Editorial
Next year is just around the corner. We’ll have the opportunity
to network, encourage and plan at Perth. This new year, young members
should determine to make their mark in their communities. For submissions
towards the next edition, send them to komolara@yahoo.com .
Material should not be more than 1,500 words and may range from articles
to poems. Send write-ups by email in Microsoft Word format along with
two photographs (.jpg format).
My reasoning
to be in the United States is essentially different. It is characterised
by the voluntarism with which I like to walk around here with the Lonely
Planet in my hands, as if I want to underline my foreign status. Rather
than being part of the American Society, I would like to take the most
achievable amount of intellectual baggage with me to Europe. Now, my
main goal is to learn about medicine, and about the American way of
performing research. I want to internalise their way of thinking about
basic medical enigma's, and to know more about the organisation of
their laboratories. Of course I would also like to take part in the
American social life. but it will not be my first priority.
This trip to America
is illustrative for my pattern of decision-making. At first there
is an emotional choice to give life a certain direction, based on
prerequisites that are important at that time: A study, a profession,
a certain way to express social engagement. Than, as if Platonic
yardsticks do exist, there is nothing left than to try to achieve
the realisation of the particular choice as good as possible, undergoing
every part of it. It is a process that invariably will lead to situations,
not anticipated before, that compel to make other choices with an
adjusted set of starting points. New choices, that are not necessarily
linked to the ideas I had in the beginning of the process. It is
the reason why I am frequently seduced to consider my choices, as
if they need a further justification. But than again, paradoxically
and more important, I am convinced at the same time that just these
changes essentially characterise the unpredictability of life that
makes it worth full and therefore hold an intrinsic historical justification
of their own. It would perhaps even not be opportune to regret or
to intrinsically question them.
Thinking about
all this and wandering up and down the streets organising my life
again, I suddenly realise that this American city appeals more to
me than I had expected. Unlike Paris, all is very well organised,
well maintained and fitted with modern conveniences. Moreover, it's
architecture has similarities on many locations with the architecture
of Paris and the streets look friendly. There are many terraces,
full of people, that I have not seen before in other American cities.
I find myself eager to find out about the way life will develop this
year and to have a clear picture of the new choices this adventure
will bring. Will my starting points change again? Will I end up admiring
this new society and accept the consequences that this will have
for my course of life? Perhaps my set points now in the United States
and then in France were different, but in both countries, the result
of new choices based on these set points will create similar possibilities
to acquire a place in society. First of all, I will have fun, even
so a product of previous choices.
At the start of
a new challenge, it is good to consider the set points that will
define your actions and to think about the goals that will result
in a clear cut satisfaction, if achieved at the end. It will create
the room to rush into the adventure. Time to do so is conveniently
created by some periods of insomnia after a flight from Europe to
the East Coast of the United States. Today, only a few days after
my arrival, it seems rather impossible to escape from the jet-lag,
even if every night sleep at home is a one-mans party. I find myself
in a new apartment, reflecting about why I did this.
I will be doing
research at a large institute for at least one year. As part of a
PhD-project I will hand myself over to the experience of BTA: 'been
to America', an indispensable part of the academic education in my
field. But such a passive classification asks for a further explanation
of motives. Why would one give up a society that is his own, his
friends, his house, to organise himself again in another country?
From the time I was young, the American society has never had the
compelling attractiveness of, for example, the life and thoughts
of the French people. It is true that when I choose to become a physician
and to do research, I knew that a trip like this would go without
saying. But the closer the day of the flight, the more surrealistic
became the idea that I would really
go. As if this trip had been a mathematical problem, already solved
by the organisation of it.
It is not the first
time I live abroad. But the set points in the past were quite different.
A few years ago, I decided to take the opportunity to perform some
of my internships that were not directly important for my future
specialisation, in Paris. I used this professional excuse to be able
to live in the cultural and intellectual heart of France for a while,
as they themselves see their capital. I was mostly interested in
the way the French lived their lives: How would they eat, what would
they think, how would they relate to each other? I wanted to be part
of the French society and used 'le Monde' and a little plastic bag
of the FNAC, the leading French store in books and music, to distract
the attention from my un-French length and blond hair. I decided
to perform a study on end-of-life decisions in French hospitals,
parallel to the other internships, because this would give me an
enlarged insight in the cultural and social habits in France. So,
in stead of concentrating on surgical techniques, or ear-nose- and
throat problems, I made my way through French opinion-leaders on
end-of-life decisions.
I am very happy to share my experiences with the young members of
the International Federation of University Women (IFUW). It has been
honour, to be invited to write an article for the newsletter.
I was born in Colombo,
Sri Lanka on January 9. I am second in a family of four. My schoolteacher
parents emphasized to us that only education
assures one’s future. I had my primary and secondary education
at Southlands college, Galle, Sri Lanka during the period of 1975-1988.
After my secondary school, I was selected to the University of Peradeniya
to study Agriculture with merit marks in year 1989. During my university
life, I was enough fortunate to gain much experiences about our society
and could familier with the different kind of problems since I had
many friends who came from different areas of Sri Lanka and different
family backgrounds. Those things were greatly influenced me to see
the world more clearly and understand difficulties which they are struggling
with.
During the first 3 years after graduation, I worked in Peradeniya
and Sabaragamuwa universities in Sri Lanka. Specifically, I was involved
in teaching and conducting practices in laboratory as well as the field
for the under graduates. I gained a lot of experiences in teaching
methodologies. More than that, I witnessed many instances how student-lecturer
relationship affected to the future of the student: poorly equipped
laboratories: ignored or misused of some sophisticated equipments because
of the poor knowledge of the technicians.
As an agricultural country, I realized that the importance of the
development of technology in order to optimize output quantity and
quality with minimum input. The main problem facing in developing
countries like Sri Lanka is the use of poor technology. As a result
of availability of abundance cheap labour, they do not encourage
to improve the technology. This leads to their products remain moderate
quality under relatively high unit production cost. Due to this reason
their products can’t compete with international products in
open economy and farmers leave from farming day by day. Therefore,
I realized it is important to use appropriate technologies to increase
the profit of the farmers for local socioeconomic and environmental
conditions. There are some non governmental organizations (NGOs)
which are encouraging to develop modern appropriate technologies
with the help of the scientists. I was fortunate enough to work with
them for my undergraduate research under “Drying characteristics
of potato dehydration”. I could find out the suitable conditions
for the dryer to get good quality of dehydrated potatoes from Sri
Lanka. For my master research also I worked with them to upgrade
the quality of medicinal plants in Sri Lanka. I did surveys to
Primali with some friends in Austria
find
out the farmers procedures and recommended the suitable methods to
be followed in order to get good quality materials after long time
of storage hence it is really worth to use our own plants for the
medicinal industry. Other than this, it instills in them a profound
pride about their roots, raises their self-esteem and helps them
unite in their constant struggle to gain political power and self-sufficiency.
While I was doing my masters in Sri Lanka, I was selected to DAAD
(German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship to study Geoinformatics
in Germany. Since then I was able to profit on expanding my international
experiences through living, traveling and studying
I
came to Germany with my husband and he helps me to live without
stress through this trek. We spent our university vacations to travel
all
over the Europe and could meet different people in different cultures.
With those trips, I continued my quest to comprehend the globalization
world we are interlinked in. I had opportunity to work with private
sector in Switzerland for my research. That was a software company
and they wanted to make 3-D visualization of the scenery out of
the aerial photographs. It is much easier with the photogrammetric
software.
But here I used remote sensing software which uses satellite images,
instead of the aerial images. I was enabled to handle many problems
with this research. Geoinformatic field is very demanding field
in country like Sri Lanka since it is quite new and very usable in
any
industry. On the other hand there are very few professionals still
available in this field.
Currently, I conduct my
PhD research in University of Hohenheim in Germany under the topic “soil humidity mapping in sprinkler irrigation
system by using low-cost IR (Infra Red) soil humidity sensor”.
Since agriculture consumes 70% of the world’s developed freshwater
supplies, it is evident that growing more food with less water is the
key to solving the world’s growing water crisis. This research
stresses that increasing the productivity of water in agriculture,
with the usage of the soil humidity maps which will be developed by
using low-cost IR soil humidity sensors. Soil humidity maps will help
policy makers to think differently about the way water is managed for
agriculture.
Still my desire is to serve my country whenever I get chance.
The Under 40s Network of the British Federation of Women Graduates
is part of a large number of other BFWG networks which are linked to
professional or other interests of BFWG members. Participation in the
U40s Network, as in all other BFWG Networks, is voluntary and carries
no specific obligations for its members. However, the U40s Network
is unique in that it unites a younger generation of BFWG members who
have a variety of interests and pursue different occupations. The U40s
allows its members to keep in contact with each other, exchange ideas
and participate in joint projects in this way helping its members to
take an active part in the BFWG's and the IFUW's activities.
The idea of the
Egeria Publishing Project was conceived in response to the IFUW challenge
for 2001-2004.
The challenge was issued at the
27th IFUW Conference in Canada encouraging every national affiliate
to undertake at least one project related to the new Study and Action
Programme theme "Humanising Globalisation: Empowering Women".
(Information about the IFUW challenge can be found at www.ifuw.org/nfareports.)
The project had to have a focus area of 'Education and Information',
'Technology', 'Human Rights', 'Human Security' or 'Developing the Culture
of Peace'. Activities had to take place between 1/9/2002 and 31/1/2004.,
offering an opportunity for as many members as possible to participate
in planning and implementation with an outreach component.
Since my appointment in September 2002 as the BFWG's Under 40s Netwrok
Coordinator I became aware of the problems which presently effect young
BFWG and IFUW members: such as the young generation's limitation in
time and moneys which are needed in order to travel and to take part
in events and activities.
It occurred to me
a newsletter would give an ideal platform of communication for our members.
Such a publication will allow our members to follow events, give and receive
information, and take part in discussions and debates literary without leaving
their home. Such a project also can help educate and empower our members while
encouraging recent graduates to join us.
Soon
we were able to form an editorial Action Group made up from ten BFWG
U40s Network
members, and Suhad Jarrar-Browne very kindly volunteered as the
Project Coordinator. One of the Action Group members, Conchita Saez,
came
up with the felicitous name, Egeria - Greek for 'a woman who offers
her help'.
I envisage that
Egeria will serve as a 'forum' for exchange of news and ideas between
our members, and also between BFWG members outside of our Network
and also other IFUW members. The publication will also be aimed to
giving information about under 40s IFUW members in other countries.
We received much
encouragement from the International Federation of University Women.
It is now envisaged that Egeria will become an integral part of the
international young IFUW publishing project, this way reaching an
even wider readership. The international response to Egeria has been
very positive and encouraging, and some of the comments by members
from other countries are published in this present edition.
Most importantly, Egeria aims to empower a growing number
of young women nationally and internationally to be able to have
a positive effect on decision making processes worldwide related
to women's rights and wellbeing. We will publish practical information
about how to take part in academic events, campaigns and support
groups related to women's and girls' wellbeing around the world,
and, also, about how to take positive action both locally and internationally
in relation to your own rights and wellbeing and that of others.
The setting up of our U40s web pages is a new and exiting project
for all our members. We are planning to offer Egeria electronically
to our readers, and out aim is for the U40s site to benefit both U40
members and also those who are interested to join us.
Those interested in our activities and the Egeria Project can find
out more from the U40s Netwrok Coordinator, Katalina J. Szom-Bath,
(Katalina_1234@yahoo.co.uk) or from the British Federation of Women
Graduates.
Young Members in the Netherlands
Marion Minis Moderator Young Membersmminis@xs4all.nl
In the Netherlands,
my country, there are young members groups on local level as well
as on national level. Whereas the young members
on local level generally likes to focus on social activities such as
going to the movies and enjoying diners together, discussing careers,
the National Young Members Group tends to focus on (inter-)national
subjects.
For example the upcoming elections of the European Parliament (and
the representation of women), the (not yet very women friendly) European
Constitution and the National Elections in our own country. For it
looked like we were going to end up with a government consisting of
political parties that deny women their (democratic) rights (!). To
protest against this situation we sent out a press release. Although
not everybody within our NFA agreed to this action, it did result in
critical questions from journalists to the politicians concerned. In
the end the combination of these political parties didn’t work
out. But it indicates that becoming active (by writing a letter / press
release) can help the good cause of women’s future.
National Jubilee
Within the National Young Members Group we also discuss, of course,
the next IFUW conference in Perth, which we all hope to attend. Right
now we are thinking of organizing an interactive workshop on ‘globalization
and empowerment of women’. As a kind of preparation for this
we’ll be presenting a workshop on globalization during the
upcoming Jubilee of our NFA, to celebrate the 85th birthday of VVAO,
in November 2003. It’s with pleasure that we can say that young
members will be presenting several workshops during this event, also
on e.g. Financial Planning, which is an important subject because
many people, and esp. women, tend to forget about this important
aspect of life. On this occasion we’ll be a.o. showing a video
from young members in New Zealand (a suggestion from Louise Croot,
board member of IFUW), thanks to the courtesy of the IFUW office
in Geneva
During this day the various talents of our members will be presented
in workshops, presentations, lectures and discussions. And ....for
the fun element there will be a (small) fashion show. Also good to
mention is the fact that within our NA young members are more and more
looking for closer contacts between the local branches.
Regional network - University Women Europe
For this (still young) European Network young members are also actively engaged.
The next UWE-meeting was in October 2003, in Bordeaux, France. Some of the Dutch
young members presented a workshop focussed on establishing an European project
in which sister organisations (incl. new ones from Eastern European countries)
can learn to work together.
Meetings
Our National Young Members Group meets every 6-8 weeks. We usually
come together in a nice restaurant in Utrecht, a city situated
centrally in our country. This
makes that we all have to spent about the same hours of travelling for we come
from very different parts of the country. The meetings are always fun and very
inspiring. With this team we also prepare the IFUW conferences. Thanks to this
supporting team we were able to do a lot during the Ottawa conference (2001).
We feel it’s important to take responsibility; together we can try to change
the world.
Free translations
Ifuw has many French speaking African members who speak French as a 2nd or
third language. Please note: there are internet sites for free translations!
!Pour les francophones il existe à l'Internet des ''sites traductrices''.
On écrit son message en francais et la traduction en anglais vient après
et vice versa. Essayez alors: http://www.epals.com/translation/translation.e
http://www.freetranslation.com/
http://www.tranexp.com:2000/Translate (+Dutch; important to choose keyboard)
Please note:
Would
you like to attend the Perth Conference? Present a workshop, a seminar,
or do jobs
like writing for the Conference Newsletter, assist
as a rapporteur to a seminar a.s.o. All these activities can make
it easier for you to raise money (fundraising) to come to Perth.
There
will be all kinds of job opportunities. Let us know if you’re
interested.
Deadline workshops:
Deadline for proposals of workshops: 1 December 2003. More information:
www.ifuw.org, IFUW Conference 2004. This page offers information
on the workshops, seminars and so on.
Searching for a job as a young school-leaver is one of the most difficult
tasks in life. I started right after I was called to the Bar in May
2002. There was no guidance from anyone nor did I get any reference
letter from anyone, life posed a great challenge to me then. Possibly
I was meant to go through it so I can get experienced or just the fact
that one has to suffer to achieve anything positive.
My friend and I moved from building to building, office to office,
door to door and finally we entered a furniture shop just at the back
of the house. The acting manager asked us to return in a fortnight,
to find out if there were openings from the manager personally. The
building had other offices, which gave us the opportunity to take our
resumes around. Everyday was the beginning of a new method of job hunting
and a different kind of dressing to go with it. Something had better
work out for both of us.
Embassies and High Commissions were our last target knowing that you
can never get into such places without a reference letter from a “senior
citizen” of the society. One needed to be well “connected” to
ever try looking for job at an Embassy; nevertheless we simply had
to try our luck. Door banged behind us as we left each High Commission
or Embassy; in the places we were allowed to step pass the gates
or where the security guards gave us audience. In others, we were
bluntly sent away or told out rightly that there were on job openings
even though some of them did not information regarding such.
The fortnight had
come and gone but we did not see the need to go back to the furniture
shop
we got some positive answers to our enquiry,
who wants to sell office furniture anyway? We changed our minds later
on when we had to put money together to purchase bathing soap and toothpaste
for our personal use. Fortunately for us, they wanted one of us to
start as a marketer, going to banks, hotels, and business centres.
At 3 o’clock the same day the phone rang, I was the chosen one
for the job. Good grief! A lawyer, marketing office furniture! What
kind of life is this that one has to do certain odd jobs to survive?
Even though I had obtained a degree, a professional degree at that!
Did I pay so much tuition in school in other to end up selling furniture
for meager salary a month in an expensive city like Abuja? Very degrading
isn’t it?
I started the next day getting used to the prices of the seats, their
names, types, and places where they are used for effective results.
The tables were a lot easier to master because their prices varied
alongside their lengths. The next day marked the beginning of my going
out in search of clients who would purchase the furniture or possibly
bring people to buy. This was not as easy as I thought because a lot
of people thought the furniture was too expensive for the common person.
I needed to go to the “people on top” which was a Herculean
task because I was a “nobody” in the society. I managed
to make a few friends in the places I visited, at least for them to
recommend the right people who could afford the grade of furniture
we had in the business. I had to leave some weeks later for the camp
experience of the National Youth Service Corps.
The Youth Service
camping took place farther north in a city called Gumel. This was
the border town between Nigeria and Niger Republic. I had a good
time from the start till the end of the one month camping. My return
to Abuja was boisterous as everyone was happy to have me back including
my employers; I was asked to start from where I stopped. My allowance
was increased by 50% and working conditions improved. Life was so
much fun. My friend’s home served as my abode for the period
of time I stayed working at the furniture place but I needed to have
a place of my own. Things started turning round when I made a sale
well above my target and was supposed to receive a percentage from
the amount. Not long after, my elder sister moved to town…praise
God! My prayers have just begun to be answered.
All the while I
was hoping to find a better job. A colleague and I were returning
from a meeting and we met my present boss who had a position available.
The interview was impromptu and quick and that was it, I was offered
the job. Days turned to weeks; weeks to months at my new job and
I discovered I was a brand new creature. I had returned to my charming,
lively, and hyper-active self. It was like a dream come true. The
would-be client turned boss of mine was really genuine; we put the
new office up irrespective of several set backs. We were like a team
designed by God.
To crown it all,
I met a good man and I am in love. My life has gradually returned
to normal. Today I have a story to tell; this I would not have been
able to do if I did not go through it.
"I fell in love" is
the most common answer you get when you ask foreigners in Sweden
why they are living there. It holds for
me as well, I fell in love with Swedens beautiful capital Stockholm.
Born and raised in the Netherlands I had the pleasure of studying at
the University of Wageningen. Here almost everybody studies abroad
for half a year which, besides being great fun, also helps you to really
value your education in a foreign context.
Since then I knew that I would be living my life in more than one country,
and Sweden turned out to be the first. For me it was quite easy to
learn the basics of the Swedish language, although I'll never be
perfect.
Getting a job however was a different story. It's difficult to discover
equivalents to your education in a complete different school system
and switching profession after university made it all a bit too though
for employees to start with me. Part of the difficulty, as far as I
can see, has
been the fact that I think academically but my vocabular and grammar
are far below that level when I speak or write in Swedish.
Luckily I've an entrepreneurial attitude so I have started my own
consulting company, assisting Dutch and Swedish companies to establish
a business in Sweden or the Netherlands. Through my work in Infobron
I force
myself to be updated on the situation in the Netherlands, which will
facilitate a future return. At the same time I need to really analyze
the Swedish society, which helps me integrating.
Joining the Swedish
branch of the IFUW in Stockholm felt naturally to me as I had been
an active member in the Netherlands before. The organisations differ
in size as day and night and therewith their range of activities.
Instead of Wageningens monthly meetings we had quarterly events, but the number
of members present however is alike, always around 25.
The women I met
here were all gifted with the talent of being able to understand
me long before anyone else did. This made me feel very welcome and
I have enjoyed their activities in the museum like apartment of the
grounder of the Stockholm branch directly from the start.
In March we will
celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Swedish branch of the IFUW with
lectures, social events and a memorial book. You might hear more
from me
Visionaries around the world
Being a member of IFUW has
afforded me the opportunity to meet many distinguished women all over
the world. November 27 is Thanksgiving Day
in the USA, where I presently reside. I want to say that I’m thankful
for older members. Young members owe so much to older members. Below
are some photos with AAUW older members in California. To every committed
older member, I say, thanks for keeping the vision of IFUW.
I am very happy to share my experiences with the young members of
the International Federation of University Women (IFUW). It has been
honour, to be invited to write an article for the newsletter.
In the Netherlands,
my country, there are young members groups on local level as well
as on national level. Whereas the young members
on local level generally likes to focus on social activities such as
going to the movies and enjoying diners together, discussing careers,
the National Young Members Group tends to focus on (inter-)national
subjects. 
Embassies and High Commissions were our last target knowing that you
can never get into such places without a reference letter from a “senior
citizen” of the society. One needed to be well “connected” to
ever try looking for job at an Embassy; nevertheless we simply had
to try our luck. Door banged behind us as we left each High Commission
or Embassy; in the places we were allowed to step pass the gates
or where the security guards gave us audience. In others, we were
bluntly sent away or told out rightly that there were on job openings
even though some of them did not information regarding such.
