INDEV 303?

A course I am taking for my International Development Degree, where we analyze social media and marketing when it comes to development. Not your typical university course in any respect.
  So far we have had to read 2 books...

The Dragonfly Effect: Jennifer Aaker and Andy Smith
Tribes: Seth Godin

It's always interesting to think about why profs choose what they choose for reading material, and how they stumble upon books. Especially for this course, of all the books in the marketing and social media section, why were these chosen?

The Dragonfly Effect was a great book, and as a matter of fact my grandmother couldn't wait to borrow it. From the University of Waterloo Environment faculty, to a town in Newfoundland, The Dragonfly effect will be well received.

Tribes on the other hand...
I strongly disliked this book, and not necessarily because of the content. The authors uncalled-for sense of urgency, and how pushy he was in the book, completely ruined any message he was trying to get me to agree with. I couldn't wait to finish it and never think about it again. The way that Tribes was written was also stress-inducing, because you constantly felt like you were still reading the forward, and that you couldn't catch a break from his incessant nagging to be someone worth respect.

This is purely my opinion, and I could go on...  But I think my message has gotten across.

The only question I have left about INDEV 303 is why I wasn't aware of the course set up before hand? Here I go, another term, another research paper, happily regurgitating information into 10 double spaced pages..
WRENCH IN THE TIRE SPIKES!
Nope, this time we are doing presentations, we are organizing ourselves into a team, and we are acting in the real world.

International Development;
Full of surprises.

Frustration?

There are a few things that are currently burning through my brain, and I am frustrated.
It's the time of year where we find ourselves wondering...
"Can I actually get this degree? ... This is too much work! I can't finish this!"

Then you watch a youtube video or 2, and you see the little faces in West Africa or India and you think...

"I have to do this, these children get up every single day and they do it, sift through garbage or stumble to a hot school house..
These teenage boys do heroin every day and know nothing but AIDS and Malaria.."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMwI5unlK9M
-Another ode to vice, my dream job.

And I cant get my ass off the couch to write a paper?
If that doesn't inspire you, you don't deserve to get your degree.


The most frustrating component of my aspirations and desires once I am reinspired...
I can never do what I really want, because I am a girl.
                                    Oh but women's rights and you can go anywhere and do anything!
                                         - I have a women's studies option, and I study international development.

I know what I can or cannot do, and my gender-prescribed limitations, and I cannot take a video camera to Liberia and try and make a documentary.

BUT WHHHHHHHYYYYY...
1) I will not be taken seriously
2)I would not be treated with even the least amount of respect as an indivudual or journalist
3) It would be the most unsafe move I could ever make, as a caucasian girl who is barely 5'4.
                      ETC, my mother will always be there to remind me why things are unsafe...

I am so frustrated by this world, and not only by my lack of opportunities, but all marginalized groups' lack of opportunities.
Whether you are a West African merchant trying to compete in the big bad economic world of coffee trade...
Or a woman trying to avoid HIV/AIDS ...
Or me, wishing you could go anywhere in the world, be safe, and not fear sexual predation or gendered ignorance.

*International Development, the ultimate inspirerer, and the ultimate dream crusher.

Fear?

I'm not too sure what I am supposed to take away from this article..
But It definitely has instilled FEAR.

How wonderfully candid...

http://www.vice.com/read/an-honest-mans-advice-for-studying-abroad-in-africa

I will always appreciate any advice I can get about my upcoming travels south of the equator and east of South America, but this seems a little discouraging.

On the bright side, atleast I have a little bit more to go on when it comes to what 'anti-life' sprays to bring... Is there an anti-snake spray?

Just kidding..... sort of

As a student of international development this doesn't actually come as too surpising, you're basically trained to expect the worst, and be pleasantly suprised if there are bathrooms.

I also want to point out that this article summarizes 'AFRICA' ...
Well, thats a pretty big place.
This article is focused on an experience in Cameroon, which is a West African nation with a life expenctancy of 54 .... I'm beginning to be even less suprised by this article.

My own international experience is (fingers-crossed) destined for Botswana, a South-Central African nation with its own track record, but I'm anticipating a much more positive (and less disease ridden) journey.

*hopes for the best.

North Korea?

Should we as a world be a little bit more concerned about North Korea?

http://www.vice.com/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-3

This is the documentary I just can't shake.
The eerily empty stadiums and hotels,
the unnervingly disciplined dance routines of school children ....

When Americans are involved in cult behaviour, not only does the world respond from all the media attention, but the litteral blow up of the affair is massive.

How long are we going to wait before the Jonestown of North Korea?

Am I being dramatic? I dont think so, I think that these poor brainwashed people deserve a little bit more attention than some South Korean guards with firearms.

Are we responsible for these people at all? I believe we do owe a duty to all of humanity, those which we share the planet and our worldly resources with. I have a sincere distrust for any sort of governing body that does not allow transparency, appropriate trade and international political bonds, and refuses any assistance.

I would also like to voice my deep appreciation for 'Vice Guide' and their dedication to true and interesting news and documentaries. I believe they are an honest group, and a dedicated international development agent. Their work has led me to some interesting corners of the internet, and some serious and provoking debates. Keep up the good work.

Last but not least, I would like to clearly state that although the 'threat of nuclear arms' in North Korea will always be the hot topic, the purpose of this short blog is to hopefully remind earth that human beings are also hidden in North Korea. Human beings are pretty valuable and destructive too.

So can we shift our view, just a smidge, away from the bang of a gun and towards to bang of a heart beat?

*Free North Korea.

Blogging?

Blogging.
A new concept, to me at least... Like a public diary of ranting? An internet book-club? A tutorial replacement? In any definition, blogging for development is my requirement.

Inter'xploration was also a requirement, as I had absolutely no idea what a blog was, how to get one, and then how to proceed using it; I had to do quite the web exploring.

While I sit quite comfortably, alone and setting up this blog on my pink sony, I can't help but think of the people on this earth who probably couldn't even spell 'blog'. I then feel like a jerk for complaining about having to set one up, and shut up.

The purpose behind this inter'xploration is to set up a public diary of ranting, an internet book club, and will be used as a tutorial replacement, atleast throughout my University career (THIS IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, ANY OF ITS FACETS OR PERSONS).

Casedeac will be an international development and associated concepts blog, or blogger, or bloggery.

inter'xploration; verb; describing the action of exploring on the internet, without ever getting up, but still managing to go on an adventure and learn many new things about the world we all live in.