To clarify... Noooo, not your skin!

Looking back on my first post, I realize that I wrote that I am "trying to figure out how to point my life in the direction I want it to go". Pheew... that's a bit of a random statement, especially since I didn't exactly clarify what that means. So, if I may...

In the spring of 2006 I got involved in a group called STAND: A student anti-genocide coalition (against, more specifically, the genocide in Darfur) and became president of said group in the fall. Not only were my eyes suddenly awakened to the horrors of genocide and poverty in general, but the larger issues of development and security in Africa were overwhelming. I spent many a moment despairing that I was simply not doing enough... though I was endlessly busy juggling the group, school, my job, my TAship, and other things. I thought long and hard about becoming a doctor and committing myself to working with organizations such as Doctors Without Borders (our chosen NGO that we fundraise for) but decided that that, while being a necessary, noble, and effective organization, is only a bandaid solution to much larger issues.

Several months earlier I had participated in a training in mediation. This was mainly a workshop in family and personal relationship mediation, yet the concepts are easily applicable on a much larger scale and in a different context, especially with more training. Thus, I have decided that the "direction" I want my life to go is International Conflict Mediation. I want to sit powerful African warlords at a table next to UN negotiators and dictatorial presidents and mediate their claims and needs to reach a peaceful settlement... But how am I supposed to get there?

I spoke to a professor and advisor and he suggested law school with a concentration in international law... and that is one possibility. Another is graduate school in peace and conflict studies, human rights studies, international affairs... etc.

I feel as though I am at the edge of an olympic swimming pool and I cannot decide which lane to jump into!

So, I continue to poke along... writing, researching, getting thoroughly involved in my thesis on Human Rights in Europe... and frivolously taking time for myself! I think that the right 'lane' will show itself eventually... maybe I'll poke a toe in and see which one has the warmest water?

The Hipsters Came Out in Droves

I remember this book that my friend Anna was given in high school, The Hipster Handbook... we thought it was so funny at the time and, on lazy summer afternoons spent tanning on the grass, we pored over the pages of this book. We committed words like "peace out" ("bye) to memory and vowed to get hairstyles with heavy bangs.

Yet, I still don't know what a real 'hipster' is nor do I even come close to considering myself one! But, somehow, I always find myself surrounded by them! For example, last night I was swimming in a sea of the coolest Polish hipsters, dodging their crazy dance moves and waving their cigarette smoke out of my face. I joined some friends at this funny place located in Warsaw's most famous landmark, the Palace of Culture and Science. It is called (oh-so-appropriately) Kafé Kulturalna... normally a lounge-y joint where we go on a Tuesday for a beer and chats. But, once in a while, they get the bright idea to clear out the tables, set up a second bar, get some wacky djs, and actually CHARGE ten zlotys to get in! Last night was one of those special nights.

Not only was the dancing out-of-control, groove-to-your-own-beat flailing, but the clothes were impressive. I honestly felt as though I had landed smack in the middle of a "Be Your Hipsterest" party! There were leggings with leopard print MC Hammer pants layered over them, asymmetrical haircuts, bra-less loose tops, waistbelts, mini bananas (French-slang for fanny packs), and random plastic junk posing as jewelry. I sometimes wonder where on earth these 'clothes' come from... then I remind myself that to be 'hip' is to constantly push the 'cool' envelope - and to commit endless hours to rifling through piles and piles of used clothes. Yet, that's great! I wish I had endless hours to spend clothes shopping... or not.

But I have to say, I am glad that the clothes are at least being reused... fashion is so disposable and wrecks havoc on the environment. Cotton is the world's most poisonous crop, requiring loads of pesticides to keep off the critters... but this is a topic for another post...

Hm. Where was I going with this? Nowhere really other than to say... wow! Those hipsters came out in DROVES last night!