Why Barack Obama got a Peace Nobel Prize?

Thanks to Nobel Committee in the next few days the world will talk about Barack Obama and why he won the Peace Nobel Prize. The official explanation was: “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.”

In the rest of the official announcement we can find same other arguments for Obama like:
- Obama's vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons
- Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics
- Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position
- Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving international conflicts
- The vision of a world free from nuclear arms

So the question that world is asking today is – ok all of this is nice, but is it enough to get the prize? Until I will get to my opinion in this field, I want to open the new topic – how does it happen that Obama got a nomination. There is a very limited group of people who can submit the nomination to Oslo. Only presidents of the countries, parliaments and I guess prime ministers and do it. It mean that only the country authorities can propose someone for nomination. I am so curious which country nominated Barack Obama? For sure it was not United States of America…

Barack Obama is a very good diplomat, and actually even during the elections there was a big hope that he will positively influence the climate of the international community. Right now I have no idea what is he doing with domestic policy, but I appreciate his foreign policy a lot. For me the most important action of Barack Obama was to cancel building elements of the missile defence system in Poland. It shows that he prefers the way of dialogue not armament. As well this action is a very important step in the relation with Russia and Iran, having in mind that those countries were extremely against it.

As well Obama is trying to be a part of the Middle East peace process. He express it during his first days of the presidency, when the first person he officially called was the prime minister of Palestine. Then we have his visits in the Middle East with the famous speech in Cairo. Actually it was not famous in Europe, not at all, but I spent the whole summer in Egypt and I was talking to many strangers of the street, and same friends, different people in general. The topic of Obama’s speech in Cairo was coming back very often, and always with a big hopes.

Let’s be honest. Right now Obama is the most influential person in the only world superpower, what mean in the whole world. And we all know that actions of the US president are important. Looking backward of the last 8 years of the Bush presidency we can see the difference between them, how much the world depends on their actions, words and even small gestures! Obama is taking his chances, is making a small steps in the direction to peace. Yes he is doing nothing special, noting that isn’t part of his everyday “job description”, but he is doing it in a right way – the way of dialogue. So maybe Obama doesn’t deserve this prize, but the world does.

For me this Nobel Prize has to meanings – first it is antiBush prize, that shows the world that we didn’t like the politics of Bush and his administration, and that is example for the world leaders what not to do. Secondly, it is prize for the world and the future. It is almost like with Al Gore and climate change, the prize was awarded to show the world the direction, to appreciate the small things that make a real change, to underline same good practices in the international community that are implemented right now. This is not a prize for Barack Obama, it is a prize for dialogue and mutual understanding as a tool for achieving peace.

Koszmarowa chellange

Same people may think that studying is difficult, that you have to spend hours in the library, read a lot of book, memorize tons of theory, prepare special project, write thesis etc. My university is a special case. We have one additional challenge and when you complete it everything else seems to be a pace of cake.

I tried to complete this mission today, it was hard but I survived. I woke up few minutes after 6 a.m. it was totally dark outside. I just collect my stuff and run out not to miss my bus. There are only 2 per hour and sometimes are coming to early, sometimes very late, sometimes not at all. But recently I am lucky, it takes me only 30 minutes to get to the city center and from time to time I have even place to sit down.

It’s getting complicated later, when I have to change the bus. At first short walk to the next bus stop and then waiting. There is only one bus going directly to Koszmarowa, and students from five different institutes who wants to get in. You never know when and if it will come…

When you see the bus coming into your direction it means it’s time to get ready. It’s always good to take same cloths off, hide everything in your bag, grab it into your hand, find a good spot and wait. The bus is always full. You cannot be sure that you will get in. It is important to be fast, push people as much as possible, and if you manage to put one fit in the bus, but you are out and doors cannot close because of you, don’t give up, you can always push people more.

It is so good feeling to look outside, see this bunch of people angry that they didn’t get in and knowing that you have a chance to be on time. In this moment nothing bothers you, even the different smells of sweat, and that people are touching you everywhere and pushing, twisting and so one. It is sometimes painful when the bus makes the turn and all the people are falling on each other.
Usually it is consider as a luck be close to doors, because on each stop you have a chance to get same fresh air or feel the cold breeze from outside. But being close to the door means as well that you might be kick out from the bus (for example if someone wants to get out) and never come back again.

Koszmarowa is a last stop. Usually the bas never comes on time because of the traffic and long breaks on each stop. And even after this sacrifice, extremely tired, smelly and in pain you may not get into the class because you came few minutes to late.

btw. KOSZMARowa literally means nightmare :)

What really happened in Agamy?

Agamy was my neighborhood. It is a place in Egypt, part of the city Alexandria in Egypt, but most of the people count it as something separate, because to get there you have to spend around 45 minutes in the bus, or take a car and use highway. A lot of locals called Agamy the Egyptian Ibiza, because of the specific atmosphere of this place.

Agamy is it not like part of the city. It is typical holiday place, where rich people from Alex and Cairo have their summer houses. It is famous of the beaches as well, although I didn’t enjoy it that much, and clubs. If anyone who is reading this actually was in the European summer spot believe me it is not the same, but for the Egyptian conditions – yes they have places to go out, to buy beer and a lot of people hanging out late at night.

I used to live in the most adventurous/cosmopolitan/fancy place in Agamy – Bianky (Bitash). What surprised me there is that I really couldn’t feel there like in Egypt. I am not sure if I have ever seen veiled women over there (besides cashiers working in Fathalla and nannies of the rich kids), but for sure I have seen a lot of people walking in the swimming suits back homes, kids (for me maximum 14) who where pouring out pepsi on the sand, just to hide still cold Heineken in the same can and drink it next to their parents. I smelled a lot of drugs, especially Thursday and Friday nights walking next to Fathalla (supermarket), I could find there around 50 totally high teenagers. And of course even around 2-3 am I could find kids that I was working with left alone, racing in their beach buggies and who were around 12 years old.
Yes Agamy it was the place in Egypt famous of sex, drugs and alcohol, and not thanks to foreign tourists

In the same time me and three other girls from Europe (The Netherlands and Greece) were living in the nice apartment on the street number one. We had out good and bad moments, we were going to parties, or just hanging out, we were going to swim and of course to work (from time to time), we were dancing in out apartment, cooking and having the morning coffee (at least two of us), we were making new friends, we had own dramas, we were simply trying to have fun and enjoy our summer together.
So after this introduction you might be curious what really happened? What is this post for?

Well, we were there officially on the Aiesec internship (maybe later about it). During our first days we were just told how dangerous is everything, same people (younger then us) tried to make same restrictions, don’t let us go out alone, don’t let us invite people over – especially boys, they were freaking out when they got to know that we took the bus to Alex downtown. But they told us only what we cannot do, they didn’t offer (suggest) anything besides drinking with them. So we had out own, very normal, nice life.

Just before I left one of those people came to a friend of mine who was sometimes part of our life Agamy life, and he announced: “I know what happened this summer in Agamy”. Then I was trying to think what he might be referring to, and I realized I really had interesting summer.

I will discover more details from our Agamy life soon…

Good to be back

I went out earlier. Someone offered me a ride but I didn't take it. I was going to meet same friends in on of the bars in the city center, but before that I really wanted to enjoy my city, again.

It has been 3 months since the last time I was anonymous, person in the crowd, that no one is looking at (or I would rather say staring at me), that can walk fast or slow, depends on the mood, stop next to each bookstore, have a big smile on the face. And all of this without even suspicious that someone is following, looking or other strange things. And I bought earrings and necklace on the street. Then my mood was even better.

This time I was observing people. Well I am doing it often, but this time I could observe different people. This day I found the first difference between Wroclaw and Alexandria. I realized that here we have more diversity on the street. During the short walk I have seen girl in the amazing dress (red one with flowers) on the bike, few people in suits running somewhere, two very low class guys wearing dresses (fake adidas), people with dreadlocks, blond, brunets, black hair people, people with earrings all over the body, the very old couple holding hands, and a big bunch of typical Poles (especially guys) who simply looks ugly.

And the best was, that during the whole walk through the city center no one talked to me. Even when I was buying my earrings the whole conversation was:
me: how much?
answer: 10 PLN
me: fine (I paid); goodbye

and it was all:)

Once more on my way

So there are only three more days to go. Till Wednesday I have to make my loundry, pack my suitcase, buy a lot of stuff (I still need a bra, shoes as always, cosmetics, medicines), meet with few people, because ones are leaving and new are coming back. The list is much longer, I bet I will be preparing myself to go in the last seconds before leaving.

1. My next destination - Alexandria, Egypt

This is really an amazing city on the Mediterranean Sea two hours by train from Cairo. I was already in different places in Egypt, but I have to say that Alex is the only place I can live, I mean I can feel comfortable and not feel like a tourist. This is the only place were I can feel comfortable while walking down the street and even people are not attacking me and forcing to buy something.

I simply love to set in the local place, smoke shisha and chat with people around me. I still remember when I was alone in one of those places. And there was manager coming to me, offering me free drinks to taste (same special kind of sweet tea), then someone wanted to play taula, so I took a challange. Unfortunately I was not able to make any move by myself, because there was 10 people advising me what to do.

2. My work over there

So I am not going there for 3 months to lay on the beach and drink beer. Those who knows me a bit will know that I will be bored after two days. I am going there to make so called internship (but it won't be really). This time I will work with kids. With three more girls I will be organizing birthday parties for kids (mostly between 4 and 12 years old). As far as I know I should have fun with them, take care, suggest plays, play with them.
Te best in this work is that I will be all the time outside. The organization has a special center for kids. It is placed in the gardens next to the beach. They do have a lot of fun stuff for kids. It really looks it might be a lot of fun. Although I have never worked with this target group.

3. Living in Alex

I just realized that I am startin each new thought from "so", and I have to change it;) "So" I will be working and living in el Agamy, that is in the south from Alex, the summer place there rich egyptians have their summer houses, there are beaches and bars. I talked with few people and same of them told me it's really nice place, and same of them said it's awful.
I will share flat with 3 other girls - two from the Netherladns and one from Greece. I just have seen them on facebook, and talk with them a bit, but it looks fun, and I guess it might be really cool. I simply love having roomates. I was missing it since last December.
Right now I have to think what to take to decorate my place to feel good over there. My idea was to make home-warming party and ask all my friends to bring one photo with them, which can be after move to my other "homes". I think I will start this in Alex, developing and collecting cool photos on my walls. This might be something stable in my life:D

European elections - chances for a great turnout?

I shouldn't write this post today, because it is already the voting day in most of the European countries. And it is a common rule that the day before elections nad during the election day it is not allowed to promote any of the candidates. I would like to concentrate on the turnout and the general engagement in the elections then on concrete people, but unfortunately I will have to write down few names.

First, European Elections are always counted as this second category ones. In my textbooks I have found information that only people who had their political careene behind them, and those who don't have enough experience to get to the national parliament are the candidates to EU parliament. It has changed in Poland. I would suggest that the only, or the main reason why the most famous politicians want to get into the EU Parliament is only financial - MEP's are getting much higher salaries and much more money for their offices then the politicians in the country. Therefore today we will see many famous names whila casing a vote.

But I would like to focus rather on the expected turnout. During the last elections in 2004 we had almost the lowest turnout (20,42%), just after Slovakia (16.66%). There were of course countries with tunrout over 80% like Malta (82.37%), Luxemburg (90%) or Belgium (90.81%), where the voting is mandatory, and I want to compare Poland to those countries, but the avarage turnout was 45,5% and unfortunately Poland was very far from this result.

This time the turnout in Poland might be high. Under "high" I understand high for the Polish conditions, it means for sure lower then in the national elections, but not that low as last time. In 2007 in the parliamentary elections we have turnout: 53,88%, in 2005 it was only 40,57%, and in 2001 it was 46,29%. Looking on those numers, taking into the account that the elections to EP are still new and not so many people (especially older generation) doesn't understand that, I would say that the high turnout we can have will be over 35%.

What are the reasons, why I think that this time there will be bigger interests then last time:

1. a lot of famous candidates - this campaing started already very dynamic with the question who will candidate. And from the very beginning all the political parties in Poland were presenting very famous people, even those who are right now having important functions in the country. There was already a lot of discussions about Zbigniew Ziobro, who was in the last goverment very controversial Minister of Justice, but on the lists you will find a lot of people from the current parliament and the local goverment structures.

2. There was no campaign to European Parliament, it was the national campaign - unfortunately the public discussion about Europem and EP was almost not existing. But I still have in my mind the TV spots of conservative party, who was refering to the national elections of 2007, and saying that till not the liberal party haven't done nothing for Poland, and therefore we should vote on conservative one. Acctually almost all spots was about the current situation in Poland, what the current goverment haven't done and how this party will fight for Polish rights in european parliament. I have to say it - was really disgust with all this campaign

3. The 20th universary of polish freedom - on 4th of June we had 20th universary of the first free elections in the whole Central adn Eastern Europe which tool place in Poland. That time in 1989 the society could organize themselves, go to vote, and thanks to them 99% of seats in Senat and 100% of seats (those which were the subject of the elections) went to the opposition. It was only possible becouse of the huge turnout and peoples involvement. And this year during this universary it was the popular slogan, that we got already rights, and right now we have to use those rights. And how the future will look like depends on us, therefore we should go and vote. Maybe when I am writing this, it sounds obvious and silly, but what I have seen that day was really impressive and this message got to a lot of people

4. People's engagement - I doon't know what is the general involvement in the elections. I suppose it is a bit higher then last time, and people knows already a bit more, what MEPs do, and how does it works. I don't see a lot on streets, but two days ago I was really nicely surprised. There was an old lady in the bus with the small leaflets with the candidate's name and list. And she was giving out them to the people in the bus and talking to her. When we got out I had to say few words, simply get to know for whom is she aggitating. Well obviously she was for the conservative party, and it was hard to talk to her, when we get into the topic of values (because it is all about what is more important for you - I was talking about human rights and development aid and she was talking about subsidies for children and families). What I was amazed about, is that she was doing it. I told her that maybe I have different candidate, but appreciate her work, becuase it is what civic society is all about.

Maybe this story with this lady will be described later on, the contend of our conversation etc.

Right now is time to go and vote:)

20 years of freedom

Exackly 20 years ago there were first free elections in Poland, and in the whole Central and Eastern Europe. 20 years ago we made comunism collapsed. Many people in the world associate end of comunism with the fall of the wall. For me it was the 4th of June 1989. This is a date of the first free elections.

How does it happened? I don't want to go very deep into the history, although it is very interesting. Worth mentioning is that the process of liberalization of the system looked totally different from country to country. Taking the example of hungary this process started after 1956, the similar situation was in Czechoslovakia, where after the Prague Spring in 1968 there was no big crisis. In Poland there were very visible changes in the system in the beginning of 80's, for example the trade unions were legal, as well many other things. In 1980 the Solidarność (trade union) was created. But in December 1981 the home war in Poland started, the goverment attempted to destroy the union and the years of repressions began. This is the main difference between comunism in Poland and other countries (I am not talking about Balkans and countries in Asia).

Then in late 80's there was a huge consolidation and union of people. The very strong movement around Solidarity became once more active. This forced the goverment to start talking with Solidarity-led opposition. The talks tool place on the famous round table, and there was the agreement to organize the first free elections.

Those elections wasn't totally free, in the literature they are called semi-free, but it was already the important step, because for the first time in the history comunists let opposition run to the parliament. The election to the lower chamber (Sejm) were not totally free. During the round table, both sides agreed that 65% of Seats in Sejm will be for Communist Party and its satellite parties. Only 35% of remining seats were a subject of election. For all those seats both communists and the opposition could compete, but there was no competition. Polish society decided that all those 35% of seats will be given to Solidarność. Similar things happened in Senate (higher chamber), where we had totally free elections. 99 out of 100 seats won people from Solidarity. Therefore the first non-communistic goverment in the Central and Eastern Europe was created.

I am really praud of this history. I was watching news all the day. First when the president of my city with few people involved in the elections in 1989 announced that they want to establish the day of 4th of June the Day of Freedom.

In the evening there were plenty of concerts from different cities - Gdansk, where of the shipyard everything happened and Warsaw. Listening to those concert I realized that I know what is my culture. I have always had this problem - what to do during international evenings (during different international events). I was having problem to define in what kind of country I live, what is typical. Right now I have a hint. That are all those bands and songs created in the 80's and beginning of 90's. All of them political, all of them went through cenzorship, all of them amazing and so meaningfull. I love this polish rock with the deep meaning of lirics.

In the end of one concert there was Scorpions playing the song "Wind of change". I am not sure how many people is aware that this song was created in 1990, after what have happened in Poland and the other countries. And this change in the title, it is the end of communism, the new era in our lives, the end of repression, end of cold war, and FREEDOM and PEACE.

Here are the few songs, which are very important for me, and are ery connected with this day.

Wind of Change - the Scorpions


Po co ta wolnosc - KULT


W życiu piękne są tylko chwile - DZEM

Only five months left in Poland

It looks like that very soon I will be moving once again. Let's call it advanced plans. This is not 100% sure, but I have a big possibility that this plan will be realizes. So how does it look like:

1. May and June - I have to finish with my studies - 6th, 7th and 8th semester has to be done, and first chapter of my master thesis

2. July, August and September - I will be somewhere in the world doing internship. Till now I can say it will be Brussels or somewhere in the Middle East, but I prefere the second option. If I want to work as a youth worker in the international environment, it will look very good in my CV, if I will live there, learn a bit of arabic and work for the whole summer in NGO

3. October, November, December, January - In this four months I have to be done with studies (the last 9th semester is easy) and I have to finish my master thesis. It is hard but realistic... and

4. February - I am leaving for my EVS to Italy! of course this part is not confirmed yet, but we are going to apply for the 1st of June deadline, so it looks like it should be fine.

I am really happy about my plan. For a long time I was waiting for something to happen. I stopped being afraid what to do with my life. I feel so secure. I feel that no matter what, I will be happy and once again I want to take a risk.

Just I have to remember to finish studies as soon as possible.

How to teach development education?

One of my biggest dilemma is how to teach development education, when I am not able to give any solution. Is really raising awareness enough? Should we make propaganda?

All those questions appeared in my head on one training, when we had guest speaker talking about global problems. It looked a bit like this, that she used all the shocking data, added same pictures and put it all on her 1,5h speach.

The outcome was amazing, all the participants were very happy to see that, were very happy that finally we are talking about concrates, but what next? After this presentation I talked to her a bit. We entered the topic of the economic development, and the role of people and politicians in the development. And this was this kind of person who was critisizing - Millennium Development Goals as not realistic, J. Sachs for everything (including transformation in Eastern Europe and South America).

I started wondering - what are we doing. How we can be honest while teaching development education, if we as activist are only critisizing. And is there the solution?

____________________________
I have writen once paper which reflect about the conflict between to development economists - Sachs and Esterly

Searchers versus Planners, Easterly versus Sachs

Is there a solution to solving global problems? What can we do to combat extreme poverty? Is it our responsibility to do something? The question is not only how to help “Africa”, but also a question how to help the developing world; it is an important point on the agenda of politicians, scientists, and many activists. There are a lot of people who are concerned about this topic and there is no one answer as to what should be done.
In my paper I will focus on the work of two economists, Jeffrey Sachs who is an American economist and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and William Easterly, as well as economist, specializing in economic growth and foreign aid. Both of them started the argument on how should we go about ending poverty. Easterly criticizes the Sachs’ theory in his book “End of poverty” and his work in general, in his response book “The White Man’s Burden”, where he has presented the theory of planners and searchers. But looking closer at the work of those two we can find many similar approaches, and a lot of the Easterly’s criticisms are not necessary.
Sachs’ main idea is that investments in Africa were weak and not sufficient and because of that development couldn’t occur. He claimed that by increasing foreign aid and changing the way of its redistribution it is possible to fight extreme poverty. Easterly says that the international community has already put a lot of money into Africa’s development ($2.3 trillion) and there are no visible results, so he is against to the idea of continuing the work in the some way and suggests that developing countries should free their markets . Easterly writes: “(…) the most obvious thing the West could do to transform the Rest was to introduce free markets”. Similarly, it is important to note here that Sachs is as well a big supporter of free markets. He is the architect of the Polish transformation into the market economy, but he argues to enter the global markets countries need to be prepared for that. He says “Free-market forces are vital. But they are limited when you have people so poor that they are essentially isolated from markets. People that don't even grow enough food to bring to market, don't have electricity or access to roads, clinics, or schools, find themselves isolated from the world economy”. Both of these economists are in favour of free markets, with a small difference in their ideology in which Sachs claims that at first developing countries need to get prepared how to compete. The most questionable argument is how the agricultural products which developing countries most likely would produce can compete with EU markets that have very high supplies and protection. Already in the shops in Morocco we can find only Spanish chicken, because it is cheaper to import it from EU than to self produce it. It is reasonable to create regional free trade areas where countries with the same status of development can compete with each other, but the idea of implementing free markets without the previous preparation for this is questionable.
Easterly mainly criticizes Sachs in terms of his idea being focused on only money. He writes, “it’s all about the money (…) It’s just, you know, spend more money and that will solve the problem”. This is actually not true. Yes, Jeffrey Sachs believes that money is important in order to let countries develop, but as well he focuses on the solutions. The best example is his Millennium Villages Project. This project provides the full support for villages including “interventions in food production, nutrition, education, health services, roads, energy, communications, water, sanitation, enterprise diversification and environmental management” . All the investments were consulted with the local communities, and they were involved in the decision making process. There was no one simple solution for all the villages. At first the needs were recognized, based on specific situation, climate, local problems, and then the necessary help was provided. It is actually what Easterly is suggesting, bottom-up work together with local people. In his book he underlines a lot of times that it is better to provide the bed-nets, what is an example for bottom-up work, rather than starting the huge projects. A part of the Millennium Villages Project is to provide vitamin and mineral supplements, access to anti-retroviral medicines, insecticide-treated bed nets, improved access to water and fuel wood. He wants to help people with their problems to let them focus on more important things like where to get clean water. He helps kids like Amaretch from Ethiopia mentioned in Easterly book. Projects like Millennium Villages would help her to go to school instead of bringing the wood and selling it in for the whole day on the market.
What is important and what Easterly doesn’t recognize is that all the problems of developing world are interconnected and only the complex treatment can help overcome it. Let’s take the example of Amaretch. Let say her father will get a job, and the amount of money she earns by collecting and selling wood. Would it solve a problem? Would she be able to go to school? The answer to these questions is most probably not, because she wouldn’t have books. If she would have books, most probably she wouldn’t perform well enough at school, because of lack of energy. Most likely she wouldn’t get proper food to get enough energy. Also, the other questions that may arise are; what about the health? What would happen if she gets sick? What Amaretch needs is not only the possibility to go to school, she needs access to sanitation, health care, nutrition, communication to be able to get to school. Therefore I think that the complex solutions provided by Millennium Villages Project are worth consideration.
But somehow the ideas of Sachs and Easterly are very similar. Both of them are in favour of market economy, both of them are giving the same solutions for the problems. Let’s take their approaches. In one article we can read, “According to Sachs, donors should invest in specific inputs, allowing for "practical solutions to practical problems" related to the issues of poor health, rural isolation, lack of energy resources and crop production vulnerability in rural villages. ” Isn’t it exactly what Easterly is presenting? This is definitely not a top-down approach, where the West tells what the Rest has to do; nobody is building the big programs, which are very complicated which have no sense. Both of the economists knows where to start and it the bottom-up work with locals is; helping them to survive and improve their life quality.
Both of the economists have the similar approach to the idea of micro-credits, that they might be useful. Although Easterly is not a huge fan of them, he recognizes that they are useful. “Microcredit didn’t solve everything; it just solved one particular problem under one particular set of circumstances” . Similarly Sachs suggests that micro-financing might be one of the good tools, but not the sufficient one. Sachs says: "Microfinance is one of the institutions that can play a really nice role, along side health and agriculture [initiatives], once we get the basic infrastructure [in place]. "
Besides the similarities, Easterly points out one very important thing, why despite big funding given to the developing countries there is still a big problem with for example malaria: “Gordon Brown was silent about the other tragedy of the world’s poor. This is the tragedy in which the West spent $2.3 trillion on foreign aid over the last five decades and still had not managed to get twelve-cent medicines to children to prevent half of all malaria deaths. The West spent $2.3 trillion and still had not managed to get four-dollar bed nets to poor families”. But medicines and bed-nets are not the only expenses. There is still a control campaign going on. The blood tests can easily diagnose malaria when it is not too late, and taking into the consideration the big amount of cases per year (300-500 million cases ) it costs a lot.
This leads us to the Easterly’s main concern about the foreign aid – high costs of bureaucracy. He says “Tanzania produces more then 2,400 reports for its aid donors” and “I myself wasted government officials’ time on five continents during my bureaucratic career. Foreign aid did not supply something the poor wanted (roads), while it did supply a lot of something the poor probably had little use for (me and my fellow bureaucrats)” . That is what everybody agrees on – administration is expensive. It would be much better if that money will be spent on direct help. My question is whether it is possible. Easterly is criticizing the methods how administration works. But he is just criticizing. Sachs claims as well that the structure of aid funds should be changed. He thinks as well that the current aid was too small and badly administrated.
Both of the economists have the some solutions. I have already presented Sachs’s Millennium Villages. Easterly presents something very similar: “get the poorest people in the world such obvious goods as the vaccinations, the antibiotics, the food supplements, the improved seeds, the fertilizer, the roads, the boreholes, the water pipes, the text books, and the nurses” . They have just different tools. Easterly pays attention on criticizing the administration, and UN in general. He criticizes Millennium Development Goals. He claims that he wants to see results, not just intentions, but he doesn’t take any action. He obviously doesn’t agree with any top-down actions, but what he doesn’t realize is that only behind this top-down actions there are money. He is presenting solutions but without the follow up, without information where the money should come from.
Jeffrey Sachs works for the UN, invites a lot of celebrities to support his work, together with Bono he raised awareness about global poverty and he became a celebrity as well, what is that he is also criticized for. But there is one thing what he makes and Easterly doesn’t, he succeeds in fundraising. Because he invests in visibility, he educates about the importance of eradicating poverty and he says he knows how to do it, and he proves how to do it. Therefore, countries and private donors are more likely to support his mission. He makes many of the governments promise to fulfil their commitments to pay 0,7% of their GDP for development aid.
Although I don’t think that the argument which is going on between Easterly and Sachs is not necessary, Easterly points out some crucial problems, and direct the attention of international community on things which are not working well (although they are not working that bad as Easterly presents it). From the other side it is good that international community has someone like Jeffrey Sachs, who really works to “make poverty history”.

References:
Easterly, William “The White Man’s Burden” (2006),
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/fullstory.php/aid/1251/False_economies:_A_global_health_crisis.html
http://www.uncdf.org/english/microfinance/pubs/newsletter/pages/2005_04/news_sachs.php
http://www.uncdf.org/english/microfinance/pubs/newsletter/pages/2005_04/news_sachs.php
http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/mv/mv_faq.htm
“Jeffrey Sachs on Beating Global Poverty”, U.S.News, April 11, 2008 http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/economy/2008/04/11/jeffery-sachs-on-beating-global-poverty.html
http://www.bigthink.com/business-economics/646/responses/all/by-popular/1

Problems with internship

It is already more then month, since I have started looking for the internship. And my first impression is that I don't like this system. There are of course people who seems to be professional and are answering e-mails quite often and are able to provide the information. Unfortunately there are more problems, and the whole system is rather not working.

1. The biggest problems - acceptance notes

Acceptance note - it is kind of declaration, that if you will be choosen, you will for sure come to this place. I know it is needed, but I think it is overused. When you write to someone, you are immediately asked for AN (acceptance note). First, I thought, it means they like me and it is serious. NOT AT ALL!!! It looks like that everyone is asked for the acceptance note, and then after 10 days (becuase they have to answer you within 10 days) you get to know that the selection process didn't even started.

The rule is that after sending one acceptance note, you cannot send another one for 10 days. It means as well that you cannot look for the internship during this time, because all other people ask you for the acceptance note.

2. MY experience with project in Jordan
project: TN-In-JO-AM-2009-1012

It was very interesting project. I wrote to them and they said, everyting is fine, send us AN. So I ahve done it and I was waiting 10 days. After this time, I got to know they they still didn't started interviewing candidates, and they have more then 20 of them. After another week I got to know that there was a holiday, so still there was no interviews. Next week the main coordinator was on the training abroad and could't give me any details. It was already this time when the coordinator was suggesting me looking for something different. I was doing it, but as well keeping eye on the internship in Jordan. And the last week I got to know that there are problems with the company and maybe this project won't happen at all.

Right now I have checked, and the project status is on hold

3. My adventure with Mexico

I have found amazing place, and I decided that I can wait 2-3 weeks until they will finish recruitment process. To do that I had to withdraw my interests in the internship in Indonesia, where I was already accepted.
But I have found the coordinator online, and we were talking a lot, everything looked good, and I had big chances. The deadline for application was 25th, before that date I was informed that maybe the results will be even earlier. It was the last info I got. It is almost two weeks since I was in touch with people from this organization. Last week I was writing to them everyday. The coordinator was not online at all (on msn or skype).

Today I have checked the status of those internships and it is once more on-hold.

4. Egypt is the same

I don't understand the situation with Egypt either. I had very interesting internship, where they didn't have a lot of condidates. Even the girl I was taling to was very happy they I appeared. The last e-mail from her was that she will organize interview as soon as possible. Since then I didn't get any e-mail from her. Some time later I wrote once more and sked what happened, but there was no respond either.



Right now I am not sure what I supposed to do. I am not afraid that I might go to place where I can not depend on people. I used to manage by myself, and this time it will be the same, but I want to go somewhere, and it is already anoying that nothing the people are not responsible.

development of internship looking process

Last few days I had a huge dilemma - I coulnd't decided what to do. There was this TN manager from Indonesia pushing me to give him an answer, but there was also another places I wanted to give a chance.

How the situation with Indinesia looks like - so there are two projects, both cool, both interesting (help with teaching English) and I always wanted to go there. But there was something wrong. All the time I was thinking that maybe it is not a good idea, although I was convinced from all sides that I should go there.

Yesterday I made decission. There is this proverb - better bird in hand, then pigeon on the roof, what means better are things which you have, then maybe more atractive but far away. So there was nothing wrong with Indonesia - I just didn't have this strong feeling that I really should go there.

But today I did manage to catch a coordinator from Mexico, where they do have amazing internships in Ethos Foundation - NGO dealing with different social issues! This was something perfect for me, things I was doing since I remember, things I loved to do. And it was a second that I had this very strong feeling - yes that's this place (especially that maybe finally I would improve my spanish). I had a problem with this intenrship, because I was not sure if the dates I am available are fine for thie employee, if they do have a lot of candidates and so one. But today after the short chat with the coordinator I know I should give a chance to this project. Maybe they do have same candidates (and most probably in 2 weeks they will have more), but I know that I would be a perfect match, I have enough skills, I can apply for more then one intern... and I have to wait only till 25th of March!

So where I am now...

I decided that I will cancel all these places where they want my decission right now. I will apply for this 2 additional project in Mexican foundation to improve my chances. Still I am in the application process in Jordan, where I was informed it will take ages to decide. Moreover I have contacts to other MEDA countries, where I can even go for development internship (don't get salary, only accommodation, but have much cheaper travel), and looking on my performance till now I am sure that if those places won't work for me as I wish, I can easly find nice DT somewhere closer to home and as well fine. But if I won't give a chance to those all better project I know I will regreat.

Looking for an internship with AIESEC

The decision is made – I want to go somewhere for the summer, somewhere outside Poland. And this is everything what I know. Recently I applied for an AIESEC internship. I have already the number and I am in the database. Looks like I will end up somewhere with this organization for summer. Therefore I decided to write this post about finding internship (before any decision), because it might be a nice memory, reading this in the end of the summer and reminding myself how it happened…

I am so curious myself where I will finally end up. I have so many ideas. But let’s make describe it chronologically.

1. Deciding where to go
So right now I have the whole world and I have to choice where to go… Actually the first conception was not that difficult. I said Middle East. There are few advantages of this choice – I have already been there and liked it, it is relatively cheap to get there (what is the most important for me), there is warm, I have already same friends.
In the mean time I thought let’s go to Balkans! I want it cheap, and Balkans are the most exotic from the whole Europe, and the cheapest, and I haven’t beet there for a long time.
For a second I thought as well that I should go somewhere really far, exotic, maybe Latin America, maybe South East Asia, somewhere, but then I said to myself that I should be realistic. That I don’t want once more go somewhere far and adjust to the culture and make friends and then leave. And Middle East is different, still kind of exotic, worth discovering and close enough.

2. First actions
To be able to search the database you have to be enroll in the internal AIESEC system. It takes a lot of time and I am very impatient person when I want to achieve something. So smart Aga decided do something by herself, without being in the system (yet). So there was a lot of discussion groups, facebook, and other sources where I have found e-mails to people in charge in different countries. From Middle East they have projects in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan. Unfortunately there is no in Syria and Lebanon, and Lebanon would be cool:)
So I have sent e-mails to all those people and I got the responds very fast!!! I was shocked that everything is happening so fast. I was in touch with girl from Jordan who offer me amazing internship in company implementing clean development mechanism – yes about this I was making research for my conference in Chicago! I got as well very good offer from Alex in Egypt – in the NGO, working on issues I am real specialist – NGO management:) I loved this offer, but the problem was that they are offering only flat, and I have no idea how I will survive, because I have no job right now and I am not able to earn anything till summer.
I got as well same offers from Morocco and Tunisia, but as well DT internships, what means that they are not paid, I am getting only apartment and food. So they asked me for the acceptance note from Jordan, and because it was first paid offer I got I have sent them one.

3. And what now…
Finally I am in the database. I am waiting for the feedback from Jordan and in the meanwhile I decided to look for something else. I search the database, but not selecting any particular country. As a criteria I put development studies, NGOs, PR and marketing and so one. This way I have found few amazing, and once more amazing projects. I have sent them questions and I am in touch with internship managers.
Right now I have to wait until I will get confirmation from Jordan, and then decided what to do next. And I have still so many amazing ideas:
• Indonesia – teaching English in primary school, preparing intercultural workshops (I am a trainer experienced with children) and they are offering 700$ + apartment! So the deal is great;
• Mexico – as well amazing foundation making research on poverty in Latin America countries, I like the project a lot and that is what I want to do, and it is DT but they are paying 700$, but to get to Mexico I have to pay too much – 5000PLN (where to Middle East I will pay max 2000PLN);
• Tunisia – Ii was found by this company, project looks great it is MT – promotion and marketing so standard
• China – amazing, amazing project for big amount of interns, teaching English and making intercultural activities for youth! And it is relatively cheap to get to China
• Malaysia – I don’t remember what did they offer but I remember I liked it:)
• Thailand – ones more project about education about other cultures, I have found it and loved it from the first second, but they still didn’t answer me
• Australia – yes even there is an interesting project. I have written to them, but still no answer, and project is about working with students, informing them about different job and scholarships possibilities and organizing different events, so as well perfect for me but as well travel will be very expensive.

So I don’t know what will happen now. I don’t know what to do. Decide to go to Middle East or maybe choice something else from the list. Everything looks so interesting.

Walls graffiti in Manila

Photos come from May 2007. I have done it in Manila, Philippines, next to the city center in the university district.

I have found the wall paintings amazing, beautiful, inspiring and just worth seeing. This kind of art I like to find when I am traveling.

My life at Hendrix - slide show

Yes, once I was bored. Or maybe I was inspired y one guy who done amazing slideshow, and I decided to do one for myself.

So how my life at Hendrix College looked like:

Jiji – the heaven on earth

There are not so many places in the world where I love to come back as much as to JIJI.

Jiji it is a small bar, but without alcohol next to Bibliotheca Alexandria, in Alexandria in Egypt. It is a place where I spent most of my time during my first stay in Egypt. It was in October 2006 during Ramadan. I remember going to Jiji just after Iftar and leaving just after the sunrise. And when I came back to Alex in July 2008, it was one of the first places I went. This place changed a lot during this time, but I love it still.

Old Jiji - view from the sea side


Old Jiji - view from outside


Old Jiji - inside

Why it is so special? I have no idea. I liked this place more before it was renovated. The old chairs, tables, and the roof out of straw umbrellas. There was no windows, just the smell of water. And the best was that you could go down to the water, it was dirty but lovely especially during sunrises.

Last year when I was there, everything was already new, at first I was very disappointed and finally I was avoiding the new part “building with windows”, but there was still the outside part, still lovely, still with amazing views and the smell of water.

New jiji

Because I could sit there for a very long time, and even make same friends in this place :) with my friend we decided to work in this place. Why not? Isn’t it an amazing idea? Because I am so fluent in Arabic – I can order shisha, mango juice, banana juice and of course coffee without sugar, with small help of my friend I convinced the waiter that I do speak Arabic. And it was going quite well (applying for a job) until the guy realized that we are very serious. He was quite confused when we wanted to talk with manager. And here the problems started. We were offering our help, flexible hours (we were flexible), with experience (having own shishas at home and preparing it for all our friends), and even we didn’t expect the salary, we said that tips and t-shirt would be enough, but what we got to know from manager was that they don’t hire woman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was very sad about this. Lovely place but with weird policy.

4 months of holidays at Hendrix

Once, it was during finals, I was standing and chatting with my friend in front of the cafeteria. We were joined by one guy who asked me, how did I like Hendrix College. I remember I said that it was amazing, I liked it a lot and I have never had 4 months of such a great HOLIDAYS. I have seen big disappointment on his face. After, my friend told me that this guy works in admission office and is in charge of international students, so most probably he was the person who gave me a change to study at Hendrix.

I still do think that my stay at Hendrix was the best and the longest holidays I have ever had, but I want to explain why.

Since I remember I was working and studying and doing tons of things in the same time. Then I went to Hendrix to spend my semester abroad there. I end up in a very small town in Arkansas, on the beautiful campus, with sunny weather, where people were enjoying their lives. I didn’t have to work (even I couldn’t because of my visa status), I didn’t have to worry about such a things like cooking, cleaning, traffic jams, permanent ringing phone which I was afraid to answer, deadlines, budgets, invoices and many more.



At Hendrix I had just my studies. I have chosen four classes I really loved: Introduction to Film Studies, American Parties and Elections, Model UN and Conflict Management and Resolution. I had homework (it is hard to say if it was a lot or not), but this kind of homework it is a pure pleasure. We had to read a lot. And what is more relaxing then sitting in the shadow in the sunny day and read good book. Maybe in the beginning I was a bit frustrated, because I have found few mistakes in one book (so I have written to the publisher), but when I got such a book as “The Prince of the Marshes” by Rory Stewart, I couldn’t stop reading.

I had papers to write as well, but most of the time I had a feeling that I can express myself. Mostly I was walking around with the topic in my head and analyzing what I want to write, what I think in this topic, what is important to me. Then I was making additional research and finally writing. I was writing in the library, which was the social place, you could always find friends there who wants to have a break with you.

I still think that I had the best holidays in my life. And it is not because I was doing nothing, I was doing a lot, but I was doing things that I like a lot. I am happy because finally I have learnt what studying really means! And the life on the campus it was like the summer camp, a lot of people living together, eating together, partying together, studying together, and the biggest worry was how to dress up for Haloween.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – movie about finding butterflies

Even a person who is imprisoned in the diving bell, can get out and fly away like a butterfly. Each person can get out from the worst situations; each person is able to overcome all kinds of limitations. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007) it is a beautiful movie about life. It shows the strength of each human being, how impossible might become possible, how people can change and find the energy and motivation to fight, to achieve something. This movie is very touching, showing us the tragedy of men, life and death, letting viewers reflect on their own lives, but most importantly it brings a lot of hope.

It is a movie about finding butterflies. The main character Jean-Dominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) has a very rare disease – lock-in syndrome. He is totally palsied, he cannot move, cannot eat, cannot speak; besides his brain there is only one eye which works. He is like in the diving bell: closed, unable to move, torpid and powerless. But he is as well like the larva, which is imprisoned in the cocoon and through metamorphosis transforms into something beautiful – the butterfly. Like the larva can become a butterfly, people can fight their cocoons and find their butterflies – find happiness, passion and the meaning of life.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly shows us the story about Jean-Do, chief redactor of ELLE, father of three children, and a successful person. We get to know him when he wakes up in the hospital. We see everything very fuzzily - doctors coming and leaving, green walls of the room he stays, flowers someone brought for him. We see the world with his eye. One of the most famous Polish cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, the director of cinematography in this movie, created very authentic images of the world seen with eyes of a paralyzed person, who doesn’t have contact with the world. He uses shallow focus and racking focus or going out of focus to show how weak is his eyesight. Because of that we can not see very clearly what happen on the screen, sometimes we have problems seeing clearly the face of someone or even reading the name tag of the doctor who examine Jean-Do. We have also the problem, to see all the people who are in the room. Camera is static like the patient’s body, no moves are possible. Because of that, the space we are able to see is very limited, especially when the objects are close to the camera. The use of the counted low angle changes the perception as well. This is how Jean-Do has seen the world from his hospital bed. People were not clear, he saw only part of his faces or even only the chest of the doctor or breast of the nurse, and he didn’t have control of anything.

Through the cinematography in this movie we can fully understand Jean-Do’s feelings; as viewers we want to have control on this what is happening, understand it, know more than the character, but it is impossible. We discover what happened together with him. The edition doesn’t help us as well. There is lack of establishing shots; we don’t even know what our hero, in whose body we are now, looks like. He doesn’t know either. We discover it together, step by step. Firstly, when he for the first time tries his wheelchair, he sees himself for a second in the window reflection, secondly when he tries to exercise him mouth and tongue, he sees this part of him body in the mirror. We cannot see his face because he cannot either.

What we can do is we can feel the same pain and fear as he feels. Especially in the scene when Jean-Do is learning that his eye is already dry and doctors wants to sew it up. He speaks but nobody can hear it. Then we just see the big needle which moves around the screen, and the eyelid which become closed forever. Even more expressive is the scene when Jean-Do cries. The picture becomes less and less sharp, the camera looses the focus, and we can really see the tears on the screen.

Although during the first 35 minutes of the movie we can just see the tragedy, pain, fear, and loss of humanity, it is not what the movie is about. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly shows us three different worlds: the world seen with the eye of Jean-Do, the world where Jean-Do lives and is part of, and the world of his memories and imagination. Our main character changes himself and even through he is paralyzed he finds his own world. He realized that “memory and imagination let him get out of his diving bell”. He creates his own world, in which he finally can feel happy. Even the flashbacks are not realistic, are improved, colorized, more beautiful. Like, his memories from the day of the accident, when he is driving through Paris. Everything looks like fairytale. Camera shows the pictures from Paris once from extremely high angle, then tracks on extremely low angle, in the mean time camera moves in all possible way – pan, tilt, shows Paris in the various of counted angles. In the background we can hear the title track from The 400 Blows (Francois Truffaut, 1959). Everything looks beautiful, magical and happy like his whole life should look like.

Jean-Do’s imagination shows us the authentic man’s desire. He dreams about all of those things he really wants and he cannot have. When the doctor comes and gives him a drip, which replaces food, he closes his eye and moves to the restaurant, where he sits in his pajama in front of the table full of extraordinary food. He sees also Claude (Anne Consigny), who flirts with him. He invites her to the table, feeds her, they start kissing. It shows how much he need passion, closeness, and other people like every other human being. He dreams very often about freedom – he sits on his wheelchair on the small podium on the sea. His face is turned into the direction of the horizon. Other times he just imagines nature – forests, grass-lands, ice-bergs, he dreams about himself skiing on the hill-side, on which nobody was skiing before. The nature in this case expresses freedom, which was taken from Jean-Do and never would be given back. Finally he remembers his family – his father of whom he used to take care; a person who is very close to his heart.

Through his dreams we can learn that he is still a normal person, that his brain is functioning like the brain of anybody else, that he has the same needs and desires like all of us. Through he is handicapped he is still a normal person who can love, care, have dreams. But it was not like that from the very beginning. It cost Jean-Do a lot of effort and internal strength to achieve it. He had to make one of the most important steps – accepting his situation and finding the will to live. We can see this acceptance, when the camera for the first time gets out from his head, from his perspective, and we can see paralyzed Jean-Do as he really is, on the wheelchair, with sewed up eye and deformed face. We are able to see it, because he is able to do it.

One more example of how strong he was is the process of learning the new way of communication. Through this he frees his butterfly. Firstly when the new language is introduced to him, he doesn't want to cooperate. His first words are “I want to die”. But with the time he realized that he has something to live for and he can learn how to get out from his cocoon. He realized that communication with other people is what he really needs. It would make him not feel lonely.

Jean-Do is somehow like a foreigner in a country, where he didn’t speak the language. What he needs the most is a way of communication. It can be done without words. All that is needed is a message created in a head of one person, which is codified, then transmitted to the second person and decodified, which means understood. Foreigners probably would use the body language and hands to transmit their message. Jean-Do used his eye. Together with logopediste Henriette (Marie-Josée Croze) they create the unique way of communication – one person reads the alphabet, where characters are classified to their use frequency, and Jean-Do blink each time when the letter he needs is pronounced. From that letters he builds words, from words sentences. This lets him communicate with others, talk on phone with those who are not able to visit him, and this let him even write a book.
In The Diving Bell and the Butterfly cinematography, edition and sound express how Jean-Do's delivers his message. The camera replaces the eye and ear, registers the pictures and sounds, and copies Jean-Do’s impression, cutted, deformated, shaking. Sometimes we can hear voices but don’t see the person; sometimes we don’t hear anything; sometimes we can hear the enjoyable sound of TV when the program ended. Everything exactly like Jean-Do might feel. Cinematography shows his thoughts, everything that is in his head and nobody else has access to; like our thoughts and dreams we never share with others. Edition is the code with which he transmits his message. We can notice that every cut is one blink. When he blinks for less the one second appears the brown-purple screen, what gives us impression that we see his closed eye. As Jean-Do, we were introduced to this code and without any further help we can encode the message and understand it. We have learnt this language together with our character.

This movie shows how communication is important; it proves that there are so many ways to express ourselves. We can communicate not only via language, via speaking, but as well via artistic expression. It can be music, it can be painting, it can be a book, and it can be a movie. Jean-Do wrote a book, which lets us understand his emotions and his situation. Based on the book the movie was created. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a brilliant example of the way of communication. Firstly through this fill still Jean-Do is sending us a message, secondly director Julian Schnabel, as well as his cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, editor Juliette Welfling, and the rest of film authors tell us how amazing a tool of communication film could be, and how many things they can express through film.

Film it is not the simple story presented step by step, which shows us only what happened. In each movie we can find plenty of meaning, emotions, reflections, but in the same way as the language, we have to learn how to understand the movie. Let’s look for example on nondiegetic inserts, which shows diving bell deep in the water. Those are parts which let viewers reflect, think about the meaning, or even try to understand the characters’ emotions. When we see the diving bell, it might make us feel like Jean-Do, it helps us understand the lock-in syndrome, and imagine how difficult the situation is. The same with the nondiegetic insert with the ice-berg. As viewers we can see the scene where the ice-berg falls apart. But linking it with the whole movie and the place in the movie when this scene is presented, we can understand it. This scene is placed just before Jean-Do accepts himself, decides to write a book and uses the rest of the life as much as he can. The collapse of the iceberg symbolizes something important: change and freedom.

This scene might have one more meaning. Even if something falls apart, and it looks like it is impossible to fix, it is never too late. Like ice-berg which firstly collapsed, but in the last scene we can see how everything moves back, become normal, how it was before. Like Jean-Do, who after the accident, lost his all hope. But he realized in the end that through what happened his life became meaningful, he got closer to his family, he discovered what is important in life, and he left behind him something lasting – the book.

This movie is so special, because brings hope and a lot of positive feelings. Although says about person who goes through tragedy, is very positive and in many moments even amusing. As it is shown in the opening scene, through the series of the roentgen photos, we live very close to the things about which we never think about. We would never think about our bones, until something starts hurt. Maybe The Diving Bell and the Butterfly suggest us right now to look around, think what we have, and start enjoying it…

Can Islam be a cause of terrorism?

This post contain one of my papers I have writen during my studies in US. I am still ashamed of my writing, but I hope this paper is not that bad.



Can Islam be a cause of terrorism?



In war it is essential to know the opponent, to understand the strategy he uses and his motivation. The global situation, which we have right now, might be called war as well – for example “war on terror” which the United States leads against Islamic terrorism, or “holy war” – the term which is often used as a synonym for jihad. In order to understand the problem we need to analyze what kind of role Islam plays in modern terrorism, what is the definition of jihad, and what is the perception of this term in the eyes of Muslims. In this paper I will analyze whather we are allowed to talk about Islamic terrorism, if Islam and Islamic law are legitimate uses of power, if we can say that Islam is the reason of terrorism or if there are same others.
First, to analyze the connection between Islam and its’ role in terrorism we have to understand the term “jihad”. The word itself comes from Arabic and means “the struggle” or “striving” (in the way of God). Usually people translate word “jihad” as a “holy war” and based on this they make assumptions that Islam is the religion of violence. They very often associate jihad with fanaticism, cruelty, and intolerance. In fact, jihad is about being closer to God. It requires Muslims to strengthen the belief through moral, physical and intellectual.
According to the Muslim doctrine there are four ways of implementing jihad: by heart, by language, by hand, and in the end by sword. Jihad of the heart is spiritual and moral. For example, it might be by fighting with the one’s desires. There are the personal actions which lad to eliminate evil from life and improvement as a person. Jihad of the language it is simply promoting religion and the main ideas by talking about them and through giving the good example to nonbelievers. In jihad of the hand the main aim is to improve the Muslim community and combat injustice; it might be done even by making a good business. The most popular example of jihad by hand is zakat – one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat is the obligation for all Muslims to give some percentage of their annual income to charity, those money are distributed among the poor. Finally there is jihad of the sword. This gets a bit more complicated, and here we can try to find out if Islam is really calling for holy war or not. In the Quran it is not clear. There are suras that are calling for the war against non-believers which legitimate the use of power, such as sura 9, verse 5: “But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” But in other suras we can learn that war and the use of military or any other form of aggression is legitimized only if the war is the defensive war, like Sura 2, verse 190: “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors”.
This is a really big problem because it gives the possibility for plenty of interpretations. There are the liberal concepts which call to interpretate the Quran as a whole (not just a single sura which might lead to misunderstanding) and do not use violence. They are rather following the idea (as well from the Quran) that killing an innocent man is like killing the whole population: “We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people” [5:32]. But there are as well the fundamental interpretations which claim that peace might be achieved only after the full victory of Islam in the world, and they are taking this to legitimize terrorism. Most of those fundamentalists are using sura 9, verse 29 to explain their actions: “Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.”
As we can see in the Quran there is no unequivocal answer if jihad allows Muslims to fight against nonbelievers and even encourage them to fight. It gives the fundamentalists the excuse to use their holy book to legitimize terrorists’ actions, but at the same time they forget that according to the Quran they are required to use the nonviolent methods to improve themselves as Muslims. The terrorists do not follow the ideas of the greater jihad, which rest on the constant improvement and elimination of all sins as well as work for the community. Terrorists don't follow the Quran as a whole, they don't admonish all the rules, and they don't understand what it means to be Muslim. They are brainwashed and that is the main reason which explains their actions.
In this point the most interesting question is, who are the terrorists? Who are the people responsible for attacks like 9/11, Madrid or London 7/7 bombing? Marc Sageman in the introduction to his book “Leaderless Jihad” presents the portrait of the typical terrorist. He presents Omar Sheikh, a person in charge of many terrorist acts, who spent five years in an Indian prison. What is interesting about him is that he was born in the UK in a middle class family, he attended the best schools, and for the first part of his life he lived in a “Western style”. Also, for a long time Islam was not important to him. This picture is sort of typical. If we will look at the biggest terroristic attacks in the past few years we will see that most of the people in charge of the attacks were either born in a Western culture or they were living in Europe or the US for a significant part of their lives. From the terrorists in charge of September 11, Mohamed Atta born in Egypt, who studied in Germany where he got in touch with Al-Qaeda; Ramzi Ahmed Yousef born in Kuwait, who since 1992 lived in the US; Mahmud Abouhalima, who was born in Egypt and since 1981 lived in Germany; Ahmed Mohammad Ajaj, who was born in the West Bank and immigrated to Houston, Texas, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was born in Kuwait and studied in the US. Most of the attackers completed their studies in Western universities where they for the first time got in touch with Al-Qaeda. Terrorists, who were in charge of the London bombing fit to this scheme as well. There were four boys with ages between 19 and 30 who were living in UK, who were studying or working, including one of them, who had pregnant wife.
What we can observe from presented information is that the majority of terrorists are either born in Western countries, or immigrate or study there for a significant part of their lives. A lot of them convert to Islam, from being atheists or agnostics. Lots of them became fundamentalists just after converting or realizing the importance of religion. It leads to the thesis that Islam itself in not a cause of terrorism and fundamentalism. As we can see from the example of terrorists who were in charge of the London bombing, two of them were good students, British citizens, and people who were not very interested in religion. However they changed after their trip to Pakistan. We might assume that they were brainwashed over there and it was the cause who they became terrorists and participate in the London bombing.
Marc Sageman in his book presents a conversation between two Egyptian Muslims. One of them, Ahmed Al-Sayed Osman Rabei, was implicated in the Madrid bombings, and the other, Mahmud, was his roommate and a nonterrorist. This conversation shows their different perspectives on religion. When Rabei claims that Americans are enemies of God, Mahmud answers: “Listen to me, there is only one God. Frankly, I do not care if someone is Jewish, Orthodox, or Catholic; everyone is free to pray to the God he chooses, and it is neither up to me nor up to you to judge. (…) I only know one thing: praying to God. The important thing is for you to know God, to pray, and not to behave badly, and to not do things that are not right. All the rest is superficial (…)”. In this conversation we find the contrast between two types of Muslims: one type, which followed the Quran and another type, which went through brainwashing processes and became capable of being involved in terrorist attacks. We can see from this conversation that being Muslim requires the acceptance of other religions. In Mahmud words we can see a lot of respect and mutual understanding, and the space for intercultural dialogue. Opinions presented by Rabei, especially claims like: “Do you like it when they [Jews’] kill our brothers”, “(…) you do not see the blood that flows over the land of the world”, or “They are asses, disbelievers, they exploit you, and after you have been here you have nothing, neither your honor nor dignity” shows the high level of indoctrination and how much he combines religion with politics. Osman Rabei was a political asylum-seeker in Germany, and then he moved to Spain. He was suspected of being the “recruiter” of the group and imam who was in charge of indoctrination of young Muslims.
Sageman answers the question if Islam can be the cause of terrorism by giving one more argument. He says that most of the terrorists are not well educated in the religion. He writes: “The majority of terrorists come to their religious beliefs through self-instruction. Their religious understanding is limited; they know about as much as any secular person, which is to say very little. Often, they have not started reading the Quran seriously until they are in prison.” We can ask then, why the religion became such an important factor in their lives. By answering this question we will answer as well why they became terrorists. There are probably different factors: either they met someone who exposed them into the radical views, or they were discriminated based on their ethnic background in the countries they were living. There is no evidence that Islam itself could be the reason.
There are many Muslims living in peace and negating all types of violence. Those Muslims (like Mahmoud) are definitely the majority. Although they follow the Quran and as well the rule of jihad they do not become terrorists. Therefore the religion cannot be the cause of terrorism. Muslims who become terrorists are rather the exception, and the causes are mostly based on factors not connected with religion.


This paper includes quotes and is partly inspired by:
Sageman, Marc “Leaderless Jihad. The networks in the twenty-first century”, University of Pennsylvania Press 2008

Studying in USA - FINALS

Once more I will say that the life at Hendrix College was totally different then in Poland, especially during finals. I remember from Poland that during finals I couldn’t sleep, I was studying days and nights, fighting with professors to let you even try to pass something. A lot of coffee, a lot of energizing drinks, tons on papers on the floor of your room, and I was getting crazy about all of this.

At Hendrix it was different. At first we didn't have that much to study and somehow I was better prepared! And come one, I didn't have to memorize 100 clasifications, which are almost the same:)

I took it easy, maybe I wasn't prepared the best I could, maybe I don't have only “A’s” from all my classes, but I have learnt a lot more the usually, and had a lot of fun!

1. Finals I had

All together I had three exams out of my four classes and papers to write. Everything was rather easy. Usually I had exams only from a small part of material covered during the semester. It was like this in class “American Parties and Elections”, the test was for 30 minutes and you had to identify and describe 10 terms. In one class I even didn’t have exam, just one paper to submit. This paper was done few minutes before deadline, and night before I was preparing Glueh Wein for my friends
There was one exam a bit more difficult, and much longer. We had test, few open questions and one essey to write. And I am damm bad in writing! But my biggest problem was that I had to go to the restroom! So I was writing this essey as fast as possible, and I was one of the firsts who done it. Then I looked on other people and what shocked me was – people had laptops with them – OPEN! They were going to toilets all the time. That is what would never happened in Poland. All of this might be considered as cheating, and of course all people would cheat!


2. Hendrix specials

I was afraid that my last days at Hendrix I will send alone while everybody else will be studying, and parties during finals won’t be possible. And it was much more quiet, in dorms they had early silent hours (also during weekends). Even during our last party in the last day, we were kindly aks to shut up.

But there are few traditions as Hendrix during the final week, which were surprising for me, but I enjoy it.

First was famous “Martin Run” (Martin it is a name of one of the men’s dorm). One of my friend from this hall told me to be in the library at 10 pm. He didn’t want to tell me what for, but I got to know I will enjoy it. So I went there.
Library which was usually quiet place, was this time laud, full of people smiling to each other, and waiting for something. They were not studying rather gathering together waiting for a show. The show started at 10.10pm. At first the brave group of Martin guys went to the toilet in the first floor, there they took off the cloths and put the boxes on their heads (not to be recognized). Then they started running around library complately nacked; some of them had green faces painetd on their asses!

The second even took place also in the library. This time it was not a secret, almost everyone got to know about it (mostly thanks to facebook and standart gossips). It was the library flash mob Rave, as a form of study break.

3. Party time

Someone may say that finals it is a study time. I will agree, but only partly! Maybe there was no big crazy parties, but for me it was one of the best times at Hendrix. There was no difference between day and night, we just wanted to have fun. So we had Christmas party, we were chilling out listening to a good music, watching movies in the middle of the night, I had friends sleeping oven in my place, we had Gluehwein party, we were creating drinking games with my roomates, walking around the campus at 3 am because of snow, and finally we were drinking just before exams.
Once I was studying in the library for exam, which I should have next morning. One of my friend who was also studying gave the idea, why not to have one drink before going to sleep. So around midnight we went to my place, and the time passed by, I remember that we involved my roomate into same serious discussions (she had exam next morning as well). I think that around 4 am we decided to be responssible:)
I think that Finals it was this time, when I had kind of parties everyday. I was very happy person then, and sad that I am going home soon.

Chinese proverb

It is something what I got today and I have to say, I really like it. One chinese proverb, which I found very interesting and true...

"Go to the people

Live with them

Love them

Learn from them

Understand their problems

Start with what they have

Build on what they have

When the task is accomplished

With love, let them say

'We have done this ourselves'."

Obama's Inauguration Speech - my comments

It was yesterday, the 44th president of United States took his office. There were millions of people in Washington's Mall and much more watching him in TV or most probably online (as I did).

I watch the “show”, today in the morning I red the whole speech one more time. And I would like to write about my first impression, parts that everyone is writing about because it looks like they will be famous, parts of the speech which are a bit more questionable for me and the general meaning.

Enjoy reading...

1. My first impression

I don't know what I was expecting from this speech, maybe to be great, maybe to be memorable, I wanted from this speech to surprise me. I was a bit disappointed. For the first time when I was watching Obama's speech I had the impression that he was very stressed. He was not smiling at all, his face was showing rather anger or maybe it was his seriousness. Instead of empathy he showed us that right now he is the most powerful man in the world.

The speech in general was good. He done, what he had to. He spoke about peoples' responsibility, how great is America and people living there, no matter of race, sex, level of education etc. He showed that he knows what people needs, he address his father roots and talked about the world policy (but not in this way that America will really get involved, it was rather call to other leaders for action). It was about everything he had to talk.

The thing that impressed me was his good relations with Bush, I was watching them meeting in White House then going together to Capitol and then after the change had happened. They looked like a good friends and somehow I was very happy about it.

2. What the world will remember

From this kind of important speeches there are always some parts that world will remember like:

"Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." - Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933, in the midst of the Great Depression

“My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.” John F. Kennedy (1961)

“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” Bill Clinton (1993)

So what was special in the Obama's speech and why?

I have chosen three quotes that I think will be remembered for a long time. Sentences written with passion, important for Americans and “smart”.

“Today, I say to you that the challenges we face are real, (...) They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America, they will be met.”

- after this as far as I remember he got an applause; somehow many people said it before that this sentence has to be in the speech; it is good formulated and it will be memorable because of the content. Right now everyone expected Obama to say it, but in few years the reality will be just a history and the words will stay.

“To all other peoples and governments who are watching today, (...) from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born, know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.”

- tis was important because of the US position in the world. As we know there was a huge anti-Bush movement around the world which influenced the status of US. Moreover Americans truly believe that they can and should rule the world (somehow I can agree because they have money they want to spend), but they want to have this feeling that they are someone special (who doesn't). This words says America will be once more the world's superpower that everyone will respect.

“a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.”

- Obama address here in the very touching way the issue of race, somehow no matter who you are now it is not like 60 years ago, now we are equal. He proof it by being chosen as the 44th US president


3. What I don't like or don't understand

and in the end quotes that surprised me or just I want to comment.

“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,(...) To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history — but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

I was shocked that he address Muslim world at first. And I don't know how to understand this words. Let's say Obama make a move to the cooperation, talks about mutual respect and that US is willing to help, but I don't like how those words are formulated. I have this impression that Obama has very negative opinion about this part of the world. And for me this words are rather words of criticism than encourage to cooperation.

“With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in it's defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”

I don't get this part either. I think that the aim of this was to show how strong America will be under the Obama's administration. Just I cannot imagine that he could say that “we will not apologize for our way of life”, he said as well that he won't defense it, but the meaning for me is clear. He doesn't take the responsibility for global warming, and for the wars Bush started, he doesn't think that it is US fault. Maybe Americans would like it, I don't know, I would like to hear any comments, but my understanding of this is rather negative.

4. The meaning

I think that this speech will be commented for a really long time. I like what I red today in the polish newspaper. That Obama is not to black but also not to white, he is not to young and not to old and he has not too much experience but also not to little. And I can say following this words he had chosen the right time to be a president:)