Contrasts

The following poem was written from a beach chair while on my honeymoon in Cuba. I couldn't get over the incredible contrasts I noticed throughout the country, and attempted to write something that would accurately capture what I experienced during our week on this unique Caribbean island. 

A seaside resort,

a plethora of hospitality,

a hundred people basking in warmth

under shaded huts and palm trees.

A decrepit shack,

a street of gates,

an aging horse tied to a fence

frantically trying to find a meal.

A smiling server,

a wealth of tips,

a hundred staff catering to the

rich tourists' every whim.

A military uniform,

a limbless beggar,

a fading population of heart-

hardened Cubans trying to survive.

This is a country of contrasts.

Of those who come to escape,

and those who long to run away.

It is a country of wealth,

of poverty,

of communist ideals mixed with

sea, sun and endless struggle.

A rich man,

a poor man,

an endless surge of people

longing for something better

than what they have today.

Hello KOBO

When the eReader first came out, I was completely opposed to even looking at one. How dare companies try to create an electronic device that people will choose over a traditional, print book? There was NO WAY I would ever consider an eReader, and I quickly put the whole concept of them out of my mind.

Then, I landed a job as the publicist for the Winnipeg International Writers Festival last summer. I was going on a trip to Toronto, so my boss handed me the festival eReader that everyone uses when they travel. It was already loaded with copies of at least ten novels, which meant that I didn’t have to lug around a pile of books in my luggage.

I grudgingly accepted the device, and went merrily on my way.

While I hate to admit it, the eReader made my trip so much easier. I was still able to read at my own rate – which is very quickly, if you’re curious – but I didn’t have to deal with the hassle of carrying around multiple books. Slowly, I was beginning to see why so many people were falling in love with the eReader.

When I returned to Winnipeg, I decided to do more research about eReader’s. I discovered that books are cheap if you buy them for your device, and you can sync all of your electronics. This means that I can read a book across my eReader, smart phone AND iPod. It will remember the spot I left off on, and will update automatically when I log into my account.

It is an intuitive system that is both easy to use and addictive. No wonder so many people love eReaders.

Then, I discovered the touch screen KOBO eReader with wifi – and I was hooked. I had finally given in, and for Christmas my fiancé bought me exactly the eReader I wanted. Within an hour of opening it, I had already downloaded as many public domain classics as I could find. Then, I moved onto the new releases.

I’ve had my eReader for a few months now, and I absolutely love it. I still read traditional print books, and buy them just as often as I used to. Even though I have a new, electronic device, I won’t give up on print entirely.

Da Vinci definitely was a genius

Last night, I visited the Da Vinci Exhibit with a few friends. It was a completely random, last minute adventure, but I had been dying to visit it for months. I’ve made a point of attending every exhibit that is showcased there, and so far, they all have been fantastic.

The Da Vinci Exhibit was no exception. I knew that he had been both painter and inventor, but to what extent is incredible. In addition to creating prototypes for hang gliders and parachutes, Da Vinci was the man behind the tank, the life preserver, the light box, scuba diving gear and the submarine. He developed pulleys and hydraulic systems, as well as tools for warfare, including cannon transportation devices and ladders to scale buildings.

A replica of the tank Da Vinci created...

He was also interested in human anatomy, and is rumoured to have dissected over 30 cadavers throughout his life. This I found to be slightly creepy – especially when faced with a wall of his drawings of human parts – but it was the only way to learn about the human form at the time.

This all came from the man who painted both the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper – two of the most famous paintings in the world today.

The Mona Lisa - the real painting is tiny, but that doesn't stop millions of people from travelling to the Louvre in Paris to see it every year...

Da Vinci kept a collection of detailed journals throughout his life (five of which are featured in the exhibit). He was also always drawing, and making notes on the pages. Any time he would write, Da Vinci would write backwards. By using a mirror, one could read his text properly.

Some people believe he was dyslexic; others believe he was paranoid, and didn’t want his words to be easily read by competition. Either way, the backwards style of writing is uniquely Da Vinci, and adds yet another level of mystery and intrigue to an already interesting man.

I guess a person can create many, many things throughout his or her lifetime when they lack modern amenities such as television, the Internet and the radio…

Check out the exhibit soon, because it’s only in Winnipeg for a few more weeks!

Leonardo da Vinci:

- Born April 15, 1452, near Florence, Italy

- Died May 2, 1519, at Clos Lucé, France

Toronto – just far enough away to count

Travel has always been an important aspect of my life, and I am usually in the process of preparing for a trip, returning from a trip or planning a trip.

I couldn’t imagine a life without travel. Experiencing new places and new people makes me a better person, and each trip teaches me something new about myself that was previously undiscovered.

This past August, my boyfriend Jeff and I decided to travel to Toronto for a week of sightseeing. We also wanted to assist our two friends, who would be moving to the “Big Smoke” the day after we arrived for our vacation. We booked a hotel on Carlton Street, which is located directly off Yonge – the longest street in the world – and were pleased to find we were located in the heart of downtown.

Exterior view of the AGO.

Something interesting – that I just recently learned about myself as a result of this trip – is that I am not good at flying. If I were to critically analyze the number of times I have been on a plane, I would return with a figure close to 100. One would assume this means that any fear of turbulence has disappeared, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

The flight from Winnipeg to Toronto is known to be bumpy in general – especially when flying over the Great Lakes – and I spent the better part of three hours digging my nails into Jeff’s arm. It was the same scenario during the return flight, and I sincerely hope he will get on a plane with me again…

Upon arrival, Jeff and I were first interested in the “touristy” aspects of Toronto. We walked on the glass floor at the CN Tower, and rode the elevator to the Skypod that swayed gently from side to side. We visited the Hockey Hall of Fame, and touched the real Stanley Cup.

(Note: It’s a replica Stanley Cup that the winning team drinks beer out of and travels with each year. The real one is locked safely away in an elaborate room with stained glass windows and security guards who have zero sense of humour).

Inside the AGO with a $50 million Pollock painting. See below for a description of this event...

An interesting surprise was the visit to Casa Loma. Located deep in Toronto’s interior, this 19th century castle boasts secret passageways, lavishly decorated bedrooms, an 800-foot tunnel, stables, towers, and five acres of beautiful estate gardens. Plans for the castle were drawn up in 1911, and it took three years and $3.5 million to build it.

In addition to being historically significant, Casa Loma has been the movie set for a number of well-known feature films. It was “Xavier’s House for Gifted Youngsters” in the first X-Men film, and was the resort in Tom Cruise’s Cocktail. In the basement – across the hall from an overpriced café – one can find posters of each film that used the castle in whole, or in part, as a filming location.

One of my favourite stops during this week long adventure was the trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario. I have been to a number of galleries in my life, and this one is by far one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. It consists of high, glass ceilings and wide, wooden staircases and archways that rival the revamped train station that houses Musee d’Orsay in Paris.

The highlight of visiting the AGO was experiencing the New York Exhibit - a travelling group of paintings from the 40s and 50s. The featured artist in this collection was Jackson Pollock, the ill-fated, alcoholic genius who reached his peak as an artist shortly before dying in a car accident. Lee Krasner – his wife, who was also a gifted painter in her own right – accompanied his work with a few pieces of her own.

A shot of downtown Toronto at night - one of my favourites...

A trip or vacation doesn’t have to be something extravagant. It can be as simple as a weekend in Grand Forks or a jaunt to Alberta to visit friends. My week in Toronto was entertaining and enlightening, and I’m currently planning my next round of travels, which will be a snowboarding trip to Banff!

Uncovering the secrets of ‘Foxy Lady’

A random Google search first introduced Winnipeg author Dave Kattenburg to Stuart Glass, a young B.C. adventurer killed by the Khmer Rouge on board his little yacht -- Foxy Lady -- in 1978.

“I thought – a Canadian had died… a Canadian yachtsman? That’s amazing,” said Kattenburg. “And all the stories were the same. There was just one tale about him. No information about who he was, or where he was from. Nothing…”

Kattenburg began researching Glass in an effort to uncover more information about the details surrounding the capture of Foxy Lady. Once he started, he couldn’t stop.

“I was intrigued,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. I wondered how it was possible that there was nothing known about him, and I saw it as a challenge.”

A photo of Foxy Lady, taken before disaster struck.

The easiest part of Kattenburg’s research was locating Glass’ family in Canada. He obtained a great deal of information from them, but realized much more would be needed to write a book.

Stuart Glass had met Englishwoman Susan Jessie Everard in 1972, the Glass family told Kattenburg, and she had been his best friend, partner and companion until 1977. It would be impossible to fill in the details of Glass’ life during that time without talking to Susan, and Kattenburg began a detailed quest to find the woman who would hold many of the answers.

He first found Susan’s sister, Margaret, an Anglican minister who agreed to put Kattenburg in contact with her younger sister. And then, finally, Susan called.

“I was so blown away when I found her,” Kattenburg said. “It was at that moment – when I heard her voice on the phone – that I realized this could actually become a book.”

Talking to family and friends was only one part of Kattenburg’s research. In addition to flipping through phone directories and poking through archives, he visited Cambodia – the home of Pol Pot and the feared Khmer Rouge regime – twice.

In Cambodia, over the course of nearly four years, between 1.7 and 2.2 million Cambodians were killed by the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng – a prison, torture house and death camp – was responsible for at least 12,000 of those deaths.

Included in these were New Zealander Kerry Hamill and Englishman John Dewhirst, Stuart Glass’ two mates on board Foxy Lady when she was captured in 1978. While Glass was killed aboard the yacht – in a hail of Khmer Rouge gunfire – Hamill and Dewhirst would suffer a worse fate. They were dragged off to Tuol Sleng prison (nicknamed S-21) in Phnom Penh, charged with being CIA spies, tortured for a few months and then killed.

Foxy Lady: Truth, Memory and the Death of Western Yachtsmen in Democratic Kampuchea tells the story of yachtsmen killed by the Khmer Rouge (there were nine in total), and chronicles the rise and fall of the brutal Democratic Kampuchean regime. The story also focuses on the Khmer Rouge’s chief executioner, S-21 chief Kaing Guek Eav, aka “Duch.”

For a complete synopsis of Foxy Lady, click here.

When asked what advice he would give to anyone attempting to write a non-fiction novel, Kattenburg replied that it is important to be persistent, especially when writing a book that involves digging up undisclosed information.

A photo of journalist and author, Dave Kattenburg.

“If you’re patient and tenacious enough, eventually things reveal themselves,” Kattenburg explained. “And, I think you have to be a little crazy too…”

Did you know?

Recently, a film titled Brother Number One has been released in Australia and New Zealand. It examines the Foxy Lady story from a completely different perspective. It chronicles the journey of Rob Hamill – brother of murdered Foxy Lady skipper Kerry Hamill – as he travels to Cambodia to retrace the steps taken by his brother during his last months alive.

If you would like to watch the trailer, or learn more about the film, click here.

About the author…

Dave Kattenburg was born on Long Island in 1953. He holds bachelor and Ph.D. degrees in biology and health sciences, teaches university science courses and produces radio stories on global environment, development and social justice issues. Documentaries arising from his travels have appeared on CBC Radio, Radio Netherlands, Free Speech Radio and his own site www.greenplanetmonitor.net. David currently resides at the epicenter of North America, Winnipeg.

Chicago, Picasso and a girl from Winnipeg

Last year after I returned from my school Chicago trip, I wrote thousands upon thousands of words about my experiences. The trip was amazing, and I fell in love with the city that has been dubbed the “Winnipeg of the South.”

This year, my trip was also fantastic. But instead of writing a long post about everything I did, I want to talk about only one thing.

The Chicago Picasso sculpture.

Located at Daley Plaza in the heart of downtown Chicago is a 50-foot unnamed Picasso sculpture. It has been featured in such movies as The Lake House and Mercury Rising, and I have wanted to see it for years. When in Chicago last year, I simply didn’t have enough time to visit it. I left the city with regret, and vowed I would return.

Thankfully, I have amazing friends, and a group of my CreComm BFF’s accompanied me on a night of adventure that ended at the sculpture. The front of the Picasso sits on a 45-degree angle, which means it is possible to climb it and slide down.

Of course, we all slid down the sculpture. Repeatedly. We also raced, slid down backwards and took a plethora of ridiculous photographs. I can honestly say that it was one of the best moments of my life, and I will never forget it.

Visiting Chicago: Round Two

Almost exactly a year ago I spent three fantastic days in Chicago. I fell in love with the city and experienced so many new and exciting things. So when the opportunity arose to go to Chicago again this year, I knew immediately I was going back.

After the trip last year, I wrote two very detailed blog posts about my travels. I thought they might be interesting to those coming on the trip for the first time this year.

If you would like to read the first post, click here. And, if you would also like to read the second post, click here.

In just under a week I'll return to the Windy City, and I can't wait! Get ready Chicago. I'm baaack!

Today in history: "Iceberg, right ahead!"

I’m sure that most people are aware of the significance of April 14th. It was on this day – 99 years ago – that the world’s most famous ocean liner struck an iceberg.

I have been a Titanic-lover since I was a little girl. Even before the movie was released in 1997, I wanted to learn everything possible about the disaster. I would watch every single documentary I could get my hands on, and take notes as I learned new facts. By the time I moved away from my Titanic addiction, I had filled three binders with information.

Below, I have included a few Titanic facts that I find interesting. They are from the collection of information I accumulated over the years*, and I hope you find them interesting…

• The Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912.
• It took 2 hours and 40 minutes to completely sink.
• There were roughly 2,200 people on board the Titanic. Only 705 survived.
• One of the first boats to leave the Titanic carried only 28 people. They were designed to hold over 60.
• There were six iceberg warnings received by the Titanic on the day of the sinking.
• The ship could have stayed afloat if four of the watertight compartments flooded. Unfortunately, five flooded.
• The watertight compartments were actually not watertight at all. They were open at the top, which caused a wave to flood over each compartment as the ship sank.
• The cost to build the ship was $7.5 million and it took 3,000 men two years.

*The information included in the above statistics comes from many different sources.

Berlin: The walking tour continued...

This is the second part of a multi-entry blog. To read the first part, click here.

I won’t go into detail about every single building and monument we visited, and instead I’ll stick to the highlights. We walked down Unter den Linden – an iconic boulevard - in what used to be East Germany. It is named after the lime trees that run down the boulevard. They were removed during the Second World War, because Hitler felt they interrupted the fluidity of his marches, but were replanted in 1951.

This street is very important, because it is down it that Hitler marched during numerous parades. At one end is the Berlin Cathedral, a gorgeous Gothic structure. At the other end is the Brandenburg Gate. Through the gate is the Tiergarten, and down the street is the tall, impressive Napoleon Memorial. The street is a combination of large, important buildings, shops, restaurants, embassies, and hotels. It’s absolutely magnificent.

Gorgeous St. Hedwig's Cathedral. The famous domes are impossible not to stare at.

We passed St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, the Berlin State Opera, the Neue Wache (National War Monument), and stopped at Bebelplatz, a small cobblestone square off Unter den Linden. This square is significant because it was the site of the Nazi book burnings on May 10, 1933. Over 20,000 books were burned. There is a small plaque that marks the spot, but it is in German. If you walk a little bit further into the square, there is a huge sheet of clear glass built into the ground. Underneath the square, a memorial has been constructed. In a large white room are many empty bookshelves. Enough room to house the 20,000 books that were burned.

Across the street from Bebelplatz is Humboldt University. Some of the most famous students and professors include Albert Einstein, Otto von Bismarck, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx, and Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm. The building is still used as a university today, and I hope the students there appreciate the historic place where they go everyday to learn.

Further down the street, we stopped at the Russian Embassy. There wasn’t really much to look at, but Katie wanted to point out that a hammer and sickle is still chiseled above every window and doorway on the building. Even though the USSR officially fell in January of 1991, there are still reminders of the past communist presence everywhere, because for nearly forty years, the Soviets controlled half of the city.

There also used to be a statue of Lenin in front of the embassy, but it was removed to the interior years ago. We could only observe the building through a very high, very imposing metal fence, but I still was glad to have the opportunity to take a look. Imagine all of the people who have walked inside those walls, and conspired behind the security of locked doors and closed windows.

I quickly want to talk about Hotel Adlon. It is located beside the American Embassy, and is about fifty feet from Brandenburg Gate. This hotel is significant because it is where Michael Jackson held his son out the window while paparazzi snapped photographs. When I was in Berlin it was right after Jackson died, and Katie was unsure if she should tell the story or not. We all convinced her to keep sharing the detail with her tours, because it was a legitimate piece of interesting history.

A photo I snapped of Hotel Adlon. I also zoomed in on the balcony...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Berlin: The Beginning

I have been saving this travel blog post, because I knew it was going to be very difficult to write. I have wanted to visit Berlin since I was a child. In fact, the reason why my brother Chris and I went on this specific Contiki Tour was because it passed through Berlin. That was my one requirement... I had to see this magical city.

Even twenty years after the Berlin Wall has come down, the city is still rebuilding. There are construction sites, cranes, barriers and workers everywhere. Old, dilapidated buildings are being torn down for new, twenty-first century replacements. Some areas of Berlin look exactly as they must have fifty years ago; others are unbelievably modern. It is truly a surreal experience.

I did a lot of research on Berlin prior to leaving Canada, and I was armed with maps, street names and pictures. I did this for every city, and trust me, planning ahead saved us a few times. Coincidentally, a walking tour of the city had been arranged previously for our Contiki group, and it was an exact match to the route I had planned to take. We were to set out first thing in the morning, and would spend half of the day wandering around Berlin. I couldn’t wait.

Before I start talking about the sightseeing we did, I have to talk briefly about our hostel. Wombat’s Hostel. It was one of the better hostels we stayed in, and was definitely the cleanest. The rooms themselves are on the smaller side, especially because we had to cram in five girls, but the building is spectacular.

There is a bar on the seventh floor, a large dining room, an Internet station, laundry, and telephones. The walls are painted funky, bright purples and greens. The lights in the entire building work on motion sensors – to be more eco-friendly – and one can only enter their floor with a key card (which ensures everyone is safe and supposed to be there). We also had the most amazing view, as you can see from the picture below. Not only could we see some very interesting graffiti, but we could see the Fernsehturm - the television tower – in the background.

The view from my hostel window. Gorgeous.

One other great thing about our hostel was its location. We were thirty seconds away from the Rosa Luxembourg subway station, and about ten minutes from Alexanderplatz. This meant that we could easily walk to the city centre, and easily find our way home if we got lost.

We met our tour guide – Katie, an American – at the statues of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. She took a moment to explain their significance, but I already knew the background. Marx and Engels were Germans, and co-wrote The Communist Manifesto, a book that would become very significant throughout the world. Vladimir Lenin, a Russian, took the theories in the Manifesto and applied them to what later became the Bolshevik Party. The statues stand near Alexanderplatz, and are one of many reminders of the past.

Marx & Engels immortalized.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A Winnipeg girl in Brandon

I guess it’s safe to say that I really do write about pretty much everything that happens to me.

Yesterday I was sitting in a hotel restaurant doing homework as my boyfriend wrote the LSAT at nearby Brandon University. Why the U of M chose to schedule a test two hours away is beyond me. But Jeff needed to write the test, so to Brandon I went.

I’ve never been to Brandon before. Correction, I’ve never had a reason to come to Brandon. It struck me as a smaller version of Winnipeg with friendlier people. It’s quite cute, and quaint, but there didn’t seem to be much happening.

I do want to give a shout out to my server at the restaurant I was sitting in. I was there for four hours and he kept bringing me iced tea. The rest of the time, he left me alone. I like that.

Travelling to a new place is always exciting for me, and I can now cross Brandon off my list. For good…

Opportunity of a Lifetime

Note: This was a story that I wrote for journalism class a few months ago. It was part of a larger project...

It's a gutsy move leaving Canada and accepting a contract to teach English to strangers halfway around the world. It's even gutsier to do this in a country that has a completely different language and culture from North America. Yet every year, thousands of Canadians are picking up and moving across oceans to teach English in foreign countries.

TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a program designed to instruct individuals on how to prepare to teach effectively overseas. It was established in 1966, and courses are taught in every province in Canada.

Peter Herbert, 26, graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor’s degree in 2006. By the time he finished school, he was ready for something different and exciting.
“I kind of had it in my mind for a number of years that once I graduated I wanted to teach abroad,” he explained. “I saw the name TESOL for years and years while I was going to school, and figured it was worth a try.”

Herbert took a TESOL course through Oxford Seminars at Global TESOL College on Notre Dame Avenue in the summer of 2006. Each course takes 60 hours, and is taught over 6 days. The company primarily targets university graduates, but anyone at any age can sign up for the program.

In Winnipeg, the next session begins May 8. In many countries – including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia – the school year begins annually in September. It is possible to take the course in May, find a job, and begin work in a new country a few months later.
Jeffrey Schultz, also a TESOL graduate, explained that even though the course costs $995, it’s worth the money.

“They teach you things you wouldn’t otherwise think about,” he said, with a smile. “One example is when we were instructed to contact the bank and embassy both in Canada and the country we move to. That way, if you suddenly disappear, someone will know where to start looking.”

Shultz took the course last year, and has already received three job offers.

“I’m waiting until I finish school this year to go overseas to teach,” he explained. “But I know when I want a job, it will be there. Once you’re a TESOL graduate, they help you find work.”

Herbert went through a number of interviews, and ultimately decided to work in Thailand. He left Canada in April of 2007, and didn’t return for 20 months. There were roughly thirty English teachers working in his office in Bangkok, and almost half of them were Manitobans. His coworkers were instrumental to his success during the first few weeks.

"They give you lots of advice, like to never touch someone on the head unless you're Thai. It’s a Buddhist country. The holiest part of the body is your head, and the worst is the bottom of your feet. You never open the door with your foot in Thailand – never use your feet to do anything but walk."

The school days are typically the same as in Canada, with class beginning between eight and nine a.m., and ending after three. Most teachers work in designated English language schools, and are assigned the same class for their entire contract. Teachers usually sign a contract for twelve months, and if they complete it, an extra month’s salary is provided as a bonus. Salaries vary considerably depending on the country, but an individual with a university degree could make up to $6000 a month in a country like Japan or South Korea.

Herbert took his TESOL instructor’s recommendation to begin learning Thai almost immediately after arriving. He was going to be there for over a year, and wanted to have an easier time communicating with locals.

"Even just making an effort to learn their language goes a long way in garnering their respect towards you," he explained.

Gary Bosomworth, managing director of Hess Education Canada, an ESL teacher training and recruitment centre in Vancouver, has taught in both Taiwan and Indonesia. He explained that it is not mandatory to learn the local language, but highly recommended.

“I did not know any Mandarin when I moved to Taiwan or Indonesian when I moved to Indonesia,” he said. “You learn. Some people learn really well, some do not. It is a personal choice.”

Today, Herbert is back in Canada, and planning to take Education at university. He went back to Thailand last fall to visit his former students and his girlfriend, whom he met while teaching. Herbert recommends the TESOL program and teaching overseas to anyone who is craving a bit of change and adventure.

“TESOL courses are by no means a magic tool that will transform you into a teacher overnight. That comes only with experience, and the amount of dedication you are willing to put into the job. However, TESOL courses do help you answer some of the bigger questions one may have about teaching, and at least give you a running start for when you begin.”