snowed in and contemplating

who would believe that you could learn so much in only 2 weeks? studying for comprehensive finals will do that for you I suppose. as will stepping out of your element no matter how briefly.

this past weekend I went on a day adventure to new york city, via the chinatown bus, in search of holiday spirit. that was exactly what we found in manhattan amidst a seemingly inexhaustible crowd. it was so bitterly cold that we actually bought hats and extra pairs of gloves from street vendors.

(rockefeller center)

we also celebrated the end of our semester, all our hard work and new found friendships, with a holiday party. Our Ukranian host let me sample some russian standard (I dont advise you do this) and we had plenty of homemade, week-old eggnog.

(party smiles)

and so I am thankful for another semester's end. when else but in school are you able to gauge exactly what you should have learned in a finite period of time? and when else but in school are you given a 2-4 week break in which to contemplate your epiphanies before starting again?

... which leaves me here, at home in Oregon, snowed in and enjoying the thought of measuring my life in neat little rows of semesters.

(snow pepper!?)

Recession Declared Monday

“In the long term, moving from poverty to wealth is probably the most effective means to improve all forms of human security” -Gleditch

In the face of economic recession I ask you to think about this. What would it look like to move EVERYONE to "wealth" and "human security"?

HOME

the best part about flying is who I meet in the process. I think I might like to write a book and dedicate a chapter to each of these interesting people. maybe Ill start writing it the next time Im stuck in the Philly airport- since that is pretty much inevitable.

today I was driving down state st. and was stopped for several minutes waiting for the geese to cross the road. precious.

as I write my international law paper...

These past few nights have been characterized by late night paper writing sessions with a couple of classmates.

Every once in a while we look up from our research, push the glasses back up on our noses, and share something exciting we have just learned.

Ranging from humanitarian policies of China and the sovereignty of Tibet to the effectiveness of war tribunals in Cambodia and the UN's response to the genocide in Darfur.

In the light of my international law paper writing, I would like to pose this quote (thanks to my roomie and late night study pal) for you to consider...

"The law is ... a weapon of the stronger ... Law reflects not any fixed ethical standard, but the policy and interests of the dominant group in a given state at a given period. As such, 'Politics and law are indissolubly interwined.'"

E. H. Carr

the culture in my livingroom

I'm loving the people here in Philly. I have never in my life been surrounded with so many different accents and worldviews. How could you not thrive in an environment like that?

For example, this evening I was sitting in my living room listening to a conversation between my Bulgarian roommate and her Ethiopian friend from Kenya discuss the birthday traditions of their respective countries. They had quite a lot in common...

in Kenya- the tradition is to catch the birthday kid by surprise by dumping a bucket of water on them.

in Bulgaria- they are much more polite about the matter, they limit the amount of water to a small cup and make sure the water is at least room temperature. How sweet.

To see two people who come from polar opposite backgrounds- who look, dress and sound completely different from each other; to watch them tonight in their differences find something in common spoke to me so highly of humanity.

learning to share space: thoughts on N. Ireland

Here are a few questions I am pondering as I debrief from my trip to Ireland.

Is violence the key to having your voice heard? Is there another way for oppressed people to speak up?

In Ireland's case it seems likely that the Catholics would never have gained a voice had they not used violence. Is there some mechanism we could set up internationally that allows groups to be heard without first proving their worth through violence?

How do we transform symbols that perpetuate violence into symbols that perpetuate peace?

The symbols of "the troubles" run rampant in N. Ireland. Peace walls that segregate communities, murals that make political statements about each group's identity, memorials to freedom fighters/terrorists (depending on who you talk to), bonfires that desecrate the symbols of the other faction, curbs that are painted with the colors of your cause; all these make it easy to know whose neighborhood you are in.

Mediators are struggling with questions of whether or not to begin the process of integration. Each group seems to feel that the end of segregation would mean the end of their own group identity. The interface set-up brings quick security to a neighborhood. In fact, one could argue that the segregation emboldens a community to boast their identity with more fervor.

quick facts:
the UK spends 1.5 billion pounds a year to maintain segregation in northern ireland. because of course, if you dont trust the people on the other side of the peace wall why would you go use their swimming pool? Their must be maintained two of everything, one on each side of the wall.

Since 1994, there have been 9 new peace barriers built- one of which was built within an integrated public school (which there are very few of).

The peace walls belong to the communities, as do the bonfires, murals and memorials.
Unfortunately, it seems to be no deterrent that many of these symbols are illegal. No one is willing to challenge the community's right to these symbols.

Will people let go of symbols that perpetuate violence if they are presented with an alternative that offers more long-term security of identity?

How much do you need your truth?
Is there a balance to be found that forgets some of the facts about the past in order to make amends for the future? Forgetting the past grievances in N. Ireland leaves baggage, but pursuing the details of past grievances could destabilize the relative peace that exists now.

If we cannot solve the conflict in Northern Ireland, a developed and wealthy nation with a history of relative friendly international and intranational relations, how can we expect to solve conflicts in impoverished and historically unfriendly nations?

To sum, my trip to Ireland left me with more questions than answers and more confusion than resolve. The situation is not simple, but it is clear that the lives and identities of people are at stake. So keep thinking.

to see more of my pictures:
ireland
and
sectarian things

peace walls and tourism

My wanderlust has not been satisfied with this trip. In fact it is only growing. Being here in such a deeply divided society discussing conflict transformation with people from all over the world is barely whetting my appetite.

currently in Belfast... I spent last night in a long winded political discussion with two Aussies, a Turk and a Palestinian. How could your world view NOT expand from that?

sad I am missing out on the phillies pandemonium in the states though...

maybe credentials don't matter?

After my last post, I was pretty much bombarded with encour- agement from various people, many of whom didn't even know I needed it. Thank you.

Thus, I rescind my fatalistic outlook on the role of women in peacemaking. :0) That's not to say I don't still see an imbalance in the way things are run. In fact, the gender issue still really burdens me. I am strangely thankful though for the discrimination I have encountered in the last couple of years. At least it allows me to identify and empathize with people outside the dominant culture group.

Thought to ponder:
The more equal the society, the less likely it is to use military force

credentials I'll never have

Apparently I picked another career path that isn't quite as suitable for women. (But don't worry, according to popular belief sexism doesn't actually exist anymore.)

The last couple of days we have been studying the peace process in Angola. We read a book by Ambassador Paul Hare on the Lusaka peace agreement and then he came and spoke to us. I was also one of two students to eat at the presidential dinner with the Ambassador and important figures of the university. (Best meal I've had in a while- how could I pass that up :0)

Last night in class we discussed what we had learned and raised questions here and there. A question was asked about how a person gains the status and authority that the Ambassador had as an international mediator. Our professor proposed the Ambassador used everything he could for leverage- his gray hair, his American citizenship, etc. I cringed when he said this, and come to find out many of the other girls in class did as well, for there was an implication in this statement. How much more does gender give status than does gray hair?

Interestingly enough, when this question was raised in class, it was mostly the men that responded. Perhaps that was what made me most angry. The sad reality is that because of my gender I may always have to work harder to prove I belong in the international peace keeping field. And yet the men were discussing it from the perspective of the dominant culture like they were a) in control of it and b) that it somehow affected them. But at the end of the day they can walk away from that discussion and I will still be living it.

A classmate brought a funny image to our minds: a female mediator meeting with African rebel leaders in the bush. "The rebel leader would probably think she was in love with him." We all laughed. I laughed.

Why am I laughing??

when words strike your fancy

color fades.
the sun dips and sky darkens
your eyes strain and the shades blur.
then greens will turn gray as
colors fade into ambiguous silhouette.

"what we must fight is fear and silence..."

Our profs are pushing us away from the status quo. I have been very challenged this week!

Some questions to ponder and respond to...

[Int'l Law and Conflict Transformation]
How could our legal/judicial system could be modified in order to shift from the mindset of controlling conflict to transforming conflict? How could we shift the focus from power and rights to equality and responsibility for one another?

[What good are the laws where Money is king,
where the poor are always wrong,
and even the mockers who scoff at the times
will sell the truth for a song?
The courts are an auction where justice is sold;
the judge who presides bangs a gavel of gold.
-song from time of Nero]

[Peace and Conflict Seminar] What is the difference between a terrorist and a revolutionary, if any? Does the difference perhaps lie in who manages to affect change and tip the power scales (a terrorist is an attempted revolutionary who has failed)? Or is it who you talk to?

[Int'l Health and Human Rights] There seems to be three genders regarding global health in the developing world: male, prostitute and mother. Furthermore, because of the way female bodies provide for society, pregnancy to populate and sex to promote GDP, said bodies are regarded as state property and health care is provided for women on the basis of sustaining commodities. Without imposing western values, is there a way to promote the health and self-actualization of women based on their humanity?

things change. we learn.

I love that there is something to be learned from EVERYTHING. (And I love that I have the capacity to think that way.)

I learned how to sleep with the light on, and then learned to sleep with it off again (we kept it on for the past week to keep the bugs away...) I learned how to make management listen to me or to find someone that will make them listen.




I learned that every person in my graduate program is FASCINATING. I wish you could meet each and every one of them. They are like characters out of fabulous novels. These are a few of them.




I learned that I can be comfortable in one place while still dreaming of another... my wanderlust is already creeping in.

I learned that we never know the whole story. My grandfather passed away; who knew that through his obituary I could learn so much. What a generous, thoughtful man he was.

"hold these times and kiss them, for soon it will be very different." -anon

Breakable Girls and Boys

Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts?
Just a cage of rib bones and other various parts.
So its fairly simple to cut right through the mess
and to stop the muscle that makes us confess.

we are so fragile our cracking bones make noise
we are just breakable girls and boys

-Ingrid Michaelson


I can't believe another week of school is starting like this. Still fairly unsettled, considering another move (I'm starting to get a reputation :0) because I cant seem to sleep here (which does not bode well for the whole studying part of my existence.

My roommate Eunice and I have not signed a lease yet and are not intending to sign. We don't want to leave our third roommate, Yoana, who has already signed the lease. Eunice and I have been looking into the legality of breaking the lease for Yoana due to the failure on the part of management to take care of the cockroach problem.

From this point on in my life I will have more respect for the kinds of things people might deal with at home that are unknown to others. Its amazing (and RIDICULOUS) how quickly something like a pest problem can affect someone in all areas of life.

You might be AMAZED (or not) at how many people have no idea what our rights are as tenants. We called townships and state reps and county and district magistrates, all of whom grew silent upon hearing our questions. How are we supposed to act on our rights if no one knows what they are? I'm tempted to just make them up and challenge someone to prove me wrong.
oh life lessons.

Arcadia

"Arcadia was a picturesque region of ancient Greece, a country associated with the birthplace of modern thought and learning where philosophers pursued independent thought and inquiry." -Arcadia University

They put wonderful importance on building peace between communities. The school lowers the flag each time it feels there has been a breach of peace within our own community or the communities surrounding. At orientation we were told that our grad program specifically, while very nontraditional, is the poster child and premier program of Arcadia. This is because it embodies fully the aims of the university- to be peace builders and lose our individual ignorance by being students of the international community.

Great news, huh? I like it.

Susan and Chelsea and my new apartment!

Tuesday morning I picked up Susan and Chelsea and their 400 lbs of belongings (not exaggerating) at the airport. They decided they just had to see me one last time before moving to Uganda. We didn't have a lot of time but I am so happy they came!


This is Love Park in center city. my new favorite.

These guys recreated some historical march from Virginia that took them FOUR months to walk. And they wore THOSE costumes the whole time. that is why we were standing so far away from them. (picture taken just before we plugged our noses.)

For some reason Philly has been experiencing record breaking heat. Hence the fountain wading.

My new apartment building: The Rosemore Gardens. The complex is made up out of about 8 horseshoe shaped buildings. All of the doors from the outside have brand new fob entry systems so it feels really safe.

This has been a super chaotic last few days so the inside of our apartment is just a mess of boxes and suitcases. Hopefully this weekend we will have some time to make it feel more like home. Perhaps I'll even buy a bed.

exploring Philly with new friends

know what this is?

These characters are Eric and Eunice. (Eunice is my future roommate). We walked across Philadelphia TWICE yesterday.


This is one of Ben Franklin's privy pits.



Suburban Station where I catch the train near Ryan's house.

the peace house at Mt. Airy

the servant (and Yoda's?) staircase.

This is the funky old house I moved into in Philly affectionately called the peace house. 3 stories and 6 bedrooms of eclectic stuff. And did I mention its a duplex?? Huge places in this neighborhood and lots of lawn and trees. Too bad it turns out there are no students living here anymore. It could have been so cool! Ill be moving into an apartment that is closer to school next weekend with a girl from my grad program. So it goes.

my room for the first week of school...