I guess it has been a week or so since I sent out an update into the world.
So, in order to fix this problem, I will now write about my happenings this week.
The truth: work and MRP has taken over my life and ability to act normally in social situations.
But before I go further, would the world in Ottawa please update me on the post-quake festivities and the world in Toronto send updates on the G20? Please please please?
Zis week for me is as follows:
Work wise, this week has been slightly busier than normal- there has been some changes, and parts of these changes required to update briefs, change things around and do some fact finding and fact checking missions, I am also learning about accounting and hospitality and protocols and well lots of information processing is occurring in my brain.
There are also some upcoming events that seem to have engulfed the whole office…..so work = busy. But Canada Day is next week (woohoo), so this is exciting and there will be a ‘garden party’. I probably won’t be wearing my Canuck t-shirt at the party, but throughout the rest of July 1st, I will be the Canadian!
School Wise: This week I discovered two new MRT’s (MRT=Morriset Library, the home away from home for most GPSIA grad students). In discovering the two, I was able to FINALLY find a place that does not allow smoking, that is quiet and that has books that I can use to make sense of what I am writing about.
The first one that I went to was a university here that I was told was English. It is close to my house (sort of), so I decided to check it out. (the other university required a long application and I was waiting for my application to be processed).
So anyway, I got to this ‘English’ university only to find out that it is actually a Hungarian university that teaches courses in English. This means the administration, signs, library catalogue, library staff, library patrons speak Hungarian (with very limited LIMITED English). This mixed with my LIMITED LIMITED Hungarian meant that it took an 8 minute conversation in ‘you don’t understand me’, ‘I don’t understand why you won’t let me into the library’ pointing and charades game for me to realize that I wasn’t allowed to bring my coat or backpack into the library and that I had to down back down the stairs, to the left then the right (past the washrooms) to find the library cloak room.
So that was sorted (and I was able to pass through the doors, and I thought I was in the clear).
Wrong. I then hit a registration desk, and well, 20 minutes later I ended up with a library card complete with computer access two different passwords and an email address: my name @ bpestuniveristy.edu and access to all these services until October 22, 2010 (I also have no idea what the significance of this date is). I also have no idea why I got all these things, but after paying 1000 HUF they let me in, which is all that matters.
When I got there I discovered that the catalogue (that does have English books), is all in Hungarian and the library itself does not use the Library of Congress organizational system. I know of this ‘Library of Congress’ system because I worked at the library- not because I spend my nights reading up about library sciences…really…So I decided to follow my own advice that I used to give people at MRT---instead of roaming around-just ask a librarian.
So this is what I did….the trouble was when I asked, the guy didn’t really understand me, nor I him. So I kept asking clarification questions….then assured him it was because ‘I was confused’…which was true…then he responded ‘I am confused too’. That was when I decided to cut my losses, ditch my own advice and go it alone. It wasn’t too bad, some slight mishaps (learnt the stair case very well, and what ‘reading rooms’ are) but I found the book and found a desk and two hours later I emerged from the Library having accomplished something.
The library was nice-it was like MRT before the recent renovations, with the exception that the architect included windows in their floor plans. It was also fairly disserted, as well, the semester just ended. So this meant I had free range of all the desks….
After this my roommate and I went out for a pizza and watched the football match. Okay she watched the football match, and I tried to join but I ended up talking…then when I realized that she actually was watching it and not casually following (as I was) I started to twiddle my thumbs. (she also told me a story about how her and her dad follow FIFA religiously, at which point I should have clued in and shut up…but it took a while for that to register I guess).
The next day I received confirmation from the other library and decided that I should go and register there and get all that sorted. So after work that is what I did. This university is English. Actually, English, so communication was slightly easier for me and the process for registration was quick and simple. Except for when the women popped out a camera and pointed it at me. Yup, you guessed it, I am now the proud owner of another library card with my face on it J. The picture is actually much nicer than my student ID card too!
After going through security (and given an impromptu Hungarian lesson in numbers from the cloak room man who is the only one in the bunch that does not speak English), I was allowed to enter. Oh man. The library is beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Really. I swear. It has more windows that walls. It is in the middle of a courtyard. Each desk as a lamp (that is not florescent and that you can adjust (both in placement on the desk and brightness!). There are computers. And EVERYBOOK is related to business, political science, international relations or sociology. It is also shaped like an omega sign with stairs that go downstairs to another floor of books. I think I will definitely enjoy this MRT away from MRT. Did I mention that there were windows? (oh and that the air conditioning levels allow one to sit without a parka on?)
I spent two after work nights there.
When I got home after the first night, the kitchen light blew out. I was tired and hungry and the last thing I needed was the light, that is 15 feet above my head to blow out (the ceilings in my house are like 20 feet, so the lights are also higher). The one in the hallway is also blown out (which happened before I arrived). So I was left do make dinner using the light from my roommates room. I made a sandwich as I didn’t want to attempt anything on my already sketchy gas stove. I have to go and find a light blub (which I can get at the dizcounter), and a ladder (which I must ask my English speaking neighbor about)….or else I will be in the dark… I just have this feeling that the whole process will take way too long….and I am not looking forward to this…
The next night after library-ing for a couple of hours, I met up with the interns to grab a picnic dinner and watch the football match and an open viewing area. I also bought a lemon beer, which I was able to get open with the assistance of the guy behind me and his key chain, and we sat in the park watching the Dutch play the Cameroon’s.
This weekend will be filled with studying…as my self imposed deadline of June 30th for one section to be done is approaching. (by the way they call sections ‘chapters’ here).
The end. Long. Detailed. But that’s me. Blame Catherine.
I conclude this epic EPIC story of my vie quotidian with a Random fact regarding the Bpest metro:
The hand rail on the escalator moves faster than the escalator itself leaving one to constantly readjust. It is hilarious to watch 40 people do this every 10 seconds or so.
The escalator has a tendency to randomly jerk to a stop. I feel it’s entirely normal for one to react by falling..er..jerking forward forward. The person behind me did not feel the same way and I did. She did not react, other than give me a very creepy ‘I am looking at you’ look. I kept my distance……well as much distance as one can on an escalator.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday Briefing
Wednesday Briefing I.
(For those who wish an audio version of this blog, please accept this attempt at a shorter to-the-point piece. )
Summary
• The purpose of this briefing is to provide a succinct account of my weekend stay-cation in Budapest, Hungary.
• The weekend consisted of cleaning, writing and researching the MRP, meeting some new people, and discovering a new and fabulous coffee shop.
• Options for renewal are discussed
Background
• The past two weekends have been filled with travel to new and foreign lands, leaving this not-so-lone traveler slightly tired and in need of a little rest.
• After being away for two years, the owner of the not-so-lone traveler’s flat arrived at the slightly dirty, junk riddled, flat for the weekend.
• The owner brought along a friend, and together they spent the weekend touring the city. This not-so-lone traveler, currently, rooted in Budapest, joined in on the festivities to a limited extent, as a looming MRP deadlines draw closer and closer.
• The weather in Budapest was fantastic, making MRP writing hard, but allowing for the traveler to relish the sun from the seat adjacent to a window, and provide an excuse to enjoy one point five gombóc’s of home made ice cream at the Basilica, presented in the shape of a rose ( Flavours chosen (Lemon-basilikom and az Orange, vanília és karamell). Both delightful and refreshing.
• While Budapest is riddled with Coffee Shops, the hunt was on for finding that perfect, not exactly canadian but not closer to it than hungarian, cup coffee.
Analysis
• The slower weekend was a very good remedy for the tired and wiry. The stay-cation was perfect. And work on the MRP, while slow, made some progress. The wheels are churning through the muck (not turning, we aren’t there just yet).
• The owner of the Budapest apartment did a fantastic job in reverting once dirty flat to a clean flat. The owner also highlighted the important aspects of apartment cleanliness, including washing floor mats, floor tiles and ‘throwing out junk’. The not-so-lone traveler noted these comments, and was pleased to hear that she had been granted permission to throw away all broken items found the apartment, and, well, all the junk.
• The company of visitors to the city was warmly received, and the not-so-lone traveler was pleased to become an impromptu travel guide for several hours on Saturday night, and enjoyed Lunch Company on Sunday whilst thinking about her dad.
• Beautiful weather need no analysis beyond Sun = Happy.
• The coffee shop that was discovered had the perfect coffee for the not-so-lone travellor, offering the proper 'espresso' to 'milk' ratio to satisfy my desire for home-tasting coffee. This shop also offered the conveniences of English language services, menus and patrons, but also, had wifi and clean bathrooms. A downside, however, is that smoking is permitted in this establishment. This created some irritation for the not-so-lone traveller as cigarette smoke was annoying while attempting to understand what a conditional logistic regression was….
Policy Options
1) The not-so-lone traveler should continue to stay in Budapest for weekends, and enjoy the city’s weekend life and retain adequate levels of cleanliness in living quarters (carpets washed once a month so the red colored carpet does not become two toned once again), continue to enjoy the sun and her coffee adventures.
2) The not-so-lone traveler should ensure that adequate weekends in Budapest are planned, leaving wiggle room for travel to foreign lands, and retain adequate levels of cleanliness in living quarters (carpets washed once a month so the red colored carpet does not become two toned once again), enjoy the sun, and attempt a take away coffee to avoid smokey coffee shops.
Signed,
The not-so-lone traveler
June 23, 2010
Budapest.
Action:
Policy Option 2 has been chosen.
Signed, the not-so-lone travellor.
June 23, 2010
Budapest.
(For those who wish an audio version of this blog, please accept this attempt at a shorter to-the-point piece. )
Summary
• The purpose of this briefing is to provide a succinct account of my weekend stay-cation in Budapest, Hungary.
• The weekend consisted of cleaning, writing and researching the MRP, meeting some new people, and discovering a new and fabulous coffee shop.
• Options for renewal are discussed
Background
• The past two weekends have been filled with travel to new and foreign lands, leaving this not-so-lone traveler slightly tired and in need of a little rest.
• After being away for two years, the owner of the not-so-lone traveler’s flat arrived at the slightly dirty, junk riddled, flat for the weekend.
• The owner brought along a friend, and together they spent the weekend touring the city. This not-so-lone traveler, currently, rooted in Budapest, joined in on the festivities to a limited extent, as a looming MRP deadlines draw closer and closer.
• The weather in Budapest was fantastic, making MRP writing hard, but allowing for the traveler to relish the sun from the seat adjacent to a window, and provide an excuse to enjoy one point five gombóc’s of home made ice cream at the Basilica, presented in the shape of a rose ( Flavours chosen (Lemon-basilikom and az Orange, vanília és karamell). Both delightful and refreshing.
• While Budapest is riddled with Coffee Shops, the hunt was on for finding that perfect, not exactly canadian but not closer to it than hungarian, cup coffee.
Analysis
• The slower weekend was a very good remedy for the tired and wiry. The stay-cation was perfect. And work on the MRP, while slow, made some progress. The wheels are churning through the muck (not turning, we aren’t there just yet).
• The owner of the Budapest apartment did a fantastic job in reverting once dirty flat to a clean flat. The owner also highlighted the important aspects of apartment cleanliness, including washing floor mats, floor tiles and ‘throwing out junk’. The not-so-lone traveler noted these comments, and was pleased to hear that she had been granted permission to throw away all broken items found the apartment, and, well, all the junk.
• The company of visitors to the city was warmly received, and the not-so-lone traveler was pleased to become an impromptu travel guide for several hours on Saturday night, and enjoyed Lunch Company on Sunday whilst thinking about her dad.
• Beautiful weather need no analysis beyond Sun = Happy.
• The coffee shop that was discovered had the perfect coffee for the not-so-lone travellor, offering the proper 'espresso' to 'milk' ratio to satisfy my desire for home-tasting coffee. This shop also offered the conveniences of English language services, menus and patrons, but also, had wifi and clean bathrooms. A downside, however, is that smoking is permitted in this establishment. This created some irritation for the not-so-lone traveller as cigarette smoke was annoying while attempting to understand what a conditional logistic regression was….
Policy Options
1) The not-so-lone traveler should continue to stay in Budapest for weekends, and enjoy the city’s weekend life and retain adequate levels of cleanliness in living quarters (carpets washed once a month so the red colored carpet does not become two toned once again), continue to enjoy the sun and her coffee adventures.
2) The not-so-lone traveler should ensure that adequate weekends in Budapest are planned, leaving wiggle room for travel to foreign lands, and retain adequate levels of cleanliness in living quarters (carpets washed once a month so the red colored carpet does not become two toned once again), enjoy the sun, and attempt a take away coffee to avoid smokey coffee shops.
Signed,
The not-so-lone traveler
June 23, 2010
Budapest.
Action:
Policy Option 2 has been chosen.
Signed, the not-so-lone travellor.
June 23, 2010
Budapest.
Monday, June 21, 2010
The Infamous Birthday Cake
The lovely interns in the city uploaded photos from the grand occasion......Please note the SIZE of the candle on the cake. and all the expressions on people's faces :). Thanks again guys, it was a great birthday and you made it a home away from home :).
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Happy Daddy's Day :)
Hi Dad (Apu in Hungarian),
(this message is for you), but I guess for everyone too as it is posted here.
Another year of being my daddio, and another year of me being your daughter-io. (and having the nick name Fred of course). From hockey nights and early hockey mornings to Sunday movies and chicken with crunchy naan bread, to your creative use of my middle names for the late family dog, and indoctrinating us with the importance of daily doses of carefully rationed (and hidden) Cadbury Chocolate and Jelly Babies, you are the best, and you are also my dad. and that is awesome and fantastic.
and of course, Thanks for everything you have done for me.
So happy Father's day :) (ask Pat what the :) means, also, could you ask him to translate the other emoticons he sent me? I am lost after :)).
I did manage to find you a card, in English. I was very proud of this very fact as I am currently living in a country that doesn't celebrate the Holiday, or speak English. I did find one, but I thought I should explain the card that is currently traveling through western Europe en route to Canada.
Let me recount the story of the card....as it was, as most things are here, an adventure so to speak.
Fresh of a new pillow purchase, and in the shopping mood, I decided that I should make another attempt to find a card for you. and mail it. so it would be there on time.
I walked in to a paper store and saw the rack of cards, and even some English ones (which is always a good sign). But they were all 'happy birthday', 'happy engagement', 'you go girl (celebrating who knows what), and 'happy 50th'. When I picked up the 'you go girl' card, I noticed that the one behind it was different.
As with most things, in new places and stores, I assume that they function like they do in Canada. In this case, I applied Hallmark logic to the card selection. I.E. I assumed that each pile of cards were the same. This was not correct. The cards had no order. not sanity. no logic. nothing. You probably would have walked out of the store, I would have too but I was on a mission.
Having worked at Hallmark (with one of my jobs to ensure that all cards were in order), I was slightly appauled.
So I began to rummage through the cards at the store (which were then mixed in with the Hungarian ones), and trying to hold it together while the other 10 people, also looking for cards, were bumping into me. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the top parts of the word DAD.
As I was afraid that I would lose it to a fellow rummager (I wasn't sure what the demand was in the crowd), it took a split second for me to jump push, shove, get-my-hand-to-the-card and pick it up. Yes, it said Dad, no it did have any reference to birthdays, yes, it was english. I was so excited!
After the 2 seconds of elation, I came back to earth and read the front of the card properly.
it said:
When I saw it, I wasn't even sure if git was a swear word or not. Or if it was good to send this to my father. or if it was entirely appropriate to have bronze sparkles on a father's day card. Then I thought 'but this is the only one, is it better to have a slightly inappropriate card over no card?' and 'I am already missing the festivities, I need a card, I want to send something to say that your daughter, several time zones away, misses you and is thinking about you on the one day of year devoted to dads'.
But then I thought, well, maybe if I explain the story of the 'git' then it would be okay. ...so I bought it. and I have now explained myself. This is a British Card, so we'll have to accept British humour this year :). (Also, the proper, fully covered so your heels don't get cold, slippers reminded me of you, so maybe that makes up for the 'git' part). And for the record, I don't think you are an old git. Your just my ole'dad. hehe.
So that is the story. Your card is in the mail, and you can see it in person (with a personal message of course).
Happy Father's Day!
See you soon and have a great day with everyone. Wish I could be there to celebrate! (and makes sure the chicken is extra cooked for me Kel!).
Jess
Friday, June 18, 2010
Move it along
I am devoting this next, very short, post to the Mantra of Move it along.
This person puts theory in to practice and creates yummy food while at it. :) and my friend of my facebook friend (discrete, no?), introduced me to this concept, and the Mantra and the Mantra's family a couple of years ago and we've had many a fun nights. They also fed us in the dark times of first year API, when we were in a sleep deprived, stressed induced fog. yes, I think fog is the correct term as by the middle of first semester everything it was difficult to see why we'd subject ourselves to this mayhem allowing ourselves to fall into a zombie like stupor.... and we still hadn't made it half way through the thick of it...
So, after reading about some very yummy culinary adventures on Ottawa (and references to this movement in the writing), I decided to do just the same last night.
Yes, that is right, I had a move it along moment. but it wasn't just a moment, it was an EVENT. I literally moved EVERY thing along that was in my fridge.
I got home from work, after dealing with university things and thesis writing, and well, I didn't feel like venturing out to find something to eat, or wait in line at the grocery store (there are ALWAYS lines).
So i looked in my fridge. Now, living here for such a short time means that I am not buying in bulk. at all. literally, that 48 hour emergency thing----I am not sure so i would be eating anything but pasta....raw pasta as I do believe that the 48 prepared means no electricity.....
anyway, my fridge was pretty bar being the end of a work week and all.... I had half a tomato, one expired egg, a can of corn, some bread, scrapings of cheese, pickles mustard and horse radish and a quarter of a watermelon and a left over squirty can of whip cream from....i don't even remember when I bought it.
So in the spirit of move it along, this is what I made:
an open faced sandwich, with fried egg, cheese (a smoked variety and Trappista, a Hungarian cheese, which tastes like salty mozzarella, on dark pumpernickel bread (lightly toasted in the t-fal). with a Tomato, corn salsa (with a little cider vinegar, oil and salt and pepper). and a pickle, because I love pickles. Dessert was: Watermelon and left over whip cream for dessert. yum!
With the exception of the mustard and the horse radish, and half of the quarter watermelon, everything was moved along.
My Fridge is bare.
Be proud Move it along friend, you have a follower, who is following.
*a short note on the expired egg. I thought of my other 'mayonnaise never expired friend' and did the 'does the egg float test'. It didn't. so I ate it. even if it was TEN days expired. proud?*
This person puts theory in to practice and creates yummy food while at it. :) and my friend of my facebook friend (discrete, no?), introduced me to this concept, and the Mantra and the Mantra's family a couple of years ago and we've had many a fun nights. They also fed us in the dark times of first year API, when we were in a sleep deprived, stressed induced fog. yes, I think fog is the correct term as by the middle of first semester everything it was difficult to see why we'd subject ourselves to this mayhem allowing ourselves to fall into a zombie like stupor.... and we still hadn't made it half way through the thick of it...
So, after reading about some very yummy culinary adventures on Ottawa (and references to this movement in the writing), I decided to do just the same last night.
Yes, that is right, I had a move it along moment. but it wasn't just a moment, it was an EVENT. I literally moved EVERY thing along that was in my fridge.
I got home from work, after dealing with university things and thesis writing, and well, I didn't feel like venturing out to find something to eat, or wait in line at the grocery store (there are ALWAYS lines).
So i looked in my fridge. Now, living here for such a short time means that I am not buying in bulk. at all. literally, that 48 hour emergency thing----I am not sure so i would be eating anything but pasta....raw pasta as I do believe that the 48 prepared means no electricity.....
anyway, my fridge was pretty bar being the end of a work week and all.... I had half a tomato, one expired egg, a can of corn, some bread, scrapings of cheese, pickles mustard and horse radish and a quarter of a watermelon and a left over squirty can of whip cream from....i don't even remember when I bought it.
So in the spirit of move it along, this is what I made:
an open faced sandwich, with fried egg, cheese (a smoked variety and Trappista, a Hungarian cheese, which tastes like salty mozzarella, on dark pumpernickel bread (lightly toasted in the t-fal). with a Tomato, corn salsa (with a little cider vinegar, oil and salt and pepper). and a pickle, because I love pickles. Dessert was: Watermelon and left over whip cream for dessert. yum!
With the exception of the mustard and the horse radish, and half of the quarter watermelon, everything was moved along.
My Fridge is bare.
Be proud Move it along friend, you have a follower, who is following.
*a short note on the expired egg. I thought of my other 'mayonnaise never expired friend' and did the 'does the egg float test'. It didn't. so I ate it. even if it was TEN days expired. proud?*
Post. Script.
I also forgot to mention that this Sunday is World Refugee Day.
I feel very global village at the moment. Really, while leaving Canada is really when I feel the most Canadian, the ceremony yesterday, seeing people from so many places really made the Global Village a reality for me.
This morning on the metro I was feeling particularly perky. (this could be the result of pillow that I recently purchased, which is significantly improving my sleeping abilities, and subsequent outlook on life). At any rate, I decided to accept a daily Hungarian Metro Newspaper, which is offered rather intensely to me every morning, and flip through it. I can’t read much of it, but sometimes there is a good ratio of pictures to words, so I can learn some new ones . Or at least see news stories that may actually be worth me finding in English.
(Today actually, on a side note, I flipped to the world cup FIFA update and learned the Hungarian names of Countries. My favourite was Uj Zéland. Primarily because Uj means new in Hungarian, and well I have completely associated the work Uj with new products at the grocery store, or new flavour of chips (you know how they market new things at stores with big fat stickers that say NEW?, until today, I have associated Uj with the big fat sticker, not the word itself). Anyway, when I first read Uj Zéland, I well, thought of New Zealand, and then thought of new branding stickers on chip bags, then thought about a country with a huge NEW sticker on it....then waited for my brain to accommodate (not assimilate to use the correct a psychological reference) the new meaning of UJ into my mind….sometimes living in a foreign language really takes you back to rudimentary language learning strategies akin to those that kids use when learning their first language. A process which is riddled with confusing moments such as this…. )
At any rate, flipping through the metro, I stopped on a page with an Advertisement from the UNHCR. Being an international affairs student, my life is consumed by acronyms. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is no exception. I had never seen advertisements for the UNHCR before, and well this one was just so great, I cut it out when I got to work and put it on my bulletin board.
The ad is about the size of vertical postcard. It is macro-style photography with two children (who are in focus) in the front of the frame and presumably, their mothers blurred in the back. Of the two mothers, one is Muslim, then other white European. Both are sitting on the same bench, but they are looking in opposite directions, their bodies are about 60 degrees apart (so they aren’t back to back, they are just sitting away from one another). The details on their faces are blurred, and no real emotions of any kind can be seen. Then, in the sandbox, in clear focus are two children about 2 or 3 years old. They are presumably the children of the two mothers.
The two kids have their hands reached out to one another, with one of them visibly offering a toy to the other. Think kindergarden kids who are learning how to share. It is such a stark contrast from the mothers in the background. It is really shocking. The only thing I could read in Hungarian was ‘Június 20’, which means June 20th. I noticed the UNHCR logo, so I knew it must be associated with Refugees, regardless of the text, it is a great photo. When I got to work, I translated the rest of the text. It read :
“World Refugee Day”
Confidence, openness, dialogue, acceptance, respect, cohabitation
I feel very global village at the moment. Really, while leaving Canada is really when I feel the most Canadian, the ceremony yesterday, seeing people from so many places really made the Global Village a reality for me.
This morning on the metro I was feeling particularly perky. (this could be the result of pillow that I recently purchased, which is significantly improving my sleeping abilities, and subsequent outlook on life). At any rate, I decided to accept a daily Hungarian Metro Newspaper, which is offered rather intensely to me every morning, and flip through it. I can’t read much of it, but sometimes there is a good ratio of pictures to words, so I can learn some new ones . Or at least see news stories that may actually be worth me finding in English.
(Today actually, on a side note, I flipped to the world cup FIFA update and learned the Hungarian names of Countries. My favourite was Uj Zéland. Primarily because Uj means new in Hungarian, and well I have completely associated the work Uj with new products at the grocery store, or new flavour of chips (you know how they market new things at stores with big fat stickers that say NEW?, until today, I have associated Uj with the big fat sticker, not the word itself). Anyway, when I first read Uj Zéland, I well, thought of New Zealand, and then thought of new branding stickers on chip bags, then thought about a country with a huge NEW sticker on it....then waited for my brain to accommodate (not assimilate to use the correct a psychological reference) the new meaning of UJ into my mind….sometimes living in a foreign language really takes you back to rudimentary language learning strategies akin to those that kids use when learning their first language. A process which is riddled with confusing moments such as this…. )
At any rate, flipping through the metro, I stopped on a page with an Advertisement from the UNHCR. Being an international affairs student, my life is consumed by acronyms. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is no exception. I had never seen advertisements for the UNHCR before, and well this one was just so great, I cut it out when I got to work and put it on my bulletin board.
The ad is about the size of vertical postcard. It is macro-style photography with two children (who are in focus) in the front of the frame and presumably, their mothers blurred in the back. Of the two mothers, one is Muslim, then other white European. Both are sitting on the same bench, but they are looking in opposite directions, their bodies are about 60 degrees apart (so they aren’t back to back, they are just sitting away from one another). The details on their faces are blurred, and no real emotions of any kind can be seen. Then, in the sandbox, in clear focus are two children about 2 or 3 years old. They are presumably the children of the two mothers.
The two kids have their hands reached out to one another, with one of them visibly offering a toy to the other. Think kindergarden kids who are learning how to share. It is such a stark contrast from the mothers in the background. It is really shocking. The only thing I could read in Hungarian was ‘Június 20’, which means June 20th. I noticed the UNHCR logo, so I knew it must be associated with Refugees, regardless of the text, it is a great photo. When I got to work, I translated the rest of the text. It read :
“World Refugee Day”
Confidence, openness, dialogue, acceptance, respect, cohabitation
So, in addition to Canadian Father’s Day, this Sunday also take a moment to think about the work of the UNHCR, and well all those displaced people in the world, trying to rebuild their lives, and create a future for themselves, and their children.
And a Canadian gets the award!
Yesterday I found myself at the Central European University’s Commencement Ceremony.
There, I sat in a four person box seat, in one of the most renowned concerts halls watching students from literally all over the world (with central and eastern Europe heavily represented), receive their degrees. It was very exciting. Well I was excited for them, and well, seeing the master’s students get their degrees (including my roommate!), gave be the intense desire and motivation to actually get my MRP in to motion so to speak.
As a short backgrounder, CEU is a young university. Founded in 1991, by a man called George Soros, (who was at the ceremony shock every graduate’s hand!), it is an English language university in Budapest that offers programs in liberal arts in central Europe, focusing on research, scholarship and offering teaching facilities for students from transitional European states and western democratic states, to nurture, ‘…respect for diverse cultures and opinions, human rights, constitutional government, and the rule of law. Building local leaders so to speak.
It is also one of the only English universities in the area that offers this. The mantra of the University is diversity, openness and dialogue. Catering to such an international crowd, the debates about NATO or the UN or Torture must surely get heated when students in the class room hail from Georgia, Russia, the United States of America, Ukraine, Nigeria, Kenya, Poland, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Canada, Hungary, Austria, Germany, the UK, Israel and Palestine (to list a few). Man, I would love to get in on these debates!
While the ceremony itself was a lot like any other university graduation (students crossed the stage, shook hands with several people, those requiring hoods were hooded, tassels were moved from the right to the left, talk of ‘now you are an alumni, please give back’ was mentioned), but I could really feel the young, vibrant, energetic and ‘openness’ that CEU is known to be about.
The ceremony also gives CEU’s highest prize, the Open Society Prize. The Open Society Prize has been given to several distinguished people in the world including Vaclav Havel and Kofi Annan and is given to people who have worked towards creating, well, literally, a more open society. (The award was created, and first given to Karl Popper, a British philosopher who coined the concept a sort of ‘challenge the known, think outside the box’ kind of man… and someone I studied in one of my undergrad psych classes…it kind of freaks me out sometimes when I realize a) how much I learned in Uni and b) how it keeps smacking me in the face).
This year, the prize went to Louise Arbour, a Canadian quite famous on the international stage, or at least the international legal stage. She has been a Judge on the Supreme Court of Canada, The High Court of Justice of Ontario, and was the commissioner head of a task force for the treatment of female prisoners in Canada- a report that brought monumental changes in the way that females are treated in the Canadian criminal system. This is just her local CV. On the International stage, she was the Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda in charge of indicting and providing evidence to support the prosecution of war criminals from the genocide and mass atrocities that occurred in both these regions. She now heads the International Crisis Group, a huge international NGO. She is quite a lady.
She was actually the speaker at uOttawa’s GSPIA Gala last year, so I was familiar with her and her bio when I arrived at the ceremony. (it’s a small world after all!). Her commencement address, however, was very different from the speech she gave at last years gala.
Perhaps because she was speaking to an international crowd, or perhaps because it was geared towards graduating students airing a sort of ‘you have your wings, not fly’ theme, I thought is was really inspirational. Or perhaps I just felt proud that a Canadian was given this honor, and chose to speak about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, about the freedom and human rights afforded to all Canadians, and well, about the opportunities she was given to explore her interests, and pursue her passion for human rights that Canada gave her. What was also nice and refreshing is that, well, instead of pointing out the problems or issues currently facing international legal recourse, she decided to focus on the positive aspects of the ICC (at least), and well, the great strides that the world has gone to support the right, well, to be human. She also talked about tenacity, about setting a goal and just doing it, ignoring those who stand in your way, and well, follow you head and your heart.
She concluded her speech with three things (two of which I remember, and will present a paraphrased portion to you).
Every human is born free and equal, most will spend their lives fighting for this freedom
didn’t catch this one
Always remember that you are always as free as the rest of us.
Have a great weekend! (and Happy Father’s day!)….stay tuned…..special D-Day (dad’s day) post awaits.
Jess
There, I sat in a four person box seat, in one of the most renowned concerts halls watching students from literally all over the world (with central and eastern Europe heavily represented), receive their degrees. It was very exciting. Well I was excited for them, and well, seeing the master’s students get their degrees (including my roommate!), gave be the intense desire and motivation to actually get my MRP in to motion so to speak.
As a short backgrounder, CEU is a young university. Founded in 1991, by a man called George Soros, (who was at the ceremony shock every graduate’s hand!), it is an English language university in Budapest that offers programs in liberal arts in central Europe, focusing on research, scholarship and offering teaching facilities for students from transitional European states and western democratic states, to nurture, ‘…respect for diverse cultures and opinions, human rights, constitutional government, and the rule of law. Building local leaders so to speak.
It is also one of the only English universities in the area that offers this. The mantra of the University is diversity, openness and dialogue. Catering to such an international crowd, the debates about NATO or the UN or Torture must surely get heated when students in the class room hail from Georgia, Russia, the United States of America, Ukraine, Nigeria, Kenya, Poland, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Canada, Hungary, Austria, Germany, the UK, Israel and Palestine (to list a few). Man, I would love to get in on these debates!
While the ceremony itself was a lot like any other university graduation (students crossed the stage, shook hands with several people, those requiring hoods were hooded, tassels were moved from the right to the left, talk of ‘now you are an alumni, please give back’ was mentioned), but I could really feel the young, vibrant, energetic and ‘openness’ that CEU is known to be about.
The ceremony also gives CEU’s highest prize, the Open Society Prize. The Open Society Prize has been given to several distinguished people in the world including Vaclav Havel and Kofi Annan and is given to people who have worked towards creating, well, literally, a more open society. (The award was created, and first given to Karl Popper, a British philosopher who coined the concept a sort of ‘challenge the known, think outside the box’ kind of man… and someone I studied in one of my undergrad psych classes…it kind of freaks me out sometimes when I realize a) how much I learned in Uni and b) how it keeps smacking me in the face).
This year, the prize went to Louise Arbour, a Canadian quite famous on the international stage, or at least the international legal stage. She has been a Judge on the Supreme Court of Canada, The High Court of Justice of Ontario, and was the commissioner head of a task force for the treatment of female prisoners in Canada- a report that brought monumental changes in the way that females are treated in the Canadian criminal system. This is just her local CV. On the International stage, she was the Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda in charge of indicting and providing evidence to support the prosecution of war criminals from the genocide and mass atrocities that occurred in both these regions. She now heads the International Crisis Group, a huge international NGO. She is quite a lady.
She was actually the speaker at uOttawa’s GSPIA Gala last year, so I was familiar with her and her bio when I arrived at the ceremony. (it’s a small world after all!). Her commencement address, however, was very different from the speech she gave at last years gala.
Perhaps because she was speaking to an international crowd, or perhaps because it was geared towards graduating students airing a sort of ‘you have your wings, not fly’ theme, I thought is was really inspirational. Or perhaps I just felt proud that a Canadian was given this honor, and chose to speak about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, about the freedom and human rights afforded to all Canadians, and well, about the opportunities she was given to explore her interests, and pursue her passion for human rights that Canada gave her. What was also nice and refreshing is that, well, instead of pointing out the problems or issues currently facing international legal recourse, she decided to focus on the positive aspects of the ICC (at least), and well, the great strides that the world has gone to support the right, well, to be human. She also talked about tenacity, about setting a goal and just doing it, ignoring those who stand in your way, and well, follow you head and your heart.
She concluded her speech with three things (two of which I remember, and will present a paraphrased portion to you).
Every human is born free and equal, most will spend their lives fighting for this freedom
didn’t catch this one
Always remember that you are always as free as the rest of us.
Have a great weekend! (and Happy Father’s day!)….stay tuned…..special D-Day (dad’s day) post awaits.
Jess
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