One thousand dollars to go!

Dear Readers,

Thanks to a donation I received this afternoon, I have surpassed the $1,500 mark! That means I have surpassed the required amount for February 2nd, and that I have less than $1,000 to go! Thank you so much for your generosity, and I wish you all the best!

-Michael

Merry Christmas

Dear Readers,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a safe, joyful, and blessed Christmas.

-Michael

Half way there!

Dear Readers,

After an excellent day of fundraising, with cheques and money from carolling, I have now reached and surpassed half of my fundraising goal of $2,500, and I am only $105 away from my February 2nd goal of $1,500. Thank you so very much!

-Michael

A Different Kind of Intercordia Business

With all of this talk about fund raising and travelling and volunteering, it is easy to forget about the other part of Intercordia. That is, the academic portion. In the midst of the Christmas fund raising drive and exams, we had our first academic seminar this evening on the campus of the University of St. Michael's College.

I have had a somewhat difficult time explaining to myself and to other what exactly Intercordia is. So, this is what the syllabus says:

"This course, offered in conjunction with the seminars and service learning experience coordinated by Intercordia Canada, will raise critical questions of social justice and international development from diverse religious and disciplinary perspectives. The course will consist of seven academic seminars, six of which will be held before the international placement and one thereafter."

The course objectives are:

1. To demonstrate critical understanding of and engagement with diverse religious and disciplinary perspectives on social justice and international development;

2. To develop strong connections between theoretical understanding and practical application before, during and after the service learning experience;

3. To strengthen academic skills in careful reading, critical analysis, and clear written expression.

This is what the academic part of Intercordia is all about, and this is what we will earn a university credit for. As for the diverse religious and disciplinary perspectives, they are diverse. The required reading list, in the order we will read, is:

Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom
Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo rei socialis (On Social Concern)
Dorothy Day, Loaves and Fishes
Malcom X, The Autobiography of Malcom X
Jean Vanier, Becoming Human

We will read the whole of each of these texts, and we will be required to write a short reflection paper for each of them. Also, we all are required to give a 15 minute presentation on one of these documents. I will present the late Pope's encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis. Surprise surprise!

The course also includes two papers. The first is a research paper on some person, event, or organization which is important to the country to which we have been placed in terms of social, political, and economic development. This paper is due before we leave.

We will also write an integration paper once we return. I am not sure to the exact nature of this assignment but it will include reflecting on our experiences while at our placements in the light of what we studied in the academic portion of the course. It is due in September.

That is a brief overview of the academic portion of Intercordia. I am sure that without it our experiences in our placements will be less meaningful.

-Michael

Facebook

Dear Readers,

I have created a facebook page to supplement this blog. You can reach it at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=43526142171&ref=ts.

-Michael

Carolling tomorrow at Bay and Front

Hey everyone,

Tomorrow afternoon from 3:00-6:00 we will carol at the corner of Bay and Front near Union Station to raise money. Come out and watch us make fools out of ourselves and perhaps even drop a loonie or two in the bucket!

-Michael

Follow another Intercordian

Dear readers,

I invite you to take a look at Siobhan Sweeny's blog at http://www.siobhanintercordia.blogspot.com/. She is a second year student at the University of Toronto and is also participating in Intercordia this year. She will go to Nicaragua.

Cheers,
Michael

Carolling

Hey everyone,

Yesterday, a bunch of us from the University of Toronto went to the corner of Bay and Bloor to carol and raise money. It turned out to be a reasonable success. We all had a lot of fun, despite the fact that by the end none of us could feel our feet or hands. Combined, we made just over $190, which turned out to be just over $27 each. Here are a few pictures from our day:


Outside Siobhan's house just before we left for Bay and Bloor. Top: Me, Siobhan. Bottom: Isobel, Imelda, Tania, Inesa.


This is my favourite shot of the day. The Sopranos (pun intended) continue to sing while I take a step back to take this picture. Order: Isobel, Inesa, Catalina, Siobhan, Tania, Imelda.

The decision is in: I'm going to Ukraine!

Yes, that's right folks. My placement next summer will be in Lviv, Ukraine! I will work with Faith and Light, which, according to their UK website,

"...is an International community movement bringing together people with a learning disability, their families carers and friends, particularly young people. It recognises that everyone has gifts to offer – the ability to welcome others with love and affection and a gift of Celebration. The communities are non residential and meet together regularly to pray , to share and to celebrate together. Friendships are formed and groups link to share outings and pilgrimages. The most important thing is to meet and listen to the man woman or child who is often marginalized in today’s society . In this way we get to know each other and nobody is left out."- http://www.faithandlight.org.uk/

From what I hear, there is a great stigma attached to disabled persons in Ukraine. Often, they are shunned and neglected. This in spite of the reality they are often most in need of love and care and they have wonderful gifts of their own to share with the world.

You may remember from a previous post that my first choice was Ecuador, and Ukraine was my second. So, why did the Intercordia staff choose to put me in Ukraine? There were three reasons. First, most participants from the U of T made Ecuador their first choice. So, the staff need to place some people elsewhere. And since I have at times expressed my enthusiasm and appreciation for Eastern Christianity, Clara (Intercordia rep to USMC) thought that I wouldn't be completely weirded out by the endless chant and incense so typical of Eastern Christian worship. This is quite true. I love the endless chant and incense of Eastern Christian worship! So, placing me in Ukraine wouldn't be detrimental to my spiritual life as a practicing Catholic. But, what seemed to top it off was the placement itself. Although from the very beginning I would travel to Ukraine before I would any other of the countries, I put it as my second choice because I was not sure if I would be completely comfortable with the placement. But, Clara thought that since I was the more intellectual/analytical type, working with disabled persons would do me well. And, I think she is right.

I am very excited and I look forward to going to Ukraine.

-Michael

I find out my placement today!

Dear Readers,

It turns out that I find out my placement today, and not tomorrow.

I will let you know.

-Michael