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Fellows > Blogging for Peace > 2007 > Fellows for Peace...

Fellows for Peace Blogs, Issue 3

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AdvocacyNet
Fellow Update, Volume 5 #3, June 26, 2007
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Fellows for Peace Blogs

Thirty Peace Fellows are volunteering this summer in 18 countries or territories with community-based partners of The Advocacy Project (AP). AP issues a weekly digest of their blogs.

Highlights:

• Walking in a Traveler's Shoes in England
• Crossing Nationality Lines in Jerusalem
• Naiveté Exposed in Guatemala
• The King Gets 'Knocked Down' in Nepal
• Harsh Realities in Sri Lanka Kick in
• Battle of the Bands in Macedonia
• Explaining Advocacy in Peru
• Flouting Regulations in Albania
• Sweating and Cranky' in Palestine 
• Talking War and Snails in Bosnia
• Feasting on Raw Goat in Nepal
• Preaching Beyond the Congregation in Kenya

Excerpts from some of this week's blogs follow:

Walking in a Traveler's Shoes in England

Zach Scott (Georgetown University) is volunteering for Traveler's rights at the Dale Farm Housing Association in Essex, England.
"'You'll have to forgive me. I just assumed you were one of them,' she said, spitting out the last word as if it was a sharp piece of glass cutting the inside of her mouth. 'You can never be too careful with those Pikey children, you know.'"

Crossing Nationality Lines in Jerusalem

Erin Wroblewski is volunteering for transatlantic cooperation in support of global human rights with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) in East Jerusalem.
"He laughed at me. His laugh was not a polite chuckle. He laughed sincerely and spontaneously and I thought he would choke on the soda he was drinking. With raised eyebrows he said, "You don't look Palestinian and Israelis don't come here. They just don't."

Naiveté Exposed in Guatemala

Abby Weil (American University) is volunteering to support victims of the Rio Nero Massacre with ADIVIMA in Guatemala.
"I should know better. I am well-versed in the human rights situation in Guatemala. I spent all of last semester working in an office that reports on the threats, kidnappings and killings of human rights defenders in Guatemala. The policemen that stand outside of our office everyday dressed in full uniform with large black boots and rifles were not just there to enjoy the shade of our beautiful mango trees as I thought."

The King Gets 'Knocked Down' in Nepal
 
Mark Koenig (Tufts University) is volunteering for democracy and human rights with the Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) in Nepalgunj, Nepal.
"One morning I awoke to find the king knocked from his dais and smashed on the ground. Now we have uncovered the symbol I want; the King, the incarnation of Vishnu, lying in pieces on the street. This statue, the King, was knocked down by...let us call them 'the people'...Now it is up to the authorities to decide whether the statue should be left on the ground, quietly removed and hidden from the public eye, or restored to its position lording over Sukhet Road."

Harsh Realities in Sri Lanka Kick in

Madeline England (Columbia University) is volunteering for human rights and as an advocate for torture victims with the Home for Human Rights (HHR) in Sri Lanka.
"Imagine my surprise when a month into my fellowship, I find myself overcome with emotion at random moments, having nightmares, needing a few minutes alone to regain my composure. I thought all of the books I have read would prepare me for what I would see and hear. But the reality is far worse."

Battle of the Bands in Macedonia

Katie Wroblewski (Indiana University School of Law) is volunteering with the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) on their Civil Society Strengthening Project (CSSP) with the Youth Cultural Centre (YCC) in Bitola, Macedonia.
"The Greek concert promoter issues the coup de grâce when he informed the YCC office that our band couldn't perform unless he could locate a suitable Greek band to play after our Macedonian band."

Explaining Advocacy in Peru

Sara Zampierin is volunteering for children's rights with Supporting Kids in Peru (SKIP) in Trujillo, Peru.
"There's not even an equivalent translation in Spanish, and I've gotten used to explaining advocacy in Spanish with many words, at least as how we've defined it. Our vision for this advocacy project with SKIP involves treating quality education as a right for all of these children."

Flouting Regulations in Albania

Jennifer Hollinger (Georgetown University) is volunteering to support trafficking survivors with Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking Across Europe (CHASTE) in Albania.
"One step forward that is glaringly lacking in the TIP [Trafficking in Persons] Report is acknowledging the corruption in the countries on the receiving end of human trafficking. While Albanians clearly don't mind flouting regulations here and there, the same practice goes on in rich countries, though perhaps not as visibly. In countries with high, though of course not infallible, security measures, there is someone on the inside who is receiving bribes and other perks to let these people into the country."

'Sweating and Cranky' in Palestine

Eliza Bates (Columbia University) is volunteering to support and foster a democratic labor movement with the Democracy and Worker's Rights Center in Ramallah, the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
"Now I want you to look out across the horizon and see the delicious cool comfort of the Mediterranean Sea. That's it. From where you stand, sweating and cranky, you can see it off in the distance. Sweet relief almost within reach. But not if you're Palestinian."

Talking War and Snails in Bosnia

Alison Morse (Tufts University) is volunteering for peace and women's rights with Bosfam in Tuzla, Bosnia.
"These moments of uncontrollable laughter are welcome breaks in conversations that frequently circle back to the war. Srebrenica and Potocari are casually added to conversation, drifting in and out of talk about the weather and the destruction caused by snails in the garden."

Feasting on Raw Goat in Nepal

Jeff Yarborough (Columbia University) is volunteering for democracy and human rights with the Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) in Mahendranagar, Nepal.
"Later I was compelled (probably against my better judgment) to feast on raw goat and drink as little raksi (village moonshine) as I could without offending anyone."

Preaching Beyond the Congregation in Kenya

Jonathan Homer (George Washington University Law School) is volunteering for children's rights and issues related to HIV/AIDS with the Undugu Society in Nairobi, Kenya.
"He [the Reverend] recognizes that his influence goes beyond those who attend his or any other congregation. His advice reaches those who have never seen the inside of a church; such is the nature of the religious culture in Kenya."

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