Exploring exploits....walking

Since my last entry....I have explored the lower East side.

Lower Manhattan. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

I walked down fifth avenue from Central park watching as the streets changed and marveling at the range of shops. I spied the "New School" that I hear so much about at the UN (mainly that other people attended it). So, I walked over to take a look...as I did I spied large white marquees / tents. It was the 14th Street and Union Square Farmers Market...so I enjoyed walking around that, looking at the amazing produce, avoiding the overpriced yet prettily wrapped jams and admiring the art. The experience really made me start to think about painting again...do you like to paint? does anyone know where I can get art supplies in NYC? I suppose I should just google it.

Central Park. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

Then I walked down a street that had the apt sign "Wrong way". It amused me slightly and then I discovered a contrast that makes new york so amazing. Tucked beside Union Square was a Quaker house and a park. I walked around the park a few times. I watched a black squirrel with a nut in its mouth chase a grey squirrel down the path. I saw a homeless man feeding a few pigeons left over chinese food. As i exited the park near the hospital, I saw an unlocked empty parked police van. I walked down first avenue (I was at first Avenue by this stage). I loved the graffiti, the shop names....my favorite was this little piggy has roast beef. But it made me wonder if many fat people go there....ever. I mean, would you?

Financial District. Photographer:Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

I ended my mini adventure when I arrived at first avenue and first street. And like the famous postcard pictures...I laughed at the one way signs in both directions. Then I turned back and walked back on the other side of the road. I resisted the half price sushi signs and stumbled into a subway station. Catching the first train that arrived...I continued into Brooklyn. There I had a delicious creamy tandoori chicken masaala with basmati rice for 6 dollars. I ate it in bliss with a garlic naan and packed up half of it for tomorrow's lunch. The portions were good.

Exhausted, I then stumbled back onto the train. Arriving in Queens I bought a ticket to watch "How to Train your dragon". The graphics were great. I personally believe that the dragons animations are based on cats? What do you think? I found the story could have been more engaging. However, it was a nice film to watch before walking home takeout in hand another day of exploring done. I really need some friends...

Intern-al Affairs

I love being an intern. I enjoy being busy. I love my work...but sometimes I wish that I was a permanent employee with a salary at the end of the month. It is hard maintaining your motivation when you know that this position has no future. But I do know that it will equip me with the skills that I need to continue in my career and that keeps me going.

The future itself is a scary prospect. What will happen to me? Where will I go next? Where should I apply? What position would be the best fit? Where will I learn the most? Who is the best employer out there?

I have a lot to offer and I am an asset to any organisation because I am talented, dedicated, I work hard, and I get the job done. I am reliable, I don't need much supervision (aka I take initiative and work well with others or on my own) I am deadline orientated, creative (innovative and artistic), and adept with computers.

I work really hard and I try my best. While my past work experience may not have been with the most prestigious of companies....they paid my bills. The jobs financed my life. I did not have parents who could afford to provide me with the opportunities that some could. But they tried their best. They gave me more than they could afford and I used those opportunities to the best of my ability.

Furthermore, I am trying to gain degree relevant professional experience. IT is hard because most places are aimed at current students....not graduates. It is hard being a recent graduate and I am lucky to have the position that I currently do. But I have to constantly consider the future and apply! apply! Apply!

Personally, I consider myself a mature, capable, independent, intelligent and self motivated individual. I constantly learn, adapt, grow both as an individual and professionally. I try my best to be the person I am. I try my best to the employee I would want if I was hiring.

So, watch out world...here I come. Professional, organized and with a plan! *insert evil grin*

March Madness!

I can't believe I have been living in New York City for almost four months. The time has flown and this blog has been woefully ignored. Perhaps it has been all the new experiences ...or perhaps it has been that I have been walking around in a blurr of work insanity and tiredness.

I love New York City! It is the most amazing place.

The Upper East side teams with individuals who (to me) appear to merge real life and fun. This is mixed up wealthy with the poor and students. The life teams at all hours on Amsterdam Avenue and I love the rich mix of ethnic stores / restaurants / bars (from Jewish to Irish). I enjoy Grey's Papaya...and will always remember shaking hands with a homeless man named mark once we agreed that he would pay half the price of the hotdog I was buying him.

To me, Midtown represents 1st Avenue, the UN, bustling businesses and buses. It represents over priced food and over priced houses. It illustrates how easily elite systems of entitlement can be created. I never used to think this way. I always believed that anyone can make it anywhere. But this city is teaching me that appearance matters, connections matter,your educational institution matters and most of all.....money matters.

China town is a constantly discovered insane labyrinth of gorgeous and diverse restaurants that range from Dim Sum to chicken feet. In China town it is possible to enjoy the best and worse cuisine in the city. And prices range from the cheap (4.50 for 5 choices) to the insane.

Time Square represents Broadway, shopping (Macy's), the cinema (Regal, AMC), New Years Eve, tourists, photographers and neon lights. IT is always alive. But my top tip would be avoid the Starbucks on 42 street (across from AMC) they serve burnt coffee...

Prospect Park (Brooklyn) is amazing. I would recommend wondering around there some weekend and just spontaneously joining a bird watching tour....or walking around the park along the pedestrian walk way. There is a lot to see in the park and the netherlands and larger field are both ideal for a picnic. It is glorious on a hot day and it is amazing how much bird life inhabits so little space. The Botanical gardens are right across the road....and if you are an early riser...entry is free on Saturdays between 10am -12am (I think....double check before you go).

Coney Island is beautiful (not at all corny) for a walk at sunset even in the middle of winter. It never fails to astonish me how close to the ocean new york is (logically it makes sense but it still baffles me when I am surrounded by sky scrapers and concrete). The pier is an especially fun place in the evenings. I love the signs that specify no fishing! Warn that eels caught there are not suitable for kids or pregnant women and are surrounded by fishermen. The old deserted fun fair makes me feel sad and nostalgic on behalf of all the New Yorkers who grew up going there.

I still have not managed to explore Little Italy, Nolita, the lower East side or Upper West.

Rethinking Poverty

Fifteen years ago, the world summit for social development (Copenhagen) identified poverty eradication as one of the three pillars of social development. Since then, poverty eradication has become a major focus of development efforts, as reflected in the internationally agreed upon Millennium Development Goals that aim to halve extreme poverty by 2015. According to statistics, there has been some success in meeting these goals.

Assessing Progress: Eradication of Poverty

I attended a side-event titled “rethinking poverty” during the Commission of Social Development. At this event, the current criteria used to quantify poverty was deemed controversial and a barrier to true poverty eradication. Furthermore, the progress portrayed by existing statistics was also brought into question. For example, when China is removed from the existing statistics (for the year 2005) the number of people living in extreme poverty increases from 1.1 billion to 1.2 billion. The World Food Programme stressed that “investment in human development and capability” is needed. The panelist from theInternational Labor Organization stressed the need for more “equity orientated policies”. The panelists agreed that the most important challenge was the need to “rethink how we communicate poverty”. (See Rethinking Poverty—an executive summary of the World Social Situation 2010.)

The main theme of the Commission was social integration. The panelists noted that the social perspective of development requires addressing poverty in all its dimensions. The focus must be placed on a people-centered integrated strategy. It was mentioned that a properly conducted Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) contributes to national debate on policy options and promotes national ownership of strategies that could potentially contribute to the “operationalization of Copenhagen’s commitments”. I found this breakout session very interesting. The extremes of wealth that exist are a stark contrast with the reality of extreme poverty under discussion. The current economic crisis shows how fragile wealth actually is. The panelist from UNICEF talked about the unpublished multidimensional poverty analysis of 2010/2011. Problems of defining, indentifying (the nature/ extent of) and measuring poverty proved persistent. Panelists articulated the need not only to rethink ways of tackling poverty, but also ways of being heard by policy makers so as to allow them to make decisions in line with the latest research. Yet, I found it interesting that they had not changed their methods of communication to attempt to solve the problem. To my further surprise, panelists mentioned that countries showing the best recovery from the global economic crisis were the ones that did not follow the international “script” for economic recovery.

I am still pondering the questions posed by the panelists: How do you strengthen governments to help them differentiate between good and bad policy advice? What is the optimal mix of domestic and international poverty eradication policy? How are reports / data actionable?

As a recent graduate of a Masters of Business Studies in Government, I found the topic very thought provoking. The research was relevant and thorough. I look forward to learning more during my year here. 

CSocD 48

I recently attended the 48^th Session of the UN Commission on Social Development (CSocD) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The priority theme of this year’s Commission was social integration and the focus of statements of many member states. As an intern, I was able to attend the majority of the open meetings.

As I attended my first UN Commission, I was also able to attend some side-events on topics such as freedom of religion or belief (in relation to social integration) and migration.

The Commission on Social Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Investing in Youth Leadership and Volunteering

A recurring issue at the Commission was the impact of the economic recession on recent graduates and youth. The challenge of unemployment and the lack of opportunities for young people seemed to be a warning to governments not to overlook young people when considering employment initiatives. This is vital because the current (and rising) level of unemployment among 18-24 year olds appears to be a clearly identified yet unresolved issue. As a recent graduate in that age bracket, I do understand the challenge that unemployment poses.

Speakers at an event on ‘Youth Volunteering: Social Integration and Decent Work’ stated that, ”exclusion has the face of the youth” and that, “young people are an asset not really realized”. This makes sense to me. I see how difficult it is for youth to participate and compete in the job market. It scares me how there will potentially become a lost generation....as those that graduated between 2008-09 are replaced with younger graduates...as they no longer remain as recent graduates and just become unexperienced uncompetitive adults.

Personally, I feel that it is important for youth to realize that they have power. Our capacity for resilience, risk taking, idealism, innovation, flexibility, hope, and courage should not be underestimated. I believe that our willingness and desire to change the status quo provides us with the ability to change the world.

In light of the dilemma of social integration, one panelist discussed the danger of “self-exclusion” and how society needs to “stand together”. She talked about her own personal experience of wanting to “wait until she was ready” but then realized that if we wait, nothing will ever happen. Based on her personal experience she stressed that we “cannot be afraid of the negative possibilities” and we have to just go for it. This made sense to me as it mirrored the feelings I have when initially considering something outside my comfort zone. I tend to focus on the negatives; the financial cost, the challenges, and obstacles. I take comfort in the idea that I am not ready...yet. I eventually realized that the worst that can happen is that I do nothing and stagnate but when I just go for it, I tend to have positive experiences and rise to the challenge.

The panelists noted how important it is to focus on our commonalities such as our shared humanity and understand that we all have a role in developing the world. They stressed the importance of becoming the change that we want to see without fear of the unknown and without giving power to self-doubt.

Ms. Flavia Pansieri, the Executive Coordinator of United Nations Volunteers, stressed that “volunteering can become an important tool for individual growth and learning” and provided booklets showcasing case studies from around the world. Although it is completely true, I had never considered it from that perspective. My current job as a research assistant is constantly pushing my boundaries and building my personal capacity. I am living in New York City and that in itself is beyond an amazing experience. I am beginning to believe that I can spend a lifetime here and still be constantly discovering new...everything!