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Third world loans


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Do It Yourself Foriegn Aid

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/magazine/24volunteerism-t.html

This is a profound and practical article. I've found this to be one of the most honest records of the reality that most social entrepreneurs experience. It can be glorious, but it is wrought with red tape and frustrations, for every success there have been not so fortunate endeavors attempted. But we must keep trying! There should be a more organized way to connect these individual entrepreneurs, combining forces and resources would make each plan more likely to succeed. Someone would present an idea for a project, and others could search for buzzwords of causes they are passionate about, and the two could communicate through messages, and potentially work together for the greater good! Sort of like a facebook/twitter for people passionate about getting involved actively to make a difference and develop an approach and solution together, instead of having each person "reinvent the wheel". Thoughts?

PS. HOW DO I GET NICHOLAS KRISTOFS JOB?! I want it! Thats going on the vision board :-)

This is an amazing song by an artist who really has a message

K'naan hails from Mogadishu, Somalia and eloquently presents the woes of the unstable and chaotic environment he grew up in. He proudly carries his experiences with him and has found an effective way of communicating his stories to the masses, fulfilling one of hiphop's original tenants; he provides a voice for people who are being oppressed.


 

Portrait of a Family, Zakhira, New Delhi, India, 2008

Child Family Health International

http://www.cfhi.org/web/index.php/


This sounds like a great opportunity, you apply and they will send you abroad to learn about public and community health in the developing world.


I want to do international social work!


I want to do big things!


I want to do small things!


I want to help the whole world!


I want to help one person


Clinical vs. Policy-we need to do both
bottom up change and top down change, and meet in the middle

A "New Man"

In my seminar yesterday the instructor, a gifted and experienced clinician from Puerto Rico, was discussing the couple we have been studying and observing him doing therapy with. The man, I'll call him Juan, is Mexican and a lot of the work over the past two years that him and his wife have been in couples therapy, has been working with him to teach him how to express his emotions. Many men in this world still are raised with the idea that to be a man they must never show emotion, expose themselves as emotionally vulnerable in any way and most of all, never cry. This has created an idealized image of a man, a rough and tough character that does not connect in any meaningful way with any woman besides his own mother. Even to a sister his role is to protect and scare off any unworthy suitors. This has produced a population of men who have trouble reaching inside themselves to understand what they are feeling. The most important part of a romantic relationship is communication. Women are socialized to cry almost too easily, to reach out to one another, but most of all to talk and express themselves. Women tend to be very verbal, hence the mockery of those that yap away and never stay quiet, but overall it is a benefit because it helps females get in touch with their emotions. Yes their hormonal cycles every month contribute to a constant ebb and flow of emotions but it is not just the experience of them that is important but rather their ability to identify and explain them to a friend, family member, or partner. The fear of homosexuality has played a pivotal role in lowering the socially excepted standard of being emotional and to be considered masculine. Most boys are teased at some point about being gay, even for the smallest expression of an interest or feeling that does not fit the masculinity definition. I have been surprised how constant of a role ensuring an image of being masculine plays in the lives of my male friends. They must avoid certain colors, certain movies, certain styles, certain activities, even the idea of carrying an umbrella on a hot summer day to protect the face from the sun, was deemed to not be appropriate for a straight man to do. What interests me is for whom is all of this carefully constructed behavior? I would venture to say it is for other men. Many women are attracted to men who are comfortable with who they are and straight men who do not feel their manhood to be questioned or threatened by what tv shows they watch or how they interact with a male friend. The instructor yesterday commented on how many young boys who are close friends at some point begin to receive a message that they are not to get too close with their buddy. Teasing comments about which girls they like are mentioned so as to quell the parental anxiety that their child may not be heterosexual. Hence rigid walls begin to form among male friends; physical interaction is reduced to stiff hugs and firm handshakes. Tears dry up when they are told by society that "boys dont cry". Their emotions are put under lock and key and their feelings which could be construed as weak such as sadness, undergo an immediate transformation into aggression and anger. One client we observed a video of, a middle aged man reflecting on the neglect he felt by his estranged father, actually became physically ill when prodded to get in touch with the sadness he had experienced. This situation where men are so out of touch with emotions and instilled with a deep seeded fear of expressing any type of vulnerability has been a huge disservice to society at large. In couples therapy, it is crucial that both men and women learn to access their emotions and express them coherently to a partner, and that they both are able to deal with painful emotions without sublimating them into other feelings. In the late 1970s the concept of a "new man" was born. Men for the first time were raised to believe that women and men are equal, that it is ok to have male friends and express feelings. In recent years the explosion of movies and sitcoms focusing on a "bromance" where male friends are very close without their heterosexuality being questioned have demonstrated a change in mainstream American culture. Even the increasing acceptance of gay men into society has made the threat and fears somewhat lessened. If a gay man is not afraid to come out and express his emotions and wear whichever colors he wants, and is still proud of who he is, then even straight men can express themselves. There is still a very long way to go for society in accepting homosexuality of course, as evidenced by the recent suicides and violence against gay youth, but things are changing. Hopefully there continues to develop the idea of a new man, one who can express his emotions, cry when he needs to and that this will help not only reduce the amount of needless aggression and anger which often leads to violence, but also contribute positively to the strength of relationships they are in, and the ability for men to create close emotional and meaningful relationships with both friends and partners.

Bikram "Hot" Yoga

I have been doing bikram yoga about 4 times a week for the past month. I am loving it! Its no doubt extremely intense, and you literally have sweat pouring off of you. The class ranges from about 8-20 people, and the room is about 105 degrees and very humid. The heat emanates from various lights on the ceiling and in the corners are hanging devices which blow air, I can never tell if its also hot or slightly cooler. I have an unusual tolerance for heat and don't mind the high temperatures, but if you asked me to stand in a cold room for 90 minutes I would cry.

Throughout the practice the instructor will turn the heat and air on and off, and occasionally open the windows and the waves of cool air flowing in feel heavenly. I always try to get a space near the windows to be privileged enough to get the full benefit of the open windows. The teacher will usually ask if its anyones first time or up to 10th class and if so, will focus extra attention on that student. The teachers learn each participants name and calls on them personally with suggestions and modifications during the class. It begins with a breathing exercise designed to incorporate a deeper use of the lungs. The class is always the same set of exercises, almost all of which are done twice. The first section are standing and balance poses, and the second half is done on the floor. The first part is just continuous pose after pose until around 55 minutes you get to lie down and take a 2 minute savasana, or rest. The second set involves poses where you bend your knees and sit on them followed by immediately lying down flat, so as to increase and improve blood flow to the legs. The class ends with a fast and invigorating breathing exercise where you fluctuate your stomach rapidly in correspondence with audible and forceful exhales. The class ends with another savasana where you just rest and absorb the class. I liked one teachers comparison of this final resting period to when you bake  a cake and you have to let it settle in the pan before taking it out, you are letting your body settle in its newly worked out form before going on with your day.

 Inevitably at some point during the class you're going to feel like you will just roll over and die. I was startled in the last class actually when a girl did briefly faint, she was fine, but I was a bit alarmed to see that it actually does happen. The teacher was calm cool and collected and lifted her feet up and told her to breathe deeply, redirecting the class to their postures and away from the passed out girl. It is exciting to see your own progress, the last class I managed to straighten my leg horizontally without falling over for a full minute. It is also important to see how different your body is on different days. Some days I feel like I have reached my threshold within the first 30 minutes and others after the 90 minute session I don't even feel that tired. It is helpful to have the teachers constantly pushing you and challenging you to reach your limits, reminding you of the benefits and supporting you when you feel worn out. After the class, you literally feel cleaner. It is as if someone wrung your body out like a towel and you are now refreshed and renewed. You don't feel sore as if you went for a run or lifted weights, rather just tired and a bit achy. You will eat more and sleep more due to your practice and feel much healthier and have more energy. 

I would definitely recommend the practice to anyone who has a descent tolerance for heat. 

Here is a link to pictures of each posture and the associated benefits

http://www.bikramyoganyc.com/health_benefits.htm

A Few Photos from Rishikesh, India August 2010

WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

Everyone who ever was a child and went to school, or knows a child in school, or ever plans to have a child who will go to school, in the United States, needs to see this movie. Bring tissues because it will break your heart, and its not your average tearjerker because, it is Real. Please spread the word, spread the rage, and spread the change.

Blogging is Back!

I have been adjusting to my second year of grad school, new roomates, new internship and a new relationship. Now its October and I am ready to continue my musing here.


Some topics which have been floating around in my head are


couples therapy due to my class and work where I am learning about it, I know of some interesting exercises you can try with your partner, and also some just to ask yourself before getting into a relationship, its fascinating how the model is based on the fact that "there are 6 people in the bed" with you and your partner, the couple, and their parents. Each of us are raised in a separate culture, whether it be an ethnic culture, or the unique environment and traditions of your nuclear and extended family, so in a relationship its never just the two people, but an entire understanding about and approach to this world....


I am thinking a lot about a professional life, and the transition to and role of life after school, life as a working person. In what ways are you defined by your profession? by your job? What becomes your uniform? and your title? where is the line between those defining you, are you one way because of the work you do, or do you do the work because of who and how you are? When you work a 9-5 are you living to work or working to live? is anyone truly happy in a cubicle? Where does the power come from, how and when can you earn and gain power? I've spent my life at the bottom of the professional totem pole and next year is the first time I won't have some type of disclaimer to my name such as "intern"...


Many of my close friends have moved away this year, so I have been thinking about friendship. What makes you close to someone and lose touch? Is it based on physical proximity or is it about an emotional level of intimacy which especially in this day and age is easy to maintain with various technology. In this day and age, kids may become friends while they grow up, but then many people leave their home for college, you make friends there, but they may return to where they are from or more often than not head to a new city or even country to pursue their career. There is not in fact, any finalized period in time where everyone will come back together. Its difficult to reconcile the fact that the young men and women who I used to live down the hall from, will from now on be seen only on special occasions and short visits. This is also an age where relationships begin to take on a different type of priority to friendships. Our roles as young adults are changing within the context of our family and how are our parents reacting to that fact that we are no longer children but are adults in our own right? 


I also feel like a lot of my friends are doing big things. I have friends who are making it big in music, starting companies, starting non profits, designing and marketing products etc. and I want to do something big also! "Some day" has just about arrived and I wish I didn't have so much homework to do so that I could focus on accomplishing some of those plans because it doesn't seem like there really is much excuse to wait for a later date, when I graduate I suppose but still, I am getting restless and itchy to get started.


ok signing off but more to come and much to contemplate!

Kendra is amazing

I grew up playing soccer with Kendra and she is an amazing singer, please listen and enjoy! I wish I could sing, and I would wish I had a voice like hers