The realization that a lot of people that I know cannot distinguish the difference between a real news story and a bogus one prompted me to write this post.
Taiwanese Night Markets: a feast in local cuisine and products
CAUTION: this next post is a blatant piece of propaganda for the Island of Taiwan. If you don't want your mouth to get watery, or your eyes to get jealous don't read this post. You've been warned.
MST Final evaluation—Assessing the Brazilian Agrarian Reform Movement (II)
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly—A look at Brazil's Agrarian Reform Movement
MST Final evaluation—Assessing the Brazilian Agrarian Reform Movement (I)
This article is part of a short series on the Brazilian Agrarian Reform movement known as the MST. It will be divided into two articles: the first will give a brief history and the context of the movement and the next will asses the strength and weaknesses of the MST as well as give a Canadian perspective for the movement.
Welcome to Taiwan: Crossing the world in less than 72hrs
Through my studies at the university I was fortunate to be one of six 2014 Huayu Enrichment Scholarship recipients at the University of Calgary for the Summer Months (July-August). The scholarship is meant to encourage international students and individuals to study Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan.
How I found lasting happiness by listening to my inner voice
Happiness. Joy. These two words are synonymous yet differ quite drastically. Happiness can be transitive or fleeting. Joy is continuous happiness that accumulates over time. I felt both of these today. One of my church leaders wrote the following: "We must be sensitive to our spiritual bits. Even with the...
World Cup, People’s Cup and the Sem-Teto Movement
When our group of Canadian students signed up to learn about social movements in Brazil through Bishop’s University in Sherbrook, Quebec we were told we would meet various social movements including urban social movements headquartered in Sao Paulo. The last two days of our course was set aside for such...
Itapeva–how to organize an MST encampment in a Eucalyptus Tree Farm
The morning breaks and the shadows begin to flee. All around me there is an orchestra of sound. Humming birds, crickets, hens and various birds chirp, tweet and call out for each other. Today our group is in the Center of the 6 Itapeva Settlements, a place bordering the state...
Struggling for a dream: Alexandra Kollontai settlement and Fazenda Martinopolis encampment
Alexandra Kollontai Settlement Named after a Soviet female writer the settlement of Alexandra Kollontai (Alexandra Koluntai) has existed for 14 years. Prior to becoming a permanent settlement the 80 families who now call the area home were encamped for five years. In 2000 when the state expropriated the land from...
Ribeirão Preto: Agroecology vs monoculture
Ribeirão Preto (Heebeirawn Prëto) is a municipality in the heart of São Paulo State. Situated 6 hours northwest of Sao Paulo city it is in the heartland of Brazil's sugar cane production for ethanol and biofuels. In this fertile land volcanic basalt rock, still rich with minerals, nourishes the soils...