Moment of Reflection in La Roberval Hotel

I arrived in Montreal a few hours ago. My roommate Clair is from Vancouver and seems really awesome. She’s going to Malawi for 15 months. Compared to many others, my 3 months is nothing.

I have met so many people in the past few days and done so much that it is difficult to catch up. To be around people that have such a powerful grasp of the big picture is refreshing to say the least. Many of these people have done overseas volunteer work before and all share a history of education through travel.

One man took off for volunteer work 20 years ago to the Middle East and has since come back for only a couple of years in total. Some are doing urban planning in South America; Some are doing finance in Nepal; Others are doing AIDS awareness in Lesotho. Everyone is confident, intelligent, welcoming and interested in making a difference.

I like what the fellow who has been in Afghanistan said. When he was interviewed in 1986 by CIDA they asked what his expectations for his project would be and he said to create a relationship with 5 people. Since then he has affected laws and approved the building schools and other reconstruction in Islamabad, Kabul and Cairo. But in the beginning his only object was to make 5 friends! He is still in close contact with all five.

I thought that was great advice because the millennium goals are quite a daunting task for the small group of people for the West who are actually taking affirmative action to try to achieve them. For example, they include "ensuring environmental sustainability," "eradicating extreme poverty and hunger" and "achieving universal primary education"

Today I spoke with a country delegate named Milan. He confirmed much of the information that I had learned about Sri Lanka but also gave me some new advice & info. One of the things that he said was that with the political system the way it is now, where the government will make all kinds of promises to stay in power, there can be no foreseen end to this civil war.

Those in power stand to benefit if the military has a war so they will support the war, even if it is a compromise that is what is needed for the people. As long as the LTTE and the gov’t stand on opposite sides there will be no resolution and everyday civilians will continue to suffer.