CALIFORNIA TRIP

The last time I was with my family in California was September 2007. Then Mama was there and we organized a big party for my siblings and I as four of us are born in September. I've missed them so much especially my nieces and nephews. So, after trotting the globe (since then, I have moved at least four times Geneva, Vancouver, Victoria and now Toronto); I decided to spend Christmas holidays with them. I managed to get major school work done - marked essays, submitted papers for classes as well as complete my research proposal draft - if this special vacation was going to be stress/school free.

My greatest anticipation of visiting my family, is that, I get to enjoy the "power of hierarchy." I grew up like most African/Liberian children (whatever that may mean to you). The older you are the more respect you conjure, irrespective of age. That means, as the third born of 8 children and the eldest of my five siblings in California, I get to relax whilst my youngest siblings cook, clean and do other communal house chores. But of course, Mama did a darn good job in disciplining us, so we tend to do things together for/with each other.

Another part of my family I enjoy very well, (too bad that Mama has returned home) is the fact that we are TEASERS - I'm not kidding. We laugh/joke a lot and geez there is a clown in our family. I won't give him away but he knows himself. We grew up with a very strict, disciplinarian mother, who took NO NONESENSE from us. Who could have blamed her? She had to be strong - knowing that for many years she was on her own struggling to make something out of our lives. Back then, we cried, grumbled, sulked and got annoyed, but now as responsible moral citizens, we would often gather to make fun of Mama's "iron hands." I said, too bad she's gone back home because now that her strength is gradually dwindling, whenever we tease her, she can only laugh rather than "giving the eye" or "waving the hand" - my siblings know exactly what I'm talking about.

My nieces and nephews:-)! Ahhhh...I have seven of them in California with the youngest born about 4 months ago. These are the best "littlings" ever in my life. When I arrived, school was just about closing with end of year parties, plays and events being hosted at each one of then schools. I organized and made sure to be present at each of their events because I don't know when such opportunity will arise again. My sweet li'l B who was only about 6yo when I last saw her, is 10 going on 25. Li'l miss J, came to visit me in Vancouver, two years ago...she was only 2yo, now she's 5 going on 30. Ms Princess and her two brothers - Mr. V and Mr J are so adorable. Whilst Mr. V is quite inquisitive and intelligent (of course all of them are smart - can't you tell? Mama gave us parts of her brains); Mr. J, like his cousin Mr. O, are quite reserve. Whatever their unique characteristics and personalities, I enjoyed playing games with them, watching cartoons, running in the park, and doing homework. These "littlings" are a significant part of my life - without them, I am incomplete!

Food...did I say Liberian traditional dishes? Well, unfortunately, I always find myself in parts of the world where accessing traditional Liberian food is almost non-existent. I die for cassava leaves, potatoes greens, fufu and soup, palm butter, dry rice and smoked fish, ketele torgborgee and more. In fact, my insatiation for torborgee drove me all the way to Texas - hence the essence of spending 2nights on the greyhound bus headed for Dallas.

NEW YORK TRIP

Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies 14th Annual Conference (December 10, 2009)

I am a researcher with the Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Organization - a global transdisciplinary network and fellowship of concerned academics and practitioners. The HumanDHS organizes two major conferences per year. The 14th Annual Human DHS Conference was held on December 10-11, 2009 (coincides with International Human Rights Day) at Columbia University, New York with the theme: Humiliation and Violent Conflict. The HumanDHS does not adopt a conventional conference style, however, I was invited to be a part of the roundtable discussions on both days of the conference.

I arrived in New York on December 9th by bus and made my way to Staten Island (my first visit there). Though I had a wonderful experience commuting for three days on the train-ferry-subway, something pick my curiousity. I instantly notice the filth and dark aspects of Staten Island. Coming from Vancouver, I was always stunned by the carelessness with which people threw dirt on the street. Waiting for the ferry every morning was also quite fascinating as I watched people throng on pushing anything that stood in their path. The last time I ever witnessed a "critical mass" gushing for a single entrance like so, was at Bank, King Cross or Victoria tube stations in England. Regardless, I looked forward to going to Columbia every day...it is an amazing academic institution, one I aspire to study/work with someday. I was able to use their free internet access in the Mailman library to work on my assignments and other school stuff I had to do.

A wee bit of information that might intrigue you, was how I marked all 25 students' essay assignments en route from Staten Island to Columbia University. Since the x-mas holidays was coming and I did not want to mark students' assignment then, I was compelled to do this...it was absolutely necessary as it made my vacation to California with my family, stress-free.

BRITISH COLUMBIA TRIP

Public Health Association of British Columbia Annual Conference (November 23 - 24, 2009)

I left Vancouver in April 2008 for Victoria to work with the BC Government. After barely 4 months in Victoria, I gained admissions to the best law school in Canada - Osgoode Hall Law School - to persue a Master in Law (LLM) Research Stream - degree. I had not returned to Vancouver until I was accepted to present at the Public Health Association of British Columbia 2009 Annual Conference. The Conference was held at the Plaza 500 Hotel in Vancouver. My presentation "Health & Human Trafficking: A Framework for Policy Makers" usied the principles of Social Determinants of Health and the World Health Organization's definition 0f health, to investigate the efficacy of mainstreaming health in human trafficking laws and policies in Canada.

Whilst in Vancouver, I had the opportunity to re-visit many places and persons including where I lived when I was an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia- Fairview Crescent; the Alma Mata Student Society, the Dean of Arts Office, the Psychology Department, International House, Walter C. Koerner's Library, the Vice President Students Office and more. I also made trips to Victoria and Penticton to see families and friends. In the midst of it all, I had the chance to explore the novelty of the new light rail system built purposely for the 2010 Winter Olympics...it is truly the "state of the art" construction. My last evening in Vancouver was spent at my adopted family's house, where friends and families were invited to share an evening of food, conversation and laughter, to celebrate the successful defense of my LLM Thesis in October 2009.

Having exhausted myself with so much travelling and less eating at the same time getting school work done in between - I passed out on the flight back to Toronto. WestJet Staff were great as they collaborated efforts to make sure I was alive on arrival. A trip to remember!

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Veronica