I heart New Zealand

Uh-oh, I thought I was settled, then I applied for a job on the last day while in transit at the airport in Buenos Aires, after two interviews I find out that I got it. A two year contract in Geneva. But its not so easy this time, there's two of us, we're from two different countries and the visa process in Switzerland seems complicated, and we're going there for ME, seems like a big responsibility.

Can't wait to go back though, but the thought of leaving NZ where some creative stuff is happening in my life for the bureacracy of the UN system is a little stifling, right now am working on a music festival which I won't even be here for, and negotiating with Afro Reggae of Favela Rising to come, and I won't even get to meet them! Maybe some AIESECers will want to work with me on getting them to Switzerland?!

Adrift in Argentina

Argentina is not as I thought it would be. I write this from Neuquen. Where? You would be right. It is not on the tourist trail. Northernmost city of Patagonia. In 2 and a half months I have not gotten further North than this city. But I do have a healthy respect for the Argentine health system (though male Argentinian doctors are a different species altogether - is there some course that they take at university in flirting with foreign patients?), and not much time for the Chilean one. I have an ankle the size of two of them altogether and the actual cause of this happened 6 and a half weeks ago in Chile. Recounting the whole adventure that led to my hospital visit can come at another time. In Chile they called it a fractured ankle, in Argentina when they took the cast off after 3 weeks they found it was torn ligaments. So I am recuperating in a friend's house. I thought this would be a great time to augment my Spanish, however my enthusiasm (and confidence) took a blow today when my friend's Aunty said to me - how will you cope in Brazil speaking Portugese when you can't speak Spanish?

Taking action with your dancing shoes

With help from our friends at C4, Oxfam is hosting Oxjam - a nationwide month of music with a message: that together we can bring an end to extreme poverty.

Taking action from the comfort of your couch

More than two million people are living in camps after fleeing three years of fighting in the region and they would be even more vulnerable without any peacekeepers.
Sudan's government and the pro-government Arab militias are accused of war crimes against the region's black African population, although the UN has stopped short of calling it genocide.

Send UN peacekeepers to Africa now.

Fighting for a cause

This is Mr A, he fought for GAM in Aceh, Indonesia. He got shot 4 times, each time digging the bullet out with his 300 year old knife. Two of his colleagues in the group photo are dead. His wife had to move house 30 times to evade the Indonesian military and police and was routinely beaten up in front of their 3 young children. He is of the opinion that the peace agreement will hold, elsewhere we heard rumours that it wouldn't. There are still small factions running around doing their bit to disrupt it.

There is a lot being written about ex GAM, we're funding a project that offers vocational training to ex GAM youth (who've had a disrupted education at best seeing as the war went on for about 30 years), but not much (if anything) being done about their families who suffered while they were fighting in the hills.

Melting in Banda Aceh

The temperature gage on the front of the ute said 42 on Friday, but then it dipped down to 35, then it went back up to 39. Not particularly reliable. I think that kind of averages out to 40, no? Very humid too. Have spent the weekend in the guesthouse watching DVDs, surfing the internet and doing some work. With the wonders of wireless internet I actually managed to sit on one couch for about 6 hours and not have to move except to eat. World Relief (the NGO I am with) is pre-occupied this weekend with some visitors from a church in Boston. Forgive me my ignorance but I had no idea these huge churches with huge financial resources run like NGOs existed, and have 'Missions committees' that decide upon where the money goes. This one is considering a partnership with the WR HQ in Baltimore and will spend under two weeks (UNDER two weeks) travelling from Boston to Cambodia, Aceh, and next stop Beijing. Makes me look like a softy.

Despite being alone all weekend it has been a nice one. Am currently being guarded by two policeman (a story for then I am back in safer climes), and a guard, and am in a 5 bedroom house all alone. One of the policemen came through for a chat before:

Me: 'Hello'
Him: 'I don't speak English'
Me: 'Oh, hmmm'
Him: 'Speak Indonesian?'
Me: 'No'
Me: Miming - would you like a drink
Him: 'No'
Me: 'Oh' smile
Him: Smile

Scintillating.

So far, I like it here. Really interesting to talk to some of the staff about the realities of living in a town with no cinema, no alcohol, no live music, devoutly Islamic and with Shariah law...you get the picture. Weekends are spent at home watching DVDs, hanging out with friends and surfing the internet. Apart from the other people part I think I've had a realistic slice of life here!

Tonight I meet Rob Bellingham at the church here and then head off to stay in the village with Hamba Rebana (a small Indonesian NGO) for four days and learn some more about the project with ex-freedom fighters (GAM). Looking forward to it, and getting to dig a bit deeper into what is really happening here.

For now I might amuse myself by remembering the NGO offices (and landrovers) that we regularly passed on the way to the office this week...

World Vision
UNDP
Malteser
Mentors Initiative
American Red Cross
Saudi Arabian Red Cross/Cresent
Turkish Red Cross/Cresent
OCHA
CRS
Childfund - CFF
Save the Children
Samaritan's Purse...

Its like development paradise.

Black Gold

Watching the movie Black Gold this week while drinking a non-Fair Trade coffee didn't make me ponder so much the price and supply of coffee, but rather the morality of controlling trade in a way detrimental to the African countries on one hand, and then sending them life-saving bags of wheat on the other. Ironic. Are we purposely trying to make developing countries dependent on our aid so that we can dump our leftovers on them?! Aye (big sigh). Nestle, Kraft, Sara Lee and Proctor and Gamble particularly mentioned as the biggest four, and the worst. Nothing new for Nestle (refer to milk powder and tainted water).

On another note, my organisation TEAR Fund NZ is launching an appeal for Lebanese refugees. Mobilising through the Lebanese community here as we did for Iraq.

TEAR Fund launches emergency appeal for Lebanon's refugees

Aid and relief organisation TEAR Fund New Zealand has launched an emergency appeal to assist victims of the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.

Since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah started, as many as 100,000 Lebanese civilians have fled their homes, creating an immense refugee disaster.

Working through the local church and regional partners, TEAR Fund is providing refugees with emergency shelter and essential support.

TEAR Fund has grave concerns about the escalation of violence in the Middle East and is calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the collective punishment of Lebanese civilians.

"The total destruction inflicted on neighborhoods and the terror experienced by ordinary families, particularly children, is obscene and goes far beyond any measured sense of reprisal. We condemn both Hezbollah and Israel," says TEAR Fund Executive Director Stephen Tollestrup.

"Our relief effort will focus on providing comfort, security and essential support for internally displaced Lebanese. With something this catastrophic, the rebuilding could take a decade."

You can give to TEAR Fund’s emergency appeal by calling 0800 800 777 or to make an instant $20 donation call 0900 90 777 or visit their website www.tearfund.org.nz

Coming up...

"Have taken the plunge and resigned from work, am yet to write my official letter but had a coffee with my manager yesterday to break the news.

So Nov 3 I fly to El Salvador for 3 weeks then down to Argentina for a couple of months. Then who knows? (at the moment am thinking 8 months in total). Hopefully a side trip to Brazil in there somewhere;) Will definitely have one trip to Wellington before I go, for about a week in October. Just wanted to write and let you know, I think I have spoken to some people about it but not sure who I tell sometimes – it was mainly motivated by a sudden realization of the big 30 coming up (in two years!! – paranoia maybe), and some friends who’ve recently undertaken to go and live in out of the way places to learn a different language."

Thanks for the inspiration Paulie, Tez, Paris, and by osmosis, Naaz.