Ive broken the golden rule of international travel to developing countries.
I was given this piece of wisdom by a good friend of mine, who has mentored me over the past few years in personal cleanliness and hygiene - and now i feel that i have let him down.
I not only accepted, but drank too - a glass of fizzy orange WITH ICE IN IT!
Its now only a matter of time.
Saturday, 5 April 2008
The Sudan - 11
I am struck by the coping tolerances of my international and bilingual colleagues.
While helping prepare a presentation in English on an Italian computer, I was driven to distraction by the endless red squiggles underlying every single word as if in anger at the need for the Italian user to create her presentation in English.
And on the subject of computers - have you ever seen an Arabic keyboard? it looks just like your keyboard, except for some squiggles in the corner of each key. Nothing remarkable about that you might think until you understand that each character has a specific pronunciation but has a different shape depending on where it is in the word or phrase... for this reason, the break through innovation in arabic word processing was when they managed to get the system to work out the context of what was being typed and then adjusted the character shapes to be correct - now that really is predictive text.
While helping prepare a presentation in English on an Italian computer, I was driven to distraction by the endless red squiggles underlying every single word as if in anger at the need for the Italian user to create her presentation in English.
And on the subject of computers - have you ever seen an Arabic keyboard? it looks just like your keyboard, except for some squiggles in the corner of each key. Nothing remarkable about that you might think until you understand that each character has a specific pronunciation but has a different shape depending on where it is in the word or phrase... for this reason, the break through innovation in arabic word processing was when they managed to get the system to work out the context of what was being typed and then adjusted the character shapes to be correct - now that really is predictive text.
The Sudan - 10
I walk from the car to the back door of the office. Its 1pm and the sun is scorching. Im in the direct sunshine for no more than 3 minutes and im concerned that i haven't put any sun screen on. I ponder for a moment what it might be like to be working right now (only a few miles away from where i stand) in a desperately barren field, desperately hoping for a bit of crop to grow, desperately wishing for a swig of clean water, desperately worried about my dieing children, desperately waiting for the unrelenting sun to set. And then i think that at least this 3 minutes will keep my sun tan topped up.
Our car is stopped by the police today, we are directed to pull over by a one of a crowd of young policeman. Hes very tall and dressed in crisp white military looking uniform. Our driver winds down the smoked glass window to the policeman, and the two politely shake hands and exchange greetings as if they know each other. As our driver presumably explains what hes doing I hear the name of the organisation that im working for, and another man joins the policeman - hes just as young, but dressed in regular street clothes and demands that our driver lower the windows of the back of the car. Theres a cautious sideways glance at us in the back, an exchange of a couple of words and were sent on our way again. It probably meant nothing significant, but I was well prepared with my basic training in personal security to "remain with the vehicle but if forced to leave it remain behind the engine block for maximum protection"
Our car is stopped by the police today, we are directed to pull over by a one of a crowd of young policeman. Hes very tall and dressed in crisp white military looking uniform. Our driver winds down the smoked glass window to the policeman, and the two politely shake hands and exchange greetings as if they know each other. As our driver presumably explains what hes doing I hear the name of the organisation that im working for, and another man joins the policeman - hes just as young, but dressed in regular street clothes and demands that our driver lower the windows of the back of the car. Theres a cautious sideways glance at us in the back, an exchange of a couple of words and were sent on our way again. It probably meant nothing significant, but I was well prepared with my basic training in personal security to "remain with the vehicle but if forced to leave it remain behind the engine block for maximum protection"
The Sudan - 10
Someone asked me why i was writing this blog. I guess I should view a question like that as feedback, but I went on obliviously to explain.
In Sudan you need a permit to take photographs. Yes its true. I havent found out why yet, but taking photos without a permit is a serious offence.... here is a paragraph from my security clearance papers......
Photography
Do not take photographs. Photography without a permit is forbidden in Sudan.. In case anyone stops you while photographing, do listen to him. The person may be from a security agency in civilian clothes. Alternately you may ask an official at site if you can take photographs of your friends.
Apparently it has been known for tourists to be arrested for taking pictures of the Nile!
I am a visually orientated person, and it would be my natural preference to take photographs as a way of remembering and describing by visit to The Sudan, but i have decided that i'm not up for the challenge of either 1) going through the beaurocratic process of applying for a permit (crikey it took 4 passport photos just to get this hotel room) or 2) taking undercover pictures
And so that is why i am writing this blog - painting in words
In Sudan you need a permit to take photographs. Yes its true. I havent found out why yet, but taking photos without a permit is a serious offence.... here is a paragraph from my security clearance papers......
Photography
Do not take photographs. Photography without a permit is forbidden in Sudan.. In case anyone stops you while photographing, do listen to him. The person may be from a security agency in civilian clothes. Alternately you may ask an official at site if you can take photographs of your friends.
Apparently it has been known for tourists to be arrested for taking pictures of the Nile!
I am a visually orientated person, and it would be my natural preference to take photographs as a way of remembering and describing by visit to The Sudan, but i have decided that i'm not up for the challenge of either 1) going through the beaurocratic process of applying for a permit (crikey it took 4 passport photos just to get this hotel room) or 2) taking undercover pictures
And so that is why i am writing this blog - painting in words
The Sudan - 9
It is so dusty here. The floors of my hotel are hard reconstituted marble tiles - they keep the place nice and cool and they are diligently mopped daily. However, despite the noble attempt, my suede shoes (im a trend setter like that) are constantly dirty with dust - its starting to irritate me. Aren't dessert boots made of suede? that seems like a design error to me - surely rubber boots would be a more satisfactory option for the shoe-proud man-about-dessert.
in my "personal safety training - basic" course, I was informed that in the event of being kidnapped, it would be good for my moral to maintain a good personal hygiene and appearance - i can see these bloody suede shoes being the death of me.
in my "personal safety training - basic" course, I was informed that in the event of being kidnapped, it would be good for my moral to maintain a good personal hygiene and appearance - i can see these bloody suede shoes being the death of me.
Friday, 4 April 2008
The Sudan - 8
38 deg centigrade at 8.30 in the evening. Its been a long hard day today - everyone wanted to keep working (mind you there is a startling amount of work still to be done before we start the workshop on Sunday) so it was with great relief when we finally walked out of the office at 8.30pm despite the air being almost overwhelmingly suffocating with heat. Actually I have to say this is brilliant weather - sure its hot, dang hot, but its also dry - there is no humidity - its not at all sweaty
I sat in the meeting with 18 other people - not one of them English, and yet we all talked English all day. Fortunately for my humbling embarassment, there was also an India, a Moroccan, an Italian, and an Egyptian at the table, so i convinced myself that they weren't all talking my mother tongue just for my benefit.
Today is Friday. Fridays and Saturdays are the weekend here, so technically many of the participants in the meeting should have been with family and freinds. Many of the men came in their weekend dress - crisp white robes and head wraps (i cant remember the names for these items) They looked very elegant especially the older men with snow white whiskers to match their clothes and contrast their dark skin. Interestingly that the clothing is traditional, but there appears to still be a place to put their ever-ringing mobile phones.
There was lots of talking and plenty of laughing, and of course the plentiful supply of tea. Rather disappointingly, it appears that the tea of choice is lipton bag on a string - but with a couple of heaped teaspoons of powedered milk and a couple of heaped teaspoons of sugar. I counted the sugar bowls - each twice as big as a tea cup - there was a sugar bowl for every 3 tea cups.
I had a vision of loosing weight while i was out here - i could do with a few pounds off, and i lost nearly a stone when i was out in India this time last year. But eating here doesnt appear to be that far removed from back home. Biscuits with your afternoon tea, chicken and chips in a tin foil basket for lunch (and sadly for tea if your unlucky). there is always potato fries androasted veg with your battered fish or braised meat. Now i appreciate that im in a hotel that clearly caters for international travelers, journalists and business men, but i wouldnt mind having a go a some more traditional local faire.
Well the panic is beginning to settle in, and so tonight i must burn some midnight oil so that i am both ready with my own presentations AND my proposed plans for the running of things - it can sometimes be a bit tricky to get others to listen to sense, but im sure a prepared "document" might speak their language
I sat in the meeting with 18 other people - not one of them English, and yet we all talked English all day. Fortunately for my humbling embarassment, there was also an India, a Moroccan, an Italian, and an Egyptian at the table, so i convinced myself that they weren't all talking my mother tongue just for my benefit.
Today is Friday. Fridays and Saturdays are the weekend here, so technically many of the participants in the meeting should have been with family and freinds. Many of the men came in their weekend dress - crisp white robes and head wraps (i cant remember the names for these items) They looked very elegant especially the older men with snow white whiskers to match their clothes and contrast their dark skin. Interestingly that the clothing is traditional, but there appears to still be a place to put their ever-ringing mobile phones.
There was lots of talking and plenty of laughing, and of course the plentiful supply of tea. Rather disappointingly, it appears that the tea of choice is lipton bag on a string - but with a couple of heaped teaspoons of powedered milk and a couple of heaped teaspoons of sugar. I counted the sugar bowls - each twice as big as a tea cup - there was a sugar bowl for every 3 tea cups.
I had a vision of loosing weight while i was out here - i could do with a few pounds off, and i lost nearly a stone when i was out in India this time last year. But eating here doesnt appear to be that far removed from back home. Biscuits with your afternoon tea, chicken and chips in a tin foil basket for lunch (and sadly for tea if your unlucky). there is always potato fries androasted veg with your battered fish or braised meat. Now i appreciate that im in a hotel that clearly caters for international travelers, journalists and business men, but i wouldnt mind having a go a some more traditional local faire.
Well the panic is beginning to settle in, and so tonight i must burn some midnight oil so that i am both ready with my own presentations AND my proposed plans for the running of things - it can sometimes be a bit tricky to get others to listen to sense, but im sure a prepared "document" might speak their language
Thursday, 3 April 2008
The Sudan - 7
A year ago (to the week) i sat one evening under a clear sky in the foot hills of the Himalayas with the same two men that I sat with tonight under the clear skys of Khartoum. A World apart and yet a World together. A Moroccan, an Indian and an Englishman. We continued the conversation that we started a year ago as if it were yesterday. We put the World to rights.
Its a real privilage to be with people like this; not only are they giving in their thoughts, but also welcoming of yours, and in this way the exploration of ideas is limitless.
As we began to feel the effect of a hard days work, we pondered why these conversations were so energising and natural. Of course we came up with a number of possible reasons, but my favourite one was to do with a "maturity of identity", a level of self-confidence that resulted in not having to defend your insecurities.
And if this is the case, then could "insecurities" and "immature identities" be a reason for conflict between say the North and South of Sudan?
Its a real privilage to be with people like this; not only are they giving in their thoughts, but also welcoming of yours, and in this way the exploration of ideas is limitless.
As we began to feel the effect of a hard days work, we pondered why these conversations were so energising and natural. Of course we came up with a number of possible reasons, but my favourite one was to do with a "maturity of identity", a level of self-confidence that resulted in not having to defend your insecurities.
And if this is the case, then could "insecurities" and "immature identities" be a reason for conflict between say the North and South of Sudan?
The Sudan - 6
Its quite a challenge to understand people here. Everyone ive met so far speaks English, but its always a bit tricky to pick out the meaning between broken sentences and accents. And its doubly difficult when the subject is as complicated as Global poverty and Political turmoil. And its even more difficult when you are sitting at a board table with a large fan blowing in your ear.
The first thing that struck me about this particular government ministry was the fact that it was more grubby than id expect and indeed our hosts were rather excited about the new carpet that had been laid in their office; which could have done with a lick of paint at the same time. The second thing that struck me was the lady sitting at her desk playing "who wants to be a millionaire" on her computer - in Arabic!
Im slightly embarrassed to say here how suprised i was that our official meeting around the board table was with 4 women. No reason why it shouldnt be, but i kind of expected here that the meeting would be with men. We spent the meeting confirming plans and expectations for our workshop. It was important to do because the 2 "His Excellency State Minister" of various what-nots are going to be there and they needed to prepare thier addresses.....
Hang on! i wasn't told about this! Im not so sure im up to this!
I spent the day quietly reminding myself that i dont need to know about the detailed content of Sudanese politics or development funding for the starving millions - im the process man - all ive got to do is get these 50 people to play nicely together for the week
We discuss the protocol on who makes his address first and if there is going to be a reading from the Koran, then there should be a reading from the Bible - i wondered if as "who wants to be a millionaire" has been translated into Arabic, has the Bible too?
Everybody is terribly nice and i think a government official who takes such care over the beautiful henna on her hands is certainly the right person to be caring for her country.
My phone rings, but i dont take the call from my mate Hughie, though i'd love to tell him that i cant talk now as Im in the ministry for finance talking strategy on poverty reduction.
Breakfast is a big deal here. People take tea first thing in the morning and then stop around 10.30ish for "breakfast". A tradition breakfast is "Fuul" - a kidney bean type mix with tomato and spring onion with a dash of cheese on top. We all sit around a wok type dish on the board table and dip in with fluffy processed bread rolls. Its very nice and very social. I had a bottle of fizzy orange to wash it down.
Bit by bit things start to fall into place for our workshop that starts on Sunday. There is a lot of organising to do and a lot of expectations to manage. Back in my hotel room after a full day i think i need a snooze.
The first thing that struck me about this particular government ministry was the fact that it was more grubby than id expect and indeed our hosts were rather excited about the new carpet that had been laid in their office; which could have done with a lick of paint at the same time. The second thing that struck me was the lady sitting at her desk playing "who wants to be a millionaire" on her computer - in Arabic!
Im slightly embarrassed to say here how suprised i was that our official meeting around the board table was with 4 women. No reason why it shouldnt be, but i kind of expected here that the meeting would be with men. We spent the meeting confirming plans and expectations for our workshop. It was important to do because the 2 "His Excellency State Minister" of various what-nots are going to be there and they needed to prepare thier addresses.....
Hang on! i wasn't told about this! Im not so sure im up to this!
I spent the day quietly reminding myself that i dont need to know about the detailed content of Sudanese politics or development funding for the starving millions - im the process man - all ive got to do is get these 50 people to play nicely together for the week
We discuss the protocol on who makes his address first and if there is going to be a reading from the Koran, then there should be a reading from the Bible - i wondered if as "who wants to be a millionaire" has been translated into Arabic, has the Bible too?
Everybody is terribly nice and i think a government official who takes such care over the beautiful henna on her hands is certainly the right person to be caring for her country.
My phone rings, but i dont take the call from my mate Hughie, though i'd love to tell him that i cant talk now as Im in the ministry for finance talking strategy on poverty reduction.
Breakfast is a big deal here. People take tea first thing in the morning and then stop around 10.30ish for "breakfast". A tradition breakfast is "Fuul" - a kidney bean type mix with tomato and spring onion with a dash of cheese on top. We all sit around a wok type dish on the board table and dip in with fluffy processed bread rolls. Its very nice and very social. I had a bottle of fizzy orange to wash it down.
Bit by bit things start to fall into place for our workshop that starts on Sunday. There is a lot of organising to do and a lot of expectations to manage. Back in my hotel room after a full day i think i need a snooze.
The Sudan - 5
Its difficult to describe the growing anxiety one gets as one draws close to the half way mark of his last loo roll here. And its nigh on impossible to describe the sheer delight of returning to your room after a days work to find that not only has that loo roll been replaced, but a spare one has been installed too!
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
The Sudan - 4
Im in a small hotel in the middle of Khartoum, which is in the middle of the desert, which is in the middle of Africa. I am with my Indian colleague from Chennai, when in walks a Polish man, who once worked with my Indian colleague on a project in Nepal.
And if you dont think thats enough proof that this is indeed a small world - turns out that this polish man lives only a couple of miles from where I work in England!
And to top it all off - hes a really interesting chap - doing a really interesting job. Reducing world poverty by knowledge sharing through technology. Check out http://practicalaction.org/?id=technologychallengingpoverty
And if you dont think thats enough proof that this is indeed a small world - turns out that this polish man lives only a couple of miles from where I work in England!
And to top it all off - hes a really interesting chap - doing a really interesting job. Reducing world poverty by knowledge sharing through technology. Check out http://practicalaction.org/?id=technologychallengingpoverty
The Sudan - 3
Ive put my cash in the hotel safety deposit box; A huge safe just like the ones you see being cracked in black and white gangster films. I was given an envelope, told to put my cash inside and write the amount on the outside.... i wonder if i should have got a receipt?
Another part of my personal safety training was to ensure that i personally gave my key to the reception manager on exit from the hotel. This I did. On my return, the hotel manager wasnt at his desk. He soon emerged from a back office and said "if theres no-one here, just nip round and take your key. Make yourself at home, we treat it like a family"
So thats OK then
Another part of my personal safety training was to ensure that i personally gave my key to the reception manager on exit from the hotel. This I did. On my return, the hotel manager wasnt at his desk. He soon emerged from a back office and said "if theres no-one here, just nip round and take your key. Make yourself at home, we treat it like a family"
So thats OK then
The Sudan - 2
Well it would appear that man and mosquito can live together in harmony.
With the aircon on and shutters shut, you have no idea as you wake up what the weather might be like outside. You can, however, take a pretty good guess that its very hot and dusty.
I am scheduled today with a "workplan" - not of my making, but of the people who are organising the event here. They want me to be sure that all is in order with the preparations for our week long workshop starting on Sunday.
In the lead up to coming here I have been inundated with papers and programmes as background and preparitory material. This is a big deal, by anyones standards. This is literally, life or death. As i read the local newspaper over a breakfast of things that i can peel, I see that all the articles are about the rebuilding of Sudan - but not about rebuilding as part of its economic growth strategy as we might read about in the south east of England - This is far more fundamental - creating peace and reducing poverty. Im not here to help with the peace bit, but i am here in the thick of poverty reduction. Paradoxically this makes me feel "rich" in a non-financial sort of way.
And this is big in the sort of way that ministries and governments are involved, and it is planned that i hve to go and meet some of these people. There are so many acronyms and organisations and agencies involved that im a bit confused as to who im seeing or why, but im happy to do whatever my hosts feel fit and im ready to go where-ever my driver takes me. He doesnt speak much English (and i still dont even know how to say hello in Sudanese) so im in his hands. I note with interest that he sprays something into the center consol storage compartment before we set off... mosquito repellent? air freshener? chloroform?
White taxis are gleaming, but the yellow ones are a masterpiece of "good enough", revived from frequent previous bumps and bashes, hand beaten back into shape. Plenty good enough with the angle-grinder skids across wrinkled bodywork. The more loved ones have cracked bodyfiller bulging out (how do they get so much damage on the roofs of their cars?) and yellow over-spray on rusty bumpers and balding tyres. There are a lot of white wall tyres here too - most of them peeling off the main tyre to look like cars driving on inverted dinner plates
It appears that one method of deterring other drivers from coming too close is to fit shiney hubcaps that stick out about 6 inches from the wheel with what looks like the spikes from the wheels of boadiceas chariot
I wasnt sure on how to dress for the occasion, so i went for what im comfortable in (and thats all ive bought with me) but to make an impression i did wear a suit jacket. I was worried that at 40 deg Centigrade, Id be sweating like a pig, but i have to say, that whilst it is indeed terribly hot, its not as humid as say Taiwan or India, and so a jacket is not impossible to wear.
I am taken to CCU (central coordination unit for IFAD funded project in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry). The director proudly shows me the list of materials that he is assembling for the workshop - i nod approvingly and politely decline a cup of tea.
and then i am taken to see the workshop venue in the ABS (Agricultural Bank of the Sudan).
Every one is so polite and keen that i am keen. "As long as you are happy, then we are happy". Well this should all work out swimmingly then.
The workshop venue is plenty big enough, but not ideal. It is almost identical to the room we had to work with at IITM (Indian Institute of Technology in Madras) - a conference auditorium with a fixed layout of lecture type seating and intercoms on fixed benches. it would be a perfect venue for a signing of a peace treaty.
Under normal circumstances (but im starting to question what normal is now) id have encouraged people to find a different venue, one with lots of open space where people can be more free in how they move or where they sit, one where they can cluster with different people and have space for creative expression. However in this circumstance, I primarily wanted to give these great people my approval, for which they seemed delighted.
In the car back to my hotel, I wondered about what is the best environment for this workshop. I know what i would like.... but what about what these people would like? what about the delegates? Who am i, a comparitively wealthy, privilaged and relaxed Englishman, to say that this isnt the best space for the job? Maybe this is just the right space for these people. maybe it gives them the formality they need or expect for such an important event. Maybe they dont have the luxury of clear open spaces. Maybe they do their creativity in a very different way to me. Maybe i shouldnt expect them to shift thier working practices toward mine, but i should shift my working practices toward thiers ("There is no such thing as a difficult audience, only inflexible facilitators")
I worked with another facilitator once who created what i thought was too much of a fuss about a room not being ideal for the job of a creative workshop - and i believe that negative energy was transfered to the audience and room itself. It will be my job to make this room work... thats what makes me the professional thats been hired to do the job
Within an hour i am back in my dark aricon'd hotel room. Id better get on with making my agenda look like the work of a professional
With the aircon on and shutters shut, you have no idea as you wake up what the weather might be like outside. You can, however, take a pretty good guess that its very hot and dusty.
I am scheduled today with a "workplan" - not of my making, but of the people who are organising the event here. They want me to be sure that all is in order with the preparations for our week long workshop starting on Sunday.
In the lead up to coming here I have been inundated with papers and programmes as background and preparitory material. This is a big deal, by anyones standards. This is literally, life or death. As i read the local newspaper over a breakfast of things that i can peel, I see that all the articles are about the rebuilding of Sudan - but not about rebuilding as part of its economic growth strategy as we might read about in the south east of England - This is far more fundamental - creating peace and reducing poverty. Im not here to help with the peace bit, but i am here in the thick of poverty reduction. Paradoxically this makes me feel "rich" in a non-financial sort of way.
And this is big in the sort of way that ministries and governments are involved, and it is planned that i hve to go and meet some of these people. There are so many acronyms and organisations and agencies involved that im a bit confused as to who im seeing or why, but im happy to do whatever my hosts feel fit and im ready to go where-ever my driver takes me. He doesnt speak much English (and i still dont even know how to say hello in Sudanese) so im in his hands. I note with interest that he sprays something into the center consol storage compartment before we set off... mosquito repellent? air freshener? chloroform?
White taxis are gleaming, but the yellow ones are a masterpiece of "good enough", revived from frequent previous bumps and bashes, hand beaten back into shape. Plenty good enough with the angle-grinder skids across wrinkled bodywork. The more loved ones have cracked bodyfiller bulging out (how do they get so much damage on the roofs of their cars?) and yellow over-spray on rusty bumpers and balding tyres. There are a lot of white wall tyres here too - most of them peeling off the main tyre to look like cars driving on inverted dinner plates
It appears that one method of deterring other drivers from coming too close is to fit shiney hubcaps that stick out about 6 inches from the wheel with what looks like the spikes from the wheels of boadiceas chariot
I wasnt sure on how to dress for the occasion, so i went for what im comfortable in (and thats all ive bought with me) but to make an impression i did wear a suit jacket. I was worried that at 40 deg Centigrade, Id be sweating like a pig, but i have to say, that whilst it is indeed terribly hot, its not as humid as say Taiwan or India, and so a jacket is not impossible to wear.
I am taken to CCU (central coordination unit for IFAD funded project in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry). The director proudly shows me the list of materials that he is assembling for the workshop - i nod approvingly and politely decline a cup of tea.
and then i am taken to see the workshop venue in the ABS (Agricultural Bank of the Sudan).
Every one is so polite and keen that i am keen. "As long as you are happy, then we are happy". Well this should all work out swimmingly then.
The workshop venue is plenty big enough, but not ideal. It is almost identical to the room we had to work with at IITM (Indian Institute of Technology in Madras) - a conference auditorium with a fixed layout of lecture type seating and intercoms on fixed benches. it would be a perfect venue for a signing of a peace treaty.
Under normal circumstances (but im starting to question what normal is now) id have encouraged people to find a different venue, one with lots of open space where people can be more free in how they move or where they sit, one where they can cluster with different people and have space for creative expression. However in this circumstance, I primarily wanted to give these great people my approval, for which they seemed delighted.
In the car back to my hotel, I wondered about what is the best environment for this workshop. I know what i would like.... but what about what these people would like? what about the delegates? Who am i, a comparitively wealthy, privilaged and relaxed Englishman, to say that this isnt the best space for the job? Maybe this is just the right space for these people. maybe it gives them the formality they need or expect for such an important event. Maybe they dont have the luxury of clear open spaces. Maybe they do their creativity in a very different way to me. Maybe i shouldnt expect them to shift thier working practices toward mine, but i should shift my working practices toward thiers ("There is no such thing as a difficult audience, only inflexible facilitators")
I worked with another facilitator once who created what i thought was too much of a fuss about a room not being ideal for the job of a creative workshop - and i believe that negative energy was transfered to the audience and room itself. It will be my job to make this room work... thats what makes me the professional thats been hired to do the job
Within an hour i am back in my dark aricon'd hotel room. Id better get on with making my agenda look like the work of a professional
The Sudan - 1
Stepping off the plane into the evening heat of Khartoum makes me suddenly realise that my mission has commenced. A "mission" sounds a bit grand - but thats what these IFAD people call these trips.
Ive never had my hand luggage xray'd on entering a country before and i soon come to realise why one of my suitcases has had a large cross chalked on it during its transit - im directed toward a chaotic corner of the airport customs where i have to show the contents to what i presume to be an official. Hes rather more interested in the argumentitive family with what appears to be shredded cabbage in their suitcases. I get a sticker of approval and go outside in search of my driver.
Why is his dashboard covered in a thick woolen carpet underlay type material? is it to stop the dashboard from melting in the sun? not that much sun light comes into this car with its blacked windows all but for the letter box slot that the driver peers through. The roads and traffic remind me of New Delhi - chaotic and dusty, but a little less noisy (hooters are for drawing attention here, not for confirming that the driver is alive). At every junction a police man patrols to check presumably car tax stickers, and young men walk up and down in the hope of selling a box or two of tissues - every car has a box of tissues on the dashboard (a flowery, girly sort of box - most strange - you'd think that if this were a required item for every car, someone would have by now either made a slot for it in the dashboard or have advertising or entertainment printed on the box its-self)
Im driven up and down dusty unmade back streets toward i hope my hotel. Im a little more relieved when we get onto a mettaled road, only to be a little taken aback to arrive at a back enterance to what appears to be an office block?
The Hotel is fine - everything works enough. And in the grand scheme of things why should it work any more than enough. i have a hard double bed with crisp sheets, i have aircon and a ceiling fan, i have a western style loo with 2 rolls of soft loo paper and i have a shower and bath.
And there is wireless internet. before ive even taken my now very dusty shoes off, i hook up and call the family. thank heavens for Skype. Im here for 17 days, and instead of wallowing in my slight pangs of homesickness, i can talk with my wife about holiday plans and blown light bulbs.
I read with interest that this is the oldest hotel in Khartoum - from the 50's - a creation of a chap from the Greek island Kefalonia. I read that "during its reign of five decades" the hotel has seen some "easy times and witnessed also some hard times" particularly when in 1988 a terrorist attack "blew off the main building killing 7 people and injuring several others"
Dinner looks fine. I choose a baked potato, some roasted vegetables and an orange. A gentleman in a turban informs me that the plate im using is for soup - didn't i want soup or some meat? Im sure that all is well here, but ive been ruined by the influence of a colleague whilst in India who would only eat what he knew wouldnt "upset" him. Ive got work to do here and i dont want to be ill, so for the time being if i can peel it of it looks like its been well cooked, thats good enough for me.. though i should really wash my hands a bit more before eating.
Theres a mosquito in my room. i think its only one. and i havent yet been able to splat him with a clap of my hands. I keep my aircon on - its supposed to subdue them - but im starting to get a bit chilly myself. ive got my mosquito replent on, though i think its starting to etch away the plastic of my laptop where my hands rest to type.
I had to do a 3 hour course on personal safety before coming out on this "mission" - it was only the basic course so only covered things like kidnap, rape, child soldiers, AIDS etc - ill get onto the advanced course for the next mission. It did however cover suggestions like choosing a room between 2nd and 5th floor (not so near to the ground that people can easily break in, but not so high that you can escape in the event of... ??) and how to refuse your room if the hotel manager calls out your room number for others to hear. So it was with intrepidation that i lay in my bed next to the french windows with broken lock onto the terrace having been warmly welcomed earlier to "Room 16". Ive got over a grand of dollars stashed around my various suitcases (they dont have ATMs and credit cards here in Sudan, and they dont handle travelers cheques - only hard cash - ive chosen to bring dollars, but euros and sterling would do just as well). What with the threat of terrorism, robbery and that bloody mosquito, it was a miracle that i slept so soundly all night
Ive never had my hand luggage xray'd on entering a country before and i soon come to realise why one of my suitcases has had a large cross chalked on it during its transit - im directed toward a chaotic corner of the airport customs where i have to show the contents to what i presume to be an official. Hes rather more interested in the argumentitive family with what appears to be shredded cabbage in their suitcases. I get a sticker of approval and go outside in search of my driver.
Why is his dashboard covered in a thick woolen carpet underlay type material? is it to stop the dashboard from melting in the sun? not that much sun light comes into this car with its blacked windows all but for the letter box slot that the driver peers through. The roads and traffic remind me of New Delhi - chaotic and dusty, but a little less noisy (hooters are for drawing attention here, not for confirming that the driver is alive). At every junction a police man patrols to check presumably car tax stickers, and young men walk up and down in the hope of selling a box or two of tissues - every car has a box of tissues on the dashboard (a flowery, girly sort of box - most strange - you'd think that if this were a required item for every car, someone would have by now either made a slot for it in the dashboard or have advertising or entertainment printed on the box its-self)
Im driven up and down dusty unmade back streets toward i hope my hotel. Im a little more relieved when we get onto a mettaled road, only to be a little taken aback to arrive at a back enterance to what appears to be an office block?
The Hotel is fine - everything works enough. And in the grand scheme of things why should it work any more than enough. i have a hard double bed with crisp sheets, i have aircon and a ceiling fan, i have a western style loo with 2 rolls of soft loo paper and i have a shower and bath.
And there is wireless internet. before ive even taken my now very dusty shoes off, i hook up and call the family. thank heavens for Skype. Im here for 17 days, and instead of wallowing in my slight pangs of homesickness, i can talk with my wife about holiday plans and blown light bulbs.
I read with interest that this is the oldest hotel in Khartoum - from the 50's - a creation of a chap from the Greek island Kefalonia. I read that "during its reign of five decades" the hotel has seen some "easy times and witnessed also some hard times" particularly when in 1988 a terrorist attack "blew off the main building killing 7 people and injuring several others"
Dinner looks fine. I choose a baked potato, some roasted vegetables and an orange. A gentleman in a turban informs me that the plate im using is for soup - didn't i want soup or some meat? Im sure that all is well here, but ive been ruined by the influence of a colleague whilst in India who would only eat what he knew wouldnt "upset" him. Ive got work to do here and i dont want to be ill, so for the time being if i can peel it of it looks like its been well cooked, thats good enough for me.. though i should really wash my hands a bit more before eating.
Theres a mosquito in my room. i think its only one. and i havent yet been able to splat him with a clap of my hands. I keep my aircon on - its supposed to subdue them - but im starting to get a bit chilly myself. ive got my mosquito replent on, though i think its starting to etch away the plastic of my laptop where my hands rest to type.
I had to do a 3 hour course on personal safety before coming out on this "mission" - it was only the basic course so only covered things like kidnap, rape, child soldiers, AIDS etc - ill get onto the advanced course for the next mission. It did however cover suggestions like choosing a room between 2nd and 5th floor (not so near to the ground that people can easily break in, but not so high that you can escape in the event of... ??) and how to refuse your room if the hotel manager calls out your room number for others to hear. So it was with intrepidation that i lay in my bed next to the french windows with broken lock onto the terrace having been warmly welcomed earlier to "Room 16". Ive got over a grand of dollars stashed around my various suitcases (they dont have ATMs and credit cards here in Sudan, and they dont handle travelers cheques - only hard cash - ive chosen to bring dollars, but euros and sterling would do just as well). What with the threat of terrorism, robbery and that bloody mosquito, it was a miracle that i slept so soundly all night
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
We are running out of excuses
For many years i have hidden behind the excuse that my specific education and training did not enable me to create the sort of stuff that i considered to be truly creative.
I had an engineering upbringing during the 80's when engineers were taught machine coding like COBOL and FORTRAN. I was educated in a time when main-frame computers were the size of a car and you waited your turn to use the ticker-tape machine - I cant believe now that they actually taught us how to use one of those. In those days if you used a computer, you were a computer scientist / programmer - you were an integral part of making it work.
Of course much has changed in the 20 or 30 years since those clunky days of computing, and we have all become computer "users", but still I regarded people who could create digital music, video productions, animations, graphics etc as having a special technical skill that excluded me from being creative in the same way as them. I hadn't been trained in the software products that enabled this creative output and so i simply couldnt be creative in that way.
Ive bought an Apple MacBook. And now I feel exposed. I am vulnerable with no more excuses to hide behind. I dont want to make this a hallelujah for Apple, my point goes beyond Apple, but it took this transition for me to realise that software programmes are now so intuitive, seamlessly integrated and feature packed that actually, technical software skills are no longer the barrier to creating amazing digital outputs - I am simply limited now by my own imagination and determination - and that scares me a little.
And this lead me on to think about one of the models used to describe the creative person. Amabile T.M (1996) describes 3 characteristics that can be found in creative individuals - 1) Creative thinking skills, 2) Motivation, and 3) Domain relevant skills. Her theory is well described on line and in many of her books and publications, but for the moment Ive been thinking about "Domain Relevant Skills". Amabile says that a knowledge of the field (or subject) in which the individual intends to be creative is essential to a valuable creative outcome - which in the case of say rocket-science, I'd agree.
However, Im starting to wonder now if in the field of say digital animation or video art, that domain-relevant skills are really that essential. Computers, software and user interface are now so enabling, it could be said that any novice could create a creative (and valuable) output without any knowledge of the field or market.
I wonder if there is a place now for a model of creativity that identifies a creative individual as having 1) Creative thinking skills, 2) Motivation, and 3) "Dream"? or "Vision"? or "Tenacity"?
So, no more excuses!
I had an engineering upbringing during the 80's when engineers were taught machine coding like COBOL and FORTRAN. I was educated in a time when main-frame computers were the size of a car and you waited your turn to use the ticker-tape machine - I cant believe now that they actually taught us how to use one of those. In those days if you used a computer, you were a computer scientist / programmer - you were an integral part of making it work.
Of course much has changed in the 20 or 30 years since those clunky days of computing, and we have all become computer "users", but still I regarded people who could create digital music, video productions, animations, graphics etc as having a special technical skill that excluded me from being creative in the same way as them. I hadn't been trained in the software products that enabled this creative output and so i simply couldnt be creative in that way.
Ive bought an Apple MacBook. And now I feel exposed. I am vulnerable with no more excuses to hide behind. I dont want to make this a hallelujah for Apple, my point goes beyond Apple, but it took this transition for me to realise that software programmes are now so intuitive, seamlessly integrated and feature packed that actually, technical software skills are no longer the barrier to creating amazing digital outputs - I am simply limited now by my own imagination and determination - and that scares me a little.
And this lead me on to think about one of the models used to describe the creative person. Amabile T.M (1996) describes 3 characteristics that can be found in creative individuals - 1) Creative thinking skills, 2) Motivation, and 3) Domain relevant skills. Her theory is well described on line and in many of her books and publications, but for the moment Ive been thinking about "Domain Relevant Skills". Amabile says that a knowledge of the field (or subject) in which the individual intends to be creative is essential to a valuable creative outcome - which in the case of say rocket-science, I'd agree.
However, Im starting to wonder now if in the field of say digital animation or video art, that domain-relevant skills are really that essential. Computers, software and user interface are now so enabling, it could be said that any novice could create a creative (and valuable) output without any knowledge of the field or market.
I wonder if there is a place now for a model of creativity that identifies a creative individual as having 1) Creative thinking skills, 2) Motivation, and 3) "Dream"? or "Vision"? or "Tenacity"?
So, no more excuses!
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Innovate or die
Have a look at this
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao
This is a very interesting idea and I was particularly drawn to a couple of aspects of this project (and not least that fact that it deals with one issue of rural poverty in a very down to earth way) ..
1. combination. Exploring the problem of clean water filtration AND the delivery of it, these guys have managed to create a solution that meets both needs. And this approach must surely stimulate further thinking about "and what else?" How might we use the same product to power a mobile phone or radio? How might we use it to dispose of waste materials? How might we use it to create some wealth?
2. prototyping. Its a shame that we dont see more of it in the video, but im always inspired to see the prototypes and mock-ups of emerging ideas. Whilst most people these days can (with a little effort) learn how to create a simple 3D visualization of an idea (check out the free google drawing tool - sketchup - http://sketchup.google.com/) Actually bringing an idea to life in-the-flesh so to speak is an amazingly powerful communicator of strange new concepts. When people can touch and "try" an idea for real, there is a far greater chance that they can understand the benefits that this idea brings (in addition to helping refine and develop the idea). Creating prototypes doesnt have to be difficult, as these guys demonstrate by cutting and pasting cardboard around a bicycle.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao
This is a very interesting idea and I was particularly drawn to a couple of aspects of this project (and not least that fact that it deals with one issue of rural poverty in a very down to earth way) ..
1. combination. Exploring the problem of clean water filtration AND the delivery of it, these guys have managed to create a solution that meets both needs. And this approach must surely stimulate further thinking about "and what else?" How might we use the same product to power a mobile phone or radio? How might we use it to dispose of waste materials? How might we use it to create some wealth?
2. prototyping. Its a shame that we dont see more of it in the video, but im always inspired to see the prototypes and mock-ups of emerging ideas. Whilst most people these days can (with a little effort) learn how to create a simple 3D visualization of an idea (check out the free google drawing tool - sketchup - http://sketchup.google.com/) Actually bringing an idea to life in-the-flesh so to speak is an amazingly powerful communicator of strange new concepts. When people can touch and "try" an idea for real, there is a far greater chance that they can understand the benefits that this idea brings (in addition to helping refine and develop the idea). Creating prototypes doesnt have to be difficult, as these guys demonstrate by cutting and pasting cardboard around a bicycle.
Sunday, 20 January 2008
The Beauty of Incubation.
I have been getting increasingly frustrated by the fact that I am not making any progress on an idea i had a few months ago. I want to modify a Ukulele to create a "show instrument" - I will share the details another time. The conceptual idea came to me a few weeks ago and i created some initial sketches and got very excited about the project. I bought a cheap ukulele that would be the donor instrument and i bought a couple of components to start the modification... and then the project came to a halt as my time became overwhelmed with work and other engagements.
The Ukulele and my sketches have sat on my desk for the past 2 weeks waiting for me to get on and bring my vision to reality. And while this has been frustrating me, i haven't stopped thinking about it.
And now something really interesting has happened.....
During this time of no action, during telephone calls or while waiting for my PC to boot etc, ive been fiddling with some of the project components that have been lying on my desk. I've done little doodles and sketches on postit notes and ive day-dreamed about what it might be like to play this new instrument. And almost like a butterfly from its cocoon a fabulous new vision has emerged from my mind. The concept is still basically the same but the design and method of execution are now far better than i had originally planned or dreamed.
So whats happened in these 2 weeks of seemingly no action?
Well I think this is the power of INCUBATION. The process of letting ideas gently bake in your head. Letting the idea or challenge teeter on the edge of your conscious and unconscious mind and allowing it to make new connections and associations. I dont know where my latest inspiration came from, but i am happy to acknowledge that my mind has been doing much more thinking about this than i was aware of, and the result has re-excited me to get on and bring the concept to life.
Actively building Incubation time into a project might feeling like wasted time, but when better ideas emerge like they did for me, the evidence is clear - we should be courageous enough to walk away from thinking and doing sometimes, confident in the knowledge that this incubation time might actually be very productive
The Ukulele and my sketches have sat on my desk for the past 2 weeks waiting for me to get on and bring my vision to reality. And while this has been frustrating me, i haven't stopped thinking about it.
And now something really interesting has happened.....
During this time of no action, during telephone calls or while waiting for my PC to boot etc, ive been fiddling with some of the project components that have been lying on my desk. I've done little doodles and sketches on postit notes and ive day-dreamed about what it might be like to play this new instrument. And almost like a butterfly from its cocoon a fabulous new vision has emerged from my mind. The concept is still basically the same but the design and method of execution are now far better than i had originally planned or dreamed.
So whats happened in these 2 weeks of seemingly no action?
Well I think this is the power of INCUBATION. The process of letting ideas gently bake in your head. Letting the idea or challenge teeter on the edge of your conscious and unconscious mind and allowing it to make new connections and associations. I dont know where my latest inspiration came from, but i am happy to acknowledge that my mind has been doing much more thinking about this than i was aware of, and the result has re-excited me to get on and bring the concept to life.
Actively building Incubation time into a project might feeling like wasted time, but when better ideas emerge like they did for me, the evidence is clear - we should be courageous enough to walk away from thinking and doing sometimes, confident in the knowledge that this incubation time might actually be very productive
Monday, 14 January 2008
stop stopping yourself
It was raining and windy, and I was wet and cold. Still i was determined to press on.
I could have stayed at home and got on with something far more "important". In fact that would have been the easier (and certainly more comfortable option), but i had focused my mind to stop stopping myself.
Ive had an idea in my head for a couple of weeks; An idea that would result in a novel outcome. The outcome would be interesting but unlikely to change the world, and if i didn't actualize this idea no-one would miss out. However its an idea that keeps niggling away at me and is demanding my attention and so I am motivated to invest some effort to bring this idea to life. And so through the wind and rain I was walking determinedly into town to buy a tool to help me create this vision
The behaviours associated with a "deliberately creative" individual are not particularly astonishing. In fact they have been researched and documented many times over the past 50 years. Show most people this list of behaviours and they nod agreeingly.
Helping people to become more "deliberately creative" is not a question of teaching them a list of instructions, but more a challenge of helping them to stop stopping themselves from exploring, questioning and dreaming what might be.
Breaking old thinking habits is tougher than starting new ones
And so, despite my inner voices telling me that there were more pressing issues to be addressed (coincidently from the comfort of my warm office) I stopped myself from stopping myself and pressed on through one of the many barriers that i am sure i will face in this journey to create my new idea.
What is this idea?..... more on that later
I could have stayed at home and got on with something far more "important". In fact that would have been the easier (and certainly more comfortable option), but i had focused my mind to stop stopping myself.
Ive had an idea in my head for a couple of weeks; An idea that would result in a novel outcome. The outcome would be interesting but unlikely to change the world, and if i didn't actualize this idea no-one would miss out. However its an idea that keeps niggling away at me and is demanding my attention and so I am motivated to invest some effort to bring this idea to life. And so through the wind and rain I was walking determinedly into town to buy a tool to help me create this vision
The behaviours associated with a "deliberately creative" individual are not particularly astonishing. In fact they have been researched and documented many times over the past 50 years. Show most people this list of behaviours and they nod agreeingly.
Helping people to become more "deliberately creative" is not a question of teaching them a list of instructions, but more a challenge of helping them to stop stopping themselves from exploring, questioning and dreaming what might be.
Breaking old thinking habits is tougher than starting new ones
And so, despite my inner voices telling me that there were more pressing issues to be addressed (coincidently from the comfort of my warm office) I stopped myself from stopping myself and pressed on through one of the many barriers that i am sure i will face in this journey to create my new idea.
What is this idea?..... more on that later
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
an idea
heres an idea - and i give it as a gift to any airline who decides to pick it.
wouldnt it be great if airlines provided a service that allowed you to leave your winter-coat at the airport while you went away to your sunny holiday destination. And you simply picked it back up on your return - ready for your cold and damp trip back home
wouldnt it be great if airlines provided a service that allowed you to leave your winter-coat at the airport while you went away to your sunny holiday destination. And you simply picked it back up on your return - ready for your cold and damp trip back home
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
the sound of aliens
i want to create a music video. i have no experience or skill in video or music - not a very good start then.... but something is burning inside me, so maybe there is some natural resonance with music video - so maybe i should at least give it a go.
Actually i can strum a few chords on the Uke and youngest daughter has a sweet voice, and we both like quirk (be that musical or visual) so perhaps were not so far off getting something together.... what we dont have though is rhythm (or rather anything that can create a rhythm backing for us) so i thought id have a look on line for a free rhythm generator - Oh what fun! and if you ever need to waste a few hours you couldnt waste them better than playing with online drum looping machines :-)
I particularly liked this one - http://www.zefrank.com/sequencer/ - which is quick and intuitive, and i think will do well for our masterpiece.
if you go to the site you will see that its a simple bit of dragging and droping various elements onto a time line to create a rhythm loop - and a simple rhythm appears to have a simple symetry to the timeline and so i wondered if by starting with a simple symetrical image as the layout for the rhythm elements - would an interesting sound emerge as a result?.... i leave that for you to decide..... and no i wont be using this for our video
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Social Networking forever
Im intregued by the all fuss in the media at the moment about the fact that stuff we put on our facebook / Myspace etc might one day come back to haunt us.
Yes i accept that online data may well be stored forever and that postings about your teen drug experiements could technically be dragged up in an interview one day (geez, if that isnt a sign of an employer you dont want to work for and you dont run the heck out of there then you deserve what evers coming to you) - but is it not going to be the case that all other candidates have got some postings of regretable darker past incidents as well? and if they havent got postings of them - why not? are they SO dark that they dare not blog of them?
What i think is interesting is that the people who are creating these scare-mongering stories about past blogs coming back to haunt you might be thinking this from an old world perspective. They are likely to have grown up when "on-line" was something dave lee-travis would have said of his next competition guest, or where your mum kept your favourite brown nylon planet-of-the-apes pants. That was a carefree age when we didnt have to think about our past effecting our future. But today our future might actually depend on our past.
Kids growing up "on-line" today will be the people who will be making the rules of tomorrow - and i dont think they will be fussed by all the data overload nonsense
and so this makes me think a couple of things....
1. If potential employers are going to search our past, might it be wise for us to be writing stuff that actually bigs us up - what? lieing? telling fibs? - and if this is the case then what can an employer really trust about what he reads on us - in the end its all nonsense
2. lets start a data-jamming circle. If we all shared one random bit of information about ourselves, then mixed all the data and applied everyone names to all the data - we'd all appear the same and - in the end its all nonsense
3. If anyone was to search my email - they would clearly see that my orders for drugs have been processed, My money laundering scam has been approved and i now have passwords for some of the hardest porn sites. there is SO much "data" on me, but in the end - its all nonsense
I, for one, am looking forward to the funny funny day when my youngest daughter truly wishes she hadnt posted some of those awful pictures of her posing in the shopping precinct with a bunch of mates, camera held at arms length, pouting overly glossed lips and premark shopping bags in hand
Yes i accept that online data may well be stored forever and that postings about your teen drug experiements could technically be dragged up in an interview one day (geez, if that isnt a sign of an employer you dont want to work for and you dont run the heck out of there then you deserve what evers coming to you) - but is it not going to be the case that all other candidates have got some postings of regretable darker past incidents as well? and if they havent got postings of them - why not? are they SO dark that they dare not blog of them?
What i think is interesting is that the people who are creating these scare-mongering stories about past blogs coming back to haunt you might be thinking this from an old world perspective. They are likely to have grown up when "on-line" was something dave lee-travis would have said of his next competition guest, or where your mum kept your favourite brown nylon planet-of-the-apes pants. That was a carefree age when we didnt have to think about our past effecting our future. But today our future might actually depend on our past.
Kids growing up "on-line" today will be the people who will be making the rules of tomorrow - and i dont think they will be fussed by all the data overload nonsense
and so this makes me think a couple of things....
1. If potential employers are going to search our past, might it be wise for us to be writing stuff that actually bigs us up - what? lieing? telling fibs? - and if this is the case then what can an employer really trust about what he reads on us - in the end its all nonsense
2. lets start a data-jamming circle. If we all shared one random bit of information about ourselves, then mixed all the data and applied everyone names to all the data - we'd all appear the same and - in the end its all nonsense
3. If anyone was to search my email - they would clearly see that my orders for drugs have been processed, My money laundering scam has been approved and i now have passwords for some of the hardest porn sites. there is SO much "data" on me, but in the end - its all nonsense
I, for one, am looking forward to the funny funny day when my youngest daughter truly wishes she hadnt posted some of those awful pictures of her posing in the shopping precinct with a bunch of mates, camera held at arms length, pouting overly glossed lips and premark shopping bags in hand
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