Staff Blog
My Arrival in Swaziland
I arrived in Swaziland last Wednesday afternoon, after a gruelling thirty-six hours in transit that took me through Paris and Johannesburg and finally landed me in Manzini. I love it here. From the moment I left the airport I felt at ease. It feels very different than Kenya or Uganda or Tanzania, in a way that I can only describe as “softer”. I don’t know why that is, but I wonder if, at least in part, it is due to the small size of the country. Manzini is one of the two largest “cities” in the country, with a population of 70,000, and driving down the main street I can hardly believe that this is probably the busiest spot in Swaziland (apparently Manzini is the busier of the two cities, even though I think Mbabane has more people). The whole country only has a population of 1.1 million. It could also be due to the fact that the people of Swaziland are almost all of one tribe (a rarity in Africa that one tri! be is bounded together within a single border) so there aren’t tribal tensions to contend with. I’m sure there are many other contributing factors, but regardless, I feel safe and comfortable here.
New Intercordia Staff Joins Students in Swaziland This Summer
I’ve been asked by Intercordia staff to introduce myself. My name is Lauren Nagler and I’ve just joined the Intercordia team and am incredibly excited to be a
part of this work. Currently, I am a campus rep for St. Thomas University in Fredericton and this summer I’ll be in Swaziland as a mentor to the four Intercordia students that will be there.
Another Playing For Change Video
The Playing For Change Foundation is dedicated to connecting the world through music by providing resources to musicians and their communities around the world. This video features Bob Marley’s, One Love.
Miniature World
Part of Intercordia’s vision is to educate ourselves in order to better understand the roots of injustice and to become ever more aware of the growing gap between the rich and poor in our world. I lifted this youtube link from Jennifer’s blog because it does just that:
Xenophilia: An Interview With Ethan Zuckerman on CBC Radio
According to Ethan Zuckerman, a a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, “Xenophilia is about connecting with people, not with cultural artifacts or other things. Liking Japanese food or Senegalese hiphop doesn’t make you a xenophile - xenophilia is about making connections across language and cultural barriers… Xenophilia is broader than the love for a specific culture or an aspect of that culture - it’s a broader fascination with the complexity and diversity of the world. Xenophilia changes your behavior, especially your behavior in seeking for information, leading you to pay attention not just to the parts of the world that have caught your attention, but to others that you know little about.”
Playing For Change
The Playing For Change Foundation is dedicated to connecting the world through music by providing resources to musicians and their communities around the world. See their latest “Stand By Me” video.
Joe From Swaziland: Part II
Intercordia Canada Executive Director, Joe Vorstermans sends his second blog while visiting SWAPOL (Swaziland for Positive Living)...
Joe Writes From Swaziland
Intercordia Canada’s Executive Director, Joe Vorstermans, is currently in Swaziland visiting with SWAPOL (Swaziland For Positive Living) an NGO supporting rural people living with HIV/AIDS. Read about his arrival in the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa. SWAPOL is funded by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. You can find out more about SWAPOL at http://www.swapol.net.
Joining the Team!
My experience in the Intercordia Canada program has been one that has touched my heart in a variety of ways. Upon initially hearing of the Intercordia program being launched at St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto, I was unsure whether I was ready to embark upon a journey of its kind. Little did I know then, Intercordia would soon become a significant part of my life.
My First Trip to Ghana
In a small rural village called Sega, the local school, founded by the Headmaster, Mister Godwin, provides classes for about 300 children from kindergarten to grade 7. I was asked to teach a grade 5 class while I was there so that I would experience the work that our students from Canada would be participating in.
Palestine 2006
I was visiting with a Palestinian family in a small village called Artas, which is a short distance south of Bethlehem. The father of the family, who drove a taxi for a living, generously took time to inform me of the reality of the situation they were living as we drove back and forth from Artas to Bethlehem or drank cups of strong coffee in his home. He spoke about the anger and frustration among the people of this area against the Israeli military occupation and the building of “The Wall,” which is not only separating the Palestinians from the Israelis but fragmenting the Palestinian land and population. He spoke about the injustice inflicted by the Israeli Government’s policies, how difficult life is, and how hopeless the future appears. He also spoke about the beauty of the Palestinian culture, the wisdom and practice of Islam, and the strength of the Palestinian family. The tone of his voice swayed between desperation and pride, and often his descriptions ended with the statement “This is our life!” spoken with despondency. He sometimes wondered out loud why the western world doesn’t speak out against the occupation.
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