New Thoughts and Reflections

Day Three

I’m typing on keyboard without a working a key. This may, or may not be easier. We’ll just see.

Today was the first day off since I arrived. Yesterday I woke for the early call to prayer, but didn’t take the opportunity to run, and missed it. The call was beautiful – the air vibrated with the dissonance between all the different mosques. Today though, without obligation, I woke up late and still got in my exercise running the stairs for 40 minutes. I can’t yet tell whether I need lots or little sleep.

Yesterday I could swear I saw an old friend in the café but didn’t go ask and find out for sure. Synchronicity of the universe being what it is, he found me this morning on facebook. It wasn’t him in the café, but still amazing.

Today we had a shopping trip to get some staples for the house. I wanted brown rice and big containers of yogurt, which we won’t find in the neighborhood shops. We were sent off to major shopping center in the mall. So, I had the whole fluorescent light experience. The thing that stood out for me was the mall music – I’d last heard the song they were playing when I was dancing at R-Place.

Addressing Issues of Cultural Transfer

We started talking about cultural transfer on Wednesday. What are good ways to give feedback and constructive criticism? It’s not appropriate to do in a traditionally Western way, being too disrespectful and forward. The solutions that the local trainers proposed seemed insufficient to me – like using ‘compliment sandwich’ or saying ‘this is something we all need to work on, including you, but really it’s all of us.’

The fact that we’re finishing up training for only three local trainers bothers me. All three are young women, which is wonderful in a lot of ways. Two are staff at RI, the sponsoring organization. Hopefully they will have enough energy to get a local program really running and have local ownership. What if they don’t? Well, then they don’t… or it might just take longer than originally expected.

Values of the organizers and trainers about the importance of local leadership are really strong, which I’m still appreciative.

Ways I’m Finding Myself Resistant

Someone said “as you wish” to me and really, I just had no patience for it. Tell me what you think, what you want, I asked because I want to know. I was too tired to try and tease out whether she was being deferential or just didn’t care.

I’ve been staying in the main flat for the first few nights. It’s the furnished home of some foreigners and super posh. They have a kid, so there are nice touches like leggo’s and a spider man basketball hoop in the shower. I’m moving up to the secondary flat, and not finding myself very patient with the situation. I feel spoiled and fickle for thinking about it, for whatever reason I’m less inclined to adapt than I used to be – or more attached to comfort.

Day Four

Slept little, woke early, went adventuring together on our day off. Forgot the camera in the flat as I got out the door. Wrote haiku with lots of swearing in frustration, took pictures with a little point and shoot for a colleague. Sang in front of six people.

More AVP Thoughts

I keep asking myself if I believe in this stuff. Maybe I do. I need to see and hear parts on community impact, not just the individual. I need to see if it works with an anti-oppression approach and analysis. I think it’s possible, but I’ve also felt resistance. I think that it may be necessary for the intentions of AVP with the Iraqi refugee community. I’m still thinking and still and still questioning – exactly as it should be.

Name Game Adjectives

I’m not much of a fan of the pick an adjective name game. Being cynical and shy has something to do with it. I can also, never, especially on the spot, think of an adjective (alliterative or not) that I like or think fits me. Yesterday I was given list that might work – one of the suggestions was strong. Amazing, I use this word to describe myself, it’s used in descriptions, it’s something I aspire to… and I never considered it or thought of it.



Opportunities

Suggested readings on midwifery, and stories on the benefits of olive oil. Suggestions and support on getting AVP back into the women’s prison in Washington. Encouragement on the benefits of having mentors in the AVP process (which reminds me to directly ask for that).

Other Tidbits

Accidentally bargained for something I didn’t even want to buy… which I felt kind of bad about. Got a working phone (those wanting to call me can ask for the number). Realized we have an elliptical in the main flat – further increasing the posh-ness of the house. I may prefer the stairs (on days when I don’t get up early enough for real run), but we’ll see.

Time for exercise and dinner making.