TIGblogs TIG | TIGblogs GROUP TIGBLOGS LOGIN SIGNUP
Mai's Blog
Mai's Blog
the Youth are Dancing
Related to country: Canada

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

This is an appropriate moment to start my blog's life on TIG. It is the night I am inspired to write. Where my muse peeks out of the corners, twinkles its eye, and whispers words of life into my ear.

The entry itself comes from inspiration. The world of technology has taken me to new heights and allowed for me to grasp a new knowledege which can only be seen as revolutionary. Today's youth are taking up its arms in the form of cybermetal. When used correctly, the empowerment we feel through the creation of our own universe is mind boggling.

I joined Creating Local Connections (CLC) Canada (http://projects.takingitglobal.org/clccanada) nearly four months ago as Communications and Ontario Project Manager. It began as a job that fulfilled an ideal - the vast space of internet communication, though powerful, still could not give me the full grasp of our youth's motivational stories.

As a city girl from the Capital, I am ignorant of the rest of Canada. How do Canadians in smaller settings define or identify themselves with our nation? I remained ignorant of the inspiration which a small town could give me until I went to Thunder Bay.

Let me first say that I have travelled overseas, and I left home in order to come back and see it in a new light. This was my first trip in-country which left me with the same learned awe which I got when I experience something breathtaking in another country. Too often, I have been struck by the generosity and big hearts of those who live in foreign countries.

It is about time that I become struck with awe at the wonders Canadians can offer.

In short, Thunder Bay, 120 000 strong, gave birth to a community full of action. I spent a fair bit of time at the Regional Multi Cultural Youth Center, where Pauline the Youth Engagement Coordinator worked from. I befriended a 10 year old tech savvy boy named Nathan, who put a smile on my face with his Karaoke and desire to help all the time. I respected Mofat, a Zimbabwe Canadian who had been living there for 30 years, and who had dedicated his life to letting youth create a space for themselves. I was joyed by the Anishnawbe people whom I met. They contradicted any stereotype of the "drunken/suicidal Indian" which covered the news. I was moved by a community who rallied together to watch a film made by local Thunder Bay film makers(http://thunderstone.jcmultimedia.com/). The quote "Our ancestors strived to live ... so why do our youth long to die?" pushed my heart into overdrive, and suddenly I realized that in Thunder Bay I had experienced epiphany.

Our Canadian youth rock.

To all of you who are jaded out there, let me tell you. The youth of this nation are moving mountains. I am so proud to be Canadian. I am so proud to be here, in this community, where among all the political and social injustices there is a movement stirring.

Listen. Carefully. you don't want to miss the rhythm of your own community. It's moving. I promise.

January 21, 2008 | 12:02 AM Comments  5 comments

Tags:
You must be logged in to add tags.


Comments

yassirovich Yassir EL OUARZADI
January 22, 2008 | 11:17 AM
Great thoughts !
I really appreciated this inspiration that came from your visit to ThunderBay and especially from what youth are doing in Canada. So, very nice thoughts !
chiaramente Chiara C.
January 22, 2008 | 12:15 PM

Thanks for posting this! :)
committedman ilyes
January 22, 2008 | 2:39 PM

Really an interesting TIG blog entry.

Keep it up.
livinglogic Nicholas Kanhai
January 23, 2008 | 2:39 AM
mmm
Lovely. I just realized how badly I've missed your writing. I find it refreshing to hear an optimistic outlook that isn't besmeared in candy coated banality or naive cliche.

Epiphanies are a wonderful thing... to have our mind's eye see the world from a newly illuminated angle which was once hidden by inexperience! I love that feeling, and to think that you have achieved a new level of it within your own backyard is inspiring.

nky
Lynne007 Lynne Lessard
January 25, 2008 | 3:33 PM

:) Coming from a small town, that's really great to read.

I hope we can show you a bit of what TImmins has to offer next week!
Mai's Profile

Mai's Friends


Latest Posts
World Youth Congress 2008
Youth Leadership
What Are Your...
the Youth are Dancing
World AIDS Day Breakfast

Monthly Archive
October 2007
November 2007
January 2008
February 2008
April 2008
August 2008

Change Language


Tags Archive
worldyouthcongress

Filter By Type
Events
Travel
Topics

Friends
Aarluk
alice sabourin
allen kelly auksaq
Allison McLean
Allison McLean
Amanda
Anand Koti
Andi
Antoine Huss
Ashley-Lynn
Aurora Herrera
Barbara McMillan
Ben Shao
Bob
Chiara C.
Dana
Eileen Knowles
Emily Briggs
Farah
Francis
Freddie
GSimon
ilyes
Incia Zaffar
Jana McDade
Jen Wheeler
Jennifer Corriero
Jenny
Jessie-Lee Langille
Jnyago
Jnyago
Jo Anne
JR
Justine Castonguay-Payant
Ken Gordon
Kenny
Kimia
KM
Kyle Simunovic
Larissa Jones
Lynne Lessard
mariposa
Michael Furdyk
Mitty
Muneeb
Muqing
muslalgiro
Muztar
Nahka
Nancy Ford
Nathan
Nathaniel Cyrus Yue-Kiu Chan
Nelly Bassily
Nick Yeo
Nigel A
Nikki
P.J. Partington
paula richardson
Pauline
Pham Thanh Nhon
Phil Fry
Rhiya Trivedi
Richard Amoah Kyereh
Staci Kentish
Stacy Barter
Steve Baird
Tanya Sather
vickie cammack
William Pellerin
Yassir EL OUARZADI


4644 views
Important Disclaimer