à bientôt...: 01.30. April 20, 2011

Hmm

hello.

so many things to say.

1. The whole world lost some~~one~~two very special people today. Photographers Tim Hetherington & Chris Hondros were killed by a rocket in a rebel-held cornered area of Western Libya, where intense fighting between the rebels and Qaddafi's forces have been happening.

This is especially tragic because both of these photographers were seasoned conflict photographers - it certainly puts the world today into perspective. For me, the most shocking aspect is that both photographers had spent time in areas arguably more hostile - Afghanistan, Liberia, Darfur, Chad...and in the end, it was a wildly public conflict in one of the most well-known countries in North Africa that killed them both.

I remain even more shocked because literally last week I turned to my supervisor/co-worker and said

"I think it would be a great idea to have Tim Hetherington speak at our conference!"

& passed on his contact details.

Both Hetherington and Hondros had been shortlisted for the prestigious World Press Photo award - Hetherington in 2007 (which he won) for a haunting photograph of a soldier in Afghanistan, and Hondros in 2003 for a stunning shot of a Liberian man in the height of the conflict.

A particularly vivid (and at times gory) video of Hetherington's work, which he compiled, can be found here at the link...he really captures the weariness of trying to adapt back to Western living after so much HUMANITY in the rest of the world.

The video is simply - and adequately - called Diary

http://vimeo.com/18497543

2. On a completely different wave, it is my day of reflection. I graduated highschool six years ago today. I woke up and pondered over whether or not I was sad that I am barely halfway done my undergrad degree. I decided while it's frustrating, I'm not disappointed. I always thought that when people said that life was better in your twenties and thirties, they were lying to me (and themselves). But, actually...so far I'd have to agree. I'm inching closer to the mids, and I'm quite happy with how my 20s have gone. I've stalemated at all the right places and excelled in the proper ways and I can count accomplishments on one hand and goals on the other.

3. I leave in two weeks for Uganda and France. This is going to be an uber-trip. Importantly, Uganda is under a chaotic regime right now. It seems everyone has demonstration fever, and the president of Uganda will not tolerate it. In his defense, after watching his friends all over North Africa and the Middle East get challenged and dropping like flies, I wouldn't want my own nation having any uprisings either. But of course, it's not the country's politics that I go to monitor - I am more excited to hold Pavin's little hands and paint pictures with her and see how much she's learned in the last year. I'm excited to see my god son WALK and TALK. I'm excited to meet the third of the children, David. To see Teddy and Moses and spend time in the country that just fits me so well.

I'm excited to watch people roast coffee beans

dance & laugh

I'm excited to see all the new developments in kwagala's village Kyababeezi.

I'm excited to PHOTOGRAPH the whole experience.

and then, after all that, to go spend my birthday week with my mum in the South-East-West of France.

and photograph some more!

4. Things are picking up just us others are winding down. I only have 5 more days of internship to go! Yikes! Where'd that go?! I'll have to reflect on that before placing my opinion on the subject, but no matter what I've been grateful for the experience. Still never met Dallaire, but did meet and spend time with the field's up-and-comers and hopefully I'll be able to attend the very conference I co-planned (I hope so...?!)

5. My life! Ack! It has been so crazy, and in this time of reflection I have to pause and think about all the things that have brought me to where I am now. Montreal was an adventure - one I only half-believed I could do. And while I certainly can't take all the credit (thanks.mum&nico), it has propelled me into believing that I am slowly regaining capabilities I lost somewhere along the way. I am learning things about my self (mostly that I have more passions than I let myself ever believe) and that I'm lucky that the only impediment in my life is money; that I haven't had to forsake dreaming because of my surroundings. And while money does seem (and is) an impediment, it isn't everything. For instance...I can blog for free!

6. Something I also noticed today was how deceiving appearances can be. This is going to maybe sound ridiculous, but it's something that was on my mind all day. While I have a nice cell phone, my clothes are pretty current and of good quality, I have a good set of headphones, laptop etc. there are some considerable inadequacies.

For example: I walked around with puddles in my boots today.

I ran out of money in my bank account after an unprecedented cell phone bill slammed my chequing account

I added more water to the soup I made so that it would last longer

Nico went dumpster diving last week (and came out with some goodies - including bananas that I used for making banana bread)

etc.

The deception is that, right now, I'm not well-off financially, despite how I can make myself appear.

While I'm all for saving money, I don't want to rely on dumpster diving (and we're very far from that) but it even made me realize the importance of not judging those who do depend on dumpster diving and food drives at the university. In fact, I realized I thought it was a pretty good idea.

7. a humanizing moment today. after walking to the metro, getting on M1 South, transferring at B-UQAM to M2 West, walking up the staircase, escalator, escalator and pushing open the demi-door, I was approached by a very francophonic [new word? think it's going to stick!] Red Cross volunteer. They're there often, with their red vests asking if I have time, if they can ask me one question. I always (and this is truly the only time I ever say it so frankly) answer "I actually run a charity in Uganda so I donate my money there!"

Well anyway, he walks up to me in the ICE RAIN THAT POURED FROM THE SKY BY THE CENTIMETRES today and started his speal. Somewhat awkwardly, I only had six steps until I reached the bus stop and I watched as he approached person after person who ignored him. (The Red Cross is one of the good guys, really).

Finally I walked over and said "Please. Take my umbrella. I work indoors, and if you're here until 5pm, take it and I'll come back after work to get it."

Instead of accepting, he simply stated "I can't take it. Then people wouldn't talk to me!" I smiled and asked if he was sure, and he said yes and then I walked back to get in line for the bus, watching as person after person continued to brush past him.

and he couldn't accept the umbrella because even though it was pouring, rainy, icy and freezing out, he wanted to be approachable for a good cause.

sigh.

Nicoism: him: "do you have any lip stick I can have?"

me: *I stare at him awkwardly*

him: "I mean chap lip."

oh. chap lip. why didn't he say so!?

and

katieism...some photos I took this morning

click for full size