From ice skating to rain and back again!

Thought of popping out to let you know what I’ve been up to this winter break and to wish you a Happy New Year. You will also have to expect a weather update on Toronto, since it usually ranks on my headlines for the day

Plenty of ice skating has been done this winter break thanks to a lovely City of Toronto for maintaining and operating a number of ice rinks (indoors and outdoors). If you a own pair of ice skates you earned yourself entry to 50 outdoor rinks where you can skate all you want for FREE!

With a lot planned for the holiday…in lines of being productive and having fun, ice skating was first on the list and specifically at Nathan Philips Square.

Ice skating outdoors is much more liberating than indoor skating. Skating at Nathan Philip Square is a must do, I think, if you’re in Toronto. It is in the heart of the city, located between old and new city halls and it is nicely decorated for the season. Also, can you see how busy it is? I am used to skating indoors with MUCH less of a crowd, one can’t skate with lightening speed in Nathan Philip square, unless one’s got the skill and even if not, I feel it is a social responsibility not to, given the number of children there.

Old City Hall/ New City Hall

Here is skating at Ledbury, a much quieter and personal ice rink in a friendly neighborhood. It was a perfect sunny day for skating!

A visit to the ROM was another exciting one on the list as it is free on Tuesdays for post-secondary students, not making it very possible to take advantage of during the semester. I was anxious to see the rest of the World Cultures exhibit which I didn’t have the time to do the last time I was there in April.

I took a picture by the globe as there is a quote written around it that I like and believe is true, it reads

“Beauty in things exists in the mind that contemplates”

As for the weather, well I don’t about you, but certainly no snow is to be seen by tomorrow as rain is expected with temperatures of 3-9C and we’re having a warm new years eve. So, no snowman or sledding for me at the time being, but seeing this little chap with his beautiful smile and snowman will do it for me. However, the weather did earn me a very exciting ride on my bike yesterday as it warmed up to 4C

Bibo with his lovely snowman…I miss you lots and love you even more!

I hope you’re keeping warm and here’s to wishing you a very Happy New Year, full of of happiness, good health and much success.

York in the World presentation

Last month I got an email from York International, telling me about a new activity they are planning to launch for which they would like volunteers, someone with an international experience, the purpose of the presentations is to remind our students and let them know of the opportunities and options they have as York students through the York International office i.e. exchange programs, International internships, summer study abroad program, Emerging Global Leaders Program, buddy program and Letter of Recognition (International). However, the main element of going in there is for us to inspire the students by telling them about our experience in any of above mentioned and how significant it was. So last Wednesday, was another busy day for me; between classes and an information session I attended, I gave two presentations about York International, and I really enjoyed doing it. However, when I read the email from York International I felt mostly proud of the staff that is behind this idea and taking the initiative. It particularly reminded me of the time I wanted to go on exchange or do an internship and how limited my choices and resources of help from university were. I still remember having Gawish run around campus with me, from the main building to the engineering and back to the main building, because I was trying to get someone to talk to and figure things out. Thankfully, it all worked out well and I ended up going to Iowa and it was quite the experience. Of course, thanks to Professor Isaac, who set up information session and put up posters about going on exchange, out of his own initiative and lucky I was to be able to find him. I was especially shocked and frustrated with the fact the person who was in charge of the exchange programs did not know that the "exchange agreement" we had only worked one way, students from abroad came through but we didn't. That same semester, as I was communicating with professor Pernille,(a professor whom I whole heartedly respect and admire and need to email) about my endeavor in the going on exchange affair, hearing about my ordeal she asked me to print the email and send it to her husband who just then started a new position at the main building, in charge of academic programs. Earlier this year, as I was looking through the AUS website I got a nice surprise to see a link to the exchange programs and agreements that AUS has established and an International Exchange office as well :)

However, the email from York International was a like a déjà vu as upon my return from that summer in Iowa, Professor Pernille and I had a long fun and fulfilling chat about how everything went that summer; the experience, people, classes, culture and incidents. At the end of it she suggested that I set sessions or a talk for students telling them about my experience and the importance going on exchange adds not only to academic education but life skills. It was a great idea; I am passionate about helping others and particularly students, just making them have faith in themselves and be confident in challenging themselves, trusting that they will be up for it. However, unfortunately at the time, there wasn’t a way I could do that.

So, last week 2 years after that conversation I was able to give a presentation with the same objective, right here in Canada but as a York student. Of course it wasn't like a presentation that I would be giving in AUS to a class of 25 students; I gave it in a lecture hall that holds 100 some students and through a microphone. I will not tell you that I didn’t get a tad nervous when I saw the class I was getting into. The professor was extremely nice and friendly and excited about what I had come to tell the students. I think the most interesting part was having students ask questions and seeing the excitement in some of their faces, some came up to me by the door as I was leaving telling me about what their specific cases and what they had in mind, unfortunately I couldn’t answer all their questions as I was not to take up time from their class. I did leave them with York International fliers and bookmarks that had the office’s website, address and information. My second presentation was also to a big class, but of course by the second one I felt better prepared. However, I tell you, it is difficult having that many people looking right at you, I just didn't know where to look :p I wonder if professors get trained for giving lectures to a big audience.

I notice that I ended up giving you what looks like memo here and would better get going. Please share your thoughts and experiences, I like to know what you have in mind and you have been up to!

Tit for Tat?!

What do you guys think??

Since the best part of reading the news for me, is seeing how it is narrated by all sides of the party and if narrated at all. I thought of giving you that option too :p

(Click on the title)
Gulf News
The Toronto Star

It is quite interesting. Three things came to mind when I read about it

-Ye again, citizens abiding by policies that look like a political game

- A heads up for the U.A.E for seeking equal treatment for its citizens.

- Why Canada? I am sure there are other countries that are granted visa waivers by the U.A.E. of which is probably not reciprocated to Emaraties, is it because Canada is looked at as an easy and amenable state to negotiate with, opposed to let's say the U.S.?

-What happened to the so-called free market economy, if it isn't a security aviation issue, why is Canada protecting Air Canada airlines, it is privatized. I guess it goes to tell us how the government is not so "uninvolved" as is perceived here.

What's your say?

A Meme Is Born: 'Dude, You Have No Koran'

(Click on the title above and it will take you to the article)

I am sure that you all know about the "Quran Burning" comments that the Pastor in Florida was making. Well this caught my attention on the NY Times and the edited audio clip is quite funny. I went back to look at it again and thought that some of you might like reading the article and watching the clip.

As frustrating as the Pastor's comments are, they are basically providing a lens onto the ignorance that many Americans have, regardless, I am glad that no Quran burning has happened. However, when they go asking why there are terrorists attacks, maybe this incident could be a reminder?! Not that a response to this with a terrorist attack is justified, in my opinion no terrorist attack is justified and especially not under the name of religion. Religion never advocated for the killing of humanity, and in particular, committing suicide is forbidden, as you are taking your own life, when it is something that is supposed to be left to God. Secondly, is the killing of innocent people, suicide bombers just like taking texts out of context and interpreting it their own way to justify their actions. I am extremely ashamed that terrorists attacks are being purported through religion.

However, I think too many people in the Middle-East, think/expect that given how much the U.S. is involved in the Middle East, that Americans would know what is going on; at least knowing a simple thing such as not every Arab is a Muslim or every Muslim is an Arab. To me, this is still frustrating, and not until you go there, do you realize that they actually do not know THAT. Can you blame them? there isn't an answer, the average American's life is shaped around work, kids and own leisure time, what they do see/read on the news, (probably CNN/Fox news) is biased. That is not to say that all Americans are like that.

And contrary to what I thought, it is not only in the Middle East that Americans aren't viewed with such a positive light. This sentiment is felt everywhere, talking with Latin Americans about 9/11, I was hearing similar reactions to those felt back home. Yes 9/11 is a tragedy, the loss of human life, anywhere in the globe is, but what about the thousand of Palestinians and Iraqis dying everyday. It certainly isn't all over the news, this is something we get used to hearing about day after day. South Americans also feel the same way, with how much interference the U.S. has had and continues to have in their countries. A recent opinion or perspective I have heard was about what was going on in Haiti. That the U.S. has sent Military there to "apparently" provide humanitarian aid, and was not allowing other organizations or supply ships to land in Haiti. For many it was a chance for the U.S. to put another military foot hold in yet another country.

Whether this true or not, I am not sure, and we have to acknowledge the help that they have provided to Haiti. However, these are sentiments and perspectives that many Americans are not aware of.

Some insight...

Being an international studies student my courses usually comprise issues that are interdisciplinary in nature and of course international. The topics we discuss are often very intriguing for me as they are things I usually ponder about in my own little world while trying to make sense of this universe we’re living in. My courses vary and the topics can be mundane, but some of the professors try their best to keep us focused in a 3 hours class, and YouTube videos seem to have picked up. So I thought I’d give you a peak as to what I’ve been busy with reading and writing about. This is from my ILST 2300 course, titled Globalization, culture and global civil society. As much as I enjoy my major for being accessibly addressing today’s world and its problems, sometimes it puzzles me that even though some issues are so blatantly obvious they are still being extensively written and read about yet we’re getting nowhere or maybe still debating as to which theory is the best to adopt when fixing the problem.

So here we have poverty, stemming from global inequality which stems from globalization and that is the title of my course. Not wanting to get into the extensive details that I had to go through in my readings, here is a video with a simple message that is fairly easy to relate to.



As much as we’ve all seen plenty of this, aid to Africa has not been very helpful. Some say it is not being channeled properly, others tell you it is the neoliberal policies that the World Bank imposes and the list goes on. Whether it is one or the other, it is troubling that nothing sufficient enough has been done. As much as I am a fan of globalization it seems a very far away thing to be felt for many people. Of course poverty isn’t only occurring in Africa but in many other countries.

Somewhere along the line in my life, I’ve been told, taught and realized that I should be thankful and feel fortunate for even the simplest things I have that are deemed as given; food, shelter, medicine etc., which as obvious as they seem, have come to be difficult for many to remember and realize in this excessively materialistic and consuming world we live in. I realize one is mostly thankful in their most vulnerable moments, such as after overcoming a mishap, sickness, or loss, and I feel that that doesn’t always has to be the case. As much as I realize that much of one’s life is what one makes of it, being fortunate in some cases just happens to be. There are many important things which we take for granted as being there, yet we are only fortunate enough to have been born where it is only deemed so, and this quote from Lechner seems to put it right.

“…that even in the age of globalization, how well anyone lives depends first and foremost on where she is born: almost any American lives better than almost any Malawian” (2009, p.222).