Trent

Global
Living
Community
Anthology

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What is TGLC

"The Trent Global Living Community is a home for students who share a common interest in
global citizenship and diversity. Members of TGLC are enthused about learning from each
other as well as living and growing together in a residence environment. This home nurtures
respect, establishes a network of support for students from all around the world as well as
provides the opportunity to explore various cultures and to build inter-cultural friendships.

Each year, the Trent Global Living Community has enjoyed planning dynamic programming
that is inspiring and broadens our understanding of the world and global issues. Various
guest speakers, discussions and service opportunities to Trent University and the
Peterborough community made the programming very enriching."

About the Anthology

In the month of October, the global living community was thinking of fun and creative ways
to put our numerous experiences, stories, travels and diversity into sometime tangible.
Through coming together on a weekly basis we were able to muster up several creative,
original and novel ideas. Collectively, we decided that putting our experiences down on
paper and sharing them with the Trent community, our friends and our families would be an
excellent way to inform others about who we are and what we stand for. Through sound
group cohesion and consensus building, we concluded that an anthology would be the most
suitable project for achieving such a goal. In addition, we realized that there are so many
talents, so many stories and so much creativity radiating out of our group that sharing these
stories with others would be extraordinary for our development.

The word anthology usually refers to a collection of selected literary passages. For TGLC,
it is a collection of our unique and incredibly diverse stories from our experiences travelling
and volunteering abroad to our experiences living in this inclusive, cohesive and intimate
residence community. Putting together this anthology has been an efflorescence of our
creativity and exuberance. In this anthology you find an eclectic compilation of personal
stories about friendship and diversity, poetry that pertains to global citizenship, song lyrics,
perceptions on development and many more all created with a unity for purpose.

We hope you enjoy reading our stories and learn more about this global living community.
This anthology has been an enriching and rewarding experience bringing members of the
group closer together learning more about diversity, global citizenship and the importance of
reaching community cohesion.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction............................................................................................. ..........................page 2
Tim Shah..........................................................................................................................page 4
Faye Condie.....................................................................................................................page 10
Diego Garcia....................................................................................................................page 12
Maliina Boassen............................................................................................................. page 15
Meghan Johnston page 16
Rebecca Cain...................................................................................................................page 18
Michelle Gauthier.............................................................................................................page 21
John Paul Nyereka...........................................................................................................page 27
Shirin Nuesslein...............................................................................................................page 31
Emily Balderston..............................................................................................................page 35
Kate Simpson...................................................................................................................page 37
Maxim Gertler-Jaffe.........................................................................................................page 41
Tabea Naeder..................................................................................................................page 44
Jaya Bastedo...................................................................................................................page 48
Emma McNamara............................................................................................................page 52
Kengo Miyata...................................................................................................................page 56
Mitch Beck........................................................................................................................page 59
Caitlin Currie.....................................................................................................................page 62
Last thoughts....................................................................................................................page 66

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Name: Timothy McCann Shah
Date of Birth: February 11th, 1988
Major: Environmental Resource
Studies, Minor: Geography
Home: Toronto, Ontario
Passion: Accumulating knowledge and
learning on a continuous basis
Favourite quote: The best way to find
yourself is to lose yourself in the
services of others
-Ghandi

Tim is young man filled with passion, leadership and a desire to build community. He
grew up in Canadas most diverse city, Toronto. Growing up with a mixed-heritage of
East Indian and Irish descent, he has learned to value, appreciate and celebrate the
unique culture and identity that everyone brings to this world. He has a passion for
many sports including his favourite childhood game of hockey. Tim really enjoys playing
hockey, soccer, squash, baseball and basketball with his friends and two brothers. He
vehemently supports his home sports teams including the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leafs
and the Blue Jays. Tim likes reading books and magazines on topics from climate
change policy and urban geography to foreign affairs and biographies. Tim blogs about
environmental issues and current affairs on a regular basis through his blog entitled
enviroboys88. He is a firm believer in unity and every so often quotes Gandhi Be the
change you wish to see in the world.

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 Barack Obamas presidential victory

On November 4th at 11:30pm there were cheers, roars, vivacity, mounting energy
and excitement radiating out of Champlain College, Trent University, Canada and the
World. When Barack Obama was announced President-elect of the United States of
America with his stupendously deciding 349 electoral votes, a message was sent to the
world- a message of relief, hope, optimism, and the everlasting notion of change, which
has been central to his campaign since day one. This enlightening news instilled a
sense of growing optimism for many of the students in TGLC and the Champlain
community. The ubiquity of his campaign, his name and fame has demonstrated how
salient his victory really was. For days we had been talking about the possibility of
America seeing its first bi-racial President, one who has crossed racial, ethnic and
generational lines making history for a country that has historically had problems with
racial animosity. His charisma, depth of knowledge, intellectual curiosity, calm
demeanour and ability to inspire and bring together a nation has been remarkable so
much that as Canadians, our almost indefinite reluctance to move south has suddenly
changed. This victory will reinvigorate a sense of global citizenship; something we have
been patiently waiting for.

Memorable Quotes People of Berlin - people of

the world - this is our
We need to internalize this moment. This is our time.
idea of excellence. Not many
folks spend a lot of time trying If you're walking down
to be excellent. the right path and
We need somebody who's got the heart, the
empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a you're willing to keep
young teenage mom, the empathy to walking, eventually
understand what it's like to be poor or African- you'll make progress.
American or gay or disabled or old - and that's
the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges.

When Obama first announced his candidacy in February 2007, his home state of
Illinois was fully aware of the long battle and road ahead. But it was not just the state of
Illinois, but a growing crowd of fans who has been following him since 2004. From his
days as a magnanimous community organizer on the dangerous and crime stricken
streets of Chicagos Southside, to taking out student loans to attend Harvard Law
school to being the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review- he has
brought a new definition to the word change, setting an example for generations to learn

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from. His endeavours to unify and embrace inclusivity on Harvards divided and
segregated campus contributed to his growth as a leader driven by change and vision.

A recurring theme in his books and personal interviews has been an emphasis
on cooperation. At Harvard, he was able to effectively use cooperation and bring people
of disparate views together from law school to his days as a community organizer.
Furthermore, it was the use of cooperation that aided him through community work in
the inner city of Chicago, working with disempowered individuals living below the
poverty line. He brought the community together through cooperative tactics such as
actively engaging citizens and informing them about their civil liberties and rights. Their
economic hope and opportunity increased through cooperating with one another.
Obama now recognizes that the long bumpy road ahead is going to require mutual
responsibility from all citizens in order to reach social solidarity. He preaches the
virtues of personal responsibility, family virtues and community. Our very own Trent
Global Living Community is premised on community-building, diversity, tolerance and
respect for others, elements that have been fairly palpable in Obamas speeches and
character.

Barack Obamas values and rhetoric are widely shared within the Trent Global
Living Community. The inclusive nature of our staircase parallels the inclusive nature of
his campaign which brought together millions of Americans who were increasingly
becoming more cynical of their nation. Our community believes in this unity and bridging
the divides that we find on our campus. Through valuing and appreciating the character
of every individual who enters our building, we strive to connect and build bridges of
friendship, trust and respect. We are built on recognizing the diversity of others,
embracing respect, compassion and inclusivity. Obamas campaign has recognized that
all villages have values; all villages have a truly unique feature which we could
recognize, embrace and admire. As Colin Powell so eloquently said, Obama is a
transformational figure with style and substance, a new generation coming on to the
world stage. He has given the whole world a chance to breathe optimism and
overcome the cynicism that many have had for so long. His words have emanated from
a world seeking hope, faith and a better and brighter future. The vivacity from Obamas
victory has imbued our community; we have become inspired by his charisma and we
can now uniformly say change, we can believe in.

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What is diversity?

On September 22 nd, 2008 our group got together in the LEC pit to share our
stories, experiences and ideas on what diversity means to us. Having this workshop
allowed each and every one of us to better understand our backgrounds, our cultural
traditions and what diversity means to us on an individual level. Many students brought
various items, reading passages, stories, and clothing that symbolized their
representation of diversity. Since the Trent Global Living Community was initiated in
2006, it has been in the pursuit of diversity, community, unity, cultural understanding
and equality. We hope to continue these common themes throughout the year and pass
them down to future TGLCers.

Diversity focuses on the representation of a variety of not only backgrounds, but

a variety of approaches, perspectives, attitudes and practices. There are both primary
and secondary elements to diversity. The primary elements comprise of age, ethnicity,
gender, physical abilities/qualities, and sexual orientation. All of these elements are
unique to an individual and no one should be discriminated against for them. These
elements are found within our community, college and campus as whole. As one
TGLCer said, Diversity is variation on our shared human condition. It is all about
celebrating and embracing our differences with strength, acceptance and cohesion.
Secondary elements of diversity include things that are prone to change such as level of
educational attainment, geographic location, income and marital status, and religious
beliefs and work experiences.

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 Amidst this disunity, we are presented with numerous problems and obstacles -
namely bigotry and intolerance. In no way can we embrace the culture and traditions of
others if we impose undue pressures on them to conform to so called societal trends
and norms. What is needed is strength, solidarity and understanding to create
cohesion amongst such a diverse community. We are intolerant at times when we are
uncomfortable and unfamiliar with new individuals who enter our environment. However,
it is our compassion and respect for each other that will always be the catalysts for
maintain our bonds of affection. Overcoming this inherent racism is challenging and will
prove to be for generations, but nevertheless the mitigation of racism begins
somewhere. That somewhere is where bridges are being built connecting across
borders and recognizing the unique and distinct traits of each individual. Is diversity a
matter of conforming to traditions and societal norms? No, it is a matter of celebrating
these differences. We all live in this shared world with varying aspirations that may take
us in unified or separate paths. Our aspirations may be different, but this diversion is
accompanied with a positive contribution to making the world a better place. As
Berners-Lee once said, we need diversity of thought in the world to face the new
challenges. And in order for this to happen, we can quote Gandhi who said always aim
at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your
thoughts and everything will be well. An open-mind is the key to understanding and
living together.

In order to truly cultivate diversity and walk in a path of unity, we must

understand and respect our collective differences. This will help us foster an
environment of acceptance, respect and open-mindedness, and allow us build
community spirit and develop a superior capacity to craft alternative solutions. Martin
Luther King once said Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate
cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. In this world of incredible diversity and
differences, we need universal language and love. Diversity is sharing and loving in
solidarity where everyone irrespective of their age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and
physical abilities is included and accepted for who they are.

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TGLCers at What Diversity Means to Us Talk

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Name: Faye Condie
Date of Birth: January 22nd 1990
Major: Science of the sorts
Home/City: Calgary, Alberta
Passion: Jumping in puddles
Favourite Quote: I could have been
someone, Well so could anyone, You
took my dreams from me, When I first
found you I kept them with me babe I
put them with my own Cant make it all
alone Ive built my dreams around you
-The Pogues

Faye, Fayzer or Condie was born on a beautiful day in January in the year 1990. She is
a radical character who often says things no one else has considered in group
conversations. She challenges people to think outside of their own thought, opinions
and values and put themselves in the shoes of the conservative type. Her most amazing
experience in her years of life was the 24 hours she was able to spend on Jupiter. She
says while there she threw Frisbees with Jupidogs and played mini putt but came home
in time for the Calgary stampede. Faye has lived an unusual life but s he has spent most
of her days travelling on the train around the city of Calgary. Her favourite pastimes are
eating meat, watching entire series of television shows in one sitting and making
sarcastic comments. In the future Faye wishes to use a time machine to come back and
live her life all over again.

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 My travels have not brought me anywhere exotic. Ive never been anywhere with
a unique culture or different from my own. My entire life has been spent around white,
middle class, North Americans like myself. The only exception to this unshakable trend
has been my experiences on public transit, which is in my opinion, one of the greatest
displays of diversity in this modern world we live in. It is not a stretch to suggest that
Canada and the United States are universally recognized for the diversity and
multiculturalism they possess. I do not disagree. But it is only on public transit that
people from different backgrounds, with different world views and opinions, are required
to interact with one another, at least to some degree.

One particular time that resonates in my mind was an experience I had on my

way home from a movie. It was fairly late and thus the cleaning staff for many of the
buildings downtown were making their way to work. At the same time a Billy Joel
concert was taking place at the Saddledome and some of Calgarys elite were taking
public transit to avoid the hectic battle for parking downtown. As per usual, the train was
also scattered with its usual riffraff, teenagers, and club-goers. I walked in, sat down,
and turned on my music. Not a minute into the first song I felt a tap on my leg. I took off
my headphones and looked over to see what appeared to be a hippie patiently awaiting
my response. Do you have minute? he asked. I nodded and he proceeded to tell me
his personal view on global warming and how he felt the government of Canada should
deal with the potential threats credited to climate change. Caught a little off guard, I just
continued nodding and staring out the window. As soon as he had wrapped up his final
point the woman in front of me (a business lady most likely on her way to the Billy Joel
performance) turned around. She then brought up the flaws in his argument. He wasnt
taking into account the economy. His view was idealistic and possibly even
misinformed. An East Indian man who had been reading the newspaper glanced over
and mentioned how wasteful he felt Canadians were with energy. It doesnt take that
much time or energy out of a persons day to turn off a light bulb.

By the time the train had arrived at my final destination the entire car was in a
civil discussion about the environment. Everyone had a position, but at the same time
everyone had been able to find some common ground. There are problems in the world,
like environmental degradation, that affect everybody. No matter how diverse a group
may seem there are universal concepts for which every persons opinion is equally
valid. Financially stable or poor, educated or not, every person is affected. It is on these
topics that we see that while we are all diverse, we are all the same as well.

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 Name: Diego Garcia
Date of Birth: 17, February 1989
Major: International Development
Home/City: Toronto, Ontario
Passion: You!!!
Favourite Quote: Nothing
contributes so much to tranquilize
the mind as a steady purpose, a
point on which the soul my fix its
intellectual eye. Mary Shelley.

Diego was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He lives in Toronto and likes to live life, and just
be. Nothing more can be said, you might have to get to know him better to hear a more
complete explanation of who he is.

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 It was the weekend; I was sitting on a rocking chair on the patio looking into the
distance. The unruffled but lively goats a few meters outside my house were going about
their usual habits. On the end table beside me sat a copy of Naomi Kleins book, The Shock
Doctrine, a pack of unfiltered cigarettes, and a mug of delightfully dark coffee. I sat still for a
minute, close my eyes, breathe and attempt to surround myself in the incredibly pleasant
rural atmosphere. The sound of a buggy awakens me from a temporary rest, and a group of
toddlers taking a ride with a donkey makes me grin as they totter across my house. I set
myself and prepare to read, when I hear a familiar voice. Etudiando o que?, Studying or
what! shouts a boy speeding by on a bicycle. I guess I was studying. I was studying about
a concept that Naomi Klein called disaster capitalism. Ironically, I was reading this material
in a country that officially considers itself a socialist republic. I put the book down as I finish
reading a couple chapters, and after a few moments as I sip my coffee, this man
approaches the front gate that surrounds the house.

From the patio I noticed certain obvious characteristics about him. His white stubble,
his straw hat that fit his small, rotund head perfectly, and a slight slouch that gave away his
old age. The man stops at the front gate, stares at me for a moment or two, and then yells
out, Marcial! Taking a puff of his cigar he calls out my host fathers name again, until I
intervene and as I approach him, I tell him that Marcial isnt home. Ah, he replies. I
assumed he was looking for wine, as my host father would make home made wines out of
what was seasonally available at the time, rice, beets and pineapple. Terel canadienseh?
are you the Canadian? he asks me in the fluidity of a language that can only be described
as the Cuban dialect. Si, yo soy el Canadiense, I answer. Now that I was closer to this
man, I had the sense that he fit the characteristics of a ranchero, a farmer, and was indeed
in his old age. He asked me to come closer, and at this point I had opened the fence, stood
in front of him, nearly surpassing the man in height. Suddenly, he grabs my shirt, extends
his arm, and points to my left. Ve todo eso?, you see all that? The revolution gave us this
town. Where he was pointing was the direction of the downtown that I came to know so
well, the amazingly calm, clean avenues of Coralillo, Villa Clara. Ante la revolucion, he
declared, revealing that recognizable cigar stench as he waved his fragile hand in the
opposite direction, nobia nada qui, soamente esa casa viea y aguna otra casa por alli.
The old man then put the cigar back in his mouth, patted my shoulder lightly, gave out a
joyful chuckle, and with that he was gone. He left me there, thinking blankly.

I stood pondering his simple, wise words, before the revolution, there was nothing
here, save that old house, and other houses here and there. I knew very well where his
tenuous hand led to and what he was talking about. It was a path I knew like the back of my
hand, memorized from the countless occasions where I went to visit my friend Ben who
lived on the street that was parallel to mine. It was the countryside, my part of town, where
the unusual was usual. Horses, cows and stray dogs had as much right to the land they
were walking on as you did, hence the heightened acuteness of all my senses that I
developed upon treading that road again, and again during the evening hours. It was a
rustic area where the largest standing structure in sight happened to be the one of the most

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ancient in all of Coralillo. On route to Bens house, I would pass that aforementioned
building, what seemed like a 19th century abode, several times. I never found out if any one
lived there or what it was used for in the past, but every time I walked passed it I felt a
sense of antiquity, a feeling that was starkly different from the liveliness that was familiar to
me downtown.

This recollection is one of the few situations throughout my Canada World Youth
experience where I can remember exactly what happened. What I recognized was that in
any place of unfamiliarity, there seems to be an invisible cultural and historical
consciousness, a consciousness that I can never truly grasp as an outsider. Cuba does
indeed have a revolutionary history, but that history is part of a large umbrella of complex
societal politics and regional diversity. I realized that this history should not be tediously
deciphered, but respected. We should not constrain our potential for knowledge on inflexible
judgments, regardless of the political philosophies that our opinions represent. Instead we
ought to listen to others and focus on human kindness and its relationship to living with
dignity, love and appreciation.

An intense debate sparks between two TGLCers at one of our many discussions

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Name: Maliina Boassen
Date of birth: February 11, 1986
Major: Int. Dev. Studies
Home/City: Nuuk, Greenland
Passion: Children, helping others, playing music
Favourite quote: "Be the change you want to
see in the world" - Kate Simpson :)

Maliina is a Native Inuit from Greenland. She left her home when she was 16 and was
desperate to see what the world had to offer, which is why she went to Ohio, USA as an
exchange student. Ever since she has loved to see new countries and learn about other
cultures, beliefs and values outside of her own. Maliina believes in celebration of
differences, in stead of creating conflicts due to differences. Maliina's stay in Lester B.
Pearson College (United World College) in British Columbia is what really changed her
to a better person. She began opening her eyes to the world more profoundly and
emerge a feeling of helping others which is why she started volunteering for elderly
people and orphans. Maliina plays the flute whenever she feels stressed or homesick
and go for long walks in the nature, pretending that she is home. Maliina's younger
siblings are the ones who keep her going, because they are the true diamonds in her
heart. Maliina plans to go home to Greenland subsequently after her studies to
contribute her knowledge to her community and beyond.

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Name: Meghan Johnston
Date of Birth: April 9, 1990
Major: International Development and
History
Home/City: Ottawa
Passion: Empowering others
Favourite Quote: There are no great
acts in life, only small acts performed
with great love

Meghan Johnston believes that every person has the ability to create positive change
through every action that they take and that by working together we can make the world
a more just, peaceful and compassionate place. She is in her first year of university, and
while everyday brings her more confusion about her place in the world and where her
life is leading her, she knows that she will always be happy encouraging others to
believe in themselves and their passions. She is addicted to laughter, food, learning,
and traveling. She loves talking, meeting new people and trying to see things upside
down. Meghan wishes to thank all those she has crossed paths with (family, friends,
acquaintances and strangers), they have all taught her something valuable and have
given her a more complete view of the world.

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 I was surrounded by people. It was my first day in El Salvador and I was marching in
a protest commemorating Rutilio Grande, a phenomenal human rights activist assassinated
30 years ago. There were thousands of people walking down a dirt road singing, shouting
and waving signs. Cries of Rutilio Grande vive, Rutilio Grande lives, came from every
direction. I had come to El Salvador to learn about the brutal civil war which had engulfed
the country in the 80s and to build houses in solidarity with the people of a rural village,
Alegria. Walking on my own, I tried desperately to take in the overwhelming emotions
coming from these passionate individuals who believed so firmly in activism and human
rights.
As I was trying to drink everything in, I saw my friend Mary deeply engaged with a
young el Salvadorian girl who I guessed was 9 or ten. Suzanna was in fact 14 years old and
lived in a nearby town. It became her mission to overcome our language barrier and have a
meaningful conversation. At this point my Spanish was horrendous, but Suzanna
encouraged me and wouldnt give up. I was so amazed that even when I couldnt answer
one of her questions or had no idea what she was saying, she just kept talking instead of
getting bored and walking away. We were able to ask basic questions for over an hour
through body language, gestures and the little we both knew of each others language. I
learned about her school, her family and what she liked to do. This was my first
conversation in Spanish, as fractured as it may have been.
Suzana was a curious, intelligent and energetic girl who hadnt been afraid to walk
up to a stranger, introduce herself and to be willing to learn from them. More than this, she
was deeply caring and compassionate for someone who she had just met. Throughout our
walk she kept offering to carry my water bottle and backpack for me and after pointing to my
chapped lips she pulled out her lip gloss offering it to me. She told me I was bonita,
beautiful. But it was Suzanna who was unbelievably beautiful in her kind and loving nature.
It is from her: her patience, her fearlessness, her curiosity, and her unconditional love that I
draw the strength to believe in a world where all can live peacefully regardless of cultural
barriers. Suzanna turned to me and in English proudly and confidently said I love you. It is
in these words that connections are founded and built upon; it is through these words that
our lives become meaningful.
I believe that true change occurs in our interactions with each other. There is so
much we can learn from all of those around us, and I believe that there is so much we can
learn from the children of this world we just need the courage to open our eyes and to listen.
I have met countless children in my travels and here in Canada who have inspired me to re-
examine who I am and my place in the world. These children have motivated me to live with
unwavering love, to question the world around me and to challenge myself to journey
outside my comfort zone and act upon my beliefs with courage. As I strive to create a more
just, compassionate and peaceful world, it is their stories which keep me going.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the recognition that some things are more
important than fear - Irshad Manji

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Name: Rebecca Cain
Date of Birth: 04 May, 1985
Major: Business Administration and
International Development Studies
Home/City: Luanda, Angola
Passion: helping orphans and singing
opera
Favourite Quote: kids can make a
difference

As a child Rebecca dreamed of protecting the orphans of the world. She continues this dream
and planes on opening a home for orphans in Angola. The home would be a place where the
orphans could feel safe and loved, a place they could call home and see each other as family.
The children would also have a good education and be encouraged to go into their
communities and help others in need. She still has not figured out how to fund the project, but
is taking Business Administration as one of her majors to help her hopefully make money in
the future to sustain this project. She also is hoping to find others interested in helping the
orphans of Angola through funding, volunteering, raising awareness or all of the above.

We are all blessed to have been brought up in so much wealth. We have a roof over our
heads, food on the table, someone that loves us, some sort of protection, schooling, and
much more. There are kids out there with none of the above. I feel we should all do
something to help. says Rebecca.

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The Most Beautiful Girl

When I was in high school a group of students and I volunteered at a government hospital in
Swaziland. We would go there once a week and spend time in Ward 8, which was a ward in the
hospital where abandoned kids lived. Friday was the best time of the week for me, not because
the weekend was around the corner, but because I would get to see the kids. I loved going there
to visit them. It seemed to make such a difference in their lives to know that someone actually
cared for them and was willing to go and see them every week. When we would arrive the kids
would run to greet us with wide smiles while others, who found walking a challenge, would hobble
over to us with enthusiasm. It was amazing seeing how happy they were over such a simple thing
as a visit. We would usually take them out and go to a park to play with them so that they could
see the world beyond the dark walls of the hospital. The kids who had no physical or mental
problems would usually get adopted or reintegrated back into their extended family. The other
kids, on the other hand, were left to live in a small room in the hospital surrounded by wards of
sick and dying people. It was not the best environment for a kid to be brought up in but at the
same time I felt happy that they actually had some place to live. The children ranged from ages
1month to 24years old. One of the babies whom we took out was a sweet little child who would sit
there and watch the world go by with a slight smile on her face. Her name was Lucianda. She
always had that sweet contented smile which filled us with so much love. A toddler who had AIDS
could enjoy life and smile at the beauty of the world while we constantly complained about
minimal things. This child was a real wake up call for me. How could I complain about my life
when I was fortunate enough to have a life. I am healthy yet complain about minimal aches and
pains, while this little child with AIDS was enjoying the little time she had left and not once
complained. Months passed, then the little girl started to look the other way when we would look
at her, as if she did not want to make eye contact. Her smile was now gone. Then one day she
turned her head the other way and did not want us to touch her. She died the next day. Our
hearts sank when we heard the news and we held a little funeral at our school along with the
abandoned children. The other children did not seem to understand what had just happened and
played merrily around the little tree we had just planted. Most of the children we worked with were
mentally handicapped or too young to understand. A month later another baby was dropped off at
the hospital and the children thought it was the same baby and started calling her Lucianda. This
is where I met the little girl who changed my life for good.

Her name was Sandan and she was about 1 year old. The moment we laid eyes on each other
we felt a deep connection. She stretched out her arms to me and I picked her up and this is how
our bond began. She was a fragile little thing and I had to quickly learn how to hold her properly
as it seemed that anything one did when touching her would produce a little groan from her. I
asked the nurses why this little girl felt so much pain and why her legs were like that of a skeleton
and they replied to me that she had AIDS. My heart dropped at the sound of those words. How
could such a delicate beauty have AIDS. She had barely started life, yet her death would be near.
She was so innocent and had done nothing wrong. Tears still form in my eyes at the memory of
my little baby. Every week she would wait for me and would cry when ever I had to go. She
refused to be picked up by anyone else. It was as if she had chosen me to be her mother. After a
19
year she started to get sicker. Her skin broke out into large bloody wounds and the nurses told us
that no one could touch her. The sadness that overtook me was one that I had never felt before.
The sadness of a mother having to watch her daughter die a slow painful death and not be
allowed to comfort her baby. The only thing I could do was watch. In school they taught us about
AIDS and we had extensive lectures on the topic but while I stood there in front of her crib
watching her watching me I felt helpless and felt like I knew nothing. Surely there must have been
something I could have done. I was 17 at the time and felt like everything I learned in school
meant nothing as the only thing in life I wanted to know was how to save my baby and no one had
the answer. NO ONE!!!

It was at that point that I knew that I had to do something. It was too late to help my baby but it's
still not too late to help the ones that are unborn. I need to fight to make sure that less babies get
AIDS in the future from what ever means. My baby got it from her biological mother at the time of
birth. She was lucky to have not been one of the babies that got it through rape. How could we
just sit there and watch the news and do nothing? How could anyone sleep at night knowing the
horrors of the world and not do a thing? Someone once told me that it takes courage to get up
and do something. I disagree!!! If one has any sort of love in ones heart then that love can easily
over ride insecurity and fear. Everyone of us has it in one to help, the question is, do we care
enough to get up and do something?!

TGLC with Mike Robinson

The 2008-2009 Jack Matthews Fellow

20
Name: Michelle Gauthier

Date of Birth: September 30, 1989

Major: Psychology

Home/City: Hamilton, ON

Passion: Music

Favourite Quote: Do what you can, with

what you have, where you are.
Anonymous

Michelle is a first year student who took a year off to do a program called Katimavik
which continues to be a major part of her life. She finds pleasure in just being immersed
in the company of her family and friends and she always tries to see the positive in
everything. Michelle plays the clarinet and loves to row. Indecision takes the best of her,
although it seems to subside when it comes to important decisions. She loves to travel
and would love to see the world one day. She would like nothing more than to help
people, which is why she decided to seek a career in psychology. It takes some time for
her stories to get out, but give her the time and you will get to know her.

21
 Katimavik

(to the tune of Make a Man Out of You from Mulan)

Lets get down to business Youll learn to work in a team

To participate And cooperate like a giant flock of geese

In Canadas-leading-national-youth-
program
Im never going to be the same
Called Katimavik
Say hello to a real pay check
Youll live in 3 different communities
Im going to make bread for all my
And you havent got a clue friends

Wholl be sleeping in the bed next to Next years got me scared to death
you.
I still need to find a job

I hope this isnt really where it ends

Orleans was very snowy

When we first arrived

Katimavik
But it was warmer than Alberta
Tu dois tadapter ton entourage
Which we barely survived
Katimavik
We like our house because its pretty big
tre prt faire du bnvolat
And our neighbours here are neat
Katimavik
Overall, we think Ottawas pretty sweet
Tu vas apprendre travaille en quipe

Et cooprer comme une envole

Katimavik doiseaux

You must adapt to the new surroundings Working and living in the community

Katimavik Provided opportunities abound

And be willing to volunteer We lived with families during billeting

Katimavik And they showed us around

22
Were really sad we have to go Katimavik

And when theres things we have to do Tu dois tadapter ton entourage

Well be sure to remember all of you Katimavik

tre prt faire du bnvolat

Katimavik Katimavik

You must adapt to the new surroundings Tu vas apprendre travaille en quipe

Katimavik Et cooprer comme une envole

doiseaux
And be willing to volunteer

Katimavik

Youll learn to work in a team

And cooperate like a giant flock of geese

23
 I Was a Katima-Victim

Here is a tale of an experience that changed my life. I will take snip-its and summaries
of my nine month adventure. Who would think that living with eleven strangers would turn out
to be such an enjoyable thing? It was just that. Some people may call it hectic, maybe even
crazy, but I like to call it Katimavik. So besides living and working with a group of eleven
under the supervision of a leader, Katimaviks goal is to get youth involved in volunteering in
Canadian communities. We participants have 35-40 hour volunteer work weeks in three
different communities across Canada for three month periods. All the participants have to be
between the ages of 17 and 21. During the program I forgot about the age differences
completely. It was about forming friendships. When we were not working there was an
assortment of different things we could participate in: free time, planning activities, and doing
leadership workshops. Each trimester the participants get 48 hours off. They can go
wherever they want, plan to do whatever they want, just get away from the program for a little
bit. Now that I have provided a brief overview of what this whole Katimavik experience is
about, let me help you understand a part of my own particular experience.

Trimester one. This was the experimental time. I had no idea what I should expect
from all of this. Beautiful Inverness, Nova Scotia. Never heard of it? Neither had I until my
trip. It is on the West Coast of Cape Breton Island. It is very small, a population of about
1200 people, and our house somewhat reflected that. Imagine putting 12 people into half a
duplex to live for three months. That is what we experienced. Standing in our too-small-
kitchen-to-fit-a-table we could see the beach. No obstructions in the way, and so we called it
our backyard. The group became very close with each other and having personal space was
rare. Looking back at how small this house was makes me appreciate it. Without being
forced to have to see someone all the time, our group would not have been as close.

I worked with one other participant at the Inverness Cottage Bakery. This is a place for
those with disabilities to work baking bread and cookies and make crafts to be sold to the
community. We helped assist them in those areas. Outside of work, the group volunteered at
many occasions, but one in particular was Celtic Colours. It is a Celtic music festival held
every year. We helped direct traffic in the parking lots, sell water, usher people to seats, and
then stacked chairs afterwards. As previously mentioned, it was not all about work. Almost
my entire group decided to go to Halifax for our time off, so that is what we did. We stayed in
a hostel and just wandered the city. The most memorable part of this trip was that we
happened to stumble upon two individuals giving free hugs at a park. This really excited us
and so we asked if we could join them. For about an hour we would give hugs to passerbys,
making some of their days and just confusing others. Winter came all too soon and it started
to snow in our kitchen; we knew it was just about time to depart.

24
 Our next placement was also very snow ridden. In December Legal, Alberta does not
hold back on its snow and very cold weather. With unexpected delays in our flights, we
arrived late and feeling tired at our home, but were welcomed by our new leader with freshly
baked cookies. The group, now down to only seven, did not stay awake for too long upon
arrival. Christmas is when a lot of people start to feel homesick when they are away. Our
Christmas did not feel like Christmas to me, and I am a little thankful for that. This trimester
was filled with many surprises. Before we had arrived, our leader had volunteered us to work
at Camp Easter Seals. We had to travel south, which took us near Calgary for this. There
were many experiences and challenging tasks brought to our attention. What this camp does
is give disabled individuals the chance to have fun and do crafts. Some things that we
experienced were feeding, dressing and washing individuals. All this time spent with the
campers really gave me the chance to become friends with some. With all these events
going on, it kept my mind off of what I was missing back at home and provided me with the
opportunity to enjoy this Christmas with my new family. Santa even visited and it was very
heart warming to see how excited the campers got. It was a very rewarding experience.
Starting in January was the volleyball league in town. For some reason our group was signed
up to participate in this. None of us could really play which made it much more entertaining
for us, but a little more frustrating for those we played against. It gave our group another
chance to have bonding time. It is just one of those things that you know you are not going to
win, so might as well just have fun, and sure enough that is what we did. Alberta gave us the
best going away gift that we could have asked for. The Northern lights danced for us. What
a sight it was.

We left spring in Alberta, to the remnants of the major snow storm in the Ottawa area.
By now I was ready for spring. This trimester, our group is back to 11. We had four new
members, and the amalgamation actually went surprisingly well. This is our last trimester and
time has already flown by. This year was Katimaviks 30 th anniversary, and because of that
we had to do a special environmental community project. Many thoughts were thrown around
and in the end we decided on doing a garbage pick-up around the neighbourhood. This was
very successful and we had accumulated approximately seven garbage bags full of
recyclables and garbage. We got community members to join us as well as alumni. It was
interesting to see the types of things people will just discard. We had found a full pop can in a
bush, a half box of pizza, a CD and then just little things like wrappers and cups. In this
trimester I had also done something I never thought I would ever do. Recruiting a couple of
other people in my group to join me, we set out on our mission. This mission was to raise as
much money as we could for the Canadian Cancer Society. I was inspired by the people
close to me that had been affected by cancer. To help the incentive, the three of us girls were
going to be shaving our heads, but only one of us could actually donate the hair. We rose
over $600 in less than a week. The end of April came and my hair went. I was surprisingly
25
calm about the whole thing up until I was about to sit in the hair dressers chair. It was
probably one of the biggest accomplishments of my life.

When the program ended, each of us slowly got delivered to our respective places.
The airport crew was first and so I had to say goodbye to them before being driven to the bus
station where I would be departing from. All of us went our separate ways, but with our
memories of the past nine months and the promises of seeing each other again. It is still very
much a big part of my life and I love talking about it to whoever has the patience to listen. This
is one experience I will recommend to everyone.

TGLCers at the Champlain Winter Dinner

26
Name: John Paul Nyereka
Date of Birth: January 9 1986
Major: Economics, International
Development Studies
Home: Lilongwe, Malawi
Passion: Developing myself
intellectually and creatively so I can
contribute to developing Rwanda
Favourite Quote: "The only thing we
have to fear is fear itself."

-FDR

John Paul was born and raised in Rwanda. He lived there up until the war in 1994 which
forced his family to flee to neighbouring Zaire. After living as refugees there and in
Kenya for five years, the family settled in the capital of Malawi, Lilongwe, where John
Paul excelled in his studies, became a professional videographer, started an IT
company, and was a member of the Malawi Central Region Basketball League. In
2008, John Paul earned a highly competitive scholarship in WUSC's Student Refugee
Program, which brought him to Trent University. The Trent community's activism,
diversity, and social consciousness have made John Paul feel at home in a radically
different environment, and have empowered him to contribute his unique perspective to
the university dialogue. In addition to learning many important things in class since
arriving at Trent, he has also learned to like some vegetables.

27
 In my young life I have had a lot of experiences, in a great many areas, which
have taken me on a winding path paved with roses and thorns (depending on when you
bother to look down). However, my intention is not to write a long biography of what my
life has been; rather, I would like to share with you a particular part of my life that I
enjoyed.

In late January 2005 a family friend, Pious, came to visit my family in Malawi from
Belgium. It is customary when someone visits from the West and to ask for specific
items the family would like to be brought as gifts. This practice serves several purposes
including avoiding unrealistic expectations among those you are visiting and increasing
the excitement of ones arrival by ensuring that everyone gets their requested gift. I
must say it is very effective in the latter regard, as was shown by the many smiles we
had when picking Pious up from the Lilongwe airport.

One of the gifts in the bags he brought impacted my life in the most profound
way; it would never be the same afterward. I know what you are thinking: I asked for
something really thoughtful, something full of potential. In fact, I had asked for Puma
shoes and brand-name t-shirts and of course, jeans. If you are wondering how clothes
could change my life, go no further because they didnt! What changed my life was one
of the gifts brought at my fathers request. He has always been a technology
aficionado, and gets very worked up by new gadgets. For instance, he was so amazed
about being able to access internet on his Smartphone that, being a doctor, he would
literally show his patients their diseases on his Sony Ericsson! My mother has to go
through his technology demonstrations everydaypoor mum.

At the point in his life when Pious came, my dad was crazy about something
fairly new on the technology scene: the digital camera. He obsessed about being able
to take pictures and look at them on the small LCD screen; it was the coolest thing on
his mind at the time. In accordance with Uncle Piouss offer, my dad ordered the latest
digital camera as his gift. Unfortunately and to his disappointment, Pious had a different
idea of what the latest digital camera was and brought a fairly bulky video camera that
was a bit too big to carry around. Moreover, it was a little too complicated for him to
operate without making a fool of himself. Luckily the two bottles of cognac Pious
brought with him had helped calm him down! As always, when a new gadget is brought
into the house, I was put in charge of figuring out how it works.
Little did I know it this would mark the beginning of a relationship with that
camera that would take the both of us into unexpected places. This serendipity was
almost too exciting to handle. I started taking photos of family holidays, then friends
dinners, and editing the footage then recording it onto VCR tapes. Very soon, I became

28
quite famous among Malawis small Rwandan refugee community, and started getting
invitations to film other peoples occasions and celebrations as well.

Through it all, I particularly liked shooting Rwandan weddings, so I am going to

share some of the memorable moments from those occasions that really made my
days. The most common incidentwhich frequently occurred and left me both laughing
and irritatedwould be when I would be shooting and a group of people would come in
front of me and ask, Nagezemo? Urabe watcyizemo sha? This translates to Am I in the
video? You should put me in, young man. Some of the more esteemed people in our
society found it not classy enough to just show up like that, so instead they would track
me down during the slow hours of the weddings, when everyone was eating, and they
would gather their families and then call me to take a video of them. In doing this they
were not really expecting to ever see the final videorather, it was just the inspiration of
being behind the camera that mattered to them. After figuring that out, I would just put
them behind the camera and let them talk and eventually.....you guessed it, not
record anything at all! They will be happy either way, when I told them I was done, and
I must say it usually earned me great favours later on.

To get a good sense of my work and its conditions, I should give you some
background on the Rwandan society in general and their ceremonies in particular. The
Rwandan community is very hierarchically structured, mostly based on income and
nobility which includes generosity, having intelligent children and oratorical skills.
Oratorical skills are on particular display during festivities such as weddings and
funeralsafter all, Rwandan weddings last a whole day and a good part of the night! In
a typical Rwandan wedding schedule, you will find two recurring activities which stand
out: enjoying refreshments (food and drinks), and delivering speeches. There is a
speech on anything and everything that you could imagine; there is even a speech
about wanting to give a speech, which is followed by a speech about accepting to hear
a speech, after which comes a speech of appreciation of recognition, and so on and so
forth. All these speeches are delivered in the Rwandan language Kinyarwanda. They
are characterised by plentiful and flawless poetry that is divulged through them.

To have a successful wedding there is a need to have the most notable orators
playing the role of the parents on the side of both the bride and the groom. This is a
common setting in Rwandan weddings; in fact it is unheard of for the real parents to
speak during the wedding, a celebration of food and words. Shooting these weddings
gave me a view I never imagined into my own culture; I could observe people more
closely through the lens, and catch priceless glimpses. One time, I captured an uncle
who was really throwing down the food like he had not eaten for a month. He tried to be
subtle about it too; he would look around at the photographers to make sure no one was

29
watching, and only then start shovelling huge mouthfuls. His skill at flying under the
radar ended when I captured him on camera without him noticing, and focused in on
him. It was hilarious, but as for my relationship with him after that? Lets just say he did
not like me for a while.

Dont get me wrong though, not all the work was funny. There were some
serious and tense moments sometimes especially during photo shoots. These take
place after the church ceremony, when all those invited to participate, as well as any
other assertive guests, follow the newly married couple to a beautiful placeusually a
roundabout somewhere in the cityto take pictures that would preserve the moment.
The grooms mother-in-law usually has the final say as to how the shooting goes, and if
you havent worked for a mother-in-law before, let me tell you they are some of the
toughest bosses in the world! This is just my opinion. The tension always came after
taking photos of the family, when the boss would start bringing all her lady friends for
me to take videos of. This would be followed by the children, then a rerun of them in
different poses followed by different combinations of people and children. Parts of it
would be fun like some of the poses that would be struckespecially when the lady
boss and her BFFs were on the scene. She would always insist on more and more
and stress how important the moment was for her, and I would cave, until the point it
was way too much and I had to approach her to say, I am sorry but I have run out of
battery. That way was the only way to end the chaos gently!
Lastly there would be those moments which are outright surprising. In one
classic example, I had been shooting a wedding for the whole day and part of the
evening. After a long day of standing around shooting, I usually would sit with some of
my friends and have a beer. That was a treasured moment for me because I was
mostly working during the best part of the celebrations. So one time, I was with my
friends socializing and having fun when suddenly the father of the bride walked up to
me and began sermonizing. I approached him and congratulated him and he asked me
if I wanted a beer. It is customary to accept such an offer. I responded by saying, How
can I turn down your never-ending generosity? He took me to the bar stock keeper,
and ordered him to give me anything I wanted for the whole evening. I turned to him to
thank him for his kindness, and he said to me, She is now wed! You could have
married my daughter!
They lived happily ever after!

30
Name: Shirin Ping Nuesslein
Date of Birth: December 1989
Major: International Development
and Psychology
Home/City: The world! Home is
where the heart is =).
Passion: Engaging in deep and
meaningful conversations
Favourite Quote: Let your vision be
world-embracing, rather than
confined to your own self. -
Baha'u'llah

Born to multicultural parents, Shirin Nuesslein had lived in Malaysia but was
mostly raised in Germany. Besides travelling within Europe, she has had the
opportunity to visit the rainforest of Malaysia where her grand parents had
resided in a little village as subsistent farmers. With itchy feet and an
adventuresome heart Shirin decided to spontaneously come to Canada by
herself after grade 10 to attend an international school. Year after year she has
been returning to Canada where she is currently pursuing her undergraduate
degree. She is a Bahai who believes in the oneness of humankind, equality of
women and men, elimination of prejudice and backbiting, harmony of science
and religion, and independent investigation of truth. Shirin has a strong desire for
learning and deems great importance to spiritual and moral education. She finds
her source of joy and inspiration in art, while contemplating about life, reading
wise writings, and most importantly while doing service.

31
 Reflection on What it Means to be a Global Citizen

I believe a global citizen is a promoter and supporter of unity in diversity. To

cultivate appreciation, to show tolerance and respect towards other cultures, to
encompass a common vision of one unified people, and to encourage others to align
their school of thought to this notion; these aspects should be the endeavour of
everyone who feels passionate about the idea of a unified world. This vision is only
attainable when our words are also reflected in our actions. We should continually
bear in mind that we are all part of one humankind and unless we are serving
humanity we can not develop a prosperous, fair and ever-advancing world
civilization.

Just like Bahaullah, the founder of the Bahai Faith, describes aptly, we should
envision that The Earth is but one Country and Mankind its Citizen.

Reflection on some Experiences that have furthered my Understanding of

Global Citizenship

Thinking globally is only one of many important habits we can acquire in our quest
for solutions to global issues. Looking at the current state of the world, where
individualism, competition, dogmatic materialism, and apathy are dominant
expressions of human behaviour, this vision of a unified world and the celebration of
global citizenship might seem utopian and unrealistic to some people; however, we
should always bear in mind that there are, in fact, places in the world where this
vision is already taken as a serious goal.

Being born in Malaysia, and brought up in Germany amongst family friends from
various ethnic backgrounds, I was raised with an assortment of customs from
different cultures, an open mind, and an eagerness to learn and an appreciation for
diversity.

Ever since I had gone abroad to Canada I have had so many opportunities to go
beyond the mere awareness of global citizenship, and broaden my horizon on what it
means to be a world citizen. These living & learning opportunities include attending
an international school, participating in a service trip to Honduras, and coming to live
in the Trent Global Living Community. I am going to share some moments of
inspiration and learning experiences from my life, which emphasize how important it

32
is to see living & learning for life as complementary to ones academic education; to
see education in a light that is for the betterment of the world.

Encouragement, support, service, good intention, friendship, diversity, and vision

these words portray only a glimpse of the beautiful atmosphere of community
prevailing at Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute (NCCI), the international school I
attended. NCCI was designed as a school where academic excellence is pursued
within a moral framework. The moral framework that is followed consists of 19 Moral
Leadership Capabilities, three of which are the following: thinking systematically and
strategically in search for solutions, evaluating ones own strength and weaknesses
without involving ego; and encouraging others and bringing happiness to their
hearts. Throughout my two years at the school I learned how important it is to be
educated in moral responsibilities and the obligation to society that comes along with
greater knowledge and understanding learned in the classroom. In Western society,
we spend the majority of our formative years in school, after which the average
graduate enters the working society. In my opinion, it is not sufficient for a student
to be entering the working world with academic knowledge only. Unfortunately, there
are a myriad of trained professionals who use their knowledge to oppress and not to
uplift.

Just like in a family there was always someone you could lean on and would listen to
whats on your mind. Just like in a family you saw what it means to trust for
example, you were ensured to find your sweater in the same place at school as you
left it the day before. Just like a family we consulted as an entire school body, from
primary school up to the principal, to point out the good and successful achievement
but also give suggestions to improve the atmosphere. Just like a family we also
learned through sharing and service. Going on a service trip was, in fact, a
mandatory component of our course called World Citizenship Curriculum. We
served at an orphanage in Honduras where we facilitated classes on virtues, taught
lyrical dances about social issues such as poverty and racism, and we also
experienced physical hardship while building mixing cement by hand in the zenith of
the sun and little shade. Our friends in Honduras gave us much inspiration. They
demonstrated that happiness is in no way dependent on any material means and
that building a trusting and caring support network is essential, and that education
should be considered as precious and not burdening. We saw with our eyes how
children at the age of five brought their little baby sibling to the soup kitchen to
ensure nourishment for their family members. We saw such loving little boys who
would selflessly take one pencil crayon at a time to ensure everyone gets a chance
to colour. Also, we saw intelligent and eager children who could not go to school
because the teachers were on strike and these children did not complain about their
daily chores. Rather, they were happy they had a safe shelter.

33
 With the Diversity Dance Workshop, where we practised multi-cultural dances and
lyrical dances about social issues including poverty, racism, abuse, drug abuse,
and gang violence we performed in high schools and public settings to bring
awareness to social ills and celebrate unity in diversity!

I believe it is not sufficient to see an outstanding degree as the road to success.

Education only seems useful if it is used as means to contribute to the
transformation of society and the development of a world civilization. It is a gift to be
living in TGLC while being engaged in academic study. It is an enriching learning
environment where the willingness to learn is fostered and allows us to explore and
grow as a community. This process enhances the growth and development on an
individual, but also the collective level. Naturally, those privileged to live in such
atmosphere should feel responsible to emanate and share the skills and lessons
learned from this experience. Reflection on this topic led me to conclude that the
process of moral reasoning has to be incorporated in academic institutions so that a
firm foundation can be established and our full potential in serving humanity may be
harnessed. These institutions should truly be spaces for dynamic learning.

TGLCers with Professor Lorne Ellingson

University as a path to personal growth talk.

34
Name: Emily Balderston
Date of Birth: March 14, 1989
Major: International Development
Home/City: Owen Sound, ON
Passion: Being alive
Favourite Quote: Empty yourself and
Let the universe fill you (Yogi Tea)

Emily is a first year student, currently learning how to read excessively and think
critically. She loves to jump around, garden, Nordic ski, cook, and talk. Last
year she had a wonderful experience in Katimavik (a nine month volunteer
service program for youth) during which she travelled, met amazing people from
across the country, and discovered the value of learning by experience. Emilys
future goals including finding meaningful work, travelling extensively and living
more sustainably.

35
The Power of Understanding

Listen.

When I worked in a seniors home in Quebec, there was a kind old resident who
allowed me to escort her down to group activities that were run in the common
room. However, as a couple of months passed, she began, less and less, to
accept my offers to come down for bingo or crafts. Soon I dreaded stepping into
her room to invite her to the activities. Each time I went, though the kind voice
remained, I could see that she was tired and drained. It made me sad and
scared. One day as I lingered at her door, after she had once again turned down
my offer, she pointed out the window by her bed. I went to see what it was, but
saw nothing. She told me that often, as she lay there, she watched her squirrel
friend scurry back and forth. This, I could see, brought her great joy, and though
to me it seemed insignificant, I understood.

Learn.

I spent a couple of weeks working on a dairy farm. I had very little interaction
with the farmers. They were overworked, stressed out and worried for their sick
cow. They spoke to me only to list off my next chores and how to complete
them. Several times they spoke harshly to me for innocent mistakes. I found it
hard and frustrating to continue working for them. Two days before I left one of
them showed me how to make cheese. I watched as she eagerly showed me
how to stir the milk, let it set and thicken in the moulds. She encouraged me as I
followed her lead. I understood.

Teach.

I lived with two francophone girls who adored the song Imagine by John Lennon.
Though their English was very limited and they knew little of the song, they
played it over and over and hummed along. One day they asked me what it
meant. I sat down with them and we played the song, pausing after each line so
that I could provide a translation. I watched as the meaning of the song set in on
their faces, and they smiled. They understood.

When you share an idea, a thought, a skill with someone else you open them up
to a different perspective; your perspective. Through travelling I have discovered
that the power of shared understanding can break down the barriers of age,
language and culture. I understand.

36
Name: Kate Simpson
Date of Birth: June 12 1990
Major: International Development
studies
Home/City: Pembroke, ON
Passion: Womens Rights
Favourite Quote: Courage is the
discovery that you may not win, and
trying when you know you can lose.
~Tom Krause

Kate started her life in an interesting way by being adopted, and now has a
wonderful relationship with both of her parents, and her birth mother. Kates real
social justice initiatives started in high school, when she joined the social justice
committee, traveled to the Dominican Republic in grade eleven, and Kenya in
grade twelve. Although social justice has always been Kates passion, she enjoys
many other random hobbies; such as playing Hamlette (yes you read that
correctly, it was a spoof of the play Hamlet) in a play, playing about a million
sports, crafting, and cruising in her minivan listening to Celine Dion. Some things
that annoy Kate are racists, ignorant people, slow drivers, trail mix pickers, and
the word moist. She wishes to live in some part of rural Africa for the rest of her
life.

37
Monica

A story of a Kenyan Mama, and the reasons why she is the most amazing
woman I have ever met

It is not only that she has 6 children, 1 of which she adopted, as a result of AIDs.

It is not only that she gets up at 4am to ensure her children are ready for school,
do chores and to walk 20 minutes each way to the river with her daughters to get
their days water.

It is not only that she, with the help of her sons takes care of her familys goats.

It is not only that she gets to see her husband once every month, because he
has to work in the city.

It is not only that she runs a store, which not only provides for her own family, but
has also created an income for many of the other families in the village by giving
them a place to sell their jewelry.

It is not only that she is very involved in her childrens education, through the
schools parent group.

It is not only that she goes to bed last, to ensure the days chores are done and
to spend some time making jewelry for her store.

It is not only that she is one of the leaders of a womans lending association in
her village

Monica is the most amazing woman I have ever met because she does all these
things with more compassion, joy and love than I thought was allowed in one
person. She is the heart of her community, and has forever changed my world.

38
The Misconception of the Global South

When people think of the global south they might think of poverty, instability,
danger, dirtiness, sorrow, and all around a place you would not like to visit. These
ideas have been cemented through the help of the media. I am sure you have seen
an infomercial before with some person from a rich country tramping through a poor
city in perhaps Africa or Latin America, telling you all sorts of melancholic stories;
giving the idea that we as the western, more privileged country need to go in and
help these poor people. We are told that we can help them by giving them handouts,
and forcing our ideas about development down their throats; I am not trying to tell
you that all of these organizations are terrible or that the sob stories arent true or
that we shouldnt help these people. I just want you to look at these countries in a
different way.

I have had the privilege to travel to some of these so called dirty poor
countries, and found what you might not expect. I have experienced what true joy is,
I have had some of the most heart warming hugs, I have meet some of the strongest
people, seen some of the most beautiful places, met some of the most industrious
individuals, and have witnessed great innovation. I can go on and on. Where did I
find all of these things you ask? In Kenya and the Dominican Republic. Both
countries are unquestionably a part of the global south, ranking 91st and 145th
respectively out of 175 countries according to the Human Development index. Both
countries have experienced colonialism and all of its brutalities. Both have been
victims of the World Banks structural adjustment programs which ultimately helped
the rich much more than the poor. And yet you find some of the most remarkable
people in some of the most beautiful settings, living in some of the most disturbing
conditions with little to no opportunity to rise out of their current situation.

All of the aforementioned points have certainly confused me. These citizens
living in these countries do not share many of the amenities and extravagances that
we have in Canada, yet they are some of the happiest people I have ever seen. As
clich as it sounds, money doesnt buy happiness; however, I can tell you that it is
true. I would also like to go one step further and elaborate why this is. The
communities that I visited acted like one big family; they supported each other
unconditionally in times of desperation. Experiencing and simply witnessing their
unconditional love for each other will truly give you goose bumps. I have never felt
so comfortable and welcomed in my entire life when I visited their homes, and I
couldnt even speak their language. Where as in Canada, and I do realize that I am
generalizing, people tend to want to fend for themselves and are even embarrassed
to ask for help; I like to call this a closed door society, where people keep their
problems to themselves and not in a community and shared space. However, it is

39
possible, and important as global citizens to emulate what these people do so
naturally.

We can live in a space that embraces and celebrates other cultures, rather than
diminishing them; a place that you feel comfortable sharing your problems, fears and
frustrations. A place like the Together Living Learning Community that I live in this
year, we share a passion for development, world culture and truly care about the
lively hoods of other people. It has been such an enriching experience having the
opportunity to live with a group of such motivated individuals.

Countries such as Kenya and the Dominican Republic also have such deep
cultural roots, although these are starting to be tattered as a result of globalization.
These roots should be celebrated, rather than demolished, as we can learn from
some of their values and outlooks on life. I truly hope that these countries do not
develop in the way that Canada or the United States have, because this would mean
that their amazing and truly unique culture would be over taken with the western
closed door society; and although Canada does have its amazing traits and
characteristics, we have a lot to learn from these countries. What I want the reader
to get from this is to know that more is not always better, I want you to explore and
look into your roots and experience some of your own family culture that might have
been trampled by globalization. I also hope that you do not think of the global south
as just a place of desperation, poverty and filth. Instead, I want you to see countries
like Kenya and the Dominican Republic for their magnificence.

Monica

40
Name: Maxim Gertler-Jaffe
Date of Birth: September 9th, 1990
Major: Cultural Studies (Film and
Social/Critical Theory)
Hometown: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Passions: Socially-Conscious, anything
film, theatre (acting and directing),
music, writing, politics and ethics.
Favourite Quote: The Roots of
Violence: wealth without work, pleasure
without conscience, knowledge without
character, commerce without morality,
science without humanity, worship
without sacrifice, politics without
principles.
- Gandhi

Maxim Gertler-Jaffe was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to two Social

Scientists. He grew up there with his younger sister, and would accompany his
parents on their travels around North, Central, and South America: going on
sabbaticals, attending conferences, and visiting family. He was raised to be
socially conscious, and the time he spent abroad further reinforced this. His first
taste of social activism independent of his parents came in Grade Six, when he
took part in Oxfams Students Against Sweatshops campaign. Since then he
has volunteered in many community organizations: The Fellowship for
Reconciliation and Peace, Saskatoon United Way, and the Saskatchewan
Council for International Cooperation being particular highlights.

Maxim has always found enjoyment in the arts; he began as an abstract painter,
by the age of four he had moved on to sculpture, and has since enjoyed dabbling
in any form of expression he can find, though sometimes to the annoyance of
those around him trying to sleep. His friends in high-school got him interested in
filmmaking and he has since taken part in the production of promotional videos
for a few different events and organizations and has worked on many of his own
short films. Maxim is now at Trent University in Ontario to receive a good liberal
arts education. He intends to continue his life pursuing his passion for socially-
conscious expression.
41
 Reproducing Reality: Film, Diversity, and Empathy

Mighty long arms

but you dont know where
to reach,
Your visions clouded over
by self-gratifying
speech.

Lets play a game of Blind Mans Bluff

Learn a new way
to see
Our condition through a camera
Reach for shared
vivacity.

Any form of creation brings a certain amount of anxiety. The desire to cr eate
something distinct and personally representable conflicts with the knowledge that
there have been innumerable perspectives expressed before; some of them must at
least bear some relation, and in some way precede, your work. I have worried about
this when filmmaking and I am worrying about this now as I choose to write
something about film. After all, there is a whole discipline involved with studying the
medium; any time I have spent ruminating about its nature would pale in comparison
to those authors of the uncountable books, articles, and even movies about the
subject. However, my unease fades as I realize that I want to write about this very
property of film; part of its power as a medium comes from its unoriginality. This
makes it an art-form well-suited for examining the diversity of the worlds
innumerable perspectives.
Film is a reflection of reality, a kind of copy of an original. Contrast it with the
written word. Whereas a novel is a medium that often takes advantage of the
opportunity to immerse the reader in the intimate thoughts of characters, film
requires a more external interaction with the characters. We experience a
characters world as they experience it, but we often only see their reactions through
their exterior. This leaves the character more open to interpretation, so it is easier for
the audience to stretch how they feel the character is reacting in order to better
reflect how they might see themselves reacting in the situation. In a novel, the reader
might better understand the character, but the ambiguity of that character in film
makes it easier to relate to them. They are in a sense an empty shell, or might as
well be, since the audience cannot know specifically what is inside that shell. It is
easier for the audience to fit their experience to the emotion they see than to the

42
specific motives for that emotion, which they are not as directly confronted with in
film. Film allows the audience to better empathize with the characters.
For an artist interested in portraying diversity, audience identification is
a valuable tool. Identification with the characters is one way to keep the audience
interested in situations that seem to have no relevancy to their own lives; they may
not see themselves in that situation, but they can see themselves feeling the same
base emotions as the character in a comparable situation. By creating empathy for
the characters, the artist is showing that these diverse situations are really just
variations on the same human condition.
The ability to use film this way creates many opportunities for constructive
filmmaking. It combats racist prejudices by emphasizing our shared humanity.
Empathy is the ultimate form of realism in that it allows the most direct relation for
the audience between the films subject and the real world. Such realism also has
the potential to strengthen the fight against class in-sensitivities and other problems
that the audience may have deemed overblown, irrelevant to them, or that they did
not fully understand. These problems are not as easily dismissed when they are
made so real to the audience.
Another fitting property of film is that it leaves less ambiguity about these
problems. While character-wise film may be more ambiguous, it is much more direct
empirically. The novel relies on the readers imagination to recreate the action; they
can only relate what they read to what theyve already experienced, and are not as
easily informed about situations of which they were not previously aware. Film is
much more confrontational. It imposes images and ideas on the audience, with the
potential to shock them through situations they had never before thought possible,
situations they would not have been able to adequately comprehend through
imagination-fueled approximations. While a good writer may be able to come close
to bringing the reader to a similar comprehension through skilled description, it is an
ability inherent to the visual medium. Film allows the filmmaker to fully impress upon
the audience the situations presented, forcing them to confront ideas they are
unfamiliar with.
When taken together, all these reasons show film to be a medium well-put to
portraying diversity. Its nature requires external representation, allowing the
audience to put themselves in the place of the characters, places that they might not
have been able to even imagine or comprehend before the film confronted them. It
humanizes others and gives a sense of reality to their situations, building empathy
for them and their hardships. Its power comes from its ability for reproduction of
reality; it reminds the audience of their own real experiences by representing other
peoples real experiences. Film draws connections between people, allowing for
shared understanding and, ultimately, maybe even social change.

43
Name: Sina Tabea-Chlo Naeder

Date of Birth: November 17th, 1986

Major: History, Politics

Home: .unknown and yet to be

found

Passion: Living in places around the

world, having adventures, feeling
moments of unrestrained joy and
happiness and going beyond the
horizon.

Favourite quote: Watch your

thoughts; they become words. Watch
your words; they become
actions.Watch your actions; they
become habits. Watch your habits;
they become character. Watch your
character; it becomes your destiny.
Lao-Tze

Tabea is a typical Third Culture Kid and is unable to honestly answer the question
where shes from. After being raised in Kenya, spending shorter periods in Israel,
Bosnia and France, she finally managed to spend several years in one country:
Germany. Then however she got the travel bug again and moved to Canada. Yet
she values her family above everything because Home is where the heart is! She
loves having fun, is quite talkative, rather silly and has horrible time management
skills. Thankfully she has good organisational skills as she still strives for excellence.
She would do anything for her loved ones, including moving to another country
which is what shes planning on anyway. She has decided to raise her three children
tri-lingual in Africa, learn several more languages herself, learn as much as possible
and to work for an NGO as she is hopelessly idealistic and romantic.

44
These are four of the fables I was brought up with in Kenya. We know these tales better
than we know the tales of Snow White or Sleeping Beauty and I personally still dont
know what the deal was with the Puss in Boots or what the story of Rapunzel teaches
me apart from cutting my hair on a regular basis.

Our myths explain the world around us and why things are how they are. They explain to
us why the owl howls just before sunrise, why the mosquito buzzes in our ear or how the
lion became king of the animals.

Tabea Naeder

I. Why the Hippo lives in the water

Hot Hippo desperately wanted to live in the water. But the God of Everything and
Everwhere, Ngai, told the animals to live on the land and the fishes to live in the sea.
This is the story of how Hot Hippo came to live in the cool river instead of on dry land.

Hippo was hot! He sat on the river bend and gazed at the little fishes swimming in the
water. If only I could live in the water how wonderful life would be, he thought. So he
walked and he ran and he strolled and he hopped and he lumbered along until he came
to Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya), the mountain where Ngai lived. Ngai was the God of
Everything and Everywhere. Ngai had told the animals to live on the land and the fishes
to live in the sea. Ngai had told the birds to fly in the air and the ants to live under the
ground. Ngai had told Hippo he was to live on the land and eat grass. Please oh great
Ngai, God of Everything and Everything, I would so much rather live in the rivers and
streams. I will still eat grass!, begged Hippo. Aha, thundered the voice of Ngai, so you
say! But one day you might just eat a fish to see if it tastes good and then one day you
will eat all of my little fishies. Oh no, I promise I wouldnt!, answered the Hippo. Aha,
so you say! But how could I be sure of that? I love my little fishies!, replied Ngai, the
God of Everything and Everywhere. I will show you. I will let you look in my mouth
whenever you like to see that I am not eating your little fishies and I will stir up the water
with my tail so you can see I am not hiding the bones., suggested Hippo Aha, then you
may live in the water, but.. Hippo waited. But you must come out of the water at night
and eat grass so that even in the dark I can tell that you are not eating my little fishies.
Agreed? Agreed!

And Hippo ran all the way home until he got to the river where he jumped in with a
mighty splash and he sank like a stone because he couldnt swim but he could hold his
breath and run along at the bottom which he does until this very day. And he stirrs up
the bottom by wagging his little tail so Ngai can see he is not hiding any bones and

45
every now and then he floats to the top and opens his mouth ever so wide to show Ngai
he has eaten no fishies!

II. How the zebra got its stripes

In the early days when the earth was young, the land was hot and dry. In this new world,
water could only be found in a few small holes scattered around the desert. At one such
waterhole, a baboon stood guard. The baboon proclaimed that he was the owner of this
waterhole and no one could drink there. He said that this water was his alone. The
baboon would always chase anyone who came by to drink. The baboon had built a fire
close to the pool so that he could protect it even during the very cold desert nights. One
day a zebra came by to allay his thirst after a very long and tiring journey. In these early
days, the zebra had no stripes. He wore a dazzling coat of pure white fur. The baboon
jumped up in anger when the zebra approached. "Who are you? Go away! I am the lord
of this water! It is mine." The zebra was in no mood to listen to this selfish baboon. "This
is not your water, you ugly monkey, it belongs to everyone" shouted the zebra.

The baboon was furious and said that if the zebra wanted the water, he must fight for it.
The baboon and the zebra were soon engaged in a fierce struggle. Locked in combat,
they rolled around back and forth around the waterhole. Finally, the zebra gave one
mighty kick and the baboon was sent flying high up into the rocks behind the
waterhole. But the zebra had kicked the baboon so hard that he lost his balance and fell
into the baboon's fire. The zebra sent burning sticks flying into the air when he tried to
escape the fire. These charred sticks left black scorch marks all over the zebra's fine
white coat. Hurt and frightened, the zebra galloped to the plains where he has remained
ever since. Eventually, the zebra came to like his new apparel which made him stand
out among the other animals.

The baboon in the meantime, had landed on his rear-end with a mighty thud against the
hard rocks. The baboon has remained in the koppies ever since, nursing his bald red
bottom, still as angry as ever.

III. How the Crocodile Got Its Skin

The crocodile originally had a smooth golden skin, and it stayed that way because the
crocodile would spend all day in the muddy waters and only come out at night. All the
other animals would come and admire its beautiful golden skin.
The crocodile became very proud of its skin and started coming out of the water to bask
in the other animals' admiration, even while the sun was shining. He began thinking he
was better than the other animals and started bossing them around. The other animals
became bored with his change in attitude and fewer and fewer started showing up to
look at his skin. But each day that the crocodile exposed his skin to the sun it would get
uglier and bumpier and thicker, and was soon transformed into what looked like bulging
armor.
46
Crocodile never recovered from the humiliating shame and even today will disappear
from view when others approach, with only his eyes and nostrils above the surface of
the water.

IV. How The Turtle Got It's Shell

A long, long time ago the world as we know it now was a very different place. It wasn't
just the world that was different. The animals were also different. The turtle didn't have
its shell. In fact the turtle used to be the fastest animal that ever walked on the planet
until one very unfortunate day.

It all started when a group of animals decided to hold a big race around the world to see
which animal was the fastest traveller. The cheetah called his best friend, the hyena, to
try and come up with a scheme to beat the turtle. The big day finally came and animals
from around the world came just to participate in this race. As the race was about to start
the turtle noticed that the cheetah was wearing a big grin on his face. But that didn't stop
the turtle from competing in the race and winning it. Later on in the race the hyena
jumped out in front of the turtle who was coming first and dropped a rock the size of the
turtle's body on him. The rock was so heavy that the turtle slowed down to a crawl.
Eventually the cheetah caught up to the turtle, stole the lead and won the race.

A couple of millenniums have passed since that day and the rock seems to evolve into a
shell by itself. Now no one knows how that happened. The shell is still on the turtles
back and he is spending all his time trying to finish that race while the Cheetah now is
the fastest animal alive.

TGLCers hanging out at our delicious potluck

47
Name: Jaya Bastedo
Date of Birth: November 24, 1989
Major: Environmental Science and
International Development
Home/City: Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories
Passion: I have many passions but I
am especially passionate about
community, experiential learning and
laughter.
Favourite Quote: At the height of
laughter, the universe is flung into a
kaleidoscope of new possibilities.
- Jean Houston

Growing up in the Northwest Territories Jaya has always felt a deep connection
with the outdoors and northern culture. She loves cross country skiing, camping,
the smell of rain and picking wild cranberries at her cabin in the bush. She
spends her summers at Camp Wanapitei leading young kids on canoe trips
through the Temagami area. Last year she took a year off before starting
university to participate in a volunteer exchange program called Canada World
Youth. During the program she got to spend three months volunteering and living
in a host family in Prince Edward Island and four months in Yichang China. She
has become obsessed with the idea of community living and learning through
experience and she now loves sharing her university experience with TGLC.

48
My Chinese Mother

We do no use complete sentences

Our language is gestures and laughter

Zao shang Hao!

Her smiling face reflected in my bedroom mirror

Frantic and late I rush

But take time to hide my laundry

She hands me a bag of baozi

Bye Bye!

I rush out the door

Back home again

Tired and happy from teaching

My underwear flutters on the balcony

Wo de ni bu Xie Xie

She just smiles

Chi fan!

She hands me a bowl of rice

We sit at the table

Hao chi de hen!

Lotus root and pork stew

Spicy green beans

Deep fried corn

I race to clear my plate when were done

49
But shes always ahead of me

Xie Xie, Xie Xie

I hand it over

Zou, Jaya, Zou,

Shes standing by the door

Marching on the spot

A walk? A parade?

I follow her out the door

We walk through her city

I want to know the stories of the people, the food,

Everything

Instead I follow

And through her gestures,

Greeting neighbors,

Bargaining with shopkeepers,

Grabbing my arm to cross busy streets,

A story is told

We walk to the river

Boats lit up in the dark

Music

People dancing under the bridge

We join in

My Chinese mother

50
Me

And a hundred others

Dancing on the bank of the Yangtze river

I want to thank her

Thank her for everything

Xie Xie Shi Ayi, Xie Xie!

Xie Xie, Xie Xie

She smiles

Hugs me

And understands

Together we dance

Jaya and her host family: clockwise- Dadu yuan xx, Jaya, her counterpart
Grace/Yuanli and Mam xeaiyi.

51
Name: Emma McNamara
Date of Birth: October 17th, 1988
Major: International Development
Studies
Home: Peterborough
Passion: Acquiring knowledge from
anyone and everyone
Favourite Quote: A good head and a
good heart are always a formidable
combination Nelson Mandela

Emma is a passionate young woman whose has a great enthusiasm for life and the day
to day adventures that it brings. She has grown to become a passionate global citizen
who through the idea of universal responsibility believes in equality for all and that there
needs to be collective action by all to attain this goal. Emma grew up in a small,
supportive family consisting of her Mom, Dad and older sister, Sarah. With the support
that Emma has felt from her family she has been able to explore many different
avenues and continues to learn as much as she can. Through school activities and
community engagement, Emma has become involved in many various volunteer
experiences including lobbying on Parliament Hill, the Students Assembly for Electoral
Reform, a Make Poverty History Youth Committee and most profound, a cultural
enrichment volunteer trip to Kenya. Throughout Emmas life she has taken on obstacles
with enthusiasm and has learned from each and every experience that has been
presented to her.

52
 As I boarded a plane on route for Kenya my heart filled with many different
emotions, feelings of enthusiasm, nervousness and a vast sense of adventure. Entering
a new country with little knowledge of it and its people gave me the opportunity to open
myself up to any new learning experience that presented itself to me. The overall theme
that I learned, that this trip was able to provide me with was that of learning about
resourcefulness, creativity and passion.

Far too often I find myself taking many of my everyday luxuries as common
amenities which are sometimes naively thought as everyone being able to have no
matter where they live, their lifestyle or their education level. Fortunately this
enlightening adventure gave me the opportunity to educate myself on a small fraction
the immense poverty that occurs in Kenya. In addition, I gained insight into some of the
bright and hopeful ways that people are dealing with their poverty. At the same time
also learning how they were turning their creativity and resourcefulness into useful
practices to find alternatives they can use to continue living happy, full lives for
themselves and their families. There are two main events that I clearly remember that
will stay with me and be in the back of my mind for a very long time to come. Both of the
events that I was able to observe were in the small village of Ulungu, in the Eastern
region of Kenya where we spent about a week living. We stayed at the local minister,
Bens house which was situated at the center of the village with St. Lukes Church, a
vocational school for girls, a nursery school, a windmill powered well and a water depot
all within a stones throw away.

My first introduction to the lives of the girls at the school was by touring their
small classroom which was to accommodate about 20 female students learning to
become seamstresses as their trade. For many of these girls, the vocational trade of
becoming a seamstress is the alternative that many of them are faced with when they
are unable to continue their education into high school due to family priorities and
responsibilities. This trade is a way for them to attain some financial security or
contribution to their family. While I was at first saddened by the fact that many of these
girls would never achieve an education past form (grade ) six or eight, I later found
myself once looking closer at each girl individuallyespecially Macy who I grew to have
a friendship withI found that these girls were using their creativity to find inventive,
resourceful ways to be able to practice their sewing skills without wasting money and
fabric. The ingenious solution to their lack of resources was found in a small butcher
shop in the neighbouring city of Kitui, about one hour away by car, a rarity in Ulungu.
The girls and their instructor were able to make a deal with the shop owner to be able to
use his scrap butcher paper to practice their sewing skills as well as making patterns
and models of dresses and clothing they were able to construct. Through the inventive
nature of these young girls they were able to find an unconventional solution to their
ever present dilemma. This is just one simple example of how creativity can be

53
harnessed and used to jump start new ideas and initiatives which are able to transform
marginalized girls such as those who attend this vocational school into young women
with the power to take their lives and potential into their own hands and find new ways
to develop their skills to evolve their lives into the successful ones that they are working
hard and striving to have. To be able to see the ways that these girls were able to use
their resourceful nature in an innovative way to gain access to materials that are
unconventional but are functional for the task which needs to be performed gave me a
outlook on how I personally have not been imaginative enough for many aspects of my
life. For many people in the North I find that unless the specific thing is placed in front of
them or they have direct access to the resource, they are unable to complete the task
because they do not think outside the box enough to look for the alternatives that may
be right around the corner. Many people give up much too quickly in achieving what
they want because it is either too hard to accomplish in their eyes or it takes too much
effort for them to take the steps that will give way to their goal. The girls from Ulungu not
only taught me to look for alternative outlooks and perspectives on specific tasks but to
use potentially unconventional outlooks on life to get the full perspective of all those
involved and all the different ways that life can be good.

The trip to Kenya sparked a passion in me that I never felt in my sixteen years
before I travelled to rural areas. Here was where those who wanted something not only
went after it but usually succeeded in attaining their goal because they were so zealous
about it. I was able to see how people adapt to their environment and surroundings to
get the most out of it.

On the Sunday we were in Ulungu we went to one of the small local Anglican
Churches to hear the sermon. What I learned that day did not happen in the church but
afterwards when we went for a walk to see one of the local wells that the community
members use that they were hoping to replace with a safer, more efficient water
distribution method. On the walk we were able to see many people along the way;
working on their farms, as well as sculpting pottery in small shops doubling as their
homes, as well as groups of children playing mostly with just with each other goofing
around but then we came across a group of boys. The group of about ten boys in total
had about four of five of them with handmade wooden bicycles. This was one of my
highlights of my time spent in Kenya as this was one moment that was absolutely full of
enjoyment and the sense of pride these boys had as they shared with us. Their
homemade bicycles and sense of satisfaction in showing the mzungus that they too can
use the resources available to them to their advantage just as their parents do with
business ventures and their everyday struggles.

In the minutes that we spent with these children I felt a sense of complete
admiration for what the boys could do by using their imagination and creativity. They
were able to create and construct different types of bicycles made almost completely

54
out of scrap wood, sticks and branches with the exception of small wheels from various
old vehicles or tools. With the initiative that these boys demonstrate to create the
bicycles they so desired instead of waiting and wishing to get them is astounding and I
found myself thinking this is what more people need in their lives. Personally I took my
time in Ulungu to heart. I found that by visiting with the young girls at the vocational
school as well as meeting the boys on their bicycles gave me a real visual on what it
means to take control of your life in even simple ways. Imagination, creativity and
passion are traits which need to be present in my life to bring out the best in it and learn
from those around me in all the ways possible, especially unconventionally. I think that
by taking a page out of the books of the young people that I met in Ulungu, I and others
will hopefully be able to open our lives up to new opportunities and learning experiences
to benefit us in the best way possible.

Group of boys with their handmade bicycles ready to race in Ulungu.

55
Name: Kengo Miyata
Date of birth: March 15th, 1990.
Major: TBA.
Home: Tokyo, Japan.
Passion: experiencing different culture.
Favourite quote: When in Rome, as the
Romans do.

Kengo was born in Osaka, Japan. When he was in 4th grade, he moved to the biggest
city of Japan, Tokyo. He speaks the Osaka dialect even though he now
lives in Tokyo. He graduated from an all boys junior high school and high school. He
was the president of the student council for a year. He has played baseball for over
three years as a back catcher and still plays today. He has also learned martial arts
and has three years of intense training. He envies Canadians because they can watch
major league baseball in the Rogers Centre. He has mainly learned English by
Canadian teachers. He likes cars, books and hi-tech things. Since he came to Canada,
the Canadian culture and the people that have surrounded him have influenced him in
a very positive way.

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How to overcome reverse culture shock

Since I have been studying in Canada, I have experienced many differences

between Canada and my home country Japan. When I returned to Japan during
this winter break, I faced reverse culture shock for a while. I was home in Japan
for three weeks which allowed me to spend quality time with my family and
compare Canadian and Japanese culture. Reflecting on my experiences during
this past break, I would like to introduce how both countries are different and
how I overcame this reverse culture shock.
First, I would like to give some examples of the differences between both
countries.
In Japan, everyone looks similar because they tend to follow the same trends
and care a lot about appearances and what other people think or how others
may judge. For example, if you are wearing clothing that is not traditional, you
may come across in society as different or strange. Japan has a population of
127 million people and is a homogenous society. Many people dress similarly or
share the same cultural traditions.
In Peterborough no one wears the same kind of clothes. There is a bit more
diversity here. If you are wearing something different, you can still be accepted
and come across as unique.

When they bump someones shoulder they do not apologize.

There is a stereotype in Japan that people in North America do not apologize
for anything because we think they are litigious persons. In fact, Canadian
people have demonstrated to me that this stereotype is completely untrue.
Because even if a small matter occurs, Canadian people immediately apologize
for these incidents. Canada is not as densely populated as Japan. The
sidewalks here in Canada are wider and there is generally more space on the
streets. Therefore, bumping shoulders with someone else does not happen as
often.
In the end, these facts made me struggle with reverse culture shock. Because
throughout my experiences in Canada, even if Canadian society and Japanese
society are extremely different, I suppose I have been adjusted to Canadian

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society. Therefore, it was hard for me to readjust to Japanese customs.
However, the way I got over reverse culture shock was by simply talking with
my family and going out of my house into reality. Eventually, these ideas
prompted me to reaccept and readjust to Japanese society. At the same time I
realized that I like Canada, Trent University and friends in this university.

TGLCers hanging out after WUSC discussion with Paul Davidson

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Name: Mitchell Thomas Beck
Date of Birth: May 16, 1990
Major: Some joint major between
Biology, Geography and Environmental
Science
Home: Caledonia, Ontario
Passions: Self-Actualization, History,
Religious Philosophy, Biology,
Citizenship, World Issues, Ethics, Team
work, Life long learning, Running, the
Wilderness, teaching, Politics, Culture
and Art.
Favourite Quote: Greater in combat,
than a person that conquers a thousand
times a thousand people, Is the person
who conquers herself (The
Dhammapada)

I come from the small, cozy, conservative and somewhat infamous town of Caledonia.
To understand who I am is largely due to my upbringing. I am an only child and have
been fortunate enough to have two excellent parents who have sacrificed much in their
life for my welfare. I have always been passionate about many things in life including my
resolve for personal growth. My community was always very supportive of me just as
my parents and family were but for a long time I have wanted to travel and explore my
country along with some places around the world. My new home is Trent University and
I love the atmosphere that it exudes. Currently, I am heavily involved in all forms of
learning at Trent University. My short term plan for my future is to hopefully be a Don
next year, take a special GIS course at Fleming College third year and fourth year study
abroad perhaps in Whales. Afterward, I intend to pursue graduate studies and would
one day like to teach at a university, perhaps, as a professor. However, the most
important thing that I have been pursuing this year has been discovering who I am
being and focussing not necessarily on the path I wish to follow but instead the
direction that I wish to head in my life.

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My Residence Experience

There may be few moments in life when someone has the luxury to step back
and see their place in the big picture without being caught up in one of lifes duties,
responsibilities or obligations. Such moments may hold the power to change a person
for all time. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced one of these precious
moments this year which would not have occurred if I had not lived in residence. Living
within residence gave me the opportunity to undergo a process of self-discovery,
essentially, so I could know myself in part. I often found myself becoming more aware,
oriented, open and flexible with others as the year progressed. This year showed me
how important community really is to me as it was a catalyst for my own personal
growth. It did not cause the growth but it certainly helped speed up the process. A
community can be both liberating and restricting but it was the restrictions that taught
me a lot about myself. I learned to recognize the sensitivities of others and to show
restraint in behaviours that might offend people. This is why living in a residence
community was sometimes difficult as I had to integrate and cooperate with many
people of various backgrounds often on a fundamental level. For example, sharing a
common space such as a co-ed bathroom or living on a floor composed almost entirely
of women required me to be flexible, aware, and open with others so that I could
successfully integrate myself into a unique environment. Living with my peers also
opened my eyes further to the strengths and weaknesses of my character as I was
always able to receive helpful feedback from them. Unlike a sycophant who always
agrees with you or a clique which may impose its narrow beliefs of the world upon you,
a residence community works to dismantle your narrow vision of the world and helps
you to adopt a healthier, wider frame of reference.

Although many of the people I lived with in residence have had transformative
experiences abroad, many have told me that living in residence at university has been a
unique experience for them. Throughout this year I have often dwelt on the importance
of this rare, fleeting opportunity to capitalize on my exposure to numerous people of
diverse backgrounds. I believe it is an important time to reach out and build deep, fruitful
relationships with many different people. At the same time it is also an extraordinary
chance to hear the life stories of your peers, to reflect on the experiences that you have
in common and the ones that make you one of a kind. However, university residence is
exceptional not just because you live in close proximity with diverse people of the same
age but because of the life stage you and your peers share. It is a life stage of almost
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unprecedented personal growth as you are likely thinking critically about yourself, the
world around you, the lifestyle you wish to have or the career path you wish to take.
What is so special about living on campus with your peers at this time is that you have
the opportunity to see the choices they make under these same circumstances and to
learn from their achievements and missteps. Thus, I feel it is an important time to
immerse yourself in a powerful peer learning experience. In the end, this year will
always be special to me as it was the first time that I felt that the mold of my life was
fully in my hands to break.

TGLCers with Dr. Robin Lathangue

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Name: Caitlin Currie
Date of Birth: October 7th 1989
Major: Women Studies
Home/City: Whatever city she happens
to be in
Passion: HIV/AIDS Awareness, Gender
Equality and Laughing
Favourite Quote: Never retract, never
explain, never apologize; get things
done and let them howl. Nellie
McClung

Caitlin Currie was born a rather stocky child in a suburb just out of Ottawa. Her parents
often lent her out to farmers so she could plow their fields or the city so she could roll
over their freshly laid cement. Much to her parents dismay, Caitlin soon grew out of this
phase and became the beautiful smart young lady she is today. Nonetheless, the she
kept the strength that only years of hard physical labor can produce. Caitlin spends the
majority of her time sleeping and eating tofu. Though, when she can, she also
contemplates the different roles that various minorities play in society, all the while
making time for her favorite Trent group, Trent Prevention Initiative. Caitlins favorite
moment in life was the moment she realized that, if she wanted to, she could do
anything she wanted. The only limits are the physical laws of nature.

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Eunice

Youve been lied to. HIV can be passed through a touch. Eleven months
ago I met a woman. I was immersing myself in Ghana, in West Africa. Ghana is
a beautiful country full of beautiful souls. And it was on one humid January day,
in the east of this small country, when I met Eunice. When I first met her, she
sat extremely frail on a bench in the middle of the compound. The moment I
saw her, I knew she had the deadly virus. Although she greeted me with a
genuine smile, I could see the pain she was feeling in the pupils of her eyes and
the curl of her shoulders. It was almost 30 degrees out and yet she wrapped
herself in cloth and begged the sun to allow her to soak up its heat. When I met
her she was in her late thirties. She had little education and speaks very little
English. Our verbal communication was limited but we did not allow our
friendship to be contained to morning grins.

I spent the next two months living beside her. She gradually became
more than a neighbour. It began with a small gesture, such as politely asking if I
was hungry, and developed to a mother-daughter relationship. She laughed at
me when I didnt cook rice as she would, she would pester me about where I
was venturing off to during the day, and each time she would spot me, she
would yell out my name in a tune she had embedded with love.

Eunice didnt normally stay in the room she was living in when I met her;
she had come there because she was growing weak. She needed to be near
the hospital in the city. She left her village, her family, her home with the hope
she needed to become strong again. I was once told that Eunice was a
business women; she could sell anything in the market. I still wonder how her
family survived without her able and present.

Near the end of my stay I met her daughter; she came for a brief visit. 15
and already as beautiful as her mother she told me of how she dreamt of being
a journalist. She spoke to me delicately as we played games together on the
cracked cement. I could see the pain she also held her in eyes. I discovered her
strength as she completed housework for her mother; she continues to keep
her head up. Not only for herself, but for her family.

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 I watched Eunices journey in the city, her path towards health. She
gradually began to eat more, sleep less and became stronger. With the support
of those around her she no longer crouched on the bench; she could now work
around the compound. She no longer draped cloth over her shoulders; she
walked freely. Eunice began to stand tall and her ebony skin rediscovered its
glow. A woman, who could once see her final stage of life at the beginning of
AIDS, could now go home again to support and love her family. Nothing made
me happier than seeing the pain in her eyes disappears and the beauty of her
smile sprawl across her entire face. Each time I looked her, each time I now
whisper her name, I think of another reason why I want to demolish this deadly,
life consuming virus in my lifetime.

I told you, youve been lied to. HIV can be passed through a simple
graze, a crossed path. And now I touch each of you. I pass on Eunices story so
HIV will not only be her battle, or my battle, but all of ours.

TGLCers and friends with Dr. Maitseo Bolaane, visiting scholar from the University of
Botswana, who discussed Botswanas political economy and diamond industry

64
Walking Barefoot

Only after being in Ghana for two months did I finally take off my sandals.
I had kept my soles from truly feeling the red dirt that was underneath me. I
suppose I was scared. Worried that it would hurt, frighten me or even that I
would enjoy it. But after two months of living in solidarity with a rural village, I
felt that I could only continue this journey if I stripped myself of my last worries
and fears and allow myself to become vulnerable. The only thing that separated
me from Ghana and my true self was the sandals I had purchased at the market
for 5000 Cedis or 50 Canadian cents. But I just leaped. I took them off and
never looked back. The sensation I experienced was thrilling. The feeling of the
hot dirt on my feet overpowered the heat on the back of my neck. I squished my
toes in the sand and jumped into the muddy ground when I fetched water. My
neighbours laughed at me. They asked the children why the white girl was not
wearing shoes. Only the children ran through the village with bare feet. I smiled
at them, knowing well enough I wouldnt be able to give them an answer. Each
time I looked down I saw filthy feet; my feet had turned black from the ground
and painful calluses and blisters were forming. The transition my feet took was
parallel to that of my soul; both were being worn away and rebuilt at time
passed. Walking barefoot around a village in Ghana was the way I chose to
physically journey and came to be the way I journeyed emotionally.

Back in Canada, although cultural norms and weather wont permit me to

undo my laces and walk around shoeless, I will continue my journey with bare
feet. When I look down, although I will see whatever footwear I chose for that
day, I will know underneath are the same dirty feet with the scars of blisters.

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Thank You

TGLC would like to thank all the people that helped make this year a
great and enriching experience for all the participants. We would like to thank
Dr. Michael Allcott, Mike Robinson, Paul Davidson, Lorne Ellingson, Dr. Robin
Lathangue, Dr. Maitseo Bolaane, TGLC Alumni, Trent Housing Services
including Judy Morozuk, Colleen Lewis, Laura Storey, the Seasoned Spoon,
and everyone else who made this year a rewarding and fulfilling experience for
all of us TGLCers.

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