2016, I’m over you: A reflection on a weird and wonderful year that I’m happy to forget

Well, 2016, it has come time that we part ways. And while, personally, you haven’t been all that bad on the whole, you’ve just been downright brutal when it comes to childhood nostalgia and other such world events. I mean you took virtually every musician and actor* that I grew up loving, as well as a handful of other significant people. You saw a few brutal attacks on western life – that garnered tremendous outrage – while a number of “other” incidents took place which received little, if any, coverage. I mean, they were in “those” parts of the world, so really who could blame you… or them for not really caring. You were deemed to be the warmest year in human history, which has only been reiterated by the instances of ‘worst drought/flooding to happen xx number of years,’ along with a continuous stream of other weather and climatic related occurrences from earthquakes to hurricanes, record highs and lows, and pretty much everything in between. You contained a number of brutal political blows such as Brexit and Trump, and irrelevant to the majority of the world, president Museveni’s 6^th term as President of Uganda (yes, we’re going into year 31 with our beloved leader!). And all this is only a minor snapshot of the doom and gloom you have bestowed upon this world.

But since this is my blog – my space to let my creative and/or ranty juices flow – I’d like to bring this back to me. Let’s just take a minute to discuss my 2016. Here are just a few of the highlights:

My brother’s visit to Uganda in April, and his first time on the continent, which allowed him to see, first hand, just how incredible this part of the world truly is. We had a great 10 days travelling around the country taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes of Uganda.

I fulfilled my number one dream, goal, and bucket list item, which of course was lion snuggling. I also had the “pleasure” of being paparazzi-ed by a group of Asian tourists who took delight in my uneasiness of holding a snake that could just as easily decide I was a worthwhile lunch option.

I was able to contribute to some meaningful work, even if it won’t be viewed by the majority of those who could actually do something with it. This work included my research on the disengagement of youth in the Ugandan agriculture sector, as well as assisting a team from Makerere University in their research on food insecurity and its link to child trafficking.

I spent the longest time I’d been at home in over two years, which included catch-ups with old friends, mini Grammy vacations, plenty of early morning kayaking adventures (including the fear of nearby shark sightings) and of course, obnoxious amounts of sushi consumption.  

I sat in my grandmother’s TV room, in solidarity with a good majority of the rest of my home-country to show support for a man who has placed a tremendous contribution both artistically and politically within Canada and the rest of the world, and for who chooses to spend his remaining days fighting the good fight towards a world free from injustice. And while Gord Downie may not be my favourite singer, nor his band my favourite musical group, I can certainly understand the gravity of this tremendous loss of Canadiana, its culture, and the impact his passing will surely have on the bigger issues facing this country (i.e. Indigenous Rights).

I was one of 10 ‘wild card’ participants at the Nudge Global Leadership Challenge, which took place in Zeist, Netherlands, and placed me amongst some of the most incredibly energetic, inspiring and wonderful folks I have ever had the pleasure of spending 3 exhausting days with!

The blog has seen inexplicable attention since the lead up to the US election, with each month increasingly gaining over the last – and continuing to do so. December is currently on track to hit over 7000 views (compared to the usual 400-600 average!).

But the thing I am most proud of, is my return to Uganda and the beginnings of a very slow, but exciting chapter of my life. These past few months back in the country I have taken to so greatly, have been challenging, beautiful, and filled with numerous reunions with old friends and colleagues – including one very big reunion from a friend not from this part of the world! Each day I continue to be humbled by the kindness of the people I interact with – inspired by their stories, humility, and openness to a little Orange Canadian like me.

And while all this is great, there is so much that I have learned, about myself, life in general, and the world that surrounds me.

This year I have lived, I have loved, and I have lost. But most importantly, I continue to survive the sometimes frustrating and brutal realities of the world we live in. I have embraced many of the opportunities that have been sent my way. I have taken on projects and positions that have challenged my way of thinking, that have taught me things I otherwise would never have known, and overall just allowed me to grow. I’ve faced a few heartbreaks, and have come out smiling, all while trying to just be in the moment every minute that I can.

I have been told that I love too much – too big – while others maintain that I have yet to give enough of myself in order to make them happy. But, I’m only one person, with only so much time, energy and empathy/understanding to give to another singular individual, let alone a number of others. Someone once told my mother that she can’t take care of the whole world, which in many cases her eagerness to try to do so most likely lead to passing. But I fear I also hold this responsibility myself, with the number of projects I want to get started, the research I wish I had endless time and money to complete, or the vast number of causes that deserve far more attention and energy than I can offer. All of this has led me to conclude the following about myself: I lack perfection – but happily so. Sure, sometimes my imperfections can be difficult to accept, but then, at least, I have something to work towards, to keep me interesting, to keep life worth living, and to continue to challenge me.  My life is far from where I thought it would be, but I’m on a path that is exciting, and one that I can confidently lift my head to acknowledge.

2016 – you were different, that’s for sure. But I have persevered, and I can’t wait to see what 2017 throws at me!

-the Orange Canadian

*But you couldn’t have done me a solid and taken Michael Bay, now could you!?

Whose Land is it Anyway?

Forgive me, folks, for I’m about to engage in a bit of a conversation I feel like I’m not really entitled to have… although it’s coming a bit delayed, as I’ve really been trying to piece together my thoughts because I think they’re all a bit jumbly at the moment.

Over the last few months, I have become increasingly disheartened with the events taking place in the United States. No, I’m not talking about the recent presidential election*, but the escalating situation in Standing Rock, North Dakota. I mean, come on, Leo, Mark Ruffalo AND Canada’s boyfriend George Stroumboulopoulos have all been in attendance at one time or another! Sure a “solution” has been found, but how long will that actually last, especially post-January 20, 2017?!

Leading up to Thanksgiving (US), there was a lot of discussion about the irony of the very real, and continuous struggle between North America’s indigenous people, and those who arrived much, much later (white people**!). In fact, many of the issues unfolding in this country have been surrounding insane contradictions, but that’s beside the point.

Anyway, a short documentary was made and released in the days leading up to this holiday. It is powerful, moving, and nothing short of heartbreaking. In my lifetime, I have found myself – more often than I’d ever care to admit – sitting in a room, pondering when, exactly, we started to become differentiated for things we cannot control (race, religion, sexuality, I seriously feel like a FiretrUCKin’ broken record). When did we stop looking at each other as nothing more than a fellow human? And this short film left me feeling the exact same way.

Now, since I originally started working on this post, things have (thankfully) seen some changes. BUT, there’s still a long way to go. The recent “win” at Standing Rock – and I say win in quotes, because it should never have been a battle in the first place! – is only a small stepping stone in a much, MUCH bigger picture. But following the unfolding of this situation, I finally sat down to check out Gord Downie’s recently released film The Secret Path – a CBC production that deals with the tragic happenings of indigenous residential schools in Canada. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I recommend you do so. Although, some of you may have difficult accessing it if you happen to be out of the country***.

I’ll be honest, it took a while for me to get into it… mostly because I was pretty tired at the time, but also because I was unable to activate the subtitles. I’m not suggesting you really needs these, but the music is pretty much the key. But on the second attempt, I was thankful I had done so. So, be sure to have the time and correct energy levels before you proceed.

One of the biggest issues I have with Canada**** is the misinformation and complete disregard for our indigenous people. I mean, what the typical Canadian actually knows about the various cultures of each tribe (because they’re not all the same!), is actually pretty limited. I would doubt that many even recognize that in some reservations, the conditions are reminiscent of some of the worst conditions in the so-called developing world (i.e lack of education, potable water sources, and consistent/quality social support services – including (mental) health care!). This is why I’m conflicted about how I felt about this film. Hear me out…

On the one hand, I think it’s great that the beginning of a conversation is at least being attempted. Although, I fear, like so many other important issues, it is more a matter of preaching to the converted, so to speak. But, we Canadian folk, especially of the non-indigenous variety, tend to shy away from discussions about, let alone acknowledging, our original inhabitants. Maybe it makes us uncomfortable because we feel some sense of guilt/responsibility for what our ancestors did in the past, or maybe it’s just plain ignorance. I don’t have the answers here.

Now, on the other hand, it frustrates me that, when we have so many incredible indigenous voices in Canada, it took a dying white man from an iconic Canadian rock band to make it happen. Don’t get me wrong Gord (if I may call him that) has been an advocate for indigenous rights, amongst other things, for a good part of his career. His lyrics are evidence enough of this. But still.

That being said, this is an incredibly powerful 45 minutes or so. There are moments that just captured what I can only imagine to be what that experience might have been like. The contrast between the story at present and the memories of Chanie’s (the boy whose story is being told) past only highlight all of this. The fear. The uncertainty. The feeling of loss. And it’s emotional. There’s no getting around that. That these were (and are) people, taken from their homes, treated with such disregard and abuse, and that they were children no less. It hurts.

But for me, it was the conversations with Gord after the animated sequence that really tied it all together. The heartbreak that is still felt in Chanie’s sister’s voice. Her anger and outrage, covered only by the hope that this project will lead to something positive. That, for me, is something we can all learn something from. And again, the discussions that will hopefully follow this film will only be one smaller step in a much larger fight. A fight for justice. A fight for acceptance. A fight for forgiveness. 

-the Orange Canadian

*But, can I just say how deeply disappointed I am that this is how our beloved-the-world-over President Obama has chosen this as the conclusion of his legacy as the first EVER African American leader of the free world?!

**Yes, I know other races aside from Caucasian have also arrived on our great continent… but if you’re really honest with yourself, you know, deep down, they’re really the issue here. I mean, just look at history…

***I’m amazed, really, that I was able to get it to play!

****Of many, I know! But also, an issue that has been causing me to ponder for a number of years now.