%^&*()(*&^%^%#$%#%$&^$#
Did you know that the true meaning of radical is to get to the root, or return to the root, of something? Well, it does and so I want to get radical with you who read my silly pink blog.
I want to start from the beginning by asking the question that needs to be asked: Why did I join the Peace Corps? It’s a very loaded question because, in the end, it is a very personal and complex set of reasonings. Some of you may know this, some may not, but bear with me through the details and memories.
My fascination with the world around me began about the time I turned eight. I was in the 3rd grade with Ms. Koskela as my teacher. Many events took place about the same time that contributed heftily to this fascination. First, at home, my mom and dad split-up just weeks before school started. I also broke my right arm and had it in a cast for 6 weeks. Due to the inherent stress and incredible changes at home, I began to fear dying. About this, I had talked to my mom, in a car ride one warm fall afternoon. She was able to reassure me and convinced me that I wasn’t going to die and that everything was going to be fine. When I look back now, I question, “Do all kids go through this?” I don’t know but any stories you can share with me would be good to hear.
With the above as a backdrop, we go to the classroom of Ms. Koskela. That winter, she and her family went on a vacation to Hawaii. When she came back, she did an entire day lesson on Hawaii. We had a Hawaii’an day that was devoted to the islands, the people, the culture, the language, and the food.
We started the day with going to the ‘airport.’ (Anyone who knows me knows that I love airports and flying.) We went to the ‘ticket counter’ and got our ‘boarding passes.’ Our plane was our classroom with the seat arranged in rows similar to those found on a real airplane. Then our plane took-off and landed on the big island of Hawaii. I think we may even had a drink service by flight attendants… There, we were met and greeted with lei’s, I could feel the sun shine on my face. I wore sunglasses. We then toured the islands, met the local people, ate their yummy pineapples and macademia nuts, listened to music, and learned a bit about the Hawaii’an language.
At the end of the day, I was sad to leave Hawaii behind. But we had to go home to Minnesota because our parents would worry if we didn’t come home that afternoon on the bus. It was an extraordinary day for me.
Shortly after our romp through paradise, I began to study the globe that was in our classroom. This was my first inclination towards geography. I found Minnesota, then Hawaii. I explore a little more and it was then I measured the distance from Minnesota to Africa. I realized, “Hmm, Africa’s not that far.” (I also knew that the globe is just a mini-Earth and that distance is just not that big of a deal…)
Thanks to Ms. Koskela and our day on the islands, I felt for the very first time in my life that the world was truly at my fingertips. She inspired me to be curious about the world and the people in it-wherever. Most importantly, she inspired me to explore the world outside my own.
After that formative year of 3rd grade, world events, movies, and people inspired me to continue with this curiosity of the world. Believe it or not, the film Dirty Dancing first put the idea of Peace Corps in my head. I was only 9 when I first saw it, but when Baby’s father said she wanted to save the world by joining Peace Corps, I thought, “I want to save the world too!” Naïve as it may sound, especially considering the naivete of Baby’s character, I liked the idea of going out in the world and helping people less fortunate than myself.
Then the Gulf war started. I was stunned to be 11 and watching scud missiles shoot across the sky in Baghdad on my television. War sucks.
When my step-father, Ed (Bike-Naming Contest Winner) entered my life, not only did he usher in a great period of peace into my childhood, but he instilled a lot of values in me that I carry to this day-the love of the outdoors and exploring, the humane taking of wild animals for food, and expanding the breadth of life through various social activities and sports.
My oldest and dearest friend in the world, Gina, inspired me to want more than what was before my eyes. With her acceptance into the Minnesota Arts High School, to begin our Junior year of high school, I applied and was accepted to a local community college to begin earning college level credits in my Junior and Senior years. She has continually been a beacon in my life, an inspiration to seek out answers to questions about the world by going out and being an active part in it.
My mom, a very strong and talented woman, went into the army for the G.I. Bill to pay for her higher education. She then raised me and my older sister while working full-time during the day and going to college at night. I went to her college commencement when I was 6. Since then, she has become a leader for women hunters and has become an accomplished dog-trainer, breeder, huntress herself. My mom, an inspiration, for whom I extol massive bragging rights each time I get a chance to talk about her.
My first real jaunt out into the world was when, in French class, I learned that I could go to France in the summer of my junior year, if I was able to raise all of the money myself. I did, and spent 3 wonderful weeks travelling in France and Switzerland. This trip fed my wanderlust and I haven’t been able to stop travelling since.
In college, I studied French and Global Studies (formerly International Relations). I spent a year in Montpellier, France, where I travelled all over Europe while improving my knowledge of French. It was there that I was exposed to Human Rights as Europe celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “What is it?” I thought. It sounded familiar, but in 1998, I had never really learned what it was about. After my year, I returned to the states and studied Human Rights for a solid year and seriously considered applying to the Peace Corps for right after.
It was September 11th that made me re-consider doing the Peace Corps. Only months after graduation, this event tore me up. It was a week later, that I decided I needed to stay state-side for a while, wait for things to calm down a bit, and gather some real-world experience before apply to the Peace Corps. In 3 plus years after college, I worked in education, agriculture, human rights, and photography. Among that, I even served one year in the AmeriCorps, or ‘Peace Corps in America.’ I felt, by the time 2004 rolled around, confident enough to apply to Peace Corps/Africa. And the day after Thanksgiving 2004, I was accepted into the program in Mali, to start in January of 2005. So here I am, a solid year into my service!
There are now two parts of me that really helps explain for why I really joined the PC-the selfish me and the selfless me. The selfish me wanted to live in Africa, a place that has held my curiosity most of my life. I wanted to work there and get my way paid for-i.e. plane ticket, salary, health care, benefits. The selfish me wanted to learn another language and be able to use my French as a backup. The selfish me wanted to be able to say that I served in Peace Corps and reap the benefits of my service when I returned to the United States.
The selfless me wanted to share with people my knowledge and my experience, in order to help them in whatever way possible. This is based on a foundation of compassion. I have always felt blessed for material comfort and access to education, healthcare, clean food and water. I could sacrifice a few years of my life to something much larger than myself. The selfless me wanted to learn as much as possible about Mali, on the ground, so I could return and continue my activist work to fight against the injustice and inequality in a global system that obviously isn’t working. Global definitely affects the local, and no more clearly do I see that than on the ground, in one of the poorest countries in the world. The selfless me wanted to share with a host-family and friends about my life and theirs with me-so it will become even more real the variations of diversity inherent to life, in all its wondrous beauty. The selfless me wanted to experience what subsistence agriculture really is and what it means to be hungry. The selfless me wanted to experience Africa in the wake of hundreds of years of oppression and exploitation by outsiders and in the present, the very real right now oppression and exploitation in all of its ugly forms.
Part selfish and part selfless, I wanted to join Peace Corps in Africa to share with Americans what I see and experience. To make this reality a part of your reality because, in the end of it all, we are all human, we all share the same tiny planet, and we need to find a way to make this living thing work for all of us.
That’s my rant.
read-what-I-have-read-book-list!
10 Reasons to Abolish the IMF and the World Bank: Kevin Danaher. This is an open media pamphlet series published by Global Exchange in 2001. Author offers very good reasons to abolish these non-democratic financial institutions. We’ve abolished slavery and jim crow laws, why not such entities as these that continue to 'promote' democracy in very undemocratic ways?
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, what we have all been waiting for since last November, the winner of my Bike-Naming Contest! Drumroll please… There is a tie! The two entrants AB and Ed (not posted, but emailed) are both winners! Woohoo-the name of my fancy schmancy Trek bike is: Blucy, the Dream Weaver! Go ahead winners and give yourselves a solid pat on the back, or have someone in the room do it, because you are both very creative and have contributed finely to my contest. Congratulations to all!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Just to bring you all up to speed on the happenings in this blogger’s life: SKBT, an absolute blast! Thanksgiving and Swear-In Ceremony for the newest, freshest batch of Mali PCV’s, including my new team-mate, Lindsay! A technical exchange/information-gathering trip to Koutiala, Sikasso region! A much needed 3-week vacation! A wonderful return in time to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Tabaski! A Peace Corps’ Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Sector Retreat! The installation of a low-energy evaporative cooler in the CLIC in my town of Kangaba! And the beginnings of an awesome chicken project with an animal-raiser’s co-operative! 2006 is off to a fabulous start!
!@#$%^&*()(*&^%^%#$%#%$&^$#
Did you know that the true meaning of radical is to get to the root, or return to the root, of something? Well, it does and so I want to get radical with you who read my silly pink blog.
I want to start from the beginning by asking the question that needs to be asked: Why did I join the Peace Corps? It’s a very loaded question because, in the end, it is a very personal and complex set of reasonings. Some of you may know this, some may not, but bear with me through the details and memories.
My fascination with the world around me began about the time I turned eight. I was in the 3rd grade with Ms. Koskela as my teacher. Many events took place about the same time that contributed heftily to this fascination. First, at home, my mom and dad split-up just weeks before school started. I also broke my right arm and had it in a cast for 6 weeks. Due to the inherent stress and incredible changes at home, I began to fear dying. About this, I had talked to my mom, in a car ride one warm fall afternoon. She was able to reassure me and convinced me that I wasn’t going to die and that everything was going to be fine. When I look back now, I question, “Do all kids go through this?” I don’t know but any stories you can share with me would be good to hear.
With the above as a backdrop, we go to the classroom of Ms. Koskela. That winter, she and her family went on a vacation to Hawaii. When she came back, she did an entire day lesson on Hawaii. We had a Hawaii’an day that was devoted to the islands, the people, the culture, the language, and the food.
We started the day with going to the ‘airport.’ (Anyone who knows me knows that I love airports and flying.) We went to the ‘ticket counter’ and got our ‘boarding passes.’ Our plane was our classroom with the seat arranged in rows similar to those found on a real airplane. Then our plane took-off and landed on the big island of Hawaii. I think we may even had a drink service by flight attendants… There, we were met and greeted with lei’s, I could feel the sun shine on my face. I wore sunglasses. We then toured the islands, met the local people, ate their yummy pineapples and macademia nuts, listened to music, and learned a bit about the Hawaii’an language.
At the end of the day, I was sad to leave Hawaii behind. But we had to go home to Minnesota because our parents would worry if we didn’t come home that afternoon on the bus. It was an extraordinary day for me.
Shortly after our romp through paradise, I began to study the globe that was in our classroom. This was my first inclination towards geography. I found Minnesota, then Hawaii. I explore a little more and it was then I measured the distance from Minnesota to Africa. I realized, “Hmm, Africa’s not that far.” (I also knew that the globe is just a mini-Earth and that distance is just not that big of a deal…)
Thanks to Ms. Koskela and our day on the islands, I felt for the very first time in my life that the world was truly at my fingertips. She inspired me to be curious about the world and the people in it-wherever. Most importantly, she inspired me to explore the world outside my own.
After that formative year of 3rd grade, world events, movies, and people inspired me to continue with this curiosity of the world. Believe it or not, the film Dirty Dancing first put the idea of Peace Corps in my head. I was only 9 when I first saw it, but when Baby’s father said she wanted to save the world by joining Peace Corps, I thought, “I want to save the world too!” Naïve as it may sound, especially considering the naivete of Baby’s character, I liked the idea of going out in the world and helping people less fortunate than myself.
Then the Gulf war started. I was stunned to be 11 and watching scud missiles shoot across the sky in Baghdad on my television. War sucks.
When my step-father, Ed (Bike-Naming Contest Winner) entered my life, not only did he usher in a great period of peace into my childhood, but he instilled a lot of values in me that I carry to this day-the love of the outdoors and exploring, the humane taking of wild animals for food, and expanding the breadth of life through various social activities and sports.
My oldest and dearest friend in the world, Gina, inspired me to want more than what was before my eyes. With her acceptance into the Minnesota Arts High School, to begin our Junior year of high school, I applied and was accepted to a local community college to begin earning college level credits in my Junior and Senior years. She has continually been a beacon in my life, an inspiration to seek out answers to questions about the world by going out and being an active part in it.
My mom, a very strong and talented woman, went into the army for the G.I. Bill to pay for her higher education. She then raised me and my older sister while working full-time during the day and going to college at night. I went to her college commencement when I was 6. Since then, she has become a leader for women hunters and has become an accomplished dog-trainer, breeder, huntress herself. My mom, an inspiration, for whom I extol massive bragging rights each time I get a chance to talk about her.
My first real jaunt out into the world was when, in French class, I learned that I could go to France in the summer of my junior year, if I was able to raise all of the money myself. I did, and spent 3 wonderful weeks travelling in France and Switzerland. This trip fed my wanderlust and I haven’t been able to stop travelling since.
In college, I studied French and Global Studies (formerly International Relations). I spent a year in Montpellier, France, where I travelled all over Europe while improving my knowledge of French. It was there that I was exposed to Human Rights as Europe celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “What is it?” I thought. It sounded familiar, but in 1998, I had never really learned what it was about. After my year, I returned to the states and studied Human Rights for a solid year and seriously considered applying to the Peace Corps for right after.
It was September 11th that made me re-consider doing the Peace Corps. Only months after graduation, this event tore me up. It was a week later, that I decided I needed to stay state-side for a while, wait for things to calm down a bit, and gather some real-world experience before apply to the Peace Corps. In 3 plus years after college, I worked in education, agriculture, human rights, and photography. Among that, I even served one year in the AmeriCorps, or ‘Peace Corps in America.’ I felt, by the time 2004 rolled around, confident enough to apply to Peace Corps/Africa. And the day after Thanksgiving 2004, I was accepted into the program in Mali, to start in January of 2005. So here I am, a solid year into my service!
There are now two parts of me that really helps explain for why I really joined the PC-the selfish me and the selfless me. The selfish me wanted to live in Africa, a place that has held my curiosity most of my life. I wanted to work there and get my way paid for-i.e. plane ticket, salary, health care, benefits. The selfish me wanted to learn another language and be able to use my French as a backup. The selfish me wanted to be able to say that I served in Peace Corps and reap the benefits of my service when I returned to the United States.
The selfless me wanted to share with people my knowledge and my experience, in order to help them in whatever way possible. This is based on a foundation of compassion. I have always felt blessed for material comfort and access to education, healthcare, clean food and water. I could sacrifice a few years of my life to something much larger than myself. The selfless me wanted to learn as much as possible about Mali, on the ground, so I could return and continue my activist work to fight against the injustice and inequality in a global system that obviously isn’t working. Global definitely affects the local, and no more clearly do I see that than on the ground, in one of the poorest countries in the world. The selfless me wanted to share with a host-family and friends about my life and theirs with me-so it will become even more real the variations of diversity inherent to life, in all its wondrous beauty. The selfless me wanted to experience what subsistence agriculture really is and what it means to be hungry. The selfless me wanted to experience Africa in the wake of hundreds of years of oppression and exploitation by outsiders and in the present, the very real right now oppression and exploitation in all of its ugly forms.
Part selfish and part selfless, I wanted to join Peace Corps in Africa to share with Americans what I see and experience. To make this reality a part of your reality because, in the end of it all, we are all human, we all share the same tiny planet, and we need to find a way to make this living thing work for all of us.
That’s my rant.
read-what-I-have-read-book-list!
10 Reasons to Abolish the IMF and the World Bank: Kevin Danaher. This is an open media pamphlet series published by Global Exchange in 2001. Author offers very good reasons to abolish these non-democratic financial institutions. We’ve abolished slavery and jim crow laws, why not such entities as these that continue to 'promote' democracy in very undemocratic ways?
posted by chance @ 2:30 PM
1 Comments:
At 4:17 AM,
AB said…
Rob Brezsny's Free Will Astrology, the week of February 2nd 2006:
"AQUARIUS (January 20th - February 18th)
Several of my friends have given names to their cars, and I know many other people who have bestowed appellations on their homes, their vacuum cleaners, their favorite trees, and their genitals. In Norse mythology, the god Thor affectionately called his magic golden hammer by the name Mjollnir. It so happens that this would be a ripe time for you to experiment with this approach, Aquarius. I think you'll find that as you name your home and car as well as every plant, toaster, traffic light, crow, and cloud, that the whole world will become more alive and friendly and helpful."
Link
Post a Comment
<< Home