Thoughts...

Meditation is used a form of healing the mind. Healing is necessary in order to return something to its original state, a healing wound soon closes over and is returned to its norm. The question is: what is our mind's original state. Today someone suggested that a balance of the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual componants. The mind reachs stability and harmony when all four are found in balance. We feel uncomfortable when these elements are out of balance... as in daily life we only notice disorder, the unusual... when the elements are trying to tear themselves out of place.

My role in this world is not to change others, it is to change myself, and through interaction with others hope that my personal chilled-ness encourages others to a similiar level... still working on this one.

How much of our daily allocated hours are spent being aware of how we relate to external factors? How you feel physically compared with the heat/cold... how worried you are compared to your neighbour... etc etc How much time do we allocate to to championing ourselves. Two things here: a) if I don't know what is my essence I am going to have a hard time connecting with it, b) if I cannot do this then I will have a hard time finding super chilled-ness.

Who am I? Am I Australian? Am I an AIESEC employee? Am I in Bahrain? Am I 24? Is my name John? Am I graduate of Sydney University? All these things are transistory and have changed at some point in time...actually all of them bar my name and nationality have changed in the last 2 years... So if these things are always changing, but these are how I describe myself then what is my core? how could I be describing myself? Do I describe my physical features which are either skin deep or common amongst the masses? What is different about me... what is my core? My physical presence is a tool for me to communicate to the world... what do I want to communicate?

that's it for today...

Right email at the right time...

This one came through from a friend today:

"Sometimes you get stuck in the problem that you actually become the problem. You are so much deep in the "solving part" that you can not actually do the things you want to do and enjoy doing it. While thinking of becoming someone else and adjusting to everyone needs, why don't you just start DOING! the things in order to become the guy you one be and you are. You have to get out of your skin, step to the left and see yourself from outside. That helps you understand the different influence that you receive and helps you see the forest instead of the trees.

When you actually picture yourself the "whole" from outside, then you can again go in there and draw your people to the picture that you imagined. To your vision! Leaders are not leaders if they create a vision only for themselves and force and use others to achieve this vision. You have to make them see the same picture you imagined and then make them see it too. Then people enjoy their work and transfer their positive energy to each other and this is the point where the leadership is seen and vision achieved."

I dream of coffee...

I have to put this blog up as a special mention. Luka, a friend from Melbourne, has managed to take the phrase 'coffee nut' to a whole new level. This man talks about a whole bunch of fundamentally cool coffee related stuff. Read in awe:

Luka's Blog of Coffee

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (1917)

I re-read this one today, it reminded me of 9th grade. Our teacher desperate to bring across the intensity of poetry to a class of... 15 year olds. Re-reading it bought a smile to my face. I like it.

LET us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats 5
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.

(a link to the rest of the poem)

Ilker and Ceyda Mangaltepe

This is a photo of my two friends Ilker and Ceyda Mangaltepe. I first met Ilker around August 2004, and Ceyda soon after. Since then they have shared their experiences of working and living in Sydney, introduced us to Turkish food and backgammon, shared 'their' (Ilker's) passion for soccer and generally been fantastic friends, spending many a late night discussing global politics and various other forms of political history. They returned home to Turkey in June 2006 to marry. Congratulations guys, hope that our paths cross again.

ps I still reflect on the night we all went to watch the documentary 'Gallipoli' in Paddington. There was something truly global about discussing such a formative period of our countryies' history from the times of our grandparents in a small cafe on Oxford Street.

An unexpected poem...

Today I received a poem in the mail... I have never received a poem in the mail before and appreciated it beyond belief. Thanks for so much.

There is nothing cooler in Bahrain
Than rug therapy to refrain
From humanity’s unwitting pain
At midnight so complete and tame
Not a sound around me bar soft sand
Sweeping elegantly across the land

And then I hear an ancient sound so calm
I pay heed to it devoid of qualm
A welcome guest more like a psalm
Mild melodies plucked gently
From acoustic guitars
Drifting my heart afar

The shisha is potent
The moon is full, humidity low
Captivating visions slow
The star reveals heavens in full force
Carpet sitting, a complete recourse
Night times chosen thinking space
A woven legacy from an ancient place.

Carpets, forts, street parties and raves

A street party that Lyna and I stumbled across. It commemorates the birthday of the 12th Imam - Muhammad al-Mahdi.


Bahrain has some awesome forts. They were built ages ago, personally I like the lighting, simply and striking.


Rug sitting is a favourite sport. Guitars, shishas, food and friends.


Bahrain's second ever rave. Events this size don't often come our way - a good thousand people turned out to celebrate the event. Ferry Corsten was the man of the evening.


The cool thing about Bahrain is the contacts we have and what they can do. My main man Assiri organised us tickets to the VIP section, this is a photo of Ferry Corsten and me. It was strange having a normal conversation, chilled, relaxed with someone who is essentially an international superstar DJ.

IC Photos (Poland Conference)

My friends from the USA. Trent is the finance man behind our Bahrain project (left) and Andrew works with AIESEC US (right). Seen here at an ungodly hour of the morning coaxing the hobbo-shisha into action. The hobbo shisha is a device that Trent Macguivered together back in the USA. Nice one.


This is a photo of Mel Au (Melbourne, Australia) and Ralph (Sydney, Australia). Ralph is one of my oldest friends in this stage of my life. I first met Ralph during my first days at university. Now for the first time in 4.5 years our paths have seperated (he is President of AIESEC in Australia and I am here in Bahrain). It was a pleasure to catch up on life, see how our different paths are treating us. Good times were had. Ralph, thanks for sharing your thoughts and I appreciate your friendship. This is a photo taken in the main square of Krakow. Beer, sun, old timey buildings... good times.


My team mates. Claude (USA) and Mada (Romania) are new people in my life, we are working setting up a chapter of AIESEC in Bahrain... a strange job by any standards, we share the highs, the lows, the communication barriers, and the joys of comparing the lives of three similiarly minded people, all interested in youth development, business and entreprenuership. It is an amazing experience comparing our lives and looking at how the three of us came to be where we are at the moment.


Maciej Starzyk. A good friend from Poland. Many a late night has been had talking about life, family, direction. I call those '4am conversations' and they should be treasured by all and sundry. It is friends like these that add a truly global feel to the organisation that I work for.


Yassine (left) and Amine (right) my Moroccan friends. I had the privilage of visiting Morocco in 2003. A noble country if ever there was one. These were some of the people that make AIESEC conferences so grand. Yassine is heading up a conference that aims to bring several hundred Arab youths together to discuss concepts of self driven learning and leadership. Amine works with conflict resolution. Two highly noble endevours.


Finally: the Bahrain delegation. These girls took a leap of faith and travelled over continents to see AIESEC on a full scale. These are the guys that make our life so easy here in Bahrain. Sahar, Ala and Ayesha: thankyou, you are champs.

Poland Pre Tour

Poland is an amazing place. My first visit here was in April, once again for AIESEC. Meeting the Polish people, and learning about life here openned my eyes to life in this area of the world. I watched as one by one my cultural misunderstandings were slowly sweep aside to reveal a land of amazing scenary, friendly people and good grog to boot. Bring on the bottles of orange herb vodka that were my constant companions throughout this trip. This is a photo of a ye-old-school-ey castle. I like castles.


Second visit to Auschwitz and it loses non of its potency. To say I enjoy this place sounds strange but in a way it is refreshing to reflect on such a momentus occassion in history. It is a reminder of what happenned and what could come.

Bahrain Photos

This is a typical photo walking around the streets of Manama. Well it is typical for me. This is a perfect stereotype, but then some stereotypes exist because they are true. It is images like this that make daily life so engaging and powerful.


I put this one up to show off. Our team days rocked. Beer, swimming pool and good friends.


This is our favourite cafe. Amine is our waiter/friend. It is mainly for men but sometimes we sneak a few ladies in and sit on the edges of the cafe. Amine makes a perfect shisha and lemon/mint tea. Much respect. I could live at this place. A few meters down the road lives an amazing Pakistani chicken shop. Hmmmm


5am. Watching the sunrise after our return from Poland. Lyna (USA) and Carolyn (UK) are the other members of our MC team. Carolyn is a CEEDer from the UK but has become so much more. Lyna is from New York, between them they bring a strange, yet loved sense of humour.

Record of the day: "Easy Star Allstars - Radiodread"

The Easy Star Allstars are known for infamously reworking Pink Floyd's Dark side of the Moon, into a surprisingly listenable 'Dub Side of the Moon'. Dub/reggae cover albums are not exactly known for high levels of success so I was dubious when I grabbed this one... it works. Nice one.

Their efforts with Pink Floyd were consistant and arty. I guess Ok Computer (Radiohead) fits into the mold that Darkside was aiming for on its original release...

So there you have it, if you are looking for something interesting, uplifting and unique... have a look for Easy Star Allstars - Radiodread.

Middle East aim to ban Australian sheep imports

From the Gulf Daily News, my favourite local news source. I am yet to make up my mind on this one. I can imagine it would suck to be a sheep.

Ban sought on sheep import

By geoffrey bew

A MAJOR Save the Sheep campaign that aims to gather public support for an end to live sheep imports from Australia to the Middle East is coming to Bahrain.

The US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) is urging governments to end the practice immediately, which it claims is "inhumane and unhygienic".

The animal welfare organisation launched a tour of the Middle East earlier this year and its representatives are visiting countries in the region to spread awareness about the issue.

It has already held a series of demonstrations at Australian embassies in Jordan, Cairo and Kuwait as part of the drive.

The organisation plans to publish a shocking new advert in Bahrain in an attempt to encourage public support for an end to live sheep imports from Australia.

It has created the image, which shows hundreds of sheep crammed tightly into stalls on a multi-tiered ship and confined amid their own waste.

A message in Arabic and English says, "Before they're cooked in yoghurt and spices, they're marinated in urine and faeces."
(read more here)

Kyle

Kyle, you are the greatest person I know. You are a constant source of support, perspective, wisdom and humour. The way you handle yourself, through all your adventures and travels, is refreshing and exactly what I look for in my own life. Thanks for always being there. I love you.

Thought time

I am wondering what it is about the human need to sit and reflect. Some of my favourite moments in the last years were when I realised that days, possibly even a week had passed since I had spoken more than a few words to other humans. This mostly happenned while travelling. It helps if you can't speak the language, but more than that it also revealed to me the insane levels of communication that occur during our lives. I was thinking about this again at a recent conference, we would spend every waking moment with other people, roughly 19 hours a day absorbing information. The other five were spent sleeping/showering. This makes me wonder at what point do we stop and reflect on what we are learning. Is it possible to live life, constantly receiving information, responding in kind on the spin of a dime?

There is something powerful about walking the same path home everyday but experiencing it differently each time due to the thoughts and feelings of the day. Processing the days events, asking when it was that you were at your best, learning from the times when you thought you could have tried that little bit harder and achieved a different result. Looking over how you related to your companiions over the course of the day, asking if you fully respected those around you.

I hope that at some point in our lifes we all find levels of success that allow for a half hour walk each day, to be close to nature of some description and that this leads to a happier life for all involved.

Ryszard Kapuściński - note to self, look this guy up

Ryszard Kapuściński (born March 4, 1932 in Pińsk) is the most popular Polish journalist, both at home and abroad.

Born in Pińsk, a city that was formerly located in the Kresy Wschodnie (Eastern Borderlands) of the Second Polish Republic and now belongs to Belarus, Kapuściński is generally thought of as Poland's leading journalist. In 1964, after honing his skills on domestic stories, he "was appointed by the Polish Press Agency as its only foreign correspondent, and for the next ten years he was 'responsible' for fifty countries." [1] Throughout this period, Kapuściński traveled around the developing world and reported on wars, coups and revolutions in the Americas, Asia and Europe. When he finally returned to Poland, he had lived through twenty-seven revolutions and coups. In the English speaking world, Kapuściński is best known for his reporting from Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, when he witnessed first-hand the continent's liberation from colonialism.

Starting in the early 1960s, Kapuściński has published books of increasing literary craftsmanship characterized by sophisticated narrative technique, psychological portraits of characters, a wealth of stylization and metaphor and unusual imagery that serves as means of interpreting the perceived world. Kapuściński's best-known book, The Emperor, concerns itself with the decline of Haile Selassie's anachronistic regime in Ethiopia. Shah of Shahs, on the fall of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and Imperium, about the last days of the Soviet Union, have enjoyed similar success.

Kapuściński is fascinated not only by exotic worlds and people, but also by books: he approaches foreign countries first through literature, spending months reading before each trip. He knows how to listen to the people he meets, but he is also capable of "reading" the hidden sense of the scenes he encounters: the way that the Europeans move out of Angola, a discussion regarding alimony in the Tanganyikan parliament, the reconstruction of frescoes in the new Russia - he turns each of these vignettes into a metaphor of historical transformation. This tendency to process private adventures into a greater social synthesis has made Kapuściński an eminent thinker, and the volumes of his ongoing Lapidarium series are a fascinating record of the shaping of a reporter's observations into philosophical reflections on the world and people.