Am I Grown Up? 6 Months In DC Update

Six months from today, on a sunny Friday afternoon at the end of August I arrived in Washington DC in an effort to practice my conviction and find work set in my activist passion. While it hasn't been an ideal ride, I've learned a lot, made a handful of good friends, a few I would even dare to say great, and in the end I have more or less begun to carve out an "adult life' for myself. Since I haven't done this in any substantial way since moving here, I figured I would give y'all an update. If you want to know why and how I decided to come here two weeks after returning from Uganda (and quitting a job) you can check out my slightly dramatic entry Here goes nothing....

The internship

Immediately as I landed in DC, I had a voice mail for an internship with a legislator's office on the Hill, so I quickly rushed to my friend Cassi's place, researched that representative and had my first interview since my renewed job search! First night in DC and one interview down, not bad right? I was exploring a few options aside from a straightforward job hunt including AmeriCorps, another GI-NET internship and the Hill. In the end that first interview amounted to nothing, but my first Monday in DC, I had another interview on the Hill yielding an internship starting the next day. Until December I answered phones, opened and inputted mail and provided tours at the Washington D.C. office for Congressman John Boccieri.

While in Uganda my continued struggled to decide whether I was better suited and more interested in advocating toward greater international development, promotion of human rights and an end to genocide or if I wanted to contribute through research on those goals. Quickly through my experience on the Hill, I realized my niche would ultimately be research. That being said, and while I may have offered my fair share of groans over opening mail and answering phones, it was definitely a wonderful experience being on the Hill for three months. If anyone at the Boccieri office reads this, thank you for that experience!

Housing

Rewind, so I stayed with my friend Cassi when I first arrived and for that she is someone I am hugely grateful for making this move possible. On that first Sunday, through a friend, I found a room in a house in north Silver Spring (along the DC metro red line for all those folks not familiar with the region) and while the house was a bit further out then I would have preferred, the roommates seemed nice and it was a brief walk to the rail. Before my first week was done, I had moved in and over the months have maybe myself a cozy room with extra furniture provided either by roommates or the landlord.

Job number 1

So that internship ended in December and since this is a full 6 months update you might be wondering what am I doing now, aside from living in my room in the big blue farmhouse with borrowed furniture. By the end of my first month here, I got hired to work part time at the National Abortion Federation hotline. So while I'm celebrating 6 months in DC, I am coming up soon on my first six months there. I might've never imagined I'd be working on a pro-choice hotline, but its been an incredible experience. I have always felt strongly about my pro-choice and feminist beliefs and aware that financial restraints continued to de facto make it impossible for women to exercise their full reproductive rights. Not to mention low income women who are unable to exercise these rights further feel the economic squeeze when they have an unplanned and perhaps sadly unwanted extra mouth to feed.

Can't say counseling is my strongest talent, but I've heard positive feedback from co-workers and patients. I hope its sincere because overall I love the job and really hope I am making at least a small difference for the women (and men) who call into the hotline. I can't go into too much detail for confidentiality reasons, but I've helped counsel dozens of people who have had been victims of domestic violence, been raped, conflicted morally about their decisions to have (or have had) an abortion and/or simply caught in an unexpected situation and overwhelmed by the fact they are pregnant. I have had to struggle with women to help them get funding for a procedure that irregardless to your or my feelings they believe is necessary for them to take care of their existing family, finish school or to cope with the difficult circumstances surrounding the pregnancy.

Throughout all this, I want to toss out a big thank you to the women (and men, I'm not alone!) at NAF for helping me survive and hopefully succeed at this job, but for also for becoming some of the great friends I mentioned before. Although we sometimes to cry from the horrendous situations we're confronted with or scream at the absurdity of the system we and these women are living in, y'all have some much passion for the work along with joy to the office. I have had many profound conversations associated with reproductive health, but also with my passions in international development with y'all along with many many laughs over absolutely ridiculous things. I have learned so much from everyone and from this and though I doubt I will be doing work directly connected to the work of NAF, long term, I will always proudly fight for women's rights particularly reproductive justice.

Job number 2

A few weeks ago you may have heard about (or shared in experiencing) the insane blizzards that hit Washington DC. Go figured, the life-long Texan who spent the bulk of his time outside of Texas in equally balmy Israel and recently Uganda comes to DC and experiences his first winter and it blizzards... a few times. Most people kept telling me DC winters are quite mild when I arrived. When it started to snow the first time in December, I was told this is rare for DC and that same weekend I got stuck in downtown while at the hotline and spent the night on my friend Danny's couch. (Danny, again: thank you, thank you, thank you!)

During the most recent blizzard I was at home and stayed at home so I didn't end up on a friend's couch, but we did lose power and with it our wonderful friend: heat. By the end of our snowy weekend I could see my breath almost everywhere in the house despite drinking gallons of hot tea (luckily our gas stove survived the outage) and wearing half my wardrobe.

Why am I talking about all this during the section called "Job number 2", well I wanted to add in the mention of my first real winter, but also during the fun indoors time I was beginning to hate, I got a phone from Clare at TrakServices. On a whim and out of necessity I sent my resume to a temp agency that kept advertising on a job list I subscribe to. She asked me to come interview that following Monday, the next day I was offered my first assignment and Wednesday I started. While temp work doing mainly data entry sucks (I tried to be articulate, but sucks really is the best word for it), the additional income is really fantastic.

So what now?

For a few reasons, when I arrived to DC, I started to work on my grad school search and application process. I guess a mix between job impatience, my total academic nerdiness and my renewed vigor for international affairs I wanted to get myself back in school! Starting tomorrow (March) until the end of April I should be finding out about grad schools. Meanwhile I am still seeking out and applying to various subsidized, free or paid programs overseas including a Peace Corps application I foolishly keep putting off. I keep considering directly volunteering with a local organization overseas and most seriously been thinking of returning to Uganda out of a slightly higher familiarity. I'll write more about that soon!

Of course the job search continues, though while I wait to hear from grad schools I have cooled the hunt greatly. Through more experience overseas and/or school I hope to be able to get work in international affairs for a few years and with that experience enter a PhD program to ultimately teach and research how development can be practiced in order to prevent conflict. You can read some more about that here, but I'm sure I'll be writing more about it soon.

Obviously a lot more I could write about and perhaps I will, but for now I should go to bed. Working two jobs requires me to sleep when I can! Ask me questions if you want to and I'd happily answer them and please visit DC. I may be busy with everything, but I'll make time to give you a personal tour of the Capitol among other things. There's always a couch/bed for any of you wherever I am.

Thanks for everyone who wished me well or who have helped me during my time here. I could write a whole long entry on who I need to thank and why... which I may very well do soon, but for now if you read this just assume yourself sincerely thanked!

Death of an American Icon: Hummer 1992-2010

This morning as I rushed to work, enduring the harsh cold of this particularly dramatic DC winter, I learned of the sobering news: the beast of the streets, the tamer of the wild, the car of those who dare to dream the American dream, the Hummer brand will no longer bring forth new manifestations of the beloved H2 and H3 onto the roads. We may call you an American icon, but I would be so bold to say we have lost an American hero… one not of flesh and blood, but of steel and of quickly burnt mass quantities of gasoline.

You were many things to many people and I think it is only right someone offers a few words on your behalf. While we were never directly introduced, I, your secret admirer, will take the initiative and offer this farewell. You represented a way to obtain all we wanted and desired as Americans through extravagant consumerism.

When men all over this nation asked, how I can exert my dominance over other men, the road and Mother Earth herself, you answered the call. Businessmen who wanted all to believe that while they may don the suit and tie and enjoy sushi with you on the weekdays, on the weekends they shot at animals, chopped wood and climbed mountains all from the comfort of your luxury cabin blasting Toby Keith ballads. No one could doubt their burliness, craftiness or their manhood with you by their side. Keys to unlock and unleash you were like a passport to the exclusive club of the gods!

For the past decade, young boys mocked on the playground for playing too much with the girls, enjoying home economics or failing to keep pace in PE could look to you and your promise. As long as they one day bought, leased or rented you, no one could accuse them of being a sissy or a weakling. You represented immediate strength and southern charm. Even in pockets of liberalism where elites mocked you, a man driving you drew quiet contempt and admiration. Whispers of the mysterious man bold enough to guzzle gas in this economy invoked the jealousy of lesser men and the affection of the ladies.

In the end, that promise was what made you synonymous to the American dream and ultimately cemented your place as among the great American heroes. In an age of supposed global warming and petro dictators, you proved Americans or at least the patriots among us, had the balls to give the finger to reality and charge full force toward our dreams. Saddam bombed America and you showed us the path to triumph over terrorism. The path was expensive and the refueling stops constant, but with you as our co-pilot we knew the ride would be filled with ignorant bliss.

On behalf of all Americans who will now never know the joy of instant artificial status through owning a brand new you, I say farewell secret friend. I hope the harsh words of mocking I often uttered as I parked my Toyota Echo next to you were understood as a mask covering my true feelings. May you have your rightful place in Heaven together with Ronald Reagan running over small helpless creatures.

God bless America and may we find the courage to ride forward in history without you. Rest in peace, Hummer, rest in peace.

Apple pie only wishes it was as American as you, dear friend.

Recipe-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Been thinking about adding a food element to my blog since along with everything else mentioned here cooking, baking and eating are big passions of mine. I'm going to share recipes I've created, adapted or tried and my general comments about them.

Original recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Chip-Oatmeal-Muffins-12765

* are changes to the recipe, described in detail below

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup brown sugar *

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon **

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted***

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup rolled oats, toasted lightly

1/3 cup white chocolate chips ****

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (next time I hope to use unsweetened for better contrast)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, cinnamon and the salt.
3. In another bowl whisk together the egg, the butter, and the milk, stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until the mixtures are just combined, and stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.
4. Divide the batter among 6 paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
5. Transfer the muffins to a rack, let them cool slightly, and serve them warm.

Comments: Overall I loved this recipe. Chocolaty like I wanted, but not overpowering. Oats give it a heartier texture, but I thought the muffins were fairly moist. Most of the negative reviews on Epicurious complained of dryness, but I didn't have a problem. Perhaps the double amount of chocolate offset dryness.

Planned changes: Next time I plan to add some vanilla (many reviewers suggested this), unsweetened chocolate rather than semi-sweet and perhaps a bit more oats. I might also try whole wheat flour, though I am a bit worried that might suck a lot of the moisture. Maybe a little extra butter and the vanilla will offset the flour?

*I used brown sugar rather than white because I find it sweeter and more flavorful

**Whenever I bake cookies (or in this case muffins) I add cinnamon if it makes sense because I love that extra flavor

***Do NOT follow the Epicurious recipe to cool the butter. I did this and while it didn't ruin the recipe, I forgot butter congeals quickly and it was a mess. I've never had to do this for other recipes and I don't see why it is necessary for this one

****The original calls for walnuts and if you're a walnut fan by all means use them. I didn't have walnuts and I don't like nuts in general all that much so I decided to use the extra dose of chocolate and went with white to add contrast and a slightly different chocolate flavor.

Decade Goals

Things I want to accomplish by 2020. If any of these are common goals and you want to team up... let me know!

1. Go back to Africa at least once

2. Go to Asia or Latin American

3. Survive a triathlon

4. Write a cookbook

5. Get something published

6. Receive a masters degree

7. Go on a road trip

8. Have a successful garden

9. Cook a 5 course gourmet quality meal

10. Volunteer/work in a refugee camp for at least a week

Mr. President... This Isn't Working

I have been writing about the relationship between President Obama and the anti-genocide movement as a marriage. Perhaps this metaphor is a bit silly, but it stemmed from the honeymoon commentators use to describe the first few weeks/months of a presidency. When the administration failed to appoint a Sudan envoy before announcement of the ICC warrant back in March I announced the honeymoon over ("Obama's Anti-Genocide Honeymoon Is Over").

Responding the warrant, Bashir kicked out aid groups and under even strong pressure the administration finally appointed a special envoy in a move I had hoped with would save the "marriage" ("Will Obama Save The Marriage?").

Unfortunately the man who originally the movement celebrated, Special Envoy Scott Gration, did not signal a more robust pro-peace Sudan policy by the administration which would save the marriage, but rather signaled the end through confusing policies of appeasement to the ruthless dictator so strongly denounced by President Obama.

In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama once again echoed his call for peace in Darfur (and all of Sudan) saying: "That is why we will strengthen our support for effective peacekeeping, while energising our efforts to prevent conflicts before they take hold. We will pursue a lasting peace in Sudan through support for the people of Darfur, and the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement, so that we secure the peace that the Sudanese people deserve."

In order to achieve this peace Gration told the Washington Post: "We've got to think about giving out cookies. Kids, countries -- they react to gold stars, smiley faces, handshakes, agreements, talk, engagement." Let's put aside how ridiculous it sounds to compare a country whose government has pursued genocide to solve disputes with kids and look at the absurdity of giving a genocidal government "cookies, gold stars and smiley faces."

I could repost comments by John Prendergast, but I think the most powerful refutation of Mr. Gration comes from his boss, the President, who immediately preceding his comments regarding Sudan during last week's speech said, "For the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the hope of human beings - the belief that the future belongs to those who build, not destroy." According to the Chief Prosectuor of the ICC, Bashir is responsible for crimes against humanity estimated to have cost the lives of 300,000 Darfuris. Additionally Bashir may be responsible for similar crimes costing 2.5 MILLION lives during the conflict with South Sudan.

The question persisting on my mind to both the President and his Special Envoy... does this sound like a man we should be cuddling up to in hopes that out of good will to our new found friendship he'll stop massacring his own citizens? If I heard the President right, the future is NOT for the people like Omar Al-Bashir, but rather for peacemakers.

Sadly, in the six months of Gration's time as envoy, the message has consistently been engagement, normalization and friendship to Bashir at a time that the United States has the opportunity to bring new leadership backed by the ICC warrant to reinvigorate peace talks. Bashir was put in the corner and rather than using that advantage, we decided to bail him out and are now considering frolicking together in the park.

The marriage is over, Mr. President. I, one of your strongest supporters even until today, cannot stand by and allow my admiration of you prevent me from berating this confusing and highly disappointing stance on Darfur. The rhetoric has been incredible with the same or perhaps more force than your predecessor and certainly with more eloquence. Time for actions, we have had enough of words!

The long awaited Sudan policy review will supposedly be unfurred this week. I urge the President to order the State Department to use this opportunity to reverse the action of General Gration. Demand his resignation and start fresh with a new envoy focusing on bringing about new peace negotiations backed by multilateral support with tough consequences for any stalling by Bashir or his government.

Marriage is over, but time to decide whether this is amicable separation or not. Despite his rhetoric the movement turned on President Bush for this inaction. Your move Mr. President.

Getting Ready to Write About Uganda

I'm not sure how many people actually read this, but I'm hoping to finally write all about my Uganda trip over the next few days. Many people have asked about the trip and I've responded to read my blog or wait until we chat in person. My apologies that for most, neither has happened. So in preparation I want to open things up...

What questions do you have about my trip to Uganda?

I want to try to answer as many as possible during my recap of the trip.

Thanks!

Conflict Prevention Development?

Yes... time for another one of Leran's crazy ideas... but this one I believe has strong merit. As you'll either read in my previous post or you might hear from me soon, I think I've discovered a niche field I want to explore either working in the human rights, development and conflict resolution fields or through academic research.

This post is intended just to be a general introduction to my thoughts and as an open invite to any ideas you might want to contribute.

Overview: I want to look at how development could be designed or targeted to better promote human rights specifically among marginalized community with the end goal of conflict prevention. My concern is that in societies where violence breaks out the results of development are lost and many development projects have to start at square one if and when stability resumes.

If it would be possible to incorporate methods that promote cooperation among competing ethnic groups or leads into development then perhaps violence between such groups would be avoided or at least lessened in intensity. Furthermore if development could be successful in opening up government and/or increasing participation among marginalized groups the likelihood that conflict between said group and the government would likewise be avoided or mitigated.

Background: Over the last few years while I have been focusing on learning and reacting to the genocide in Darfur I have also followed the post-election violence in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Both nations before their respective crises began were viewed as success stories of Africa. Until a few years ago Kenya was touted as the only stable nation undergoing consistent growth in East Africa. Zimbabwe, until Mugabe began his radical land reforms in early to mid 1990s was a net exporter of food providing imports to much of the continent.

Kenya may have dodged the bullet, but no doubt the slums where the worst ethnic post-election violence are still struggling to return to the less than ideal circumstances of December 2007. Zimbabwe on the other hand continues to alternative between a slow and quick rot descending into violence between political parties and between the government and the few whites left in the nation. With runaway inflation, high HIV rate and crushed infrastructure nowhere sees much hope left for Zimbabwe.

Speaking to people in Uganda, I fear that similar problems may be in store after the national elections in 2011. Many individuals working alongside my volunteer group warned that if President Museveni does not step down and decides to rig another election in order to stay in office, the majority will rise up violently against the NRM party to remove Museveni. While Tororo in the far southeast of Uganda may be spared in a Kenyan style violent outcome, the HIV positive slum residents of Kampala we visited will most likely not be so fortunate.

If the international community is slow to react or not as successful in quelling the violence as in Kenya and things escalate toward Zimbabwe levels then Tororo. which is currently headed toward famine, will surely be thrown into a far more dire situation as will many districts all over the country including the war-torn north. In such a hopefully unlikely, but not impossible outcome the successful development happening all over the country will be most for not.

I hope I, and the Ugandans I spoke to, am wrong about 2011, but regardless post-election violence seems to be a constant phenomenon throughout the Global South. I have yet to find any literature or anyone with knowledge of literature arguing the role of development in preventing such crises and I believe it is a necessary step to take toward peace and development across Africa.