Revisiting the Second Semester: (Nerd Alert!)

As I handed in my last final paper with a sigh of relief and scramble to board a plane for the United States for a short trip home (more blogs to cover that!) I realize that perhaps I didn’t describe my courses this term as best I could and decided to take this short opportunity to do it now:

In addition to my thesis (which is a course and a HALF in itself!), I had four courses this term.   

The first was Globalization which was taught by several professors and very interesting.  We had the opportunity to visit Maha Chai on a field trip and walk in the shoes of a migrant worker on the shrimp farm (See Blog post "A Broomstick Will Never Look the Same").  One interesting component of the class was that every week students were chosen to debate a topic and had to present arguments for or against an issue.  I had the honor of defending the concept that multinational corporations abuse human rights.  I was happy to have this topic, although perhaps I thought just this one time, it might be fun to argue the other side (multinational corporations promote human rights) – as I always like a challenge and normally would not have the opportunity to take “the dark side.”  However, I wound up liking this topic so much that I wrote my opinion piece on it – taking an alternative approach and writing as Justice Ruth Ginsburg of the United States Supreme Court, drafting a futuristic concurring opinion for the verdict on the usage of the Alien Tort Claims Act and whether it can be applied to corporations.  This is a current debate that is ongoing in the Supreme Court today via Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum.

In the elevator on one of our field trips to the World Bank!

My second course was The Politics of Public Policy which examined the stakeholders, parties and politics involved behind the scenes in public policy decision making.  We had the opportunity to visit the United Nations for conferences and have guest lecturers from around the world talk about their experiences with policy.  As you may know, I am quite the sucker for policy, law and reform, and in another life (or with a different salary) I would have loved to have gone to law school and study policy in-depth.  It was very exciting for me to hear about policy around the world and how different countries approach mapping policy.

Third was Migration where we learned about the international migration patterns around the world, refugee statuses, internally displaced persons, and more.  Some of us were fortunate enough to attend a multi-day field trip to the temporary shelters (refugee camps) along the border, which was perhaps my favorite trip of this entire program and a once in a lifetime opportunity.  I gush about these experiences in my blog, starting with the entry titled, "Mae La Refugee Camp/Temporary Shelter". 

Showing off our Chula Political Science Polos!

Lastly, my favorite course this semester was Conflict Resolution (or as we learned to call it, “Conflict Transformation” as after conflict there is often not resolution but a transformation of the conflict).  I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to have lecturers who were at the heart of resolving conflicts around the world – be it in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Aceh or Southern Thailand.  Having the opportunity to hear these lecturers describe peace building and negotiation and mediation strategies from the tables of some of the most important conflict resolution works in the world was unparalleled.  I thoroughly enjoyed writing my final term paper for this course, which analyzed the impact of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and how its recent verdicts (on warlords Thomas Lubanga and Charles Taylor) have set up a form of systemic conflict transformation – working to establish an international system and understanding on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, raise awareness, and deter others from doing similar actions in the future.  I found this course and this topic fascinating and seriously hope to continue working along these amazing talents in the future.

Thailand goes GAGA!

MAIDS goes GAGA!

On Friday May 25^th the MAIDS program went GAGA.  We put down our books, notes, research and laptops and set out to see Lady Gaga come to Bangkok.  What we didn’t know is that our own celebrity status would skyrocket.

For less than $10 we each were able to get outfits, wigs and accessories, got ready at my apartment, and then climbed in the back of a very generous Rotarian’s van – and all carpooled to the Gaga extravaganza.  Eddie (the Rotarian) was taking his 11 and 13 year old kids, who were mortified to be seen with us in our costumes.  As we entered the concert venue, they wouldn’t walk anywhere near us, and kept a good twenty feet in between us and them.  Waiting in line to pick up our tickets from Will Call, someone asked to take a picture with us.  All of a sudden, twenty cameras and videocrews showed up.   Not knowing exactly what to do, we stood there awkwardly, and then soaked up the moment with our best Gaga poses and monster claws.  All of a sudden, Eddie’s children popped out of nowhere, and posed with us.  Puzzled, I went after our paparazzi moment to ask Eddie what all of that was about.  He screamed “That was NATIONAL TV – you just made national television!  The kids thought you were all ‘cool’ now that you did that so of course they came to join you!”

Gaga's Lil' Monsters

Throughout the evening, we had phone calls and SMS messages from classmates, friends and even professors who saw our debu moment on television.  We made the papers with our best poses and had a blast.

Overall the concert itself was spectacular.  Seeing Thai culture embrace an American pop star was unique – but seeing how many Thai people came to see Lady Gaga was impressive.  55,000 strong, Thailand’s largest concert – ever.  She certainly was not welcomed all over Southeast Asia and was prevented from performing in Indonesia and heavily protested in the Philippines, but it was clear by the overpowering amount of adoring fans, that she was loved in Bangkok!

Bum Bum Bum...Thesis Defense

Wednesday May 23^rd 1:00pm.

I came 45 minutes early just to set up the room.  A massive oval wooden desk, with five chairs around it, water glasses neatly aligned place cards demarcating where each person was supposed to take their seat.  The pristinely pressed paperwork open on the table, with five blank signatures next to titles.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t that nervous.  I had spent over a month researching, writing, editing and revising my thesis proposal.  I had met with my co-supervisor, gone back to make changes, met with my supervisor, gone back to make changes and repeated these actions countless times.  I was ready – or at least, if I wasn’t ready, there was nothing I could do about it now as I already had to send them the paperwork last week.

But as the Chair began, stating that first they would hear “Miss Ashley Elizabeth Pritchard’s thirty minute presentation on her thesis”…I got nervous.  My supervisor told me no more than ten minutes.  The Chair, upon finishing the rest of the agenda schedule which I tuned out as soon as I heard the word thirty asked me to proceed.  My head was racing, thinking if there were ANY way I could drag out my seven Power Point slides to last thirty minutes.  No way.  I said, “Actually, I only prepared for a seven to ten minute presentation on my proposal, as the committee has already read the proposal and I do not have new information to review, this will be a short summary and review.”  The Chair smiled, “Ten minutes is even better!”

Phew.

The rest went by so fast – under 45 minutes fast.  Following my presentation, each committee member pointed out a few questions and concerns in my thesis, and we openly discussed them – how to avoid difficulties and bias in the data.  After that – I was told to leave the room, where I spent the next thirty seconds walking out of the room in sheer terror.  I made it about as far as the hallway when I heard laughter and someone called my name (at least they didn’t use my middle name this time eek!) asking me to return.  I walked in to find the committee signing those precious white papers with smiles on their faces, wishing me luck in Myanmar, and looking forward to my findings.

Well, that was the easy part.  Now comes the hard part – the research and writing!

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!