Red Shirt Protest

Former Prime Minister Thaksin was well represented in the crowd

We were advised on Saturday, May 19^th (my mom’s birthday!) to avoid a certain area of town, because there were going to be large numbers of Red Shirt protestors.  Now – I always hear about those thrill-seeking tourists who hear about dangerous situations (i.e. running with the bulls in Spain) and scurry up ready to see the action firsthand.  I thought they were crazy…

But, how can you say that you are a student, activist (not Red, but strong supporter in regards to the opportunity of peaceful protest) and peace builder – and not go to the protests?!  So, after a long day in the library, Carolina and I took “the long way home” in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the action.

As we edged towards the Skywalk – red was everywhere exiting off the BTS.  I got excited.  There was A LOT of red.  As we continued to walk towards the square – more and more red flooded the Skywalk.  Our little four lane way of people traffic quickly became a one lane road, as people crowded the sidewalk standing in support.  With our backpacks on [and non-red attire] we continued to push our way through crowds.  At one point, I jumped up to see over the crowds, and caught a glimpse of the square – and it was covered in red.  

What a lot of people misunderstand and misreport, is that the color divide in Thailand (red versus yellow) is violent, unorganized and pointless.  While the government is slow to make change, when you have 20,000 people fill a square wearing the same color and peacefully speaking on stage, it is effective.  The red shirt protest included a candlelight vigil for Uncle SMS, a farmer who was tried and sentenced to twenty years due to accusations that he wrote SMS messages about the Queen.  These messages, although not released, were in apparent violation of the country’s Lese Majeste law, despite the defendant’s claims that he did not know how to text and that the phone was under repair at the time the messages were sent.  Uncle SMS died earlier this week in prison from cancer.

 

Overall, the protest was impressive, and I was happy to see action.  In comparison to say, the United States, I was thrilled to see people putting actions behind their words and peacefully protesting what the government was doing and getting their voices heard.  It is easy to bitch and moan about something you don’t like – but it is another to act upon it.  By showing up 20,000 strong, their message was clear and it was impossible to deny that these individuals were apathetic in their actions.

FINAL EXAMS

With final papers, exams and a thesis proposal defense, this little guy accurately describes how I feel at the moment :(

I realize that all too often I tend to write blog posts that highlight the amazing sights, sounds, smells and tastes that I am experiencing here…however, after reviewing my posts, I am worried that some of you do not believe I am actually a full-time student.  Let me prove you wrong in one post.

Although I may not reiterate the massive amounts of reading, endless hours of class, tireless sums of edits and re-drafts on papers, and through-the-roof stress levels, trust me, it is there.  Cramming a two-year Master’s program into 12 months of course should be understandably challenging, however I had no idea the extent of the work load.

To put it in perspective – in the past two weeks directly following the Convention, I have spent on average, ten hour days in the library, followed by an additional four hours of “late night library.”  I have eaten over fifty-six 7 Eleven sandwiches and have so many different research books stacked up in my apartment I made a life size Jenga tower of books.  

I currently am enrolled in five courses and then of course, there is this teensy thing called a THESIS.  So, in addition to attending classes, I must write final term papers (consisting of roughly 15-20 pages each) and research, write and defend my thesis proposal…all before June 1^st.

Ready. Set. Go!

Encapsulating Rotary in Three Days

My host Bangkok Rotarians meet my sponsor Foster City Rotarians at the Wheelchair Booth at the Convention!

Mark Flegel and I at the Major Donor Dinner

While it is impossible to encapsulate all that I have experienced with Rotary over the past two weeks – exhaustion and awe pretty much sums it up!

While attending a Convention, you really must be prepared and wearing your best smile at all times, as the networking opportunities are one of a kind and endless.  There are introductory speeches and sessions to attend, booths in the House of Friendship to visit, meetings with colleagues, partnerships and networks to be formed.  I nearly had to learn to like coffee in order to take advantage of all of the networking opportunities because you were always chatting with someone whether it be in between breakout sessions, waiting in line at registration, at a cocktail party, dinner event, or on the bus commuting to and from the Convention!

My first steak (non-Thai food) in a LONG time :)

I can also say that I have a new appreciation for heads of states and celebrities that do these kinds of things on a daily basis.  For me, attending fancy formal events after spending over ten hours running around sessions meeting new people, while always smiling and exhibiting your best conversational skills, while looking perfect melting in Bangkok’s heat…was exhausting!  Not to mention, I am also in the middle of final exams and trying to do everything at once was like trying to perform a magic trick!

One of the shows at the Convention - they were AMAZING!

However, I can say that without a doubt, this was the most productive, helpful and memorable conference I have attended to date.  The friendships and networking connections that I made were incredible, and the entire performance with presenters, dancers and display was impressive.  I am incredibly thankful to Rotary for giving me this opportunity and being able to meet so many other individuals who share similar passions in making the world a better place.   

 We youngsters certainly have some large shoes to fill within the Rotary world, but I am confident given the wonderful young Rotaractors and scholars that I met at the Convention – we will rise to the challenge!

The Only Place Poverty Should Be is in Museums

Muhammad Yunus addressing the Opening Plenary Session, Monday May 7, 2012

Today – I got to spend some quality time with another Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, mentor, idol, and professor, Dr. Muhammad Yunus as he addressed the opening Plenary Session of the Rotary International Convention.  He is a wonderful speaker and without notes or prompts, managed to speak for over thirty minutes on microfinance, social business and the future of poverty.  He ended with my favorite quote of his, which is of course:

“I strongly believe that we can create a poverty-free world, if we want to.... In that kind of world, [the] only place you can see poverty is in the museum. When school children will be on a tour of the poverty museum, they will be horrified to see the misery and indignity of human beings. They will blame their forefathers for tolerating this inhuman condition to continue in a massive way.”

Gillian Sorensen, Senior Adviser to the United Nations Foundation

But the real treat, was being able to hear one of my other mentors, Senior Adviser to the United Nations Foundation Gillian Sorensen, give her keynote address to Rotary.  I have known of Gillian for years – dating back to a speech she gave while I was a student at Lehigh.  Awestruck by her remarks, I approached her after her speech in an attempt to receive a copy, in hopes that I could produce anything similar to script that moving.  She pulled out a napkin with three bullet points on it and said, “Well this is all I have but you are more than happy to have it if it helps!”  From three bullet points, she recited one of the best speeches I have ever heard.  I followed her while at the United Nations and attended her speeches at every given opportunity.  I am particularly grateful to her for one particular speech of hers, in which she reminded me of why we [UN staffers] do what we do and why it is worth it, regardless of the difficulties.  I was going through a particularly challenging summer with my responsibilities at work, and I do not think she will ever know how helpful her speech was, in realigning my goals and mindset for the organization.

I wrote to her directly before the Convention, mentioning that I had left my previous post in New York to study in Thailand under a Rotary scholarship, and should there be anything I can do to please let me know.  The short story is that not only did she write me back, but she called me, and we spoke at length about Rotary, Rotary’s relationship to the UN, and my studies in Thailand.  I made a few comments on what I felt might be important to highlight in her speech, and made recommendations on things that she must visit while traveling here in SEA.  

With Jon and Linda who came all the way from Foster City, CA!

Sitting in the audience listening to her speak, was as always, a treat.  But what I did not expect coming, was that she highlighted my scholarship story in her speech!  I was incredibly surprised and honored and was blessed to have been sitting with two of my Rotary sponsors from California – which of course made the moment even more special :)

For a copy of Sorensen's remarks - Click Here!

Opening Ceremony Rotary Convention

Rotary International Convention Opening Flag Ceremony

After spending several days wandering around the massive complex where the Rotary Peace Symposium and Convention were supposed to be held, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I knew it would be huge.  My jaw dropped as I entered the Registration Hall – which was more like a Registration PALACE…there were over 100 rows of alphabetical letters where people could cue up and wait for their registration.  Having helped with registration for conferences at the UN for upwards of 3,000-4,000 I could not fathom the amount of professionalism, or the sheer volume of what these numbers would look like.

Linda, Noemi and I are all smiles at the opening!

But on the morning of Sunday May 6^th, I witnessed it firsthand.  Together with Jon, Linda and Noemi, we piled into a car, followed the masses into the arena, and scurried to find seats.  I wasn’t even overwhelmed at this point in time, I was just impressed.  You didn’t have to be overwhelmed, because everything was organized – and it was this organization and professionalism and the mass operation of 35,000 people that made it so impressive.

From VIP seats, I was able to witness my first opening ceremony for a Rotary Convention.  As I watched hundreds of flags flood the stage, I realized just how large, expansive and impressive this organization truly is.  And as flags such as Taiwan, India, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and others entered the room, the roar of applause from proud Rotary clubs in those countries filled the room.  I couldn’t help but smile knowing that while each Convention is different, I was proud to that my first Convention was in Asia.

They played one of my favorite songs from The King and I at the opening!

Peace, Nobel and Gbowee: “I expected to find bitterness and hatred -- what I found instead was strength”

Leymah Gbowee Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2011

On Saturday May 5th, I was given the chance of a lifetime – to hear 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee speak.  Gbowee was awarded the Nobel for her efforts as a Liberian peace activist responsible for leading a women's peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003.  This led to the election of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia, the first African nation with a female president.  She was absolutely sensational.   

But what made the event even more special, was being able to hear it with fifteen of my classmates and two professors.  Rotary was able to get us extra tickets to the event, and although it was with less than 24 hour notice, our program showed up in strong numbers to hear Ms. Gbowee speak – and she certainly did not disappoint.  

Her words brought instant goose bumps, her emotions were felt by everyone in the audience and as we hung on the edge of our chairs waiting for her every word, you couldn’t help but be engulfed by the passion that she radiated from that stage.  

For the fifteen of us that were able to make her event, her passion for change, her commitment to changing the world, and her will to help those in need could not have come at a more better time, seeing as we were in the middle our second set of final exams, term papers, and theses proposal defenses.  It was easy to get lost in the chaos, stress and massive amounts of work, but with Gbowee’s words, we were transfixed, and shaken to realize exactly why we were doing what we were doing.  

Students from the MAIDS program at Chula who were lucky enough to attend Leymah's speech - thanks to Brad from Rotary International (center).  Thank you so much Brad for giving us this opportunity!

She spoke about the realities of conflict, development and change – and stated that there is no way you can talk about peace without addressing politics.  She spoke of the recent International Criminal Court ruling on Charles Taylor, the man who came to rule Liberia for years while employing child soldiers and committing atrocities not only in Liberia but neighboring countries as well, who was recently found guilty for aiding and abetting war in Sierra Leone.  She said, “justice is served only when justice can be felt by the victims.  Go to the amputee camps in Sierra Leone (where Taylor and his army brutally dismembered thousands of innocent villagers) and see how their lives are devastated as a result of the conflict.  Justice can only be served when it is felt by those victimized.”

Leymah receiving thanks from prominent Rotarians onstage

However, my favorite quote of Gbowee’s came in response to a question regarding the place of women in conflict resolution.  Gbowee noted that there is a tendency to need women in the protesting stage of conflict, but as soon as there are peace negotiation talks and a transformation of power, woman are again pushed to the back.  So she said, “Ladies, put your platforms [demands, plans of action] in your skirts and in your bras…and be ready.”

She said, “My purpose here is to inspire where inspiration is needed, to encourage where encouragement is needed, and to raise up where complacency has set in,” said Gbowee.

And while I can’t speak for everyone in the crowd that day, I can say that for the fifteen of us present from our program, she was inspirational, encouraging and made a strong call to action.