So I’m on the flight from Amsterdam to Barcelona – I’ll copy, paste, and post when I have net access. The guy I was originally supposed to be sitting beside was clutching an air sickness bag for the whole five minutes of taxing to the runway and safety instructions. Luckily, the bank of seats opposite was completely free so I charmed the lovely flight attendant into allowing me to sit there. I’m spread out over three seats and loving the comfort.
So I’m trying to capture a week spent in the beautiful city of Amsterdam working on a landmark conference for youth activism. The conference was with the organization I’ve been doing my internship with – in addition to the research with Prof. Rottger – called IGLYO (International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization). The organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and decided that this occasion was a fitting moment for its largest and most diverse conference ever. It’s extremely hard to summarize into a blog post but the significance of the gathering is profound. It is the first time that such a diverse group of LGBT youth activists have been brought together. We had representatives from over forty countries and every continent in attendance. Not only that but a reunion of past organization members the weekend before. It was probably the most significant conference in the organization’s history.
During the week I was putting in about 15 hours a day. The schedule usually went from about 9am – 11pm with a few drinks at the end of the working day being a fitting reward. My tasks as a local volunteer were numerous – we did food prep for lunch, dinner, and coffee drinks; prepared the spaces of the conference centre; led participants to and from their hostel; and any general support to the logistics team.
I also took on two other tasks during the week. I was the daily newsletter profile writer. Every day I’d interview activists from different parts of the world for thepaper the next day. I did interviews with activists from the Netherlands, the UK, Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Uganda, and Lebanon. I liked playing journalist for the week. My deadline was 5pm each day and I was only late once.
My third job of the week, both the reason I first came to the organization and the one that consumed the bulk of my work, was as head researcher/compiler of the 25 years of IGLYO Memories Project. I’ve been digging in the organization archives theses past five months and networking with past members. It was decided this work then be displayed in an online database of memories. The website is set to launch in September. Thus, I spent a lot of time this week scanning, copying, talking with reunion members, and liaising with the technician and web designer. I also had two give two speeches during the week to introduce the project to the IGLYO community. On the first night of the conference, a Sunday evening launch with 200 guests, I gave a five‐minute presentation about the archive process. It was really successful – I was able to speak confidently about our work to the large and important group.
The week had a profound effect on me. I’m attempting to divert my dissertation topic and make the focus the conference and the organization.
With this memories project and the network of past activists I have gained, along with the contacts ofover fifty international LGBT youth, I am confident that a dissertation focusing on IGLYO would be a stronger project than the one I initially outlined. Also, it is an organization that has little to no academic attention and I think that after 25 years its importance should be written about. I see an opportunity here to write about IGLYO that I didn’t see originally.
But more than that, it was humbling to be around such a wonderful, courage, and brave group of young people. We may think we have problems and social injustice in Canada but it is NOTHING like some of the thing these participants have to face athome – there are human rights violations happening all around the world. I met activists from Uganda, Sri Lanka, an Lebanon who communicated how hard it was to live their everyday reality in fear of persecution, imprisonment, and physical harm. The international gathering, and the statements and principles reached by those in attendance will be published and distributed as strategies for LGBT activists worldwide. They will also be sent to organizations that matter and lobbied for in the UN. It was an extremely significant gathering.
In addition, I met some really great people. Just like the MAIPR program, the international networking keeps happening – I have contacts of people in thirty different countries on every continent. Undeniably, the week has tired me out, BUT, I have a fantastic week in Barcelona with Jessica to look forward to. The return tovacation starts in twenty minutes once we touch down in Barcelona…we’ve already started our dissent. Until then…
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: The week in Amsterdam was extremely humbling. In Canada we take our freedoms for granted, while many human rights issues in therest of the world are ignored. Appreciate activism.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Merriment in Sesimbra: Port 3.doc
As stated before, I have little time for writing so I'm sending photos back instead. This group is of shots of our adventures and of some of the wonderful food we ate.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: Remember the little things in life.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sardines in Sesimbra: Port 2.doc
FYI, I am running on hardly any free time here in Amsterdam. The conference, which I'll update in due course, is keeping me busy. I'm working about 14 hours a day and my feet ache, but it's really amazing work. So to make up for the absence, here are some wonderful photos from Portugal. Because I was there for over a week I logged about 400 shots. I'm really happy with some of these. Port 3 photos to come - shots of friends and food, not just the stunning landscape.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I heart Portugal.
Doc's Prescription of the Day: I heart Portugal.Friday, July 17, 2009
Sardines in Sesimbra: Port 1.doc
Oh, to blog, to blog….
I’ve expressed before how hard it is to summarize a visit to a new place but the last week spent in Portugal is really difficult to put into words. So to give you an idea, please picture any film you’ve seen where characters visit a tropical or exotic locale for a wedding or some landmark event where havoc will ensue (I’m thinking here of Mamma Mia, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The Beach). In these films, characters dine on delicious feasts, drink copious amounts of wine, get up to silly hijncks, party with the locals/family, and are changed by the awesomeness of their experience. In addition, the gorgeous locale provides a cinematographer’s dream as all of these events take place behind beautiful beaches, villas, and quaint costal towns. This is as close as I can come, dear reader, in trying to describe my week with Jessica, Terry (her father), Maria (her stepmother), Emily, and the host of wonderful characters that joined the story.
To say that Terry and Maria were hospitable and generous hosts would be beyond an understatement – they rolled out the red carpet for us. Upon arriving at the airport we met our hosts and their wonderful friend Louisa (her and Maria have been besties since childhood). On the ride from the Lisbon airport to the fishing village of Sesimbra (the place where we set our scene) Terry was having Emily and I navigate signs and answers mobile phone calls. I quickly learned that Terry is someone you’re instant friends with – he insisted we eat and drink right the whole weekend, taught us Greek swear words, pointed out local history, and didn’t stop calling me Doctore once he heard about my nickname. Similarly, Maria is a wonderful woman who radiates warmth, is a fantastic cook, and did not hesitate to provide us with anything she deemed we needed for the week. I could go on and on with no amount of hyperbole being sufficient, but it was these two fine people (and now new friends) who made the week so memorable.
Most of the week was spent on the beach so you can picture how that went – sun, sans, the beautiful Portuguese tanning away, and scheduled coffees and beers throughout the day. The water was unexpectedly ice-cold but it didn’t dissuade us from jumping in to cool off from the hot sun. I’m as tanned as I’ve ever been; like I’ve actually turned a shade darker. One special beach day was at a place called Meco (one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve been to) where a flurry of waves provided forty minutes of pure enjoyment for me. In addition to the beach, Jess, Emily, and I walked around Sesimbra on foot, spent the mornings having breakfast on the terrace, and hit the downtown for some evening entertainment. With beers at the steep price of 1E per half pint and a bottle of wine a presumptuous 6E, we obviously saved our pennies and went to bed early. Evening entertainment included a night of karaoke, a bevy of scenario photo shoots, and a beach bar that was giving away free drinks.
One of the highlights of this trip for me was the food. Yes, it’s a bold statement but I think I can say with confidence that I have never eaten so well or so plentifully in my life. Lunches and dinners spent out, or cooked by Terry and Maria, were family style affairs with always more food than necessary. The meals cooked my our hosts were always wonderful. Me being the 24-year-old growing boy, I was usually (read: always) the one who would be asked to eat a large portion so nothing would go to waste. I think by the end of the week the group was curious to see just how much I really could eat. I was in my glory. We had sardines, cuttlefish, ribs, pork chops, black scabbard fish, octopus salad, and wonderful desserts and pastries.
On one of the afternoons Terry and Maria held a party to celebrate Jessica’s return to Sesimbra. There were fourteen guests seated around two tables going back and forth between Portuguese and English. Like the movie scenario, all the elements came together to make for a memorable party: a baby, a dog, great music, sixty sardines, a dozen bottles of wine, and some obligatory dancing. It was great to meet so many of Terry and Maria’s friends. Rui and Louisa especially kept me laughing all week. I can only hope that when we’ve matured our friends will be hosting parties as fun as this one. As Terry predicted, lunch made its way into dinner and everyone stayed to continue the merriment. It was one of the highlights of 2009!
In addition to all the eating, partying, and beaching, Terry and Maria took us to some wonderful spots in the area. We walked through Sesimbra Castle that provided a wonderful view of the estates down below; we drove up through rolling hills on our way to two other beaches nearby; we peered over cliffs where an old monestary sits on the second most Western part in Europe; we waltzed through Cascais a very ritzy spot just outside of Lisbon where celebrities flocked in the 1950s; and we stopped into five star hotels along the coast to check out their facilities and admire the view. I learned that Portugal is extremely clean, relatively cheap, easy to navigate, and filled with warm and friendly people.
The week with the gang was pure paradise. I didn't touch the internet for eight full days and instead was happy to spend the time on the terrace, beach, or stuffing my face with seafood. All this wonderful treatment left me with an incredible appreciation for Portugal, and an itch to travel up and down its coast. I have a funny feeling I'll be back there sometime soon. I also made two new friends in Terry and Maria who I'll see again in Canada or Europe. I hope to be able to invite them to my summer home one day. I try to stray away from picking travel favourites since every country has something to offer, but Portugal just has everything I could ever ask for - it has been the most memorable stop in ten months of traveling.
Port 2 will be photos from Sesimbra!
Doc's Prescription of the Day: When I mention that I gorged on sardines, please do not waste your time imagining the poor excuse for fish that you can buy in a can at the grocery store. Picture eight inch plump little fish that have been tossed in coarse salt and roasted on the BBQ. I put away seven in one sitting at lunch.
I’ve expressed before how hard it is to summarize a visit to a new place but the last week spent in Portugal is really difficult to put into words. So to give you an idea, please picture any film you’ve seen where characters visit a tropical or exotic locale for a wedding or some landmark event where havoc will ensue (I’m thinking here of Mamma Mia, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The Beach). In these films, characters dine on delicious feasts, drink copious amounts of wine, get up to silly hijncks, party with the locals/family, and are changed by the awesomeness of their experience. In addition, the gorgeous locale provides a cinematographer’s dream as all of these events take place behind beautiful beaches, villas, and quaint costal towns. This is as close as I can come, dear reader, in trying to describe my week with Jessica, Terry (her father), Maria (her stepmother), Emily, and the host of wonderful characters that joined the story.
To say that Terry and Maria were hospitable and generous hosts would be beyond an understatement – they rolled out the red carpet for us. Upon arriving at the airport we met our hosts and their wonderful friend Louisa (her and Maria have been besties since childhood). On the ride from the Lisbon airport to the fishing village of Sesimbra (the place where we set our scene) Terry was having Emily and I navigate signs and answers mobile phone calls. I quickly learned that Terry is someone you’re instant friends with – he insisted we eat and drink right the whole weekend, taught us Greek swear words, pointed out local history, and didn’t stop calling me Doctore once he heard about my nickname. Similarly, Maria is a wonderful woman who radiates warmth, is a fantastic cook, and did not hesitate to provide us with anything she deemed we needed for the week. I could go on and on with no amount of hyperbole being sufficient, but it was these two fine people (and now new friends) who made the week so memorable.
Most of the week was spent on the beach so you can picture how that went – sun, sans, the beautiful Portuguese tanning away, and scheduled coffees and beers throughout the day. The water was unexpectedly ice-cold but it didn’t dissuade us from jumping in to cool off from the hot sun. I’m as tanned as I’ve ever been; like I’ve actually turned a shade darker. One special beach day was at a place called Meco (one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve been to) where a flurry of waves provided forty minutes of pure enjoyment for me. In addition to the beach, Jess, Emily, and I walked around Sesimbra on foot, spent the mornings having breakfast on the terrace, and hit the downtown for some evening entertainment. With beers at the steep price of 1E per half pint and a bottle of wine a presumptuous 6E, we obviously saved our pennies and went to bed early. Evening entertainment included a night of karaoke, a bevy of scenario photo shoots, and a beach bar that was giving away free drinks.
One of the highlights of this trip for me was the food. Yes, it’s a bold statement but I think I can say with confidence that I have never eaten so well or so plentifully in my life. Lunches and dinners spent out, or cooked by Terry and Maria, were family style affairs with always more food than necessary. The meals cooked my our hosts were always wonderful. Me being the 24-year-old growing boy, I was usually (read: always) the one who would be asked to eat a large portion so nothing would go to waste. I think by the end of the week the group was curious to see just how much I really could eat. I was in my glory. We had sardines, cuttlefish, ribs, pork chops, black scabbard fish, octopus salad, and wonderful desserts and pastries.
On one of the afternoons Terry and Maria held a party to celebrate Jessica’s return to Sesimbra. There were fourteen guests seated around two tables going back and forth between Portuguese and English. Like the movie scenario, all the elements came together to make for a memorable party: a baby, a dog, great music, sixty sardines, a dozen bottles of wine, and some obligatory dancing. It was great to meet so many of Terry and Maria’s friends. Rui and Louisa especially kept me laughing all week. I can only hope that when we’ve matured our friends will be hosting parties as fun as this one. As Terry predicted, lunch made its way into dinner and everyone stayed to continue the merriment. It was one of the highlights of 2009!
In addition to all the eating, partying, and beaching, Terry and Maria took us to some wonderful spots in the area. We walked through Sesimbra Castle that provided a wonderful view of the estates down below; we drove up through rolling hills on our way to two other beaches nearby; we peered over cliffs where an old monestary sits on the second most Western part in Europe; we waltzed through Cascais a very ritzy spot just outside of Lisbon where celebrities flocked in the 1950s; and we stopped into five star hotels along the coast to check out their facilities and admire the view. I learned that Portugal is extremely clean, relatively cheap, easy to navigate, and filled with warm and friendly people.
The week with the gang was pure paradise. I didn't touch the internet for eight full days and instead was happy to spend the time on the terrace, beach, or stuffing my face with seafood. All this wonderful treatment left me with an incredible appreciation for Portugal, and an itch to travel up and down its coast. I have a funny feeling I'll be back there sometime soon. I also made two new friends in Terry and Maria who I'll see again in Canada or Europe. I hope to be able to invite them to my summer home one day. I try to stray away from picking travel favourites since every country has something to offer, but Portugal just has everything I could ever ask for - it has been the most memorable stop in ten months of traveling.
Port 2 will be photos from Sesimbra!
Doc's Prescription of the Day: When I mention that I gorged on sardines, please do not waste your time imagining the poor excuse for fish that you can buy in a can at the grocery store. Picture eight inch plump little fish that have been tossed in coarse salt and roasted on the BBQ. I put away seven in one sitting at lunch.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Canadays at Home.doc
I would be remiss in not mentioning my ten-day whirlwind of a trip back home to Canada before launching into new and exciting pursuits in Portugal.
For all intensive purposes my stop in Canada felt more like the beginning of more travels than it did a return home. In ten days you can only do so much. It also signaled the end of my fantastic Amsterdam pad, and the lack of a permanent address in Europe until, oh, the first week of August (fingers crossed).
At the same time, I was surprised how quickly I was able to ease back into life with family and friends. Yes, it was a bit of a shock to be able to ask complicated questions in a convenience store without feeling self conscious (but which type of chewing gum do you recommend, sir?), and coffees, parking lots, and cars all seemed beyond the size I was use to seeing, but these trivial joys just became part of the reason why we have that one place to call home.
In Toronto, the visits with friends the first and second weekends were beyond fun. While there were a lot of overdue reunions, we all fell into old patterns quickly. Highlights from my time there include dancing up a storm at Buddies like we always use to do, the opportunity to attend the She Said What photo shoot since I don’t get to see the shows, chance Toronto bump-ins, the Dora awards, a leisurely stroll through Kensington, and one of the most epic BBQs in Toronto history. Honestly, I don’t think we’ll ever have such a great gathering of Queen’s alumni in the near future – maybe at the first wedding.
Back in Thorold, I had an extremely relaxing week with the family. We had wonderful BBQ dinners, nights spent around the TV, paid visits to Aunt Theresa and Uncle Ed as well as Aunt Mary and Uncle Ken, and shared many a memory. It was chicken soup for the soul to see my parents and Todd. Also a highlight was meeting my two nephews Andy and Connor for the first time. It was great to catch up with my half-brother Aaron and his wife Kelly.
It all made for a hectic, but important, ten days. It was also the first destination of my Jetset July: Toronto, London, Lisbon (Sesimbra), Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: Thanks for making my Canadian visit a memorable one. We live in one of the best countries in the world.
For all intensive purposes my stop in Canada felt more like the beginning of more travels than it did a return home. In ten days you can only do so much. It also signaled the end of my fantastic Amsterdam pad, and the lack of a permanent address in Europe until, oh, the first week of August (fingers crossed).
At the same time, I was surprised how quickly I was able to ease back into life with family and friends. Yes, it was a bit of a shock to be able to ask complicated questions in a convenience store without feeling self conscious (but which type of chewing gum do you recommend, sir?), and coffees, parking lots, and cars all seemed beyond the size I was use to seeing, but these trivial joys just became part of the reason why we have that one place to call home.
In Toronto, the visits with friends the first and second weekends were beyond fun. While there were a lot of overdue reunions, we all fell into old patterns quickly. Highlights from my time there include dancing up a storm at Buddies like we always use to do, the opportunity to attend the She Said What photo shoot since I don’t get to see the shows, chance Toronto bump-ins, the Dora awards, a leisurely stroll through Kensington, and one of the most epic BBQs in Toronto history. Honestly, I don’t think we’ll ever have such a great gathering of Queen’s alumni in the near future – maybe at the first wedding.
Back in Thorold, I had an extremely relaxing week with the family. We had wonderful BBQ dinners, nights spent around the TV, paid visits to Aunt Theresa and Uncle Ed as well as Aunt Mary and Uncle Ken, and shared many a memory. It was chicken soup for the soul to see my parents and Todd. Also a highlight was meeting my two nephews Andy and Connor for the first time. It was great to catch up with my half-brother Aaron and his wife Kelly.
It all made for a hectic, but important, ten days. It was also the first destination of my Jetset July: Toronto, London, Lisbon (Sesimbra), Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome.
Doc’s Prescription of the Day: Thanks for making my Canadian visit a memorable one. We live in one of the best countries in the world.
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