The Empire …

By Pascale Chemaly.

The first time I felt in love, was with an imaginary guy that I created in my fantasy, prince charming in every Cinderella story. A unique feeling that makes you fly and ignore everything around you. I am not a little girl anymore, I know prince charming does not exist and he will never come to rescue me on his big white horse. But the feeling of magic was there from first sight, the minute I walked into this huge building. It was an Empire. Huge, enormous place, not only restaurants, not only stores, shops, hotel and departments…

 

It was an Empire, CNN Empire.

 

 I love the world of Television, I am a media Practitioner and TV is my Passion but I thought CNN was an ordinary TV station not an Empire and I felt Love at first sight. When I first entered this big building. It was a dream come true. I was charmed. I was in USA with SUSI scholars who loved the place as I did. We met professionals Mr.Tony Maddox EVO of news standards and Practices AT CNN and Mr. Rick Davis International Vise president. If I had to choose I would have stayed for 10 days exploring every department, checking how they work, knowing the secret behind CNN International success. Dream came true, I visited CNN and it was more then expected… Real Love at first sight… I felt in love with a real Charming TV station.

The Road to Washington via Athens

by: Evans Yonson (Philippines)

(Note: This article originally appeared on Global Spotlight, Vol 10, Issue II, 2017. Several photos and links have been added below.)

“Congratulations! We are looking forward to seeing you in Washington, DC on July 16,” said the email.

I arrived Athens, Ohio on July 6^th, more than a week before the Facebook Global Digital Challenge in Washington, DC.

With Prof. Yusuf Kalyango, PhD, SUSI2017 Program Director, taken upon my arrival in Columbus, Ohio on July 6th.
(Photo by Franklyn Charles)

While my SUSI colleagues were enjoying Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, communing with the Amish-Mennonites, and visiting the State Hall of Columbus, there I was in hot and humid DC with my students. If only I could teleport between Ohio and DC, I would have done it in a snap.

In July 2016, Facebook, in association with EdVenturePartners, asked if I could gather students and implement a peer-to-peer (P2P) social media campaign in Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan).

P2P is a global university initiative being implemented in 160 universities around the world. Over the course of one semester, university teams work to design, pilot, implement and measure the success of a social or digital initiative, product or tool that motivates or empowers other students to become involved in countering violent extremism (CVE).

EdVenture Partners believes that engaging youth in the fight against violent extremism is crucial, and the P2P program offers a creative and exciting way for students around the world to become involved in the effort.

Thus, the birth of I Am Mindanao. I Am Mindanao (IAM) aims to educate college students in Cagayan de Oro City about violent extremism, strengthen their sense of pride as Mindanaoans, and empower them to take part in CVE. When we started the campaign, there were a lot of apprehensions but we were steadfast in our efforts towards peace in Mindanao.

During our first campaign (Fall 2016), we developed original and research-based materials and activities for our online and offline audience such as infographics, videos, online competitions, room-to-room lecture series, a concert, a photo exhibit, and a peace camp. We had a total 15 activities for this term.

Taken during the Peace Camp. (Photo by I Am Mindanao) 

For our second campaign (Spring 2017), we initiated a weekly dialogue with Muslim, Christian and indigenous students. The regular meetings brought more ideas into the campaign. We explored the students’ sense of identity, sense of belongingness, and sense of purpose. This further solidified our campaign’s efforts towards CVE and achieving lasting peace in Mindanao. For this campaign, we had 22 various activities spanning from January to June 2017.

Student volunteers meet to discuss the plans for summer.
(Photo by I Am Mindanao)

On May 23, an ISIS-related group called Maute Group invaded the Islamic City of Marawi (100 kilometers away from Cagayan de Oro).

Two hours after the attack, the IAM Team issued a Statement of Condemnation. The next day, we started a call-to-action initiative, #MealforMarawi. Our target was to raise 200 US dollars to feed 150 internally displaced persons. Help immediately poured in. Before the week was over, we collected close to 2,000 USD.

A post-campaign survey revealed that all 726 respondents are willing to take part in future activities of IAM related to CVE.

Our social media platforms exhibited unbelievable metrics. Our Facebook page has a total of more than 38,000 page likes, 4.5 million impressions. One photo alone was shared more than 100,000 times. Twitter and Instagram have generated more than 3 million impressions.

The I Am Mindanao Team in Washington, DC.
(Photo by I Am Mindanao) 

Bangladesh won the top prize, with Nigeria placing 2^nd, Spain 3^rd, and the Philippines with the fourth place.

“It’s never about winning the top prize in Washington, DC that matters. What matters the most is made an impact in our community. Coming to the US is only the icing of our Mindanao cupcake,” I told my students.

A Squirrel journey in Athens Ohio

Like a squirrel jumping from a tree to tree to find a piece of wood in the gardens surrounding River Parks Apartments in Athens Ohio, you can just walk to the Schoonover school in a humid evening then turn right and walk straight down to the end then right again to the Main Street just to find on your left-hand side the Farmacy: a small and rare to find shop full of goodness.

If you happen to be a vegan squirrel and in love with healthy food, that is the place to go. As Des showed me this shop in our way to Kruger last weekend, you will just find there all types of non-dairy milks, grains, nuts, natural cereals and crackers. Of course, there is much more than that. You will just grab your cereal and crackers to have something for breakfast. 

In your way to the Farmacy you will get across Athens Yoga. If you are a Yoga lover, this is good news for you. But remember, everything here closes at 6 pm. So, you better catch them in the lunch break and check their time schedule and prices. Right after the Yoga shop, you will find the Ambassador, the oldest laundry in Athens Ohio. Of course, you don't need that because you have your laundry in the same building where you live: building one, sixth floor. But, if you need any alterations or to change a zipper of a trouser, this is the place to go. It will just take them one and a half weeks to two weeks: fingers crossed! 

Anyways, you will just keep walking forward to get back home from the other direction. Passersby will tell you that you must go to the end to get back to River Park apartments. But when you reach there, you will find the street blocked for some works being done there. On your right-hand side, you will find a much bigger Jackio’s than that in the town, with sitting area in the open air. Well you can plan to have a vegan pizza there in the weekend. People there will tell you to go back because the road is blocked. 

In your way back, you will decide to turn left through the first street on your left hand side. When you reach, the intersection of Elliot and Milli streets you will find a green apples tree. The first ever green apples tree you see in your life. It will remind you of Newton and his gravity law, and you will make sure that your vegan journey as a squirrel was worthwhile. By then, your eyes will catch the banner of River Park, where you reside, and you will just keep walking straight back. 

What's Happening "Now"

An accurate clock for sale in Green Market Square
Photo: Pessimist Incarnate

By: David Michael

I have been working in Cape Town, South Africa for about a month and a half and am just writing my first blog post. This is evidence of my having adopted “South Africa time.” 

South Africa time refers to the fact everyone is very laid back. Someone shows up 15 minutes late to a meeting, and they’re probably the first one there. The trains are expected to be on a delay 24/7, and no one complains. The train being late is simply an inevitable fact. Admittedly, adapting to this laissez faire attitude was one of the most difficult cultural humps to overcome, especially as a journalist.  

Sources are in no rush to respond.  Coming from the U.S., I was used to people replying to emails within a day, if not within the hour. A previous intern for the Cape Chameleon (the magazine I’m interning at) was here for three months. He was doing a feature piece about HIV prevention being taught in schools throughout Cape Town. He left about two weeks ago, but yesterday we received an email on our shared account from one of organizations he’d been trying to contact. They apologized for the late reply. 

The original email to them had been sent on May 23rd.  

Another reflection of the indifference towards time is the South Africans complicated use of the word “now.” There are three forms of “now:” 

Now: Eventually, possibly not at all 

“Now” does not mean now in South Africa. It does not imply the same sense of urgency or immediacy that the rest of the world expects. In fact, it’s the opposite. If someone says they’ll do something “now” it means they’ll do it later. Much later. Or perhaps they won’t do it at all. It’s definitely not happening now (as we know it. Confused yet?). I was especially crushed when a waiter told me my food would be out “now” during my first week. I caught on about 15 minutes later.  

Just now: Later 

“Just now” is an improvement from “now.” It is still not anywhere close to now. When it comes to “just now,” it’ll for sure get done, but still not until much later. You can usually expect whatever is occurring “just now” to be completed within a day or two.  

Now now: Shortly 

“Now now” is as close to now as one gets. “Now now” is basically the equivalent of “as soon as possible.” This does not mean, however, it’s at the top of someone’s priority list. It can still be about an hour or two before something gets done “now now.” 

There simply is no now in South Africa.  

As soon as I embraced this, life became much less stressful. I learned it’s most effective to work on multiple tasks along with a feature story. While working on one story I filled my time helping other journalism interns whose first languages were not English, volunteering in different communities, and working on other stories (I usually had about three up in the air).  

Volunteering in Village Heights

I have managed to complete a few articles as of "now." I’ve included a link to my first story for the magazine. It took me about three weeks to complete:  

http://capechameleon.co.za/fighting-fake-news/ 

I’ll be sure to post again just now.