Although half-crazy when I signed up for this event, in August 2010 I will compete in my first IronMan distance triathlon (2.4mile swim, 112mile bike, 26.2mile run) on behalf of my sister Grace living with a congenital heart defect. Grace has had four open-heart surgeries since birth, her last in November 2009. Grace inspires me and I hope to inspire her as well, by showing that life can be as adventurous as you wish, each and every day.
[Grace (right) and friend Dallas (left) at Louisville World Fest 2009]
Realizing that Grace’s most recent surgery was only made possible during the last 12 years of medical advances (the number of years between her surgeries), I wish to raise money for research in this field. Please join me in my quest to raise money for The Children’s Heart Foundation, the only national non-profit specifically created to help fund congenital heart defect research.
Our goal is to raise $20,000! The fund-raising website is run by Kintera through the Janus Charity Challenge, exclusively for IronMan competitors. For the top fundraiser in each IronMan event, Janus will contribute an additional $10,000 to help support the chosen charity. The goal is for TEAM GRACE to raise the most money in coordination with the Louisville event, so that our total contribution to The Children’s Heart Foundation will be $30,000; enough to fund a research grant that could mend many hearts. Thanks in advance for your support!
Please join me in my quest to raise money for The Children’s Heart Foundation, the only national non-profit specifically created to help fund congenital heart defect research.
Traveling the world has shown me the value of community involvement in providing fresh and healthy foods to the mouths of thousands. Now that I am home, I wish to help create resources and ways in which healthy food can become more readily available in our communties. Travel through the west end of Louisville, or anywhere in the city for that matter... Do you see accessibility to fresh produce? Do you see fast-food chains filling the cracks of the neighborhoods? Do you see obesity as a result of unhealthy habits (and are these truly habits or rather disconnects between education, health, and affordability of whole foods)?
At Louisville Grows we are promoting sustainable living throughout our city. We are a start-up non-profit and can use your help.
Maine legalized gay marriage. Now Prop 1 is threatening to take away what the LGBT community has accomplished in Maine –sound familiar? This is hauntingly similar to Prop 8 in California.
The campaign needs your monetary contributions in order to keep ads like this on air; otherwise, the opponents of such equal rights may have a stronger voice with their ads of hate and fear.
Regardless of the title, let's get the bad news out of the way first...
THE BAD: Myanmar's political leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, was sentenced last week to another term of house arrest; 18 more months. Although this was potentially a predictable sentence for Suu Kyi based on past actions by Myanmar's military junta, it is nonetheless demoralizing for supporters of democracy and those looking for diplomacy in upcoming elections.
THE GOOD: Briefly stated, it appears that strong economic growth continues to shine in Indonesia! I was both happy to read such headlines and amused by the unmistakable differences in outlook –namely, the critical vs. the upbeat.
Example 1 (the critical): Forbes.com posts the article “UPDATE 1-Indonesia Q2 GDP growth slowest in six years.” Growth slowest in six years --Isn’t that what American’s refer to as a back-handed compliment? Full Text
Example 2 (the upbeat): Article posted on Bloomberg.com reads “Indonesia Growth Likely Near Southeast Asia’s Fastest.” At first glance the title is merely an upbeat comparison to a group of countries. What I’m really getting at is the tone of the article, allowing for phrases like: “Investors are already optimistic about Indonesia’s growth prospects.” Certainly, why not optimism? Full Text
Growth is measured as the annual per cent change in the value of the gross domestic product after taking account of inflation. Source: International Monetary Fund. Translation: nearly every aspect of economic growth is based on material wealth; how much stuff can we build, make, export, import?
In to the book Deep Economy, author Bill McKibben provides an insightful anecdote when he states:
“Under the current system, as many have pointed out, all we do is add together expenditures, so that the most ‘economically productive’ citizen is a cancer patient who totals his car on his way to meet with his divorce lawyer” (pg. 28).
Although I laughed out loud while reading this, post-laughter I was left with a sense of wonder. Luckily the page goes on to explain that many economist have been, and continue to, propose alternative measurements “that would more accurately reflect progress."
Imagine for a moment a revolution in economic theory to report statistically the growth of a country based on mouths fed, human suffering ceased, or perhaps the percentage increase of the population that for the first time has access to clean drinking water. This sort of growth suggests a sociality to economics, that undoubtedly exists between the lines of material production and measurements of services rendered, income, and investments.
THE INNOVATIVE: There are brilliant minds at work solving some of the most overwhelming challenges faced by the people of our planet; those who are willing and capable to combine economic thought (as they personally see it) and innovative ideas to help make the world around them (around all of us) a better place. This video was shared by a mentor of mine --another such brilliant mind.
“…perhaps [a nation’s growth could be measured by] the percentage increase of the population that for the first time has access to clean drinking water”
Three weeks of camp have flown by, leaving us with one final week of academics, football, and a closing ceremony. I've been working hard to ensure that the Youth Impact Program at USF is both successful and wrinkle-free. The road has not been perfectly smooth; as the first year for this camp at USF, we are learning tons, and making improvements and adjustments as needed.
I am learning a lot about management (particularly the idea of approaching leadership on an individualized basis), about camp/event logistics and coordination between national and local level facilitators. Oh, and how could I forget...I'm learning about dances such as the "krank" and "wu tang" as well as the 'dopest' tracks on the radio, thanks to the boys at camp!
Teaching middle school boys math, reading, and writing curriculum. After three years of tutoring college athletes and six months teaching English as a foreign language, I can easily say this is an entirely new experience. One thing remains the same: it is both challenging and incredibly rewarding.
Trying not to let my classroom feel like summer school, I create games and let them take the lead!
Some of the boys enjoying time with camp mentor Stephanie Augustavo, BIG EAST Academic All-star and Volleyball player at USF. Gotta love the smiles!
Afternoons on the field become exciting and competitive. Let me just say, trash talk is something that appears to come natural for middle school boys...wink!
The campers get to learn the importance of being both an athlete and a student. Here they are throwing up the Go Bulls! symbol with George Selvie, first team All-BIG EAST selection, #95 for the USF Bulls.
Paige Battcher and Justin Miller do not play football for USF. Nor are they standout athletes at USF. However, without the two of them, who knows whether or not the USF Youth Impact Program would have been put together and running as smoothly as it has thus far.
As if the USF Athletic Department wasn't in enough of an "up-and-coming" state of mind, with the 2009-2010 school year quickly approaching, they have also instituted the Youth Impact Program on campus. An exclusive program, USF is just one of four college campuses in the United States partaking in the program. The other three universities running the Youth Impact Program are: University of Southern California, Tulane University, and Rice University.
J.R. Haworth, Football Director at USF mentioned that, "this is the first year, so we're just kind of cutting our teeth into the program and we're excited about the young men we've brought in. They've actually turned out to be some very good, quality men and they're very open to taking on the message that we're trying to deliver to them. I love the program because we hook them with the football, obviously; but truthfully, the program is based on learning educational skills and life skills and those are the things they can take on with them for the rest of their lives."
Kris Stubbs, a USF Athletic Department staff member and former Duke University cornerback, said that this is the type of program that should be blooming in as many college towns as possible. Stubbs put it simply: "Programs such as these can really help out a lot of students and kids."
Being from Duke University, Stubbs also mentioned thatthis program could help out kids from places such as Durham, North Carolina, which he said is a "high risk" area for young kids to find trouble.
Former USF and NFL lineman, Frank Davis, mentioned that this was not the type of program he had access to growing up in Panama. "I was talking to people back in Panama about this camp that I'm working at and I want to do something like this in Panama. It would be great because the kids want to participate."
Battcher, the Curriculum Coordinator for the Youth Impact Program, pointed out that the camp is definitely more than just a stereotypical summer football camp. "It's a very well-rounded program. It's academics and it's football. [For] the kids ... it's a really great opportunity because it's all paid for for them. It's really fun, I've seen a lot of smiles so I'm feeling good about it." She continues: "Essentially what we're doing is taking middle school boys and we're saying, 'Look, someone cares about you, someone wants to see you succeed.'"
Miller, one of the founders of the Youth Impact Program on the USF Campus, had a number of great things to say about not only the camp, but the people involved with it on a regular basis. "The program we put together [consists of] a great group of student athletes and a great group of mentors from area schools. To work with these young boys is rewarding for everyone involved. I was out there yesterday watching George Selvie getting really intense and fired up with these little kids and you could see how meaningful it was for them."
Miller finds great inspiration in his "seeing students like Jordan McGillis teaching Math to all of these kids and seeing Stephanie Augustavo helping lead a session about English." "Working with the team of people we have in place ... it's gotten to that level, where it's only been a week, two weeks now, but we've sort of become a family," Miller explains. "Everybody has [taken] pride [in] what we're doing."
When asked about the reaction of the Youth Impact Program's participants to the experience, Miller mentioned he felt they were really starting to feel comfortable on campus at USF. "This is their place. They come in and they're using the same facilities as George Selvie and our soccer program and baseball program, they're around with everyone else, so it's really cool to see their reactions. I think you see that sense of pride in them that they are part of something really special." Miller also added, "They are getting exposed to a college campus, which is phenomenal. They're getting exposed to some classroom learning opportunities in Math and English and then we're teaching them about life skills and finally football. Very few things are 'win, win, win, win,' but this is certainly one [where] there's no loser in this."
Such statements led to questions for Miller about the follow-up of a program like this; after all, it is hard to imagine that a program of this magnitude is something that its participants or leaders want to see go by the wayside once the kids leave campus. Miller reinforced such sentiment, noting, "I don't want this to just be a flash in the pan,". I want this to be a longstanding relationship...for this to be impactful, there has to be regular contact."
Under the leadership of Battcher and Miller, things are definitely looking up for the participants of the USF Youth Impact Program. These two, as well as their entire staff, are working very hard to make sure each participant gets the most they can out of this chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity at the University of South Florida.
Thirty-five baht, that’s all it costs? This was a question pondered as I scraped up the last little bit of my vegetable and rice dish on the streets of Bangkok, Thailand. Thirty-five baht, approximately one U.S. dollar, had paid for whole foods –not additives, or pre-formulated nutrient combinations, but foods grown on this Earth. Think about it. What's cheaper: an item from the dollar menu at McDonalds or fresh squash in the produce aisle? For the first time in my life, I was living in a country where cheap meals did not translate into unhealthy meals.
Returning to my home in the U.S., where two-thirds of Americans qualify as overweight or obese according to SmallStep.gov, I hesitated to believe that my old eating habits would be appropriate enough to keep me out of these qualifications. Opening a jar of Claussen® Kosher Dill pickles the other day, I read the following: “Contains less than 2% of High Fructose Corn Syrup, Calcium Chloride, Polysorbate 80…” –kosher huh? If you are like me, you may be wondering, for example, if one or more of the numerous American corn associations or lobbyists groups are playing a hand (and by that, I mean using money) to boost the use of high fructose corn syrup, an otherwise nonessential ingredient in pickles. This is one example of many.
So, what sets Thailand apart as a place where whole foods are actually cheaper than our seemingly healthful packaged foods? The answer: agriculture. In 2005, Thailand’s agricultural sector could attest to 10.2% of annual GDP –whereas, the U.S. agricultural sector accounted for only 1.2% of GDP as recorded by Earth Trends, in cooperation with the Development Data Group of The World Bank.
Undoubtedly, the presence of whole foods in the American diet in combination with exercise is essential to a healthier America. As our economy leans away from agriculture, and into the arms of foreign imports, our health as a nation becomes at risk. Let us join together in supporting our local farmers so our grocery stores may once again be filled with food grown on our own soil. What can you do? Join your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). For more information on a national-level: LocalHarvest.org
--- This post is not intended to be offensive, nor is it meant to portray an expert opinion. It is intended to encourage people to keep asking questions and to take action for the betterment of all. ---
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is concern of mine that measurements in human progress and economic growth focus so heavily on GDP or GNP, the amount of materials produced, consumed, and so forth.
As it turns out, this concern is held by many of the world's economists and policy makers. Take this article by the European Commission, one of the governing bodies of the European Union, as an example:
--- In other economic news, Thailand is preparing to stimulate its economy via a massive influx of Thai Baht into local programs. This influx of cash is meant to boost a "three-year investment program on transportation, health and education projects" in order to prop up and increase economic growth and stability. See Full Text.
Chook dii ka (best wishes) on the project. For a country struggling in the past decade to cohesively back its governing body, I hope there is at least a unified agreement that investment in transportation, health, and education is a win-win situation regardless of percentile economic shifts. In fact, in the U.S. it is a shame to see continued budget cuts in education as economic times become tougher --perhaps times of economic hardship are the most neccessary times to more fully educate the masses, the future generations of people that will someday lead our country.
As a Fulbright grantee, I was awarded the chance to teach English as a foreign language in Thailand. I taught highschool students at Princess Chulabhorn's College Chiang Rai (PCC), a boarding school in northern Thailand. In January, I helped my department organize a three-day English camp for nearly 200 M2 (8th grade) students at PCC. The camp was a great success. In the end, I created this instructional video, provided on CD with logistical documents (materials lists, station descriptions, etc.) for use by next years native English teachers and Thai English teachers. This CD was presented to both PCC and the Fulbright Commission in Thailand, the Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF).
--- Special thanks to: Alicia Smith and Kirsten Farcus (for our planning sessions and friendship); to Kali Schloth, Brad Foster, and Caryn Fields (for their help making the camp a success); and to the faculty and staff of Princess Chulabhorn's College Chiang Rai (particularly the English Department, for without them this would not have been possible). ---
------
This is a lengthy read, yet insightful and well-researched look at the political situation in Myanmar. This paper, written by me in March 2008, was presented as an assignment in POLS 530: International Negotiations; a course taught by Dr. Michael Fowler at the University of Louisville. ------
I. Introduction
Burma has been ruled for more than forty years by a military regime that has systematically impoverished a country once known for its high literacy rate, excellent universities, and abundant natural resources. Today, Burma (known as Myanmar[1] since 1989) is one of the most tightly controlled dictatorships in the world. Over the past few decades, the military regime in Burma has seized economic control of almost all natural resources, formed troublesome ties with Chinese, Indian, and Thai businessmen, and has severely diminished the standard of living for the people of Burma.
Basic human rights afforded to Burmese people have been on a decline since 1962. In response to the administration’s unabashed cruelty toward its own people, the military junta in Burma has received heavy protest on a number of occasions since the 1960s. These protests have resulted in the murder of thousands of activists, civilians, and most recently monks (in mid-August 2007)[2]. As a result of the military’s intolerance for democracy, an estimated 1,800 political prisoners are currently being detained in Burma’s prisons[3]. These political prisoners include the following groups of protestors (explained in more detail in the Arrested Developments section of this paper):
-Leaders of the ’88 Generation Students (leaders of the 1988 protest movement), such as Min Ko Naing;
-Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), who has been under house arrest on and off since 1990, and other political leaders such as U Win Tin, a journalist and member of the NLD, who at 79 is Burma’s oldest political prisoner[4]; and
-An estimated 706 activists and monks from the latest 2007 protests[5].
Little is known about the current health conditions of these political prisoners, however, in 1999, the Tatmadaw (armed forces) allowed the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit all 35 prisons and about half of the 100 labor camps that held the detainees at that time. The Red Cross took note of “deplorable and life threatening” conditions, where these political prisoners, often university students, were tortured, malnourished, and refused basic medical care. Years later, in December, 2005, the Tatmadaw had a change of mind, and subsequently put and end to ICRC prison visits[6]. In November, 2006, news broke out that the Burmese government would now be forcing five of the country’s Red Cross field offices to close; thus, severely impeding humanitarian effort throughout the country[7]. It is often difficult to understand current situations in Myanmar due to tight restrictions of the media; however, what is known is that restrictions on prison visits by the ICRC are still being upheld.
For three years now, no international organization or human rights campaign has been allowed to visit Burma’s political prisoners. Although the ICRC has been denied access to visit political prisoners for the past three years, they still represent the best hope for Burma’s political inmates. In another sense, although the ICRC’s presence in Burma is currently being threatened by the military, they have historically been allotted more privileges than most other human rights organizations in the country; moreover, the ICRC still possess the greatest potential (of any international organization) to help reestablish communication and a basis for reform with the junta.
II. Historical Burma
After years of colonial rule by Britain, political interference by other countries (namely Japan), and a period of marginally successful independence, most of Burma’s history to date revolves around unstable, repressive, and controversial military-based regimes. Prior to 1962, Burma, for a short while experienced a multi-party system where its citizens actually elected the country’s leaders, and for many years boasted an impressive 90% literacy rate among its peoples.[8] Since 1962, when General Ne Win seized power from Prime Minister U Nu, Burma’s past successes have become a faint reminder of how much better things used to be.
A. Brief History behind the Uprising of 1988
General Ne Win, from the very beginning, had no patience or desire for democracy. On the contrary, his Council’s first policy document was entitled The Burmese Way to Socialism. Within two years, Ne Win’s military regime had caused enough damage to span decades. In 1964, Burmese citizens, who were already choking in the grip of poverty, witnessed their monetary reserves severely diminish in value due to a detrimental Demonetization Act. The demonetization rendered all K100 and K50 notes (historically, 4.6 kyat = $1 US) as unacceptable legal tender. As if becoming poorer overnight was not bad enough for Burmese people, Ne Win’s regime perpetuated years of isolationism, so-called ‘nationalism’ (demonstrated by ousting foreigners), and unanticipated links to Chinese communism which still haunt Myanmar today[9].
Following two more Demonetization Acts, financial hardship continued for all classes of people in Burma, making the country a “Least Developed Country” according to U.N. standards in 1987. During August of that same year, Ne Win admitted to serious mistakes made during his years in power in a radio speech.[10] For a nation financially torn to shreds and weary of a ‘socialist’ ideology that represented nothing short of absolute disaster, Ne Win’s words merely fueled the fire for the protests of 1988.
B. The Development of an Unstoppable Regime
Past 1988, a newly developed and stronger military regime, known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), came to power. As Western societies began to freeze disbursements of foreign aid to Myanmar, the SLORC found ways to stay afloat (even at the detriment to their own people). Over the next few years, signed contracts with Thai, South Korean, and Indian companies to exploit oil reserves off the coast of Myanmar helped provide an influx of cash to the junta. Today, these contracts have the ability to keep the junta rich and powerful, yet provide little or no benefit for the people of Burma[11].
III. Arrested Developments
For the sake of brevity, the next few sections will be condensed to discuss the ultimate arrest of Burma’s political prisoners.
A. University Students under Arrest
In 1988, a growing pro-democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, of the National League for Democracy (NLD), and university students, crowded the streets in protest. During March 12-18, Burmese citizens and people around the globe witnessed the unfazed violent response by Burmese authorities, as they murdered hundreds of student protestors.[12] Those who survived were either arrested (with sentences averaging fourteen years) or lucky to escape.
The protests of 1988 have held long-standing consequences for a young generation of Burmese citizens as well as the country’s educational policies. As a result of the protests, universities were temporarily closed and students sent home; in fact, the universities in Rangoon have now been closed for much of the past ten years.[13]
B. Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD)
The daughter of a notable Burmese liberalist, Aung San Suu Kyi, became the head figure for a possible future of democracy in Burma beginning in the late 1960s. Suu Kyi rallied the people by constructing ideals that combined liberalism, humanism and Buddhism[14]. In 1988, Suu Kyi led the NLD and university students in what she refers to as “the second struggle for national independence.[15]” On September 27, 1988, in an organized election, Suu Kyi and the NLD won 392 of the 485 parliamentary seats, including all fifty-nine seats in Rangoon Division. The military-backed National Unity Party won only ten seats. Unfortunately, the will of the people to have Suu Kyi and the NLD lead their country, has yet to be substantiated. Election results from 1988 are continually de-legitimized by the SLORC, and no elected representatives from the NLD nor Aung San Suu Kyi have been permitted to take office. The SLORC, now known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), feels threatened by Suu Kyi and the NLD; therefore, they result to either violence (as witnessed in street protests in 1990) or arrests. Since the early 1990s, Suu Kyi has been placed under house-arrest three times, practically most of the last four decades. Anytime she is released from her sentence, the victory is always short-lived, as her rallies are always closely monitored and typically result in her being put back under house-arrest. Ultimately, the release of Suu Kyi is of great importance to Burmese people. However, her occasional release and is used by the SPDC as a media stunt rather than a genuine willingness to cooperate with the NLD.
C. Different Scene, Same Story: More Activists Arrested in 2007 Demonstrations
In 2007, people all over the world watched videos on the internet of a country in crisis, of journalists being shot in the streets, of panic and fear. In 2007, the pattern of public protests coupled with violent responses by the SPDC was witnessed once again. While the pattern for these protests was similar to the past, the stage this time around was set in a much different fashion. Instead of university students (who had been isolated and moved to remote campuses far from most major cities), or the NLD led by Suu Kyi (who was currently under house-arrest), the protests were led by hundreds of monks. With an estimated 706[16] activists (including some monks) put behind bars, the protests of 2007 represent the third major source of political prisoners arrested in the last forty years. According to Amnesty International, political activists continue to be arrested to this day. By estimation, “There have been 96 arrests since 1 November 2007.”[17]
IV. Understanding Motivations and Interests
Financially speaking, the SPDC has become almost invincible. According to Donald Seekins, the possibility of democracy over-riding the military anytime soon in Burma is quite unattainable, “because the post-1988 inclusion of raw material-exporting Burma within a new economic hierarchy insulates the junta from pressure exerted either by individual nations (American and European sanctions) or the international community…[including] a largely ineffective United Nations.”[18] So, while it may not follow a political agenda, the role of the International Red Cross within the borders of Myanmar is of crucial importance to humanitarian aid in the area; perhaps, an area where changes are more attainable than political policy. Specifically dealing with the treatment and unwarranted arrests of political activists, it is important to understand the SPDC’s interests and motivations behind these actions and their unwillingness to cooperate with the ICRC at this point in time.
Generally speaking the SPDC’s top underlying interests (in no particular order) are: 1) power (i.e. military strength); 2) state autonomy; 3) money and maintaining current cash flows (particularly linked to oil and natural gas); and 4) positional security[19]. Although the SPDC is interested in the economic stability of Myanmar, it is not apparent through their financial impositions on the general public. They are interested in, but not motivated by economic stability because the ruling elite enjoy many more privileges than most Burmese people, and as long as the world continues to demand more energy (and Myanmar’s neighbors continue to contribute), SPDC cash flow will be considerably guaranteed.
The fourth interest, positional security, is to be considered closely linked to the detainment of political prisoners in Burma. For the SPDC, having these educated activists at-large in the general population, threatens the very nature of their position in Burmese government. The people of Myanmar are ready for change, and the result is political unrest silenced by prison sentences, cruelty, and murder.
V. Conclusion
As the SPDC arrests and detains hundreds of peaceful protestors, it becomes increasingly obvious that something must be done. Students, members of the NLD, and organized Buddhist monks, currently sit in jail cells completely cut-off from any future that ever existed. Although under more and more pressure from the SPDC to close its locations, the ICRC has been able to work with the regime to maintain (at least) a minimal presence in the country. The ICRC’s work in Burmese prisons has been halted since 2005, but the organization is still in the best position to help political prisoners in Myanmar; in fact, according to a former political prisoner, “during my years in prison, the eternal agency that had the greatest positive impact on prison conditions and the lives of the inmates was the ICRC.”[20] With that in mind, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) must find ways to not only re-gain access to political prisoners, but must find ways to ensure a better future for these people. The release of these prisoners is the ultimate goal. These brave men and women are the future of change in Myanmar, but are currently silenced behind the guns of an illegitimate[21] military-rule.
------- Sources: [1] “Burma” and “Myanmar” are used interchangeably in this document to mean the Union of Myanmar. [2] Seekins, Donald M. The Geopolitics and Economics of Burma’s Military Regime, 1962-2007: Understanding SPDC Tyranny. Japan Focus. November 12, 2007: pp.2-4. [3] Human Rights Watch. Burma: Referendum a Sham Unless Repression Ends. Human Rights News. New York. February 11, 2008. www.hrw.org. [4] Human Rights Watch. www.hrw.org. [5] Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). Data – Arrested on August 19 to date, 2007. Updated January 30, 2008. www.aappb.org. [6] Falco, Mathea. Burma: Time for Change. Report of an Independent Task Force Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations. 2003: p.16. [7] BBC News. Burma ‘closes’ Red Cross offices. Updated Monday, 27 November 2006. news.bbc.co.uk [8] Falco, p.7. [9] Bixler, Norma. Burma: A Profile. Praeger Publishers. New York, NY. 1971: pp.78-87. [10] Seekins, Donald M. Historical Dictionary of Burma (Myanmar). Scarecrow Press. Lanham, Maryland. 2006: pp.xxvii-xxviii. [11] Seekins, Geopolitics, pp.9-10. [12] Seekins, Geopolitics, p.1. [13] Falco, p.13. [14] Gravers, Mikael. Nationalism as Political Paranoia in Burma: An Essay on the Historical Practice of Power. Curzon Press. Second Edition, 1999: pp.73-77. [15] Suu Kyi, Aung San. Freedom from Fear and Other Writings; Speech to a Mass Rally at the Shwedagon Pagoda. Edited by Michael Aris. Penguin Books. London, England. 1995: p.193. [16] Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). Data – Arrested on August 19 to date, 2007. Updated January 30, 2008. www.aappb.org. [17] Amnesty International. Arrests of Political Activists Increase in Myanmar. Amnesty International Online. 25 January 2008. www.amnesty.org. [18] Seekins, Geopolitics, p.11. [19] A term I use to describe the SPDC’s fear of pro-democratic threats. The SPDC’s actions often reflect their interest in not wanting to feel threatened their interest to maintain their position in Myanmar. [20] Pedersen, Morten B. Promoting Human Rights in Burma: A Critique of Western Sanctions Policy. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Lanham, Maryland. 2008: p.245. [21] Referring to the 1988 victory of the NLD, and the denial of the SPDC to allow those elected leaders to take office.
[*] Photographs: from Google image search engine. Uploaded by URL. Not intended to represent my own work.
[**] Video: embedded from YouTube 07/11/2009; username: AlJazeeraEnglish.
"This Song Around The World is a folk tune from Chennai, India. We started the track in New Orleans and added musicians from the across the globe before finally delivering it the people of its origin. We ended up in Chennai recording and filming the vocals from the Oneness Choir. The track has a feeling of perseverance and joy and features vocalists from four continents." -PlayingForChange.com
It has been a decidedly adventurous move thus far, returning to Tampa to take a job under my past boss at the University of South Florida’s Athletic Department. I have elected to take a role as Curriculum Director for the USF Youth Impact Program, a summer camp headed by a national team which started the program at USC in California just a few years prior (www.youthimpactprogram.org). The camp is devoted to teaching inner-city boys that there are people who care about their success in academic, social, and athletic endeavors. My job is in full-swing already– exciting and intimidating all at once. I’ve been granted plenty of responsibilities in terms of establishing and maintaining camp logistical operations. There is much to be done and very little time. My hopes for the next few weeks include:
1) A successful start to camp, especially through the eyes of our participants (in the end, it’s all about them!)
2) A hope that my bags will unpack themselves
3) The hope that my smile will be delightfully contagious (and caffeinated, for those extra-long days)
The final Fulbright/TUSEF meeting in Bangkok was bitter sweet --it was great to see everyone and share stories, but hard to say goodbye. I'm writing this post from my home in Louisville, not really able to describe how sad it is that my Fulbright grant in Thailand is complete. I already miss Thailand, and I know I will return soon. Thank you for every day of the last seven months!
I wish nothing but continued success to my fellow Fulbright friends and dedicated staff at my school Princess Chulabhorn's College Chiang Rai (PCC) and Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF) . It has been an enriching experience meeting all of you. Chook dii na ka.
Some pictures from traveling in southern Thailand. Kali and I traveled for about three and a half weeks. Our journey began in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where we couchsurfed (http://www.couchsurfing.com/) with a friendly guy and local KL native, Shkib. We then traveled to the islands of Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, and Koh Phangan in southern Thailand. Absolutely beautiful.
(Arriving in Koh Phi Phi, we were sure we had found paradise)
(We went kayaking and snorkeling our first day. The first stop was monkey beach --were monkeys literally line the beach. We brought bananas with us and were able to hand feed some of the elder monkeys. Some of the younger monkeys were quite scary when they growled. If you look closely in the picture you can see one monkey drinking from the water bottle it stole from our kayak!)
(Beautiful Thailand --it was nice being able to include the Thai flag in my photograph.)
(Mickey the monkey. He is such a good poser.)
(A photograph of our guide on our longtail boat journey. It ended up being just Kali, the guide, and myself for our four hour tour around Phi Phi island. We first snorkeled with black-tip sharks --I swam with about 20 or so. Then we did cliff jumping, some more snorkeling at Maya Bay, and watched the sunset over the water as we returned to the island for dinner.)
(We spent our nights at one of the coolest bars I've ever been to. Carpe Diem (seize the day) was the name of the place and everything about it lived up to its name. Below you can see one picture of the incredible fireshows they had. They even had flamming jump-rope, limbo, and other firey activities for the crowd to participate. We made some friends, shared some laughs, and I would go back in a heartbeat.)
(Wow!)
(Go CARDS! This shirt was actually quite popular in parts of Thailand. The front was written in Thai so I never understood the meaning, but the back is understandable. I loved the feeling of pride in seeing the symbol the University of Louisville and the feeling that perhaps I am helping to change the world by teaching abroad, I got everytime I saw this shirt.)
After Koh Phi Phi, we traveled to Koh Samui for a lazy few days of sleeping, walking the beach, and eating great Thai food. We then met Kali's brother and two other friends in Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party.
Here’s the idea: most news coverage is overwhelmingly biased, censored and marketed toward an audience of pocketbooks. During the Fulbright/TUSEF mid-grant meeting in Bangkok, in November of last year, I participated in a discussion about mass media communications with a news anchor from True Visions Radio Thailand of the National Broadcasting Company of Thailand (NBT). “Mass media presentation has an off-track focus, rather a lack of focus and preparation” as stated by the news anchor. The man, who had worked for numerous media and journalism outlets in Bangkok, went through a run-down of the biased opinions, politically censored, and corporately corrupt characteristics of the major news sources in the city. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, especially considering that the city of Bangkok is one of the largest hubs in Southeast Asia.
I finished grading the final exams of my students in Chiang Rai a few weeks ago, and have been traveling throughout southern Thailand and Malaysia since. Upon our return flight to Bangkok from Kuala Lumpur on February 24th, Kali and I took a shuttle bus to Khao San Road. We saw the thousands of red-shirted protesters marching the streets. As the bus dizzily weaved in and out of foot-traffic, we took pictures of the marchers as they smiled and waved. There was no fear, but rather smiles. There was not a feeling of tension in the air, but rather of fueled social activism.
Protests in Bangkok, Thailand Riot police stand guard outside Government House during an anti-government protest in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands of demonstrators who support deposed populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are demanding the dissolution of parliament and fresh elections. February 24, 2009
Then, take a look at the pictures I took with my own camera –granted I did not capture the entire day’s event, nor was I a reporter on the ground, but I still believe my depiction to be slightly more accurate. The L.A. Times took a fear approach, and I choose to take a human approach. I feel that similar “protests” in the United States would be seen as political activism and socially organized movements worth a more neutral depiction –in a foreign land, it is shown as aggressive protesting. In a quote from the same news anchor at True Visions, “If you don’t expose yourself to international contexts and cultures, it will eventually affect the way you tell the story.”
People not joining the movement appear to be just going about their day.
Notice the waving hands...they're waving at us on the bus.
Furthermore, what does this all mean? It means that as people, not as consumers, we owe it to ourselves and our planet to search out the most ethical and unbiased sources of news. They may not be perfect, but here are a few international sources that I recommend:
Life is too short to spend energy, time, and money tearing down the happiness of other human beings. My cousin sent me the following email this morning and I would like to share it with anyone who has the compassion to understand.
Have you heard that Ken Starr -- and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund -- filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and attempting to forcibly divorce 18,000 same-sex couples that were married in California last year?
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, with a decision expected within 90 days. The Courage Campaign has created a video called "Fidelity," with the permission of musician Regina Spektor, that puts a face to those 18,000 couples and all loving, committed couples seeking full equality under the law.Please watch this heartbreaking video now. If you have the same reaction that I did, please help me spread the word by sharing it with your friends and family
The more people who see this video, the more people will understand the pain caused by Prop 8 and Ken Starr's shameful legal proceeding. After you watch the video, please join me and over 200,000 people who have signed a letter to the state Supreme Court, asking them to invalidate Prop 8 and reject Starr's case.
[This post was used as classroom material. In hindsight, perhaps I gave my students a bit too much freedom of speech -wink*. Either way, they seemed to enjoy the hands-on activity of posting their own thoughts to the blog.]
So, I believe it is time to hear from my students. What do Thai highschool students have to say? How do they feel about my presence at their school? About the English language? What's on their mind? I teach grades M1 and M4 (in the U.S. this would be 7th and 10th grades). I teach four sections of M4. Below are some thoughts of my students, enjoy!
M4/1
We are M4/1
I think the time is too short.One year pass so quickly.About our beloved teacher,we love her beautiful eyes, sweet smile and friendly looking. Althought we have known her for a year,
but we think it's the most wonderful time for English class. We won't forget everything we did together. We will keep all happiness and good memories in our hearts. Good luck my beloved teacher.
I'm so happy to meet you. Every English class I'm funny with speaking English. I hope you will be successed in everything you do. [Minnie]
I love Yunho the leader of Korea boyband call DongBangShinKi do you know.I like to play Sung the country’s music instrument from the north of Thailand. I want to tell you “You are very strong beautiful girl”. Don’t forget me. {Mod ^^]
I’m PIM. I love to learn English with you. You has sweet smile, kind, and beautiful. If you have opportunity I hope you will come to PCC_CR again. [PIM]
Before you arrived PCC, I had many guess who is the new foreign English teacher. Is he or she smart? Is he or she kind? When I met you,Kru Paige. You are very beautiful with your blue eyes. The time that we study together is special time. When you come back to your home I hope you miss us in PCC and good things that happen when you stay with us. I ever told you I want to study in USA and not a long time I will go to your country for study math. Are you cheering me? So long!!! And Good Luck!!!---[Micky]
Message from m.4/2: First time that we saw you.....O O She's so beautiful teacher wow .Do you know, you have a beautiful smile.We learn much more about English from you.In English class, we always happy to learn.You make us love English.Finally,we want to tell you.........We Love Kru Paige very much and we will remember you for ever.We hope you will come back.^^
I'm most beautiful in this class ha ha. [Beer]
I'm the most perfect girl and freshy girl in this class.[Fern]
I'm a fart gal in this class.[Parn]
I like you and your friends (Kali).[May]
Because I'm lovely.[Praew]
I love Kru paige.You're lovely and beautiful.[Yukyui]
wow wow Do you know me I'm a little girl who has big black eyes hahaha.I love your smile.[Guitar]
We think English is very fun and important for us.
Kru Paige is very beautiful 555++ (ha ha ha!) ^^" and kind. [Sai, Bell, & Ploy]
We think English is fun, happy, relax, and not serious. We love it very much if we studied with Kru Paige 555++. Kru Paige easy smile funny, kindness and important. Kru Paige is beautiful. WE LOVE U. [Beer, Fern, & Ploy(Pim)]
Kru Paige is pretty girl. Joke. When I seeing kru Paige I'm feel very happy. Finally I love Paige very very much. [Narenrit (Khong)]
The big memory in my heart isn't lost. "Love you Kru Paige" [Bite]
I love English language and Kru Paige very much. [Golf ^_^]
English isn't difficult when I learn it with Kru Paige. You are a great teacher and you have smile everyday. I love you very much ^^. Love Eng. [Big Khong]
"kru paige" DONT FORGET ME AND 4/3
English is fun. Kru Paige change the world. hahaha!
Kru paige is very lovely and friendly for me. I hope, we will meet together. You make me like to study English language. [Nai]
TO...Kru Paige All of our time that we study together, it makes me to know many things, friendship and true care. I wanna tell you. Our memory always on our mind. We always walk together. [JAMZ] 4/3
Thanks for everything that make me to meet you. It's a short time but it is the best time.
The first, I study English it is funny. Teacher of English is very lovely. I like to read and speak English because of teacher, I Love you. Thanks you. [ Nam 4/3]
Teacher, I feel fun & happy, when I'm learn with you...I'm happy very much. I feel nice to meet you...I hope we will meet in future!! [Junior 4/3]
Kru Paige It's cool [Lukouei]
55+ I love u kru paige. You so beautiful!!
I'm happy for everyday when you live in PCC Chiangrai. love you very much.
*From photo: "Please remember us. for now & forever. You're my favourite English teacher. I like you every much. Although you come back to USA, But I think I never forget you. [Miw 4/3 NO.29] Ps. I like red hot chili peppers. (^w^)"
In a few words, this experience has forever changed my life.
ORIENTATION
Orientation in Bangkok, provided by the Thailand-U.S. Educational Foundation (TUSEF), was exceptionally well-organized, beneficial, and a brilliant start to continually enriching experiences in Thailand. The orientation program offered to the ten ETA grantees, including myself, lasted five weeks. In addition, TUSEF provided us with ample accommodation and a more than generous settling-in stipend. Orientation was held at and in partnership with Chulalongkorn University’s College of Education. Personally, I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to study and learn at one of Bangkok’s most prestigious universities.
Our accommodation, Suskit Nives International House, was located a short walk away from the University. It was located on a small street (soi) and close to plenty of street (hawker) food. Indeed, the first vivid memories of my emersion into Thai culture are of sitting on the crowed street near the dormitory trying feebly to order dinner for myself and others.
The language training we received during orientation was, without a doubt, invaluable. After 30 hours of Thai language training I was able to order food, give simple directions, talk about my background and family, and most importantly make good first impressions with Thai people by introducing myself and using basic conversational words. Thai people are easily impressed and incredibly encouraging toward foreigners who modestly attempt to speak their language –I have found that it is not only fun but rewarding to speak Thai with local people. By practicing Thai and often butchering the words (there are five tones for single-syllable vocabulary), I remind myself that learning a language is about one’s willingness to speak, one’s willingness to practice regardless of possible mistakes –this has helped me step into the shoes of the students who are learning my native language.
Orientation offered me an experienced-based approach to teacher training. Training sessions incorporated doing rather than simply listening to lectures; on a daily basis we were asked to practice implementing the teaching techniques being taught. The greatest practice during orientation was the opportunity we were given to teach at a local girl’s school in Bangkok for five days. At the end of the week, we smiled knowing that we would soon be teaching our own students in the provinces, and were incredibly grateful for the chance to have had real classroom experience and personal feedback during orientation.
We also had the opportunity to spend two days and one night at the home of a local Thai family connected with the Rotary Club of Bangkok. My home stay experience was exceptional to say the least, and I was pleased to have been welcomed so graciously into their home.
All things considered, I would be challenged to think of a more well-rounded orientation program. It was incredibly generous of the TUSEF staff to extend such huge amounts of time, support, and energy into our development as scholars new to Thailand.
MOVING TO CHIANG RAI
After five weeks of orientation, we said goodbye to our fellow Fulbrighters and headed to separate schools throughout the country. The transition from Bangkok to our schools in the provinces was well organized by TUSEF. They arranged for each of us to have a member of the TUSEF staff accompany us to make sure we were settled-in, to help us establish a bank account, and to ease the inevitable qualms of moving to a new place alone.
Meeting the faculty at Princess Chulabhorn’s College Chiang Rai was great. I nervously tried to use the Thai I had learned over the past few weeks to explain a bit about myself and my background. I met the other two American teachers who had just arrived at the school the day before. And, I was introduced to the house on campus where I was to live. This house, once strange and barren to me, now feels like home –full of memories and homemade, desperately concocted decorations. My first week at Chulabhorn’s College Chiang Rai (PCC) was distinctly worrisome to be perfectly honest. I was actually ill-prepared as far as my wardrobe was concerned. My dress pants which were suitable for meetings in Bangkok were unacceptable in a school full of skirts. I wanted so badly to make a great impression and I felt nervous that my clothing was potentially offensive. I felt nervous about many small things which I later realized was a waste of stress on my life. With the purchase of a few skirts and the establishment of a routine, things started falling into place and I became less nervous and more interested in getting to know the people around me.
Adjusting to a new environment is always potentially nerve-racking. For my life, I like to keep an optimistic attitude and an open-mind. When I moved to Chiang Rai I also had the advice of P’Tip (the director of TUSEF and personal mentor) in my thoughts. Her advice was this: “give yourself ENOUGH time to adjust.” Sounds like common sense huh? However, consider the emphasis on enough. Consider the possibility that giving yourself time is only sensible if you allow yourself enough time to adjust –however long enough time is for you personally.
Princess Chulabhorn’s College Chiang Rai is a co-ed boarding school with nearly 800 students enrolled in grades M1 to M6 (the U.S. system equivalent of 7th through 12th grade). Working with the students at PCC has been and continues to be incredibly rewarding. The students here are particularly bright and hardworking. Of course I have had my set of struggles thus far teaching English as a foreign language, but the caliber of the students at PCC has allowed me to be more creative in the classroom and with project assignments.
LIVING, LEARNING, AND TEACHING
The people, the food, the students, the faculty, the school, and the mountains brilliantly painted on the Chiang Rai horizon –I can’t help but to smile. I am truly happy to be living in this amazing country. My life in Thailand is easy-going and filled with people who are kind, unboundedly generous, and generally worry-free. I find it hard putting into words how much I appreciate the people around me, the people I have met along the way, and the people I am sure to meet in the coming days and weeks.
Teaching in this country has been challenging and rewarding all the same. I am consistently impressed by my students. Watching the ones that shy away from English begin to come out of their shell as they feel more comfortable speaking in my class gives me a great feeling. Having personal interactions with the ones who are most motivated and inspired by the English language is the message I crave confirming my role here as important and worthwhile.
I have met administrators from Israel, Korea, and Singapore who have worked on projects with the administration at PCC –some of the projects being student exchanges. And, how is it that these projects can exist among such different cultures? The answer: English. To say that the English language is becoming the most important language in the world is not to egotistically boast as a native speaker (I just happened to have grown up speaking this particular language). Rather, it is to be optimistic about a world so smart and so creative that the spread of English can be looked at as a way to create a universal language –to help the human race communicate more effectively. In my humble opinion, most problems of violence that plague this Earth are a result of poor communication. Why not progress toward the idea of creating a universal means of communication?
I am doing my best to help Thai students express themselves more clearly to people from other countries through the English language. I couldn’t tell you how effective I am as a teacher, but I can tell you that I certainly try. It is hard to distinctly measure my “progress,” but I have had my share of successes since beginning my grant here in Thailand. Looking ahead, I will continue to work hard and encourage my students.
Outside of the classroom, I volunteer at New Zealand Educational Services (N.E.S.) language school, where I co-teach an English conversation class for a group of local nurses. Also, I organize an English Game Club three nights a week for students at Princess Chulabhorn; it's primarily my 7th grade students who attend, and we have great fun playing games such as Monopoly, Bingo, Sorry, Uno, and others.
SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE FULBRIGHTERS IN THAILAND
My suggestions are both specific and general by nature. The most important thing to remember is to always have optimism in your life. With optimism comes a more beautiful life. Jump into this experience and don’t hold back. Other suggestions, in no particular order, are perhaps best expressed through bullet points:
* Get to know the TUSEF board members. They are incredible people and provide a support network and makeshift family for you in Thailand.
* Give yourself ENOUGH time to adjust.
* Take advantage of every opportunity.
* Be humble and don’t ask for too much.
* Be happy to learn the Thai language.
* Be creative in the classroom. After all, we are speaking teachers, not grammar teachers. Try not to find yourself rigidly attached to the idea of what teaching ought to be. Allow yourself the freedom to create a more dynamic classroom.
* Organize an English Camp! Here's how.
LASTLY
I would like to express my appreciation for anyone who is living or working in a foreign country. As it seems, I am a cultural ambassador, a term I am still trying to specifically define. As much as it is my role to be a language teacher, I have also been offered this opportunity by U.S. and Thai governments cooperatively to be a cultural ambassador. My role here in Thailand should help create, maintain, and strengthen mutual understanding.
Perhaps mutual understanding among the people of this Earth is the most important thing we can do to promote a more peaceful world. My role as an cultural ambassador can be measured on a daily basis. It is through humility and listening that I live in harmony with ideas or cultural differences that could be “foreign” to me. I am putting forth my best effort to be an agent of positive change, to help others understand my cultural upbringing, and to show understanding for the upbringings of others.
Above, is the homepage for 
(Beautiful Thailand --it was nice being able to include the Thai flag in my photograph.)
(A photograph of our guide on our longtail boat journey. It ended up being just Kali, the guide, and myself for our four hour tour around Phi Phi island. We first snorkeled with black-tip sharks --I swam with about 20 or so. Then we did cliff jumping, some more snorkeling at Maya Bay, and watched the sunset over the water as we returned to the island for dinner.)
People not joining the movement appear to be just going about their day. 
