Dear friend,

You are invited to attend the first meeting of Transition Illawarra.

When: 2pm Saturday 23 August 2008
Where: Project Contemporary Art Space, 255 Keira Street, Wollongong

The Transition model offers communities a unique way of responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change. Our community has the capability and will to increase local resilience and drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. By coming together, we can develop and implement solutions.

The purposes of this first meeting will be to (1) explore what a Transition Town means and (2) establish a steering committee.

This will be an open space meeting. This means that participants define the agenda, and may adjust it as the meeting proceeds. Further purposes of the meeting may be determined by participants.

For further information about Transition Towns, please see www.transitiontowns.org

If you have questions please contact Keely Boom by email (keelyboom@gmail.com) or phone (0418884804).

Please help spread the word. The meeting is open to anyone and everyone.

See you there!

P.S. We have a Facebook group (Transition Illawarra). Feel free to join!

CASO PROBLEMA:¿COMO MEJORAR EL FUTURO?
AUTOR: Germán Augusto de la Espriella Luque-
Fecha: 04/07/2008
Guía para realizar la Actividad
Seleccione de su experiencia pedagógica un caso problema, preséntelo y plantee las alternativas de solución, justifique de manera sintética el modelo en el cual se circunscribe.
Incertidumbre: El Problema
Ante los acontecimientos de país, se comenzó a trabajar en diferentes medios sobre el tema de Reconciliación y Perdón. “Se trabajó básicamente el mismo seminario en todo el país, en colegios, empresas y otras instituciones. Y comencé a preparar material para un libro. venía con una trayectoria de trabajo social voluntario, humanitario. Una de las cosas que sucedieron en ese momento es que estaba en un cambio personal, porque después de tanto trabajo social y demás, yo no podía proponer un cambio, así fuera bien intencionado, de personas que estaban en desventaja en la sociedad: los de la calle del cartucho, en orfanatos, en ancianatos… el trabajo era estéril. Queriendo cambiar la situación de personas que en el fondo no querían cambiar. En ese trabajo fui visitando las diferentes cárceles del país. Pero el contacto era vertical: ellos los pobrecitos a los que yo les llevaba regalos. él Papa Noel payaso”1

Es así como se van llenando de preguntas problémicas :
Si los seminarios, exposiciones y demás recursos pedagógicos de Reconciliación y Perdón habían servido en otros ámbitos, servirían también en el medio carcelario?
¿Cómo se modifican las actitudes antisociales en la cárcel?
¿Qué tipo de seres humanos son aquellos que han sido retirados del marco social?
¿Cómo es la relación y la influencia de la Cárcel en la sociedad?
¿Son verdaderamente criminales todos los reclusos o son producto de la sociedad violenta?

Estas y otras preguntas hicieron que finalmente se formulara un problema de investigación social y su pertinente propuesta pedagógica, las cuales concretaran un procedimiento a seguir, con miras a un acercamiento más preciso de la realidad carcelaria, de sus ocupantes y a propuestas pedagógicas que lleven a la solución de problemas sociales que podrían emerger de tal encierro. Así pues, se plantea como pregunta problémica:
PROBLEMA RESUMIDO:

¿Podrá existir para los sindicados en las cárceles, una verdadera transformación personal y social, que los haga reinsertarse a la sociedad de forma funcional y que mostrando sus capacidades de auto perfección, elijan expresarse prodigiosamente para crear una sociedad provechosa para todos?



Alternativas de Solución Planteadas

Entre otras identifico:
1.Buscar un aprendizaje social que permita direccionar soluciones a gran escala dentro del país.
2.Distinguir los pasos que se llevan a cabo dentro del proceso de un individuo que es sindicado, culpado y penalizado, la dirección que toman y su seguimiento.
3.Valorar la labor de los distintos estamentos judiciales, y diseñar una propuesta de acción humanista, que sirva de solución a los problemas sociales.
4.Escuchar las voces de los internos, sus historias, sus sueños, su realidad y la manera como hacen frente a la misma. Es decir, facilitar el encuentro.
5.Con el resultado diseñar un plan Educativo en reconciliación.
6.Personalizar el proceso hacer ajustes.
JUSTIFICACIÓN DEL MODELO
Observando que:
Pese a los esfuerzos realizados en materia de garantía en Derechos Humanos a partir de la reforma Constitucional del 1991, persiste de forma compleja el conflicto en todos los ordenes.
El debate existente respecto a la concepción de delitos atroces y la posible alternatividad jurídica.
Las condiciones de los seres humanos recluidos en las cárceles, son degradantes de los mismos. Los principales problemas incluyen:
- Hacinamiento
- Trato inhumanos y degradantes.
Los reclusos, sindicados y condenados, se encuentran muchas veses
mezclados.
- Las condiciones higiénicas y sanitarias son deficientes.
- Falta de apoyo y de recursos jurídicos para los reclusos.
- Ausencia de facilidades para la educación, el trabajo y la recreación.
La degradante imagen de los sindicados, con la consecuente estigmatización social y personal, que los incapacita para buscar un cambio.
El informe de la Misión Internacional de la ONU sobre Derechos Humanos y situación carcelaria en Colombia titulado, « Centros de Reclusión en Colombia: Un estado de cosas Inconstitucional, y de flagrante violación de los derechos humanos »

Lo anterior muestra un diagnóstico negativo de la política criminal y la concepción penitenciaria y los procesos de cambio de actitudes y adquisición de habilidades sociales, familiares y personales de los internos que permitan al sindicado emprender un nuevo proyecto de vida constructivo y favorable para el y la sociedad.
El camino se encontrará a través de un proceso inminentemente pedagógico, como propongo en el ensayo “JUSTIFICACION SOCIAL DE LA EDUCACIÓN”
“Creo profundamente que la educación es la llamada a interpretar, definir y perfilar el nuevo rumbo a seguir.
Donde los docentes adquieren un cariz místico, donde se requiere seres de valor, carácter y principios capaces ser protagonistas y no espectadores y mucho menos meros seguidores de las pautas que demandaran el derrotero de la sociedad feliz y sobreviviente”
Propongo desde la construcción del pensamiento la implementación de pedagogías alternativas o no tradicionales como el pensamiento lateral de Edwar de Bono y el aprendizaje significativo de Ausbel
El aprendizaje significativo desde la concepción del problema donde hacemos un acercamiento a la realidad del interno valorando su experiencia como punto de partida con el propósito de que se produzca conexión entre los conocimientos previos y las habilidades a desarrollar, pues tenemos la certesa que no existe otro modo de abordar el problema para producir el resultado deseado ya planteado.
“Un aprendizaje es significativo cuando los contenidos: Son relacionados de modo no arbitrario y sustancial (no al pie de la letra) con lo que el alumno ya sabe. Por relación sustancial y no arbitraria se debe entender que las ideas se relacionan con algún aspecto existente específicamente relevante de la estructura cognoscitiva del alumno, como una imagen, un símbolo ya significativo, un concepto o una proposición” (AUSUBEL; 1983 :18).
Edwar de bono nos proporciona herramientas de conexión diferente a los que provienen del pensamiento critico que su falla es en la presunción de que las percepciones y los valores son comunes, universales, permanentes o incluso generalmente aceptados".” ya que los problemas enunciados no se resuelven identificando y quitando la causa. Hay necesidad de diseñar un camino hacia delante aun cuando la causa permanezca en su sitio. "
De Bono aboga por las posibilidades desconocidas de futuro frente a las certezas inoperantes del pasado creando una conecion de rompimiento con el pasado pero aprovechandolo como punto de partida, por la exploración abierta e intuitiva frente a la rigidez de la clasificación; por el diseño de "caminos hacia delante" (de lo que puede ser) frente al análisis de lo que es; por las líneas y oportunidades de movimiento y acción (pensamiento para el diseño de la acción) y para crear oportunidades de cambio
No hay encasillamiento ni crítica, no hay choque ni disputa, ni juicio inicial preconcebido de verdadero o falso. Hay una exploración amplia, profunda y eficaz del tema o situación, en razón de o que la gente piensa y desea conseguir. Se centra más en las posibilidades de futuro, en las líneas de acción para mejorar la situación

Over the past week, Sydney turned to a ghost-town. APEC rolled into town, along with 21 world leaders, including George W. Bush, and rolled out again as quickly as it came. 3 metre high security fences were erected around the city, 3500 police were deployed to the areas that the APEC summit was being held, and helicopters and fighter jets fly across the Sydney sky, albeit very low across the sky.
So all-in-all, the summit has been hailed as a success. At least, it was a safe success. No major incidents, and “only” 88 arrests, most during the protests that happened on the Saturday of the summit, and the overwhelming majority for minor offences, with some specifically created the APEC summit.
But even if you personally think that the security for the APEC summit was a little heavy-handed and over the top, there is another issue to address. What was actually talked about in the summit, and what was achieved?
Saying what was achieved is a hard task. If talking in a diplomatic sense, a hell of a lot. America and China were at the same table addressing Climate Change, attention turned to the Doha round of WTO negotiations, and a “Sydney declaration” was issued on Climate Change. But...
In the declaration that Australian PM John Howard released, we see the word “aspirational” more times than the average university academic would use the word in a lifetime of publications. Goals were set, yes, but they are “aspirational.” Targets were agreed upon, but are “aspirational” instead of binding. Essentially, the Sydney Declaration is a declaration stating that the 21 APEC nations will aspire to, sometime in the future, to set aspirational, non-binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, among other things, with the penalty for non-compliance being... what?
I do not wish to dive into the deep and often unforgiving world of global warming politics. However, when 21 world leaders gather and can only agree on aspiration goals, aspirational targets, with no fixed numbers on these targets themselves, I believe it shows the attitude that John Howard, and many other world leaders, are taking towards important global issues.
John Howard hasn’t used the world aspirational just with the issue of climate change, either. He has referred to the Millennium Development Goals, themselves taking in environmental sustainability and responsibility, as aspirational goals as well. Under his logic, and so many other world leaders, he sees them as goals that, in an ideal world, would be great to aim for, but we don’t live in an ideal world, do we?
That logic doesn’t work. The MDG’s are 8 goals, with 18 targets, and 44 indicators as to the progress of those targets. They are measurable, and they are real. They are economically viable, so there’s no need to worry about hugely adverse effects on the economy, as John Howard, and others, so desperately tries to argue about setting binding targets in the case of climate change. They are just not aspirational.
Sure, we may argue over the wording of the Millennium Declaration, in which it states that the governments of the world will “spare no effort” in achieving the MDGs, but the fact is that the MDGs go beyond being “aspirational.” Idealistic? Maybe. Huge? Yes. Achievable? Very much so.
Today’s world leaders need to look beyond national borders in their thinking. They need to address the pressing issues of our time, such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and unfair trade barriers. Going beyond vague declarations that amount to ink on a page, and a few good thoughts, but nothing binding, is desperately needed. As time goes by, it is the world’s poor that will be affected the worst, yet they have contributed the least to the problems that we see today. Climate change will affect the world’s poor the most, yet they contribute the least to its effects. Unfair trade barriers are imposed by developed western nations, leaving the world’s poor with poor access to the world’s markets and the advantages of globalisation. HIV/AIDS antiretroviral drugs are available in developed countries at any pharmacy, yet in developing nations, people die due to expensive drugs, or no access to life-saving drugs at all. Poverty kills millions, yet developing countries continually refuse to raise Official Development Assistance levels to just 0.7% of GNI.
The UN Millennium Summit in 2000, and again in the Monterrey Consensus in 2002, and yet again at the Millennium +5 Summit in 2005, world leaders showed that they can agree to enact change n the world, and move beyond the vagueness of many world summits and agreements. In 2005, civil society showed that the world does care about these issues, with a passion that goes deeper, at least in many people, than a passing fad, contrary to what many choose to believe.
Meaningful action seems to be hard to come by these days, but this something that is needed more than ever. The public want action, civil society continues to put pressure on governments to act, yet it seems that the political will is still not there. What will it take to get our leaders to act?

Just thought I'd post this as it looks promising, and it's on the Millennium Campaign's website.
(Source: http://www.millenniumcampaign.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=grKVL2NLE&b=190470&ct=4305075)


Brown and Merkel Announce International Health Partnership

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel today announced an International Health Partnership designed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Partnership will include major donor countries, including Britain and Germany, and key international agencies such as the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to accelerate MDGs 4, 5 and 6: reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

After their meeting in London, the two leaders released a joint statement in which they said: "We see this as a critical step in our call for an international mobilisation of effort to achieve the MDGs that will build year on year until 2015. Our efforts must bring together the private sector, NGOs, faith groups, international agencies and governments in a new partnership to reduce poverty, improve health and provide opportunities for the poor across the world."

The Partnership focuses on healthcare because "of the MDGs, those focusing on health are the least likely to be met." There is a lack of strong health systems with sufficient health workers, clinics and supply of medicines, but global health assistance is also too fragmented. The Partnership will focus on strengthening the global health infrastructure.

"We reaffirm our commitment made at the G8 and the EU to provide the financing needed to meet our health commitments through the established institutions and mechanisms. In this context, the replenishment of the Global Fund will be a key step. We will also explore innovative financing mechanisms to meet these commitments," they said.

Both Brown and Merkel are following through on their G8 promises of last June. In Heiligendamm, Germany, the leaders of the world's 8 richest countries promised more funds for healthcare and better coordination of health aid. Brown talked earlier about a "global alliance" in a speech at the UN Head Quarters last month and urged countries to renew their commitments to the MDGs.

The International Health Partnership will have its official launch on September 5.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor
wanderer with shelter -
when you see him naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn...” (Isaiah 58:6-8)

So ... here we go again and yet ANOTHER attempt by Besty to have a regularly-updated blog. Although i know that this may fall apart in a couple of weeks, its good to think positively while it lasts!

So it's time to start my second semester of uni...

I'm already a week in, but hardly have any of my textbooks or readings ... thats the downer of not having a job after 6 months of almost full-time volunteering ... And I still can't find a job =[ ah well, i'll get there!

And I still don't know if I want to do sociology ... but don't have that much time to decide either. Got until the 3rd, so its okay.

Other than uni, everything is uber awesome! Okay, so maybe i'm not putting the most effort into how i express myself when i say 'uber,' but everything is great! Zeroseven is over, which has lifted a lot of stress off my shoulders, uni is starting again (only bad part about that is exams) and I have an awesome girlfriend who just makes life that much more greater!

So yes, you could say that I'm quite happy!

Except for the prices of textbooks... But that's another story.

Saw Knocked Up today with rusty. I have to say that yea its a funny movie, although, there was one scene that just ruined it for me! and the thought of having kids also went out the window, and I don't know when it's coming back :P But kids are still cute and awesome!! hehe

Then went to Hogs Breathe which was great! I really shouldn't have nacho's ... especially 2 days after having half a pizza, 3 mini magnums, sharing a 1.25L pepsi aanndd some krispy kreme donuts... but tat is definately another story! So a few hours with Rusty was awesome, then i had to catch the rail bus back home, because of trackwork ... damn CrapyRail...

Shall be back soon to postmore exciting (or not so exciting) adventures of Besty (and usually Rusty as well)

Love you babe!

Is it really possible to take the Australian political system seriously anymore?

In an election year, I guess people are expecting various promises and pledges from both the Government and the main Opposition party. And many people would also now be expecting these promises and pledges to be broken once th election is over. But looking at recent events in Australia, I have to say I'm rapidly loosing faith in our political system, especially our two-party system. The Haneef alleged terrorism case, the resurgence of the Tampa incident in 2001, plus seemingly endless election stunts, tat seem to forget that the Australian population just may have a mind and just may be able to think for themselves.

Organisations like GetUp are trying to bring back grassroots democracy, and that is great, and thy are doing an awesome job at it. Now we just need a political system that is actually there to do what its meant to do - to represent the people that elected them.

It's time that our politicians got real and actually did something, other than arguing and stalling and making election promises that they don't intend on following through.

Being away for a week with the most inspirational people that someone can ever meet changes your life. It changes your life in the most positive way, and it is an experience I would not exchange for anything.

From July 1-7, the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ZEROSEVEN Roadtrip occurred in Australia. From Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and teams in Sydney and Perth, 500 Youth Ambassadors campaigned on behalf of MPH, all converging in Sydny for a finale concert and something that has never been done before - the projection of video and photos onto the Sydney Opera House, showing Australia and the world that our generation does care about ending extreme poverty.

So, why ZEROSEVEN? Throughout the trip, we campaigned for one thing: a commitment to 0.7% of GNI to go towards foreign aid (Official Development Assistance)by 2015. We campaigned for our nation's leaders, both Government and the Opposition alike, to commit to this target. We also ran a campaign called Face Up To Poverty, asking Australians to Face up and show the government that they support the 0.7% target for foreign aid.

And what happened? None of us doubt that we made history, but it is only the start of the journey. We held 5 concerts, plus a celebration concert in Sydney. We mobilised over 6,000 young people through these concerts. We had more than 35,000 people Face Up To Poverty throughout the week. We even saw the PM, John Howard, Face Up To Poverty. And on the 6th July, we witnessed a commitment by Kevin Rudd, Federal Leader of the Australian Labor Party, to 0.5% of GNI to Foreign Aid by 2015, if the ALP win the next election. Yes, this isn't he target of 0.5%, but it is a start. It is recognition that our campaigning efforts, and that the Australia public, give the government, of whatever colour, the permission to spend our money on foreign aid.

As for myself, I was part of the NSW team, campaigning around Sydney for the entire week. The week for me can be summed up with sleep deprivation and emotional ups and downs, but I wouldn't give it up for anything.

I personally spent about 4 months helping plan the NSW leg of the Roadtrip, and it was a great experience to see this planning eventuate into tangible action and campaigning. Although i must admit that when the first day of the Roadtrip swung around, I approached it with nervous feelings, not knowing whether the whole week would work or not.

And the first day didn't come with much luck. All 100 Ambassadors, along with crew, were told to expect rejection along the way, and the first day was just that. We were campaigning in the Eastwood area of Sydney, in John Howard's electorate, and it was the hardest day of campaigning. But it did prepare us all for disappointments along the week.

The rest of the week can only be described as awesome. On the second day we campaigned in the city, which included a flash mob of sorts where 100 people dressed as pirates chanting and generally campaigning in Martin Place.

Third day, we went to Bankstown, and this was an awesome day of campaigning in an area that had not been targeted by MPH in the past. All in all, a great day, including a very cheap BBQ for the public, and live jazz music!

Fourth day, we did another day of campaigning in the city, this time focusing on Face Up. Throughout the whole week, there was a Face Up wall outside Customs House, near Circular Quay, where the public could see 10,000 faces from the Face Up campaign. We had teams of ambassadors at this wall at many times throughout the week, and crried out Face Up mainly in the city.

On the fifth day, we headed out to Bondi Beach to do a "people sign" spelling out make poverty history on the beach. While this was smaller than we would have liked it to be, it was a great time, and we did involve a lot of passers-by in the photo. The Daily Telegraph and channel 9 was also at the beach, so we gained some media exposure through the event.

Sixth day, we saw the 'finale' at the opera house, and the MPH Projection onto the side of the opera house, follwoed by a wrap up and chill out/party atmosphere for tall 500 ambassadors plus crew and national team.

Seventh day, we went to the National MDG Summit, which was interesting to hear the various political parties opinions regarding the 0.7% of GNI goal. After this, we went off to Live Earth,as zeroseven campaigners had got cheaper tickets, and that wrapped up the week!

Yes, that was a very short wrap up, but all i can say is that the week was damn amazing. The projection onto the Opera House gave us a sense of completion, as well as a sense that we did achieve something out of the Roadtrip.

Emotionally, it was a week that went from up to down in about as much time as it takes to read this line. Many nights the crew didn't get to sleep till 2am, and got up early every day for the next days activities. Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong, but we dealt with the issues as they came up, but all in all, a great week!

FRor more info on what ZEROSEVEN was, go to www.zeroseven.org

It's only the start of the journey!

I was listening to a Ben Harper song recently and heard some powerful words. “The unfinished work of our heroes must truly be our own.”

My hero is, without a doubt, Mohandas Gandhi. He had a few things that he felt he left unfinished (untouchability and the Muslim/Hindu divide among them). But in his autobiography the unfinished work that he laments most strongly is his failure to liberate our fellow creatures. Unfortunately I don’t have his autobiography here, so will have to share the quote once I get back to Australia.

This is the unfinished work of my hero that is my own.

We search for intelligent life in the rest of the universe. We dream that in this big, big universe “we are not alone.” The discovery of minerals and matter on Mars that shows some faint possibility of life makes headlines. The possibilities of a distant star and a neighbouring planet like our own light years away excites scientists, astronomers and the lay alike. Stories of aliens capture imaginations and bring the creation of science fiction books and movies.

But we are not alone. All around us, we are surrounded by intelligent life forms that breathe, eat, drink, love, show compassion and companionship. They are troubled by fear and will cry out in pain. They bound about with youth, then care for their young, and finally slow down in old age. Every one of us has interacted in some way with these life forms. Most of these creatures we give the name “animals.”

In the aftermath of the tsunami, it was revealed that no elephants died. Indeed, in the Yala national park of Sri Lanka, not a single animal carcass was found. Amazingly, these animals had sensed the coming danger and knew to go to higher ground. Working elephants in Thailand even picked up people and carried them on their backs to safety. This is but a small taste of what our fellow creatures do in our world. What they offer besides their flesh and skins.

The immense intelligence, compassion and complicated relationships these beautiful and spiritual beings demonstrate should captivate us. Imagine that any of these animals were found on a neighbouring planet. We would strive to communicate, to understand, to learn; and we would show respect. We would not see our difficulties in communicating to mean that they are below us. We would realise that these differences are characteristics to be truly celebrated.

I find it incredible that despite this, for most people, the dominant thoughts about our fellow creatures is what dish to make out of them.

Life is life. Pain is pain. Death is death.

I have heard that it is hard to give up “meat”. I have heard that we need to eat “meat”.

For me, well, I’ve never eaten any of our fellow creatures. Their blood is not on my hands. But I have been a witness. I have sat down so many times to a table where the remains of my fellow creatures have been served up. I have talked with people as they crewed on bones and cooked flesh. I have lived in houses where the fridges and freezes seem like crime zones for the remains of slaughtered females and males, and babies, are preserved within.

As someone who was raised in a vegetarian household, I am continually overwhelmed and disturbed by the way the world is. I will always have my separate meal, but I cannot help but feel that I am letting fellow life down when I sit at that table. It is a denial of truth and I am constantly fighting my urge to walk away in protest.

My reasoning for staying is that in showing people my meal, that by answering those predictable questions, I may help bring more people to this way of life. Over the years I have seen this happen. But not enough. Not near enough.

I really don’t know how much more I can take of this horror. I am realising that I must speak up. I will never try to force my opinions on someone. But I refuse to be a bystander to cruelty and suffering. I will bear witness. I will be a force for change.

There will always be people who get some enjoyment from killing others. We can do things to bring them back to the light, with patience and love. But we can not let them influence our group ethics to such a degree any more. The time for violence and greed is over.

For anyone who today eats flesh, I ask you to please stop. Gandhi believed that we can each find the truth through experimenting. Society tells us that there is nothing wrong with taking the lives of cows, sheep, pigs and other creatures. What I ask of you is to consider that perhaps society is wrong. Experiment with a new way of life. You will be welcomed.

Hey hey guys!

If any of you reside or are in Australia between now and July, PPLLEEAASSEE go to this website and participate!

www.optus.com.au/faceup

Face Up To Poverty was launched on June 5th, and is part of the ZEROSEVEN Roadtrip and is an ongoing campaign within Australia.

Please participate in this "face" petition, and help create change within Australia!

More Info:
www.zeroseven.org
www.makepovertyhistory.com.au
www.optus.com.au/faceup

Little Baby “Alia” finally came to the world last Monday April 30th, what a wonderful creature!!!I
Actually didn’t imagine she would be that lovely!!!and though the delivery experience wasn’t that pleasant, it was one of the most physically painful experiences I’ve been exposed to, but I’m so happy to finally have her with me…

China has been pretty overwhelming for me. Shanghai is a huge city with buildings that hold 2,000-3,000 people. The buildings are exactly the same, literally there'd be 20 or 30 buildings that are exactly the same all next to each other. And then down on the ground there's beggars. More beggars than I've ever seen before. Mostly old men, some families, some mums with their little children/child. They all get ignored by the high flyers or should I say high risers. On my first night I went out with a friend of mine. I was simply overwhelmed by the number of beggars. My belief is that you should always give, but as soon as I gave I was surrounded by all the other beggars around and they all wanted more more more. I came across a man in a really horrific way. He would have been 60 years old, he was laying face down on the ground, sobbing and banging
his head on the cement. This was next to the Bund which is a huge tourist attraction. I walked past him with my friend and her family and came up to the Bund (basically just a platform on the harbour) where there was a huge crowd of people taking photos of all the tall buildings and flashy light displays, laughing and smiling, and I just felt sick. I went back to the man and sat with him. I put my hand under his head so he wouldn't be banging it anymore. At some point I started crying with him. I can't remember exactly. He ended up sitting up. Seeing the tears falling down his face made me even worse. Then I became aware that people were stopping around us. I couldn't look at them but started to feel some hope that perhaps they (mostly Chinese people) would help. How mistaken I was. They all started taking photos like this man and I were some sort of tourist attraction. It was
SICKENING. The man then got scared and got up on his frail legs. His legs were bowed out, he didn't have any shoes, his feet were filthy and battered, like all of his body. He had a small black plastic bag that I suppose his whole life is in. He stumbled away, I went with him for a little while, he was still sobbing, and then he said bye and went off, with this look of fright and pain on his face that burns in me. That was my introduction to Shanghai.

The next day was much better as a truly extraordinary thing happened to me, I would call it a miracle. I came into the city by the metro, got out and started walking down Central Tibet Road. I didn't get very far before I came across a musician. The music was utterly captivating, and though it was in Chinese I would tell immediately that he was there with a message. He was a hippie, young man with long hair, a look of determination on his face. He had posters set out on the ground in front of him. Clearly his message was a political one. There was a big crowd around him. I listened to him, took photos of him. As I started taking photos of his posters he was pulled up. It
was the police. The police woman spoke to him and the musician had a friend that rolled up the posters while the musician packed up his guitar and amp. I tried to speak to him but he didn't speak English. So I just gave him the thumbs up and then clapped for him. I expected everyone else to join me in clapping but no one else did. Anyway, the musician said thank you to me a number of times and then left. I felt so inspired by him and the courage he had shown. I don't think this sort of thing happens often in China and so I believe I am truly blessed to have been a witness and minor participant in such an event. I realise that there was some risk for me being there, taking photos,
but really my risk of having my camera taken, being deported etc is nothing compared to what he risked. Showing him support was the least I could do. I was disappointed after though, when I told my friend about it she wasn't the least bit interested in the musician's message or courage, and instead told me off as she considered that I was putting her and her husband at risk since I was staying with her. It is amazing how powerful fear can be.

Xian has been similar but perhaps a bit better. The Terracotta warriors were simply amazing. Completely violence/killing-worship in nature but nonetheless very interesting. There is a huge amount of beggars here. Again I was overwhelmed by them, I gave some money and then was swamped by them. I ended going to a market and buying some green bean cake which comes in little packets and giving out handfuls of those. All of the beggars loved them and I had heaps to spare so I think I'm just going to go around with reserves from now on. The last lady and child I gave them to were asleep on the pavement the first time I passed, and then when I gave them the green bean cake they were both so happy that as I walked away I would glance back and the lady
would wave to me, a big smi le on her face. The beggars are certainly overwhelming, but the reward for showing them kindness is immeasurable. I just wish I was here for longer and could get them into shelters with some sort of long-term solution.

These experiences are helping me develop my understanding of the world. Our world is so wrong. I should mention, the pollution here is horrific - the rivers, the air, everything is simply awful. To the
level that it is ever present and makes people sick - from the rich to the poor. The problem in all this is that for some bizarre reason we value material outcomes in life, the fancy apartments, the gadgets, the fancy clothes, all the status symbols that we can get our hands on. We value
being number 1, the competitive spirit infects all of us. This form of living means that a person can exploit another, feel as though they are not responsible for another's misery, and then amazingly walk past someone who is suffering and is truly desperate and not even glance at them. They do not feel the need to show compassion as they have all their status symbols and a beggar can offer them no more material benefits or help them climb the social ladder. This is all terribly wrong. To my mind and heart, a society that creates and reinforces this world (and let's face it, Australia is pretty much exactly the same) is a society that has failed. What does any of that flashy crap
mean if even one person's suffering is ignored, or if the land is polluted and exploited so badly that the only fitting term is "rape". I'm sick of it all. I simply can't believe that people buy in for this crap.

On my bright note, I do feel hope when I think of that musician. I had another friend translate some of the posters and he couldn't get it all but it said something like "People are suffering" and "This has gone on too long." I am so inspired by this musician's courage, his commitment to truth and kindness, his determination. As long as there are people like him there is hope. At the spiritual level, I know that I was meant to see this man. Neither of my friends have ever seen anything like this
despite living in Shanghai for some time. I didn't go out looking for political protesters, I was just strolling along being a tourist. I believe my spirit guided me there and guided my actions. Before seeing him I was having that awful feeling again that I am such a freak that I question whether I belong here at all. But I know that I belonged in that moment, my applause was the perfect match for his music, just as I belonged with that old beggar. Even when we're in the smallest minority, even just of one, we still belong.

So this has been China. I go to Beijing today and then leave on Wednesday on the trans-siberian. This is a long blog so if you've got this far BRAVO!! Peace, Keely

Not because i'm biased or anything, but ...

Just been told of a great site for all those in Australia (and anyone else that wants to help!) to search the net AND fight agains poverty at the same time.

It's called Ripple, and the basis of the site is that, if you search with ripple (its Google powered), an advertiser gets to show an add, and will pay ripple an amount of money, which it will then forward on to one of four organisations. Have a look at the site for more details, www.ripple.org, but i think its a great idea!




Will get back to regular updates soon!

Make History with the who's who of Aussie music on the Make Poverty History ZEROSEVEN Roadtrip. Go to www.zeroseven.org to apply if your between 16-26 and living in Australia!

"Be realistic," you say to me,
But to be realistic, is to believe.
Recognise the problems in our world,
But know that we can alter all this and more.
Recognise your own failings and sin,
But never doubt the power and strength within.
This Truth comes from the depths of my soul,
If you understand, you won't say I'm a fool.
Naivety isn't in our great dream,
But when our fear hides what we harbour within.
The world you dream of is within your grasp,
It is just your doubt that stands in its path.
So join me now and shake all that free,
Let's be realistic, rid of naivety.