Finally!

Hellooo,

Alrighty sooo....I just spent the last few days sending off a few of my girlies to Bolivia (okay.. and the boys, I won't forget you ;)) where they’ll be messing around for a few weeks (building a laundry room for an orphanage, and getting to know some of the kids there)... and amoungst my ramblings of them being safe and humble and safe and open and SAFE, I was gently and lovingly reminded... "Carolyn, you're going to the freaking Middle East" -

oohh yeah!

SO, now it is JUST beginning to sink in that I have my own upcoming venture to Palestine/Israel (finally! I'm headed to a peace-building conference there, in case you were unawares).  It seems as though I haven't had too much time to anticipate the couple of weeks that are now before me - but I'm just gonna jump into it and can't wait to see what happens.

As some of you may recall, I was registered for a similar conference last summer with Julia and Hannah (the other two thirds of the BWC team).  As disappointed (but sure) as I was at the time to make the call to come home after being in Asia and Greece/Macedonia, looking back I am so glad that this is the route that was laid out for me (as much as I’ll miss J & H :))...

I've spent the last seven months reading journals, articles, books, and stories, and watched documentaries, interviews, and lectures from such a beautiful and shaken area of the world… and so now I am going with a deeper intellectual understanding and emotional foundation from the information that I’ve tried to digest over the past term.  Now it’s time to go and shake all that up as I encounter the real deal with my own eyes, and with my own experiences brought to the table.

Gah! Okay, getting a little more excited..

I'm curious to see how I'll react – how different or the same I will feel standing in front of the Wall and being able to touch it myself, or after hearing so many stories finally meeting refugees and soldiers face to face.  There’s not too much to write here because I have NO freaking clue what to expect, or what might be done in me as I grapple with how wonderful and how awful we humans are while trekking a bit of the Holy Land (there aren't many places that I have wanted to experience since I was supersuper young, but I remember as a small kid seeing the maps and pictures of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Galilee, Jericho, etc... and then hearing my Grandma's stories (from not so long ago ;)) and imagining - longing to go there and one day see the very real streets and landscape myself).

What I didn't anticipate when I was young of course was the most unfortunate modern day reality - the innocence from a lack of knowledge (which I would like to blame on my age at the time, but unfortunately I don't think age is what keeps people out of the know regarding this massive and dire situation).

I’ll be flying out Sunday at 6pm (!) and then I'll kick around Jerusalem for a couple of days, just soaking it all in and prepping myself for the conference which starts midweek next week! ...eek! K, It's slowly starting to settle in..

The conference link is attached below in case you are curious.

Also, I am attaching a new doc for ya’ll to check out!! (Well, after watching Occupation 101 if you haven’t seen that yet):

Check out The Iron Wall... it's quite informative and interesting (and anytime Jeff Halper pops up to explain things, he's the man we (BWC) have been in contact with regarding our ride for ICAHD this summer - check it out!).  Gives good perspective on the conflict a little more in depth than 101 - a great perspective to think about.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to blog or not while I’m there… but hopefully I’ll be able to pop something up mid week in the least!

Conference Itinerary Link HERE, if you're curious and want to know what we're up to/seeing/doing every day.

I don't really know what's ahead (I mean besides the detailed schedule that I've got planned out for me ;))... but that's okay.  I know that I'll be taken care of and that sweet things in are in store... I know it, I trust it, I'm goin' with it.  Who knows what all this is going to teach me in the grand scheme of my life, but I know that I've got a lot to learn about other people, and this is one step I am so incredibly GRATEFUL to be able to take...

Thanks to all who have been able to help me out (including WLU <3) and to those who have met me for coffee or called me to smile and nod as I ramble - or who have supported in words and prayers... don't stop :). We're all in this together and I love you guys!

Whatever you're up to over the next little while, I hope all is well,

Best,

C.

With My Own Eyes...

News and Movies, yay!

Weeell, we are back! I’ve been a little M.I.A. from the blog for a while, but am waking up early from wintery hibernation and am now counting down the days…

In exactly one month from today I will be heading to Bethlehem for a peace-building conference.  We will be diving into learning about Palestinian Liberation Theology as we dig deeper into the complexities of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and our role in its possible resolution.  (…getting excited! :D)

This trip (which is being funded for me by WLU <3) is an essential step for me in preparation for this coming summer as a part of our Because We Can project.  We are now diving full force into the planning process of our upcoming bike tour across Canada to raise awareness about our role as Canadians in such a prevalent issue as this.  My personal experience with this conflict over the last seven months has involved a wave of emotions - from intellectual frustration through trying to understand, absorb, and pass along the vast amount of information, to learning how to emotionally deal with the stories, interviews, images, and realities of those directly involved, etc..  But it has been incredible, and I know will continue to be as I move forward.

This is where I want to encourage you to learn a little (lot ;)).  If you don’t know much about the conflict (something we as Canadians ARE financially and politically supporting directly, in case you were unaware), then don’t be daunted by not knowing where to begin.

I would encourage and ask you to check out “Occupation 101”, a documentary that sums up the conflict and will really help you grasp the basic truths and foundation for Palestinian-Israeli realities. Not only do I encourage you, but also ask that you watch it – especially those of you who are supporting our project, because we need the backing and understanding with that support of those who are sending us off.

We will be updating you soon about the progress we have made thus far, and about our more concrete upcoming plans and ways in which you can be involved, so stay posted for that! The pot is brewing much…

Other than waiting on more exciting BWC news, please keep this journey I am personally going to be making in mind… I always appreciate everyone’s support in what I am doing and learning – but I am not just doing it for my own understanding, but yours as well!  So for the sake of being a member of this global community – which you are whether you like it or not :)… I press again to learn, and a great starting place is through a film such as the one I am passing along (though there are MANY other great resources, just ask if you are interested :) or check out our website (link at the top left hand corner under the blog’s title)).

Crazy year ahead, hope you all see your/our significance in the little things while aiming for big change. I can’t believe I am going to quote High School Musical, but… “We’re all in this together” (I think I’ll look up some more quotes just so I don’t have to quote Disney ever again on my blog! ;))

In Peace,

C

Peace?

Bethlehem is a walled city (more info as to what this means here: http://www.btselem.org/English/Separation_Barrier/).  Depicted here is a nativity scene that raises questions about what this time of year truly means to us.  

Define Peace.  Define Apartheid. 

We find ourselves wrapped up in the rhetoric of "peace" around Christmas time, but are we truly grasping the meaning of the word?  Peace - a fluffy, warm fuzzy word? A Utopian ideal? For the future? Unnatainable?  If we search and find peace around our Christmas trees as we gather with family, friends, and food... do we stop looking there?

I encourage you this Christmas to question "peace" ..what does it truly mean?  If this blog is meant to be my personal experience with learning about a very relevant and horrific reality in our world, I will be honest - I struggle hearing wishes and blessings of Peace in a world so broken, from mouths who claim to be the hands and feet of the one who came to bring peace - but seem to shy away from hard questions and hard truths.

Are we missing the point?

The very city that Christ was born into is broken.  And yet many of us sit by.  Whether it's the brokenness in your own home, city, country or further then that, peace is not yet attained - and what are we each doing to fight for the reign of justice - the hard, difficult work that is required to attain our "fluffy" dreams of "peace" - ?

This word causes me frustration.  It makes me angry, it makes me cry, it makes me smile when I see the possibilities in my community as to what a world could look like if it were as beautiful as some of the active relationships I see here in Waterloo. I swear I'm not just another emotional girl - I think these kinds of responses are pretty legit, if I do say so myself ;).

But peace will not reign until we - out of desire or responsibility - fight for it.

Peace will require a struggle; a hard, beautiful struggle - but it is not for others to fight - it is for you - for us to fight.  If we've got it why should we keep it to ourselves? If we don't have it, why not press for it on a whole and help each other out?

We are the answers to prayers for peace.

This holiday season - no matter what your beliefs - I hope that you experience peace in your own sphere, but also simultaneously desire that for others, understanding that the love that was brought to the world so many years ago is meant to be lived through us - it is our responsibility as humans to one another.

Let peace not be distant but something we do not give up actively hoping and fighting for this year.

<3

BWC Website is Down!

Sorry for any inconvenience but our site is temporarily unavailable!!

We'll let you know when it's alive again :).

Best,

C

I'm a Noob.

(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=newbie)

Come with me…

I’m finding it hard to read what I read and know what I may or may not know, and sit still.

…I’m wrestling with my some stuff right now – you may or may not relate, but that’s cool.

First – I’m an amateur in most/all senses of the word.

Deux – I love academics but cannot just read and think without doing. I get passionate and angry and antsy.

Tres – I’ve already made it clear the financial strain this whole deal puts on me (like seriously), and my struggle with figuring out what self-sacrifice is “worth it” in the long run… moneymoneymoney.

Essentially, obviously I am no academic, journalist, expert – anything.  But as friends, professors, parents, strangers, classmates, etc... have told me…that’s OK.

Say what? :O Craaaaazy. Genius… told ya I was a noob. ;) (sometimes we have to make fun of ourselves a little, eh?)

Everyone has to start somewhere…

Here’s the deal.

I know very little about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict – okay, I know a lot more about it than I did 6 months ago, but seriously, obviously there is still/always so much to know.  But it’s struck a chord.

I'm inviting YOU.

Many of you have expressed similar situations to mine – where you don’t know much about the situation in the Middle East (and there are MANY reasons for why you don’t know, but I’ll get into that later, I’m sure :))…once again…

That’s OK!

Amazing.

So.  All I ask is that if you care enough to occasionally or faithfully follow a newbie – a white Canadian girl’s journey of learning (with two friends and company :)) … learn with me.

… I’ll try to be as unbiased as objective as I can – I promise, but it will still be personal; a perspective – it will be my reactions (hopefully edited to keep this family friendly), my thoughts, mixed in with thoughts and stories of the various people I meet while overseas.

This is my journey to get to know today… to attempt to get to know what’s really going on in our world that we are a part of and connected too.  This is my journey, taking the only thing I have – my own set of knowledge, and being open to learning about not another world, but a different part of our world.

This is our journey…

Join me?

All I ask is that you read, listen, humour, forgive me.  If you feel so inclined I LOVE it when you message, challenge, critique, yell at, laugh with me.

As Because We Can gets fully underway…learn a little with us… no pressure… whether you know a lot, a little, a nadda, everyone has to start somewhere…

Join us for the ride.

I’ll keep ya posted.

C (aka Nublet)

(p.s. e-mail subscription makes this easier for keeping in touch :) (left hand-side of the blog ;))

Speaking WITH and not FOR

(p.s. I use “we” “us” “they” “our” etc. often here – be careful with these terms… learn when to take ownership, and when to be careful and not essentialise).

Words matter.  Yours, theirs – ours. Let’s pay attention to people’s words…

All right, so getting down and personal.

Lately I’ve been going through a bit of a struggle between the overwhelming amount of information soaking into my brain regarding not only Palestine and Israeli circumstances, but also the entirety of the global condition.

Here I am preparing to travel across Canada with my words on behalf of those who can’t… and I’m wrestling a little with it…

I struggle between being in tune with voices of people who are so unlike me in so many ways; feeling both unworthy and unjustified to ‘speak on their behalf’ - what right do I have to speak FOR those I know nothing about.  Can they not speak for themselves?

But then I struggle with the prospect of sitting by and doing nothing – knowing what goes on in the world and not picking something to lend my limited abilities too.  I cannot sit and watch people die (people so unlike me yet so similar in their rightful desire for vibrant life)…but who am I to think that I can affect any sort of change?

What am I really trying to accomplish…Feeling good and patting myself on the back? I hope not.  Changing Canadian policy? Let’s be serious.

What am I really trying to accomplish…

What is the point?

We are all so intricately intertwined to the beauty in fellow humans – the people we share this air with – and also to the horrors that we are committing against them and allowing to persist. 

My program (Global Studies) often leaves us walking away from our classrooms, laughing after we’ve debated Post-colonial theory, societal depictions of the “Arab Terrorists” (please note the sarcasm), conditionality, gender construction, etc., yet often walking away feeling hypocritical as we learn that who are we – white (don’t worry I know we’re not ALL white), ‘privileged,’ western university students to speak on behalf of people we have never met?  We will either go and work for or form an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) but never really make changes at the roots of issues (government and capital); putting band aid patches on dire situations just to see that we’ve done our part.  Do we actually accomplish enough with our tireless efforts? Things never really seem to change, and the voices of people still never get heard and their lives never cared about (trust me, this message does not end on a depressing note).

What right do we have?

We become jaded as people like us have had their eyes opened but refuse to see; so many of us are aware but refuse to change – claiming to believe in loving others yet refusing to step into what that actually might mean.

We become jaded as we have heated debates regarding how to deal with slave labour that we literally wear on our backs (GAP, Walmart, Nike, etc.), or military “aid” to Israel and Iraq that we support (Starbucks, taxes).

We become jaded as we learn that our freaking blessed society actually often does squat… jaded by selfishness.

We become jaded, learning that our fellow ‘privileged’ Canadians have to sign away their right to free speech…

We become jaded as we learn that our own voices do not do justice to those who we speak for – on behalf of those we are ignorant of…who are we to do this? But without our “power,” marginalized people with important things to say remain silenced – yet with our power their voices are changed, twisted, manipulated, through our lens and agenda, and in the end remain unheard.

We become jaded.

We are jaded.

BUT – we cannot be jaded forever.

The majority of the greatest movements in history did not happen through just one individual, but the thousands fighting behind leaders and ideas.  We must believe that if we can seek creative ways of getting to know those who happened to be born in differing situations to our own, that we can work WITH each other to achieve even small steps of improvement, with the hope that each baby-step ("What About Bob?" anyone?) will lead to an unstoppable movement of people.

Know that YOUR VOICE COUNTS, and that your efforts are significant.  You don’t have to drop-out of school, you don’t have to become a hippy and live in the Sahara or Amazon, you don’t even have to give up your cell phone….BUT… you do have to realize the amazing and beautiful responsibility you perhaps have been given (I say perhaps because I do not know the stories of all who are reading this).

You have been given knowledge.  What are you good at/like/have to offer?  Even if you still say "nothing" – I don’t believe you… know your place in this world, know that your story is important, and that so is the story of every other person on earth; whether you’ve met them or not….if you desire a great life, understand that others do too…and let’s help each other out.

Your story matters.  Their story matters.  Us and Them. We.

Let’s start asking questions, listening, and doing life together.  It all adds up.

On that note, I have decided (after much deliberation and discussion with others), that I am making the financial decision to attempt to do what I say in this post… This week I managed to buy a discount ticket to Tel Aviv to attend a conference on Empire and peaceful resistance, as well as to spend a couple of weeks a part from that with Palestinians and Israelis.  I am going to get to know them, hear what they have to say, and ask them personally what I should pass along to you.  If anyone has questions or comments about what I am saying or doing PLEASE comment/e-mail me/facebook myself or our group (link found on this blog)...

I’d love to talk and get to know you :).

Now… go and listen.

"I am"

"I started wondering whether we could actually change the world.  I mean, of course we could - we could change our buying habits, elect socially conscious representatives and that sort of thing, but I honestly don't believe we will be solving the greater human conflict with our efforts.  The problem is not a certain type of legislation of even a certain politician; the problem is the same as it has always been.  I am the problem."

- Donald Miller

Too harsh, or just a hard pill to swallow?

The only actions we can actually change are our own...when we point at something we don't like or agree with, or things we identify as wrong - what are we doing to change it...

Takes a little bit of ownership and a hell of a lot of responsibility, but maybe that's what we all need...

I am the problem.

...Now what?