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Jen's Journal
Jen's Journal


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September Progress
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

i wrote this a while back - and was going to spend more time writing details - but seeing as october is almost over, i'm just going to post a rough sketch of what i've done in september:

********************
September Highlights
********************

September 6 - September 12 - Youth Employment Summit, Alexandria, Egypt
(www.youthemploymentsummit.org)
The Youth Employment Summit is the launch of a Decade Campaign of Action, so that an additional 500 million young adults, especially youth facing poverty, will have productive and sustainable livelihoods by the year 2012." The Alexandria Youth Employment Summit, September 7 to 11, 2002 successfully gathered over 1800 delegates to participate in the launch of the Decade Campaign. These delegates, now part of the Global Alliance for Youth Employment, met to collaboratively address the challenges of youth employment. As an Organizing Committee member of the conference, I spoke at the opening ceremonies in order to launch the Global Knowledge Resource for Youth Employment. I also ran an Open Session, I spoke at the Regional session for North America and Europe and also facilitated a TakingITGlobal meeting about our country sites with members from over 25 countries!

September 20th - 24th - Global Leaders of Tomorrow, Geneva, Switzerland
(www.weforum.org)
In 1992 the World Economic Forum developed a special community called "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" (GLTs). The community, through its programmes, aims to create and engage a global network of young business and non-business leaders, dedicated to working together in areas of social and environmental development and entrepreneurship. The Global Leaders for Tomorrow represent the new generation of leaders who are "global" in terms of their accomplishments and potential. They are young but proven leaders from business, politics, the arts and civil society. The members of the GLT community demonstrate a commitment to addressing issues beyond their immediate professional interest. GLTs are global decision-makers already holding positions of considerable influence and responsibility. Each year 100 outstanding international leaders from business and society are selected by the Forum's Management Board. As a 2002 Global Leader of Tomorrow, I was a conference participant and was also selected to run a booth on the topic of "Youth Creating Digital Opportunities" at the Expo Bazzar.

September 27th - Millennium Excellence Award Program - Think Again 2002 Conference in Ottawa
(www.millenniumscholarships.ca)
The theme of the Foundation’ s second annual Think Again conference for national award laureates is “Exploring New Paths”. The conference is one of the vehicles by which the Foundation can provide laureates with opportunities to aid their development as leaders and innovators. This conference will bring together leaders and thinkers from across the country whose personal commitment and engagement are exemplary. Through the examples and role models presented to them, the conference will foster a continued commitment to innovation, and empower the national laureates to take the risks that will be necessary to make substantial contributions to changing and improving society. I was a conference panelist on a session about "Shifting Borders".

School Courseload:
• AK VISA 2000 Cr=6.00 A Term:Y Matrix Studio I
• AK MODR 1730 Cr=6.00 Q Term:Y Reasoning About Social Issues
• AK GEOG 3410 Cr=6.00 A Term:Y Cultural Geography
• AS SOSC 3311 Cr=6.00 A Term:Y Communication In Organizations
• SB BSUS 4900 Cr=3.00 A Term:F BSUS Independent Study
Potentially: AK/SOSC 1810 6.0z Communication & Mass

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday September 30 - Toronto, Canada
*********************

~ first day back in the office for a while...
~ spent time getting my desk organized
~ responded to important (yet small percentage) of e-mails
~ call TV producer and set up time for phone interview
~ call walter (prof.@ york) to discuss communiation course
~ meeting with Nick & Mike - catch up on current projects & priorities ~ 4:15 meet with michelle to discuss 'country site' status ~ print materials for courses so that I can catch up on homework in sweden ~ 8pm karate class ~ review key concepts for 'Reasoning About Social Issues' and write online quiz ~ post comments on discussion boards, add bio & picture in the profile for online course

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday September 29 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ 8am wake-up - church with brother in the morning
~ shopping - got 3 types of teas & honey...feeling a bit sick
~ homework day & rest day
~ complete much of the readings for 'Reasoning About Social Issues'
~ write long e-mail to Poonam/YES about technology development relationship ~ new computer! Finally using the Compaq :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday September 28 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ 5am wake-up & leave for airport
~ arrive in TO @ 7am from Ottawa
~ sleep for a bit.
~ went to mass for mike's dad (1 year since he passed away)
~ lunch with friends & family
~ had a long nap in the afternoon/evening - which was very nice ~ worked on urgent & difficult e-mails in the evening
~ had a nice sleep in my warm & comfortable bed...yay :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday September 27 - Ottawa, Canada
**********************

~ 7am wake-up, stretch, shower and walk to conference
(I met a homeless person who was looking through a garbage bin along the way and when I saw him give up - I gave him my apple...he smiled and said 'god bless you') ~ 8am breakfast at Parliament Hill - Think Again 2002 conference ~ 10:30 - first panel on topic of shifting borders ~ 12:00 - lunch ~ 1:30 - second panel on the same topic (different group of people) ~ listen to governor general speak ~ dinner - have really interesting conversations ~ art gallery - spend time with new friends!! ~ in the cab ride to the airport my taxi driver was from nigeria...when I mentioned that I knew Hafsat Abiola from Nigeria he was in complete shock! (since her parents were assisinated in the fight for democracy and she has carried on their work she is very well known in nigeria)...we then had a bit of a talk about the hospilitality of africa & technology. I gave him a TIG mousepad and a big tip - he said 'god bless you' before leaving...) ~ I ended up having about an hour at the airport - just waiting for my flight. I found a couch that looked really comfortable so I decided to sit down...and then decided...to close...my eyes...just...for...a...m.o.m.e.n.t..
Until is suddenly woke up in a panic...only to find out that it was 10:10 and I had just slept thorugh my 10:10 flight!!! ~ cried at airport for a bit - I really wanted to go home and sleep in my comfortable bed :( ~ I called mike and he listened to me sulk. Then I went to someone at the airport check-in counter and got my flight changed until Saturday - he didn't charge anything for the change fee which was nice... ~ went to 'Day's Inn' - took a hot bath and went to sleep by 11:30

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday September 26 - Ottawa, Canada
**********************

~ conference call with Ben from GYAN - re: partnership
~ conference call with Poonam from YES re: technology development ~ respond to urgent e-mails ~ prepare logistics for conference in Ottawa ~ 2:30-4:30 - Communication in Organizations lecture ~ go home & pack!! ~ 8pm flight to Ottawa ~ stayed up until 1am preparing slides & writing thoughts on paper for panel discussion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday September 25 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ 11am meeting with Director of Admissions @ York - got cancelled due to her being sick... ~ 1:30 - 2:30 - Communication In Organizations Tutorial ~ lunch outside by a tree & chat with friend from class about life as a student / dreams & aspirations etc. ~ work on art assignment - due at 6pm ~ 6pm - 10pm - Matrix Art Studio - still life drawings in class

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday September 24 - Geneva, Switzerland
**********************

~ 11am flight from Geneva to Toronto (passed through London & bought mom a b-day gift!) ~ arrive at 6:10pm ~ 7-10 - Cultural Geography lecture ~ up late responding to urgent e-mails (downloaded for the first time since Thursday!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday September 23 - Geneva, Switzerland
**********************

~ worked in my hotel room all morning on e-mails - I wrote 50 e-mails to all the people that I made a connection with at the GLT summit...I was so inspired by the people I met I just felt compelled to get to know them a bit more... ~ check-out of hotel at 4pm ~ tour old city with patty in the afternoon ~ nap @ the house we stayed at ~ dinner with Patty & Christine at Pizza place


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday September 22 - Geneva, Switzerland
**********************

~ early morning start - conference wrap-up leadership discussion ~ discussion about 'restoring trust in the markets' ~ went mountain biking
~ back at hotel - began process of working on e-mails to GLT's ~ dinner with GLT's in a café located in the old city - had cheese fondu and made incredible connections with someone from Cameroon and someone from India

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday September 21 - Geneva, Switzerland
**********************

~ Expo Bazzar -Youth Creating Digital Opportunities booth!!
~ conference sessions relating to leadership
~ break out into groups of 3 and discuss leadership challenges ~ bus ride to France for dinner & dancing :)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday September 20 - Geneva, Switzerland
**********************

~ several hours spent in London at the airport - plugged in my laptop and responed to a chunk of e-mails ~ arrived in Geneva at 3:30 - met a GLT at the airport and took a cab with a few people ~ showered, unpacked, changed & met group to take bus to WEF headquarters ~ Opening Ceremonies & Dinner

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday September 19 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ pack in the morning
~ conference call with Jason Dorsey
~ spend time at TIG office preparing for booth at GLT sumimt
~ call Waya in Geneva and local potential sponsor to confirm funding for trip ~ 2:30-4:30 - Communication in Organizatios - lecture ~ 7pm flight to Geneva

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday September 18 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ 8am wake-up and prepare for visit to hospital
~ 9am leave for North York hospital where my grandmother was having an operation. Her breast was removed as she had cancer...4 tumours that grew...and fortunately, she made it through the operation. As a stroke victim, she was vulnerable. This time was important for me to spend with my family. I also completed my first art assignment with my sketchbook and pencil in hand while in the waiting room ;) ~ Communication in Organizations - 1:30 - 2:30 class ~ spend time at York bookstore in lines purchasing books for school ~ japanese food for lunch!
~ 5pm - pick up books across the street from york
~ Matrix Art Studio - 6pm - 10pm
~ try to manage urgent e-mails

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday September 17 - Toronto, Canada
**********************

~ Career Edge Interns (Noor & Reggie) begin!!
~ spend time getting office re-organized & setup
~ spent time working with noor & reggie to develop work plan & training ~ respond to a few e-mails and try not to get too overwhelmed with all the incredible feedback (e-mails) as a follow-up from the Youth Employment Summit! ~ 7-10pm Cultural Geography lecture

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday September 16 - Egypt
**********************

~ 8am flight from Cairo to Toronto
~ stop through London on the way back
~ arrive home at 11pm
~ respond to e-mails and get prepared for school

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday September 15 - Egypt
***********************

~ work on e-mails
~ relax by the pool
~ go to the mosque
~ dinner with Enas
~ develop plan for TIG in Egypt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday September 14 - Egypt
***********************

~ sleep in - for the first time in months!!
~ work on e-mails
~ read some of my textbook for school by the pool
~ meet up with Enas for Japanese food - dinner
~ 8pm meeting with Samir Eliesh from NCPD (National NGO's Center for Population and Development) ~ back at hotel by 11pm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday September 13 - Egypt
***********************

~ horse back riding in the desert by the pyramids
~ lunch at the Fish Market
~ visit the market and go shopping!!
~ boat ride
~ dinner at TGI Friday's
~ sleep by midnight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday September 12 - Egypt
***********************

~ Visit the Pyramids - group tour!
~ visit the museum
~ visit the gallery
~ traditional lunch
~ back to hotel for a few hours
~ strategize with Ezekiel before he heads back to Ghana
~ Dinner on a boat on the Nile
~ dessert & tea at the hotel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday September 11 - Egypt
***********************

~ spent some time at booth representing TIG
~ meet Canadian Ambassador
~ Closing Ceremonies for Youth Employment Summit
~ Organizing Committee lunch (meet Ministers for Youth & Mexico team) ~ Interview with the Global Nomads Group ~ travel back to Academy & pack up!! ~ leave on a bus back to Cairo with the gang

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tuesday September 10 - Egypt
***********************

~ briefly download e-mails
~ attended ICT Session run by Digital Partners (spoke briefly about country sites & relevance in rural communities) ~ attend NEPAD session (New Partnership for African Development and Sustainable Development (prepared presentation for TIG Open Session during NEPAD session) ~ meet with Realm Magazine editor for upcoming article ~ spent time at booth representing TIG ~ 2:00 - 3:00 TakingITGlobal Open Session: Global Youth Networking for Development ~ discussion about input into the framework for action ~ Cultural Evening - dinner, dancing, live Arabic performances

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday September 9 - Egypt
***********************

~ completed first assignment for school (uploaded photography for art class) ~ Attended Education for Work session ~ dad's 50th birthday!! Called home :)
~ Regional Sessions on "The Next Steps: An Action Agenda for the Decade Campaign" - I attended and spoke at the breakout Session on Europe & North America ~ TIG Meeting with interested coordinators at the Academy! Ezekiel gave presentation...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday September 8 - Egypt
***********************

~ Attend YES session about Building Country Networks for Youth Employment ~ Meet with Jose-Maria Figures from WEF & Akhtar from Digital Partners to discuss ICT presentation ~ attend part of session about Promoting Youth Employment in the Global Village ~ Session 1 Panellist: Role of Information Communication Technology in Promoting Youth Employment ~ Interview for TIG members in Nigeria ~ Interview with Associated Press
~ Innovation Marketplace - connect with members
~ Building Entrepreneurial Culture to Promote Social and Economic Development session ~ Walk along the beach & Dinner with Mike, Martin, Michelle, Nick and Ezekiel :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday September 7 - Egypt
***********************

~ early morning at the library of Alexandria - practice run
~ work on PowerPoint presentation for GKR launch with Jen Cottes & Mike's help ~ lunch with mike, martin, Michelle & nick ~ back at the library - everyone is freaking out looking for me & the CD!! ~ rush rush to complete the presentation! ~ VIP room - meet the First Lady of Egypt ~ Launch the Global Knowledge Resource at the Youth Employment Summit Opening Ceremonies

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday September 6 - Egypt
***********************

~ flight arrives
~ 4 hour bus ride from Cairo to Alexandria
~ Challenges with registration & getting a room
~ yay - rooming with Michelle!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday September 5 - South Africa
***********************

~ cab to hotel to meet up with Nick
~ lunch in Pretoria
~ art gallery in Pretoria with Nick & Mike
~ long flight to Egypt (stop-over in Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

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Wednesday September 4 - Ghana
***********************

~ morning breakfast
~ shopping at the market with Amos & Ezekiel
~ Volunteer Training (how to use dream weaver & Photoshop)
~ soccer match
~ leave Ghana in the evening

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Tuesday September 3 - Ghana
***********************

~ Ezekiel pick's up passport & ticket at the Egyptian Embassy
~ meeting with Louise from Canadian Embassy to discuss being an Advisor ~ Volunteer Training - arrive very LATE!! ~ Dinner with Amos at his house ~ car stalled on the ride back home :(

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Monday September 2 - Ghana
***********************

~ 7:15am wake-up *missed the 7:30 bus from Accra
~ supposed to make the 9am bus - though we missed it
~ ended up catching the 12:00 noon bus to Cape Coast
~ arrived at 3pm to visit the Slave Castles
~ had some Malta (special guiness drink - non-alcoholic)
~ caught the 6:30pm bus from Cape Coast
~ arrived in Accra at 9:30 and took another bus to Tema late

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday September 1 - Ghana
***********************

~ church 9:30 - 11:30am (we were welcomed by the congregation) ~ visited the children who attend Sunday school ~ TIG Info. Session & Feedback session (workshop training) ~ dinner in Accra ~ back to Tema at about 10:30pm - which is late!