It began with Occupy Wall Street, inspired by the Arab Spring approach of occupying a public space. The Occupy movement has consistently emphasized non-violence, consensus decision-making, and the broadest inclusion of people. It says the one thing we all have in common is that, ‘We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%’.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Occupy Toronto - October 15, 2011
It began with Occupy Wall Street, inspired by the Arab Spring approach of occupying a public space. The Occupy movement has consistently emphasized non-violence, consensus decision-making, and the broadest inclusion of people. It says the one thing we all have in common is that, ‘We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%’.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
The Secret to Happiness
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his/her thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A person can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A person can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.
Today I will make a difference.
- Max Lucado
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A person can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A person can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.
Today I will make a difference.
- Max Lucado
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Paradise
This is going to be a sad attempt to describe my current living situation as living in the jungle/rainforest is really indescribable. On the weekends I will be living in Battambang which is the second largest city in Cambodia (although it still appears quite small). There are some tourists, but nothing compared to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. It has a few markets, a number of older wats (temples), a lovely riverside park, and some well-preserved buildings from the French colonial period. It is a sleepy town though as most things close down around 9pm. The beautiful countryside features century old wooden houses, villages engaged in traditional agriculture and even a winery. While I was thrilled that this would be my weekend home, I’m happy to be spending more time in Samlout which is about two hours south.
Samlout is close to the Thai border and is surrounded by the Cardamon mountains. The area is covered by thick jungle and the air is hot and heavy. Our home is on the MJP headquarters which is a large area covered by mango and banana trees, a soccer field, pigs, cattle and the workers residence. We have a foreigner accommodation which is currently occupied by 6 of us (but soon to be 8). Across from us is home to the rangers (who patrol the surrounding jungle for poachers), military (who keep an eye on the border) and conservationists. Our property is fenced in and guarded by a number of men at all times. Walking from our accommodations to the MJP office and dining area is breathtaking. I find myself gazing at the fog hugging the mountains and must continuously remind myself to look down at the path to make sure I avoid any random creatures that may be heading my way. We rise with the sun (around 6am) and head to bed early as we only have two hours of power between 7pm – 9pm. After that the area is submerged into darkness, but the sky is illuminated with stars like I’ve never seen at home. Unfortunately it is important to use a flashlight at all times here to avoid critters that like to come out at night. Pit vipers are common to this region (we saw one on our first day) and if bitten you have three hours to seek help…considering we are two hours from the hospital its best to just avoid them all together. The staff that has lived here for years has come into contact with them, but no bites as of yet. During the day the education team (that I’m apart of) travels from school to school running the sports and eco rangers club. Meeting the children and the teachers from the region has been an amazing experience as they are incredibly welcoming and eager to learn.
After work we have two hours of free time before dinner. So far we have used this time to go running with a group around the village. I never thought I would be training in a place like this. It is when I’m running along the red roads, the river to the right of me, mountains behind that I’m most overcome by my surroundings. After the run we follow a path into the jungle, which leads to a water fall and swimming hole. Remember the movie ‘The Beach’ when Leonardo stumbles across the stunning water fall? Well picture that, but better. There are two water falls to plunge into, trees to jump off of and jungle surrounding you. It is utterly breathtaking. I don’t think I will ever cease to be amazed by this place.
We spotted a Pit Viper on our first day!!
The village by our house
Samlout
We are still deciding what to do with the $1450 we raised at the fundraiser. After spending a week in Samlout and getting a better look at the schools we think the money would best be used to buy sports equipment for the students. Currently each school has a couple of balls and that is about it. There are swings and monkey bars but as you can see from the pictures these are quickly rotting and the swings are missing seats making this quite dangerous for the children. Irene and I are working closely with the environmental program as well as the sports program and would like to use the money for those specific programs. Badminton is a popular sport here for all ages, but the equipment is expensive and unattainable for most. Our first mission is to buy some badminton rackets for the schools as well as the women’s shelter. I will keep you updated as to what we use the rest of the money for as well as pictures of the students using the equipment (might be awhile before we get them into the schools). If anyone is interested in donating more money or getting more specific information about MJP you can email me at rachelward32@hotmail.com. Any help would be greatly appreciated as it is much needed in this area!!!! Thanks again to all those who came out to the fundraiser at Marben, your money will make a great difference J
As you can see the seats on the swings are missing, making it slightly more dangerous...
The monkey bars are clearly rotting
The monkey bars are clearly rotting
Humans Never Have Enough
My first blog entry since arriving in Cambodia!!
York University has made it a requirement that we keep a detailed blog while on our internships. I generally enjoy blogging so I didn’t see this as a problem, but this task has appeared a bit more daunting since I’ve arrived. Trying to describe the pristine beauty that I am surrounded by is impossible, even the pictures aren’t doing it justice. Throughout my travels never have I felt quite as I do in Samlout. I am quite literally living in the jungle amongst creatures I’ve never seen and names I can’t pronounce. Things that I used to fear (snakes, scorpions, tarantulas and massive insects) I’m slowly learning to live amongst and even share my shower with. Living on a protected area we have a great deal of respect for every living creature and are made aware that this is their home that we are intruding on.
The Khmer Rouge took full control of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, when troops marched on Phnom Penh. As soon as they seized power, all soldiers and civil servants from the Khmer Republic regime were summarily executed. Phnom Penh (the capital) and all other cities were evacuated under the false pretense of imminent American bombing. Forced to walk hundreds of miles to the countryside, many people died on the road. The Khmer Rouge sought to implement a radical Maoist and Marxist-Leninist transformation of the country to create a rural agrarian utopia. Relations with the outside world were cut off, the calendar was reset to zero, money and private property were abolished, all religious and educational sites were shut down, and everyone was forced to dress in identical black pajama-like garments. Adults were selected at random and forced to marry, children were often taken from their homes so that they could attend political indoctrination sessions. The Khmer Rouge instituted a grueling four-year plan designed to produce 3 tons of rice per hectare throughout the country. To meet these nearly impossible goals, people worked from sunrise to sundown without adequate food or rest, and centuries old reservoirs and canals were altered, often to the detriment of a previously functional irrigation system. The Khmer Rouge was mainly led by Cambodian nationals who had joined the party while studying abroad in France or Russia. Pol Pot was the head and did not publicly admit the existence of the Communist Party of Kampuchea/Khmer Rouge until 1977. The leaders of the Khmer Rouge believed they had enemies everywhere. Anyone viewed as impure, suspect, or otherwise not representative of the peasant ideal was arrested and detained in prisons known as security centers where they were tortured to draw out confessions. Around the country, thousands of Cambodians deemed traitors were executed en masse in killing fields. Such individuals included intellectuals, former Khmer Republic officials, ethnic minorities, and anyone suspected of serving the CIA or the Vietnamese. An estimated 1.7 million people fell victim to the Khmer Rouge regime, dying from execution, starvation, overwork, or lack of medical care. During the worst purge, from 1975 – 1978, an estimated 100, 000 people were executed. On January 7, 1979 the Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh effectively ending the Khmer Rouge’s bloody rule, but setting off another round of civil war and a subsequent guerilla war that would ultimately last another 20 years. As the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese troops battled, rice stocks and fields were destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands, leading to a countrywide famine. Several hundred thousand Cambodians fled across the border to Thailand, becoming refugees. In addition, Khmer Rouge and government forces laid millions of land mines leading to countless deaths and disabilities that continue to this day.
Just over 10 years later evidence of this regime is everywhere. Landmines and bullets still scatter the countryside and shift with the heavy rains that come with the monsoon season. The residents are restricted to clear cut pathways and common areas, as wondering into the jungle is literally a matter of life and death. Even on the MJP property there are signs everywhere warning of landmines just a few feet off. Recently MJP built a health care center that is approximately the size of a large western home and in that area alone 100 landmines were found. This restricts lifestyles in a number of ways even for such simple things as playing sports. Unlike most countries across the globe kids here aren’t encouraged to play certain sports such as soccer because if the ball goes out of bounds it is not safe to retrieve it. It is hard to believe that anyone I meet here my age will remember the fighting and have stories of the struggle to survive. It is a constant reminder of how grateful I should be for living in a safe environment and how petty my complaints are in comparison. If anyone is interested in learning more about the Khmer Rouge and people’s personal experiences you should read “First They Shot My Father”. It is a heart wrenching story of a girl’s experience growing up in the time of the Khmer Rouge.
Before I go into any great detail about my new home I think I need to give a little history about the area. I don’t mean to be condescending, but the amount of people that told me to enjoy my time in Africa was worrisome. Cambodia was once an extremely powerful nation with a rich history and culture. I hope that through my experience others can learn about this fascinating part of the world (which by the way is in Asia) and become aware of some of the daily struggles people are faced with here.
During the week we live in Battambang and on the
weekends two hours south in Samlout.
I’m not going to go too far back, but I think it is imperative that people know about the Khmer Rouge in order to understand the current situation here in Cambodia. I stole this next bit of information from the national geographic travel guide for Cambodia….
The Khmer Rouge took full control of Cambodia on April 17, 1975, when troops marched on Phnom Penh. As soon as they seized power, all soldiers and civil servants from the Khmer Republic regime were summarily executed. Phnom Penh (the capital) and all other cities were evacuated under the false pretense of imminent American bombing. Forced to walk hundreds of miles to the countryside, many people died on the road. The Khmer Rouge sought to implement a radical Maoist and Marxist-Leninist transformation of the country to create a rural agrarian utopia. Relations with the outside world were cut off, the calendar was reset to zero, money and private property were abolished, all religious and educational sites were shut down, and everyone was forced to dress in identical black pajama-like garments. Adults were selected at random and forced to marry, children were often taken from their homes so that they could attend political indoctrination sessions. The Khmer Rouge instituted a grueling four-year plan designed to produce 3 tons of rice per hectare throughout the country. To meet these nearly impossible goals, people worked from sunrise to sundown without adequate food or rest, and centuries old reservoirs and canals were altered, often to the detriment of a previously functional irrigation system. The Khmer Rouge was mainly led by Cambodian nationals who had joined the party while studying abroad in France or Russia. Pol Pot was the head and did not publicly admit the existence of the Communist Party of Kampuchea/Khmer Rouge until 1977. The leaders of the Khmer Rouge believed they had enemies everywhere. Anyone viewed as impure, suspect, or otherwise not representative of the peasant ideal was arrested and detained in prisons known as security centers where they were tortured to draw out confessions. Around the country, thousands of Cambodians deemed traitors were executed en masse in killing fields. Such individuals included intellectuals, former Khmer Republic officials, ethnic minorities, and anyone suspected of serving the CIA or the Vietnamese. An estimated 1.7 million people fell victim to the Khmer Rouge regime, dying from execution, starvation, overwork, or lack of medical care. During the worst purge, from 1975 – 1978, an estimated 100, 000 people were executed. On January 7, 1979 the Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh effectively ending the Khmer Rouge’s bloody rule, but setting off another round of civil war and a subsequent guerilla war that would ultimately last another 20 years. As the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese troops battled, rice stocks and fields were destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands, leading to a countrywide famine. Several hundred thousand Cambodians fled across the border to Thailand, becoming refugees. In addition, Khmer Rouge and government forces laid millions of land mines leading to countless deaths and disabilities that continue to this day.
This fighting continued right up until December 1998 in Samlout (the area we are working and living in), which is also the most heavily land mined area in Cambodia. Samlout was home for the Khmer Rouge right up until the party fell and continues to be home to many who participated in the Khmer Rouge. The dynamic is difficult to understand because many working for MJP remember the horrors and lost family at the hands of the Khmer Rouge; and yet they are working in the villages that currently house them. It is becoming apparent that both sides were victims due to the fact that the Khmer Rouge soldiers were recruited at such a young age and were only aware of the information told to them by the regime’s leaders. It is a difficult past, but it is obvious that the people here are working hard to overcome it.
Picture taken on my last trip to the killing fields in Phnom Pehn
(if you are wondering about the title of the blog it is a common saying out in the field here)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
MJP Fundraiser
I just wanted to thank everyone again for coming out to the fundraiser for MJP (Maddox-Jolie Pitt Foundation) on May 5th. A special thanks to Marben for allowing us to use their space and to Paul for being an amazing bartender. We ended up raising $1450 for a great cause and had fun doing it!
Jill, Me, Lori, Carrie
Jill, Me, Nola, Lori
Sarah and Kyle
Amanda, Nola, Jill, Erica, Lori and Steph
Our amazing bartender...Paul :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
CETA
Unknown to many Canadians our government is currently in the 6th round of negotiations of a free trade agreement with the E.U. This agreement is known as CETA (Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) and poses many threats to our current way of life. It is important to educate yourself on what exactly this trade agreement means as the government is doing its best to negotiate it behind closed doors.
1) CETA threatens our public services
CETA threatens to privatize and deregulate many of our public services. According to analysis, the proposed CETA would have an adverse impact on public services, such as waste, drinking water and public transit. The proposed rules would entrench commercialization, especially public/private partnerships; prohibit governments from obliging foreign investors to purchase locally, transfer technology or train local workers; and make it far harder for governments to reverse failed privatizations.
2) CETA threatens local job creation
Especially during economic hard times, we expect our government to use our tax dollars to create jobs and business opportunities in our local communities, provinces and territories.
One way to do this is to decide to purchase the goods and services they need from local companies, but CETA allows European corporations unrestricted access to the purchasing that our provincial and municipal governments do.
3) CETA threatens our water
CETA opens doors for large European multinational water companies to stake claim in Canada's public water systems. If you are aware of the current global water crisis you will understand how devastating privatizing our water could be.
4) CETA threatens our public health care
The deal will expose Canadian medicare to privatization pressures more than the past free trade deals did.
5) CETA threatens our environment
Trade agreements make it much more difficult to introduce stricter rules to protect the environment.
Trading around the world and consuming fossil fuel must be paid in the future dealing with the health and environmental effects of pollution. It is also likely that economic disruptions will be caused by future shortages of fossil fuel energy and spikes in fuel prices since it is a finite resource that is being depleted.
6) CETA threatens our food sovereignty and farmers rights
Farming is a way of life for millions of people and a pillar of communities around the world. But free trade favours the concentration of production and increases the power of multinational corporations.
Giant agribusiness companies, often subsidized by governments, push down the price of commodities, flooding the market with their cheap products. This is forcing millions of peasants and family farmers out of business in northern and southern countries alike.
7) CETA threatens the quality of our jobs and labour rights
Right now Canada has a huge trade deficit with the E.U, which means we import far more than we export to them. It is a sign that Canadians are being deprived of good paying manufacturing, technological innovation, and high end services jobs.
8) CETA threatens our democratic rights
Most free trade agreements have some sort of 'necessity' language. This means that national, provincial or municipal government regulation can't be 'more burdensome than necessary' to commercial interests. Who decides whether public interest laws are 'burdensome' for business? Elected officials don't. Trade experts in Geneva or Washington make the decisions behind closed doors.
If the government we elect can't regulate on our behalf, or use our tax dollars to support our local economies when needed all due to trade rules that put corporate rights first, then the CETA is actually a threat to our democratic system!
CETA negotiaters are planning to give transnational corporations and foreign investors the right to sue our government over policies or decisions that they feel prevent them from making profits - even if these policies or decisions are in the publics best interest.
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