A Life Lived in Mismatched Socks

Occupy Toronto - October 15, 2011

2011-10-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

The world-wide occupations seek to draw attention to the corporate control of our economy, and the resulting wealth inequalities, austerity measures, environmental harms, loss of democratic rights, and exclusion of popular voices.
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%’.
We cannot possibly claim to live in a democratic society when corporations have so much control over our government.
I would encourage everyone to check out www.theyrule.net . It is a great resource for discovering how many corporate boards our politians sit on and making the connections to where their priorities lie. The following link is the corporate connections among the bush administration...do you really think fair governance was their priority???
http://theyrule.net/map_175

Join us at York and King on October 15 to protest this injustice.

If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine -Ernesto (Che) Guevara de la Serna

It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.
- Henry Ford

The Secret to Happiness

2011-10-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

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

Paradise

2011-05-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

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

Humans Never Have Enough

2011-05-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

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.

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

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.

(if you are wondering about the title of the blog it is a common saying out in the field here)

MJP Fundraiser

2011-05-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

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 :)

CETA

2011-02-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

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.

What is Money??????

2011-02-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

Money is debt.

The general public (myself included) is led to believe that money is controlled by the government and is in direct relation to how much gold the country possesses. Images of money being printed off at the mint spring to mind when trying to determine its origins, but the truth is our money only exists in theory and is not controlled by the government, as we may like to think.

Polanyi once described the characteristics of money goods as "homogeneity, durability, portability and economic divisibility" and while these qualities are important in an economy's form of money, it seems as though this definition is still lacking a key defining feature: that money must actually be backed up by something of value. Prevalent forms of money today are worthless except for use in payments or exchange. Historically paper money used to represent a reciept for a specific amount of gold that was being kept at the bank. Money is no longer a receipt for an amount of gold, but rather it only represents itself.

Money is created when someone receives a loan or mortgage, meaning money is created out of debt. Money is private banks lending non existent money in the form of credit. When a customer walks into the bank and requests a loan the bank does not have that money stored in the back in a safe, but instead simply types the amount into the customer's bank account. This means money is no more than made up numbers on a computer screen. The bank can make numerous amounts of loans despite actually only having a small percentage of that money.

Banks do have to be monitored in regards to how much money they can lend out, but the limits have changed and grown over the years. The limits presented in the form of a ratio. For example if the banks limit is a ratio of 10:1, it means that for every one dollar the bank actually has it can lend out ten dollars. With the constant creation of money from nothing it means the amount of money in circulation is continually growing. If there is more and more money being put out into the economy the actual value of money will decrease. Without money being tied to a physical property it becomes unlimited and easily created, meaning our natural resources are being used up at an alarming rate and will not be able to be easily replenished. The movie, History of Money, discusses how this leads to an unsustainable system that will ultimately lead to a collapse if it remains unchanged.

The monetary evolution of the west has not been guided by an invisible hand of progress, but largely imposed by conspicious actions of government. The fact that the government chooses to borrow huge amounts of money from the banks, which they will have to pay back with interest is hard to conceive considering they could create and monitor money themselves. Why borrow from the banks when the interest adds up so quickly? The people that ultimately suffer are the taxpayers as it is their money being used to pay the huge sums of mounting interest. The application of interest allows banks to profit off of money that doesn't even actually exist. And if the money never existed in the first place, where are the borrowers expected to find it to pay back the loan?

History of Money, explains that this system is taking the wealth of many and placing it in the pockets of a select few. If the public suddenly stopped borrowing money the entire system would crash. It is reliant on debt annd the continuation of that debt. Money cannot actually exist unless people believe it so. If people were educated in regards to the production of money it would seem ridiculous and highly doubtful that the system could stay in place.

The major barrier to plying monetary analysis or any modern theoretical tools of economics in treating primitive money is the idea that modern money is intrinsically economically superior to the primitive variety. Primitive money had a real physical value and was limited in how much you could own or find. Modern money created from nothing and essentially limitless (as long as debt continues to rise) is a flawed system and makes little to no sense when compared to the historical forms of money.

The modern system cannot be viewed as evolved or sophisticated as it is a system that fails to make sense. It is ultimately hurting the economy and creating huge amounts of debt among the populations and government. How this system manages to continue without public outcry is disheartening and is inevitably heading towards disaster.

OTTAWAY

2011-01-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

I miss that house.
It comes as a surprise considering I don't equate myself with someone that feels an attachment to possessions. I'm sure everyone has debated over the list of items they would grab if faced with a fire and only a few seconds to spare, but I've always concluded that if I'm out (and all other living creatures in the house...other than fish) then I don't really care about the stuff.
Shortly after nana passed away and we were uncomfortably trying to decide whether the lamp or coffee table would best help us cope with the passing of our grandparents, I realized I didn't feel them in any of it. Even items I watched my nana spend hours meticulously making didn't appeal to me. I didn't need stuff to remind me of them because they were cemented permanently in my mind. With no effort I could feel her warm, soft hands in mine, I could still smell his aftershave in the mornings...two people I was confident I would never forget.
But time passes and despite our best efforts memories fade. Regret creeps in that I didn't take the lamp, the coffee table...anything to help the image of them stay clear. Instead I'm left longing for a day in that house, curled up on the pink carpet and surrounded by thoughts of them. I want to crawl into bed with my favorite Charlie Brown pillow and know that after I fall asleep my papa will be sitting on the end of my bed praying for me. I want to be in the kitchen with my nana laughing until my sides hurt and tears are streaming down my face.
I want them to hold me and tell me how proud they are of me.
I want to be back in that house.

Just so you know...

2010-11-04T23:53:00.000-07:00

Recently a professor by the name of Susan Mokotoff Reverby , published her research regarding medical experimental practices that occurred in the United States. It was discovered in 1979 that from 1932 to 1972 (40 years) a study was being held in Tuskegee, Alabama by the U.S. public health service to test untreated syphilis. The study consisted of 400 poor African-American men, who were promised free meals and medicine if they participated. The majority of the men didn't even know they had syphilis, they were only informed that they had 'bad blood' and would be treated accordingly. The point of the research was to watch the progression of syphilis on the body so instead of injecting medicine, the doctors injected a placebo drug to allow the disease to run its full course. In 1947 penicillin became the standard treatment for syphilis, but despite this knowledge the medical team refused to treat patients, allowing many to die and spread the disease to their wives and children.

As if this wasn't horrible enough last month, in October 2010, Susan Reverby published her findings in regards to the United States syphilis research carried out in Guatemala. This was known as the Guatemalan Syphilis Experiment. From 1946 - 1948 the United States medical team was knowingly infecting Guatemalan prisoners, soldiers and mental patients with syphilis. Some victims were infected directly by the medical staff, whereas others were infected by prostitutes carrying the disease that the team had hired to have sex with the inmates.

As appalling as all this is the worst part is that in 1947, while all this was going on, the United States government was busy constructing the Nuremberg Code, which spoke out against the unethical medical experiments that were being carried out by the Nazis. The U.S. medical teams were fully aware of this code, but didn't think it applied to them simply because they weren't Nazis. It was apparently of no concern that their experiments were just as horrifying and often resulted in the same outcome....death. It isn't as though these are the only two examples of unethical medical research being carried out by the U.S. either....women in Puerto Rico were given dangerously high amounts of estrogen to test the birth control pill without their knowledge, hospital patients were injected with plutonia to study the effects on the body and the list goes on.

While I have focused solely on the United States deplorable actions, I'm not meaning to imply that we as Canadians are off the hook. Our history is as polluted as theirs, including the times we displayed our disgust along with the rest of the world over the Nazi regime. Were you aware of the fact that in 1928 we enacted the Sexual Sterilization Act, which allowed the government to forcibly sterilize women who they did not determine fit to conceive. They determined a women's reproductive rights based on an IQ test which was delivered in English, meaning immigrants were unlikely to pass, which was to the benefit of the government because it meant we could keep up our homogeneous society (ie. white).

Researchers are quick to point out that such practices are a thing of the past and have led to strict guidelines ensuring informed consent from the subjects, yet efforts are currently being made to loosen restrictions on experimental medicine in prisons.

You may wonder why I chose to ramble on at 3am about our lesser known history, but I think it is important that we remain aware of our governments policies and practices in the medical field. There are too many horrifying examples to just naively believe it could never happen again.

Day Ten - Friday, February 19, 2010

2010-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Despite our 5am bedtime, we were up by 8:30 and ready to head to the Apoyo Laguna. Louis, Luke, Elena, Amanda and I all jumped in the back of a pickup and were at the laguna about 45minutes later. The laguna offers breathtaking views and stunning scenery, but can get slightly boring if you don't bring a good book. Apparently there are some amazing hikes you can do around the area, but we were somewhat confined to The Monkey Hut for the day. Perhaps our lethargic attitudes were directly related to our lack of sleep and not the lack of activities in the laguna.

Our ride came back around 5pm to bring us back to Granada. When we got there we packed up our stuff and headed out to find a bus back to Managua. Like always, as soon as we stepped outside we were able to hop on (not sure how there are possibly so many buses going exactly where we need to be).

When we got to Managua we met up with Jenn and Daniel and headed out for dinner at La Cocina de Dona Haydee (I think). Jenn had been raving all week about this particular soup, which I didn't possibly think could stand up to the hype, but I was mistaken. The soup (Sopa de Tortilla) was hands down best soup I've ever had. I would book a trip back solely for the soup.

We had big plans of heading out to see a band after dinner so we went home, changed, then made the mistake of laying down and didn't get back up until the next morning. Disappointing waste of our last night in Nicaragua, but we had been on a pretty serious streak of no sleep. Our last morning we were able to laze around, explore Jenn's neighbourhood , then eventually my favorite taxi driver, Edwin, came to bring us to the airport.

It was a sad goodbye, despite Nicaragua hating me (I not only got a 'mild' case of Dengue fever and lost half of my skin due to peeling, but I'm pretty sure I also have a parasite..going in for further testing this week), I loved every minute of it. I have a new found love for Central America and am already busy plotting how soon I can go back.

Things I Learned from Day Ten -

1) You need more than ten days in Nicaragua!!!! It is a gorgeous country with many different landscapes to explore!

2) Remember our friendly bus driver Mike? Well as promised when we got off the flight in Detroit his friend Marlon (whom we had never met) was waiting paitently there for us to drive us to the Detroit bus terminal!! So now not only did we get a free ride in, we didn't miss the bus aaand he gave us a free ride to Toronto! It pays to make random friends!

Day Nine - Thursday, February 18, 2010

2010-03-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Our plans for the day included climbing Volcan Mombacho, which would have been amazing had we not gotten to know Ron Plata so well the night before. Instead we overslept, missed the tour bus and were just settling down for a breakfast at the hostel around noon (avoid eating at the Bearded Monkey if you can).
I must admit I was frustrated at Amanda's lack of enthusiam for the day, but in the end I was able to convince her to get on a local bus and head towards the volcano on our own. Turns out our own self guided tour was pretty amazing. The local bus dropped us a mere 15minute walk to some amazing ziplining courses at the foot of the volcano. We weren't sure if this was the right activity following the night before, but it involved little movement on our part and an extremely entertaining ziplining team. Being as it was my first time I was a little nervous, but after just a few rounds I was perfecting my super chica and superman poses (terms coined by the guides).

Super Chica!!

The local bus to Mombacho cost 8 cordobas there and 6 cordobas back (no idea why it was cheaper returning..not even $1 total!). Ziplining started at $30 per person, but we talked him down to $20, not a bad price for how long the course was.

Our amazing guides

Once back in Granada, we made a quick stop off at the local supermarket and headed back to the hostel. Amanda passed out pretty quickly and I lounged around with Louis (guy we met from the states), Luke and Elena. The night flew by and as it was nearing 11pm I realized I had to wake Amanda or we would miss it. Being the trooper she is, she got right up and a group of us headed to the main walking strip. What started out as a group of four, quickly morphed into a group of 15 or more, making the night a bit bigger then we intended. We started off with drinks on the patio of a restaurant on walking street. There was amazing live music, which quickly translated into us dancing salsa in the street. After the music died down we were introduced to 'Bear, Hunter, Ninja' by our new friends from the states. It's the same concept as 'Rock, Paper, Scissors', but involving your entire body. May sound lame, but break this out at any party and I guarantee it will be a hit ;) Our game was interrupted by some local guys putting on a fire show, who quickly joined our group and despite it nearing 3am, convinced us all to head to a club on the lake. It was a lengthy walk (near the boats we took to see the islands) and upon arrival seemed slightly sketchy. We stayed for about an hour, in which time they managed to play 'Lady in Red' more than once, then we started our long walk home.

Things I learned from Day Nine -

1) Bear, Hunter, Ninja is amazing

2) Nicas love their slow jams

Day Eight - Wednesday, February 17, 2010

2010-03-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Woke up, after a surprisingly good sleep, feeling excited to explore Granada. We quickly got ready, grabbed some cheap fruit from the street and headed towards the lake in search of Las Isletas (the islands). After a fairly long walk we stumbled across some boats willing to take us on an hour tour of the numerous tiny islands (said to be over 360!) It took a little hard bargaining, but after a while we settled on a price of $10 per hour ($5 each), which was a great deal considering Amanda and I were the only ones in the boat built for ten or more. Our driver was extremely sweet, even going so far as to stop the boat a number of times so we could get a steady picture. The islands were definitely worth the walk.

The boat we hired

Along the ride

Along the walk back up to Central Square

After the boats we walked back to Central Square, stopping for a quick lunch at Las Ranchitas ( I wouldn't recommend it) and wandered around the market that was set up for the poetry festival. We each grabbed a few souvenirs and headed back to the Bearded Monkey. After dropping our stuff off we were excited to find Luke and Elana (a couple we first met in Leon, then on the beach at Las Peinitas) were staying at the Bearded Monkey as well. The four of us decided to explore the city, heading first to Dona Elba (the famous cigar factory).

What should have been a short jaunt down the street turned into quite a trip as we were intercepted by the Ash Wednesday festivities. The parade was pretty intense, ranging from giant Spanish ladies, to cross dressing men..quite interesting. Eventually we found Dona Elba and wandered inside. It was a short tour, but after watching the man roll the cigars he gave us a go and even let Elena keep hers free of charge.

Ash Wednesday Parade

Their interpretation of Spanish men

...and Spanish Ladies

Elana rolling her own cigar

After purchasing a cigar or two, we headed to the old hospital down the street (turns out you can no longer go inside, but great for pictures) and back to Central Square in search of a cheap dinner (each only spent 15cordobas, which is about .75cents..our mission was a success). From there we found a liquor store where we purchased a 26er of rum for 30 cordobas ($1.50- Ron Plata).

Nicaragua is known for making some fine rums, however reach for the plastic bottle of Ron Plata, and take a giant step down in price, quality and social class. Despite the savings, Luke still managed to find something cheaper (local 'firewater') as his budget was a little tighter than ours (he was recently robbed), however after speaking with some locals we discover a certain amount of people go blind every year from drinking the concotion. Personally I think its worth the extra .50cents to not spend the night worrying that your increasingly blurry vision means you must be losing your sight.

I am happy to report Luke did not lose his sight, but he did manage to lose any sort of memory of the night. Luke - just so you know we went to an Irish pub called Kelly's Bar, danced to some live music and celebrated Amanda's fake birthday...all in all a fabulous evening.

The old Hospital

Things I learned from Day Eight:

1) Don't let your cab driver pick up other people! Agree to pay more for a private cab, as it is much safer. Luke and Elena agreed to share a cab with a local woman, she flagged one down, the driver picked up a few more passengers and before they knew it they were being driven to different banks to withdraw money. This is a common scam. Cabs are extremely dangerous in Nicaragua..public transportation is cheaper and safer!

2) Nicaragua actually produces some top quality cigars (Dona Elba is owned by a local as well as two young Canadians!)

Day Seven - Tuesday, Feb 16, 2010

2010-03-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

Early morning today...Amanda was up and out by 8am to meet her World Vision sponsor child in a rural village a few hours outside of Managua. While she was gone I had arranged to meet Gene Cotton (the guy I met on the plane) to help out at his school for a few hours and drop off the clothes we had collected from home. Edwin (my personal taxi chauffeur) drove me to the heavily gated school, where I waited for Gene. The kids were all eagerly waiting by the classroom doors to wave at me as I walked by...made me reminiscent of my days teaching in Asia. After a detailed tour of the school and a video outlining the construction work Gene's team has been able to complete, we settled down for a delicious home cooked lunch.

The hours flew by quickly and before I knew it I was on the phone again with Edwin arranging a ride back to Jenn's. Once Amanda returned, we grabbed our bags and headed to the main road to see if we could flag a bus to Granada. Like always, the minute we got there a bus pulls up (of course there's no seats on it, but they will never turn down a customer) and we jump on. Managua to Granda cost us only 20 cordobas ($1), which was shocking considering it's over an hours drive.
After walking in circles and receiving numerous bad directions we eventually stumble across Bearded Monkey, where we plan on spending the next few nights.
It was $6 a night, but included free internet and free coffee/tea...not a bad deal. Amanda and I even got the same bunkbed this time, meaning I wasn't going to have to share with anyone as crazy as naked Lee.
After ditching our stuff we headed to the main walking street for dinner. We discovered some great fahitas at a pub called the Irish Pub and after a mojito or two headed back to the hostel to bed.

Poetry Reading in the Central Square - Granada

Things I learned from day seven:

1) Nicas have no problem giving out directions even when they have NO idea where they are sending you

2) Poetry is extremely popular in Nicaragua. There was a poetry reading taking place all week and people had traveled from all over to attend

3) The really cheap mojitos are made with this 'firewater' concoction that causes a certain amount of people to go blind every year...not worth the .50 cents you save, but equally as delicious.

Day Six - Monday, Feb 15, 2010

2010-03-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

The beach is oddly quiet this morning as all the locals have returned to work. As we emerge from our beach hut we both feel the sting of the sun almost immediately and begin to regret the hours we spent lying around the day before. We start off down the dirt road back to La Barca de Oro (the boat of gold), a hostel with a great little restaurant. After a fabulous nutella crepe (not exactly traditional Nica breakfast), we're back on the beach, ignoring our burns and perfecting our boogie boarding skills. A short walk down the deserted beach reveals stunning scenery and ridiculously high waves. It's easy to get pulled under and we soon find out each year numerous people don't resurface. When we can no longer ignore our burns we are back at La Barca de Oro for dinner.

At dinner we run into the fisherman we hung out with the night before who offers us a free ride back into Leon so of course we take it (I prefer to ride in the back of a pickup over the bus any day). Once in Leon we head straight to the bus terminal and hop in a van heading to Managua. After dropping our stuff at Jenn's we grab another quick meal at Metro Center (the large mall by Jenn's apartment) and head to bed as we have an incredibly early day tomorrow!!!

Day Five - Sunday, Feb 14, 2010

2010-03-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day! I can't really think of a more romantic way to spend Valentines day than in a beach front cabin, waking up to the sounds of the waves...of course once again I'm sharing this incredibly romantic moment with Amanda :)

View from our cabin (Hotel Oasis)

By the sounds of the children on the beach I would guess it was around 10am or later, but as we stumble out into the light we realize it's only 6am. Nicas seem to like an early start. We grab a delicious pancake breakfast from the hostel and head to the beach. The day was spent in half hour intervals between the sand and the water. Jenn and Daniel had to head back to Managua around 4pm, but luckily Amanda and I were able to stay one more night. When we grew tired of lounging in the sun, we headed to La Barca de Oro (Boat of Gold) for dinner.

La Barca de Oro

It is here that we meet Gino, a fellow Torontonian. It doesn't take much conversation to conclude that Gino has a heart of gold and has helped this community in numerous ways. He has been coming to Nicaragua with his wife for the last fifteen years until she suddenly passed away last October. The admiration he had for her rang clear in every word he said. He knew her heart remained in Nicaragua and despite it being illegal he continues to smuggle some of her ashes across the border every time he comes to leave her on the beach she loved most. Besides granting her last wishes, he also takes care of many children and families in the area...remarkable man. After dinner we ended up hanging out with Gino and one of the local fisherman until it was time to get to bed.

Things I learned from Day Five:

1) Do NOT lay in the sun between 1-4pm!! You may think you don't burn, but trust me the locals seek shade at this time for a reason! Amanda and I have each lost ten pounds in peeling skin (we're thinking of fashioning purses out of the access skin :) and Daniel actually had to go to the hospital!

2) Bring sunscreen with you to Nicaragua as it is incredibly hard to find outside of Managua.

3) If you get pulled under by the undertow let it take you, fighting it will only make you short of breath and raise your chances of drowning.

Day Four - Saturday, Feb 13, 2010

2010-02-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

Up bright and early again today (8am), grabbed a quick breakfast at the hostel (complimentary breakfast bagel when you stay there...actually quite good!) and headed out to see the sights of Leon. We explored the roof of a beautiful old cathedral (Basilica de la Asuncion - $1 admission to go on the roof), admired the art at the Museo de Arte Fundacion Ortiz-Guardian (which is said to house some original Picasso's) and wandered around the central market (parque central).

Basilica de la Asuncion

We had to be back at the hostel at 2pm for our volcano tour, which is when the real excitement began. Nine of us piled into the back of a pickup truck and drove out to Cerro Negro. Along the 45 minute drive we passed many farms and rural villages filled with kids chasing eagerly after the truck...only one managed to jump on and hitch ride. As we approached the looming giant I began to question my decision to board down it, but at that point it was a little late to back out. Turns out I made the right choice as the volcano was the highlight of my trip. The views atop Cerro Negro were breathtaking..you are able to see at least 6 other sleeping giants in the background with random puffs of smoke periodically escaping their mouths.

Climbing Cerro Negro

Preparing to board down the side of the volcano

After a bumpy ride back into Leon, we caught a ride with an employee of Big Foot Hostel to Las Penitas, a sleepy little beach village about an hour outside of Leon. We got our own waterfront cabin (equipped with our very own scorpion for $25) at Hotelito Oasis. The fishing village is absolutely beautiful and offers great surfing, but don't come here looking for a party because there is nothing going on past 8pm. It is the perfect destination to just chill by the beach and after a day in the sun you will probably be too exhausted to stay up much past 9pm.

Beach at Las Penitas

Boogie Boarding at Las Penitas

Things I learned from Day Four

1) Don't tell a merchant you might come back if you know you probably won't...they never forget a face!

2) Driving around in the back of a pickup is equally as enjoyable as the destination...perhaps even more so.

3) Volcanoes are fascinating..everyone should make an effort to see at least one in their lifetime.

4) Nicas apparently all like to eat early because it is near impossible to find food after 9pm!

5) Scorpions travel in pairs so if you see one make sure to find the other!

Day Three - Friday Feb 12, 2010

2010-02-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

Jenn's 27th Birthday!!! We started out the day by visiting a school (Laura Vicuna) on the outskirts of Masaya. Jenn works for One Laptop Per Child and was sent to survey the parents of the children who just received their XO laptops. The kids were absolutely adorable and obviously thrilled with their new computers.

At the Laura Vicuna school outside of Masaya

After driving back into Managua we were taken to Mi Sason for Jenn's birthday lunch. Her co-workers arranged for the restaurant to serve us Caballo Bayo for lunch, which was quite lucky for us, as it is only served on special occasions. Caballo Bayo consists of a variety of food and is served a top a pot/vase with a face carved into it (oddly resembles the Kool Aid man).

Caballo Bayo

Kool Aid Man

After school, we headed to the UCA (bus terminal) and boarded a large van to Leon. We had previously arranged to stay at Big Foot Hostel, which was an excellent choice. They have a $35 package that includes a bunk in the dorm, a t-shirt, 2 stickers, 2 mojitos and a trip to Cerro Negro (boarding down the side of a volcano)!

AMAZING!

Things I learned from Day Three:

1) Always board the fullest bus/van because they will not leave until the vehicle is absolutely full

2) No point in booking things in advance..they won't hold anything for you until you are there in person

Day Two- Ten Days in Nicaragua (Thursday, Feb 11, 2010)

2010-02-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

Finally arrived in Managua! I was actually really surprised by how new the airport was. Apparently it was all redone just a few years ago...even has free wireless!
It was getting pretty late by the time we got our bags (nearing 11:30pm) so we just quickly dropped the stuff off at Jenn's house (which has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms! Not your typical Nicaraguan home) and headed out to meet her friends. The first spot (The Reef) was a really nice outdoor lounge located in one of the richer areas of Managua. After a drink we headed a few doors down to a club called Moods to watch the band, La Cuneta Son Machin. The cover was $5 but it included the show (which was amazing) and an open bar that only consisted of shots of rum (Ron Plata - really popular here) accompanied by pieces of fruit.

La Cuneta Son Machin

Things I learned from Day Two:

1) Talk to people around you on the plane. I met Gene Cotton (famous folk singer from the states) who is helping fix up a school in Managua. He asked if I wanted to help out on Tuesday and he is going to take the clothes we brought to donate to the orphanage he is affiliated with (thanks to everyone who donated)!

2) Open bar consisting only of Ron Plata is not as good as it sounds.

3) I think explaining that you don't speak Spanish in Spanish (No Hablo Espanol) just leads people to believe you are lying. Despite repeating these words numerous times to the lady beside me on the plane she continued to speak to me in Spanish for the duration of the flight.

Day One - Ten Days in Nicaragua

2010-02-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

If you know Amanda and I you know our travels are usually plagued by round about routes and missed flights, but despite this trip being long (we left Toronto Wednesday at 6:30pm and arrived in Managua Thursday at 10:50pm) it was surprisingly smooth. To say we arrived without minor incident would be a lie. I did manage to sit in a fountain while two older men looked on and laughed at the new found lake forming around my feet. Of course Amanda was able to top that by debating between the paper seat cover or the classic hover method with her pants around her ankles, all while the stall door was wide open exposing her glowing white butt to the rest of the women in the washroom. However, in comparison to our normal adventures the journey was quite tame.

right after I sat in the fountain

For some strange reason the window seat holds a great appeal for me as I never want to miss any great views. Unfortunately, once seated the only thing running through my mind is how I can climb over the 26yr old girl reading Charles Dickons, while colouring in a Disney colouring book ( I thought that was weird too) and past the sleeping 300pd man, without disturbing either. There are many days I've gone a long stretch of time without needing to pee, but not on a plane. My bladder seems acutely aware of its current confinement and is constantly forcing me to escape. Fingers crossed the next flight is an aisle.

Things I learned from Day 1:

1) Aisle is better than window

2) Always double check that you locked the stall door before removing your pants

3) Booking a round about flight to save money isn't always worth it. Most likely you will be forced to spend the money you saved on magazines and food in the airport.

4) Make friends with the bus driver!! (Our greyhound driver, Mike, offered to pick us up from the airport when we head back in a week)

5) If you buy your bus ticket a month in advance you save a lot of money! (Toronto to Detroit = $35)

2010-02-03T09:15:00.001-08:00

2010-02-02T16:31:00.001-08:00

2010-02-02T16:11:00.001-08:00

some days I sit and wish I was a kid again...

2010-02-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

27. This is by far my most feared birthday. It's creeping up on me at a pace I'm really not comfortable with. Ten years ago I would have told you that at 27 I'd be living in a 3bedroom house with my successful, loving husband, a dog and a child on the way. I would be known as a local hero for my work with juvenile defenders and with any left over free time I would be traveling the world.
Turns out my predictions were slightly off...
Reality is I'm living in what by all definitions could be classified as a slum...instead of helping troubled youth, I'm serving them steak...I have a cat who I can only hope will one day run away...the average age of my fellow classmate is 19.
Despite my situation seeming rather bleak, I'm quite happy with where I'm at. For the first time in my life I feel as though I know what I want and I'm on the right track to get there...I just hope it happens before I'm 50.

We're Not Living the Good Life

2010-01-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

Between dozing off on my morning subway ride, I was eavesdropping on the two middle aged women sitting across from me. They were discussing the tragedy in Haiti and their utter disgust with the Haitians looting and rioting in the streets.
Direct quote: "I just can't imagine stealing and fighting in the streets..I mean, your country was shit to begin with and obviously can't take care of itself so why don't they sit back and let the aid workers do their thing?? They are just contributing to the madness!"
Yes, it would be easier if there weren't violence and aid would probably get distributed faster, but you're telling me if your house were destroyed, you had no water to drink and you were not receiving medical attention, you wouldn't be prone to violence?? It angers me when people refer to third world countries as though they choose to live this way. Countries, such as Haiti, grew out of slavery and despite the label of now being a 'independent' country, they are still enslaved by the IMF, World Bank and other forms of neo-colonialism. In order to keep the western world rich, we must keep the third world poor.
I began to dissect every item on these ladies in order to understand their contribution to the world. The one on the right was wearing Nike shoes, which as we all know contributes to child labour and as soon as we exited the subway she pulled out her cell phone, which contains coltan and is currently fueling a civil war in the Congo. The other lady was drinking soy milk, which we can assume is from Brazil where they are wiping out mass amounts of rainforest in order to make room for soy beans and was carrying a Walmart bag, which as we know bullies manufacturers into selling their goods for ridiculously low prices so they are barely able to cover their own costs, which also results in the closure of many western companies as they must pay their workers a fair wage and can not compete with business overseas.
I'm not saying I am any better than these women, I am just saying our crimes against humanity far outweigh those of the Haitians stealing food to eat.

Way to Rub It In

2010-01-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

It is so easy to flip through the morning paper, and despite reading articles beginning to end, never really absorbing the horrific news they are conveying. The devastation in Haiti is appalling, but for the majority it is impossible to relate to. It is not until you see a picture of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked only a few kilometers from one of the worst humanitarian disasters, that the disparity of our modern world becomes truly apparent. I understand the need for tourism dollars and in the future yes this could benefit the economy, but somehow parking your heavenly oasis just a few kilometers short from the stench of rotting bodies seems more than inappropriate.
"It was hard enough to sit and eat a picnic lunch at Labadee before the quake, knowing how many Haitians were starving," said one of the few passengers who chose to stay on board the ship. "I can't imagine having to choke down a burger there now.''

Dominican Republic is also busy encouraging people to continue traveling there, claiming that the tourism dollars spent in Dominican have benefited and will continue to benefit Haiti in the future. This however is quite far from the truth. Yes some Haitians do find work in the Dominican, but their situation is similar to the illegal Mexicans working in the United States. They have little to no rights and are basically the modern form of slave labour, getting paid a fraction of what their Dominican neighbours do.

Consumerism

2009-11-30T06:37:00.000-08:00

I find this lady a little insulting because speaks as though the average age of the person watching this video would be about 3, but when you listen to what she's saying maybe the majority of our society isn't far beyond the intellectual capabilities of a 3yr old. The drawings are a nice touch.

Devendra Banhart

2009-11-28T16:49:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to The Grogs concert featuring Devendra Banhart at the Queen Elizabeth theatre. I truthfully hadn't heard much of his music prior to the concert, but he has an amazing voice and puts on a great show. Watching his 80pound body writhe around onstage was oddly mesmerizing. I don't think I've witnessed anyone using so many hand gestures, that have no real meaning, while singing. If you haven't heard his music I suggest you check it out. 'I Remember' is my favorite.

(The Grogs is a band, not to be confused with the famous Canadian puppet company troupe best known for their work in the CBC Television children's television show Nanalan)

Just incase you were more interested in the puppets...

The Gift of the Dance

2009-11-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

One of my former students just sent me a link to a youtube video about Chinese Breakdancers and it occurred to me that the general population may not know the one man responsible for teaching the Chinese masses to Break. I was incredibly blessed to have had the chance to work alongside this genius, as he not only imparted his knowledge of the dance, but also spent many lunch hours devoted to teaching his grade two class to rap.

Kelly thank you for giving the world a little more rhythm.

Ladies That Like to Folk

2009-11-25T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ladies That Like to Folk are currently touring across Canada and I highly recommend that you go check them out. Sydney York was phenomenal...made me reminiscent of living amongst her constant singing and attempting, in my own off key way, to join in.
I miss life at 124...couldn't have asked for better roommates...sushi parties, poker nights, karaoke in Little Rock, shower relays, sponge baths in the van, six new inseparable friends...Yup, I'm going there...I'm getting nostalgic.

2009-11-25T12:34:00.001-08:00

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, if he wins, knows the thrills of high achievement, and, if he fails, at least fails daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
FDR

"As I look back over my life, I realise our mistakes are there to be enjoyed and to make us stronger so we can endure more of the same. In hindsight, life isn't meant to be taken seriously and should be seen as a one-off experiment involving several explosions, no serious result, but lots of fun to do. After all, where would we be without it?"
Bryce Courtenay

A Great Read

2009-11-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

"To gaze into another person's face is to do two things: to recognize their humanity and to assert your own." -The Book of Negroes

Life at 26

2009-10-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Done it. I'm blogging. I am a blogger.