Innsbruck, Austria- August 23, 2004
What a difference a day makes. We are now back in Innsbruck and starting week 2 of module 2. Strange to be out of the woods and Native Spirit Camp. Also strange to be sleeping in a nice comfortable warm bed again after quite an experience. Our location has also changed. This week we are living at the SOS Kinderdorf in Innsbruck, Austria.
What is SOS Kinderdorf? Its an Austrian organization that began after World War II to connect the many orphan kids with the many widowed women after the war. It continues to go strong, and now is in 122 countries doing much the same concept throughout the world. It all began here in Innsbruck, and we have the pleasure to spend the next week here experiencing and getting to know this place.
The nice thing about this place is the accomodation. Being we are in the international headquarters building, they put us each in our own single room with a nice view. We have a swimming pool and 3 free meals and some great presentations and all the rest. Very nice. Today was the first day. We had a workshop on the organization, and then ultimately had to define what was a kid. At the end of the workshops, they equipped all of us with digital cameras and we were told to spend a few hours capturing images of "childhood". It was an interesting assignment, and I am not entirely sure what we will do next with that. However, its very uncomfortable to be taking pictures of other peoples kids. I didn't much like having to do that, but we did it anyhow. Sometimes we asked permission, but other times just candidly took the pictures as well. Anyhow, it was an interesting assignment, and later we will find out exactly what it all means as well.
Just a brief note here, this Masters Program is INTERESTING! I am having a great time! Lots of intersting things happening here. Its almost unfortunate there are now just less than 5 weeks left in Austria and then back to Spain and then I will have just graduated with a Masters in Peace, Development, Security and International Conflict Transformation. Its an interesting life.
Next Journal Entry in Austria:
September 7, 2004
You can email me at:
Wintermoon2@yahoo.com