About Me
Favourite Quote:
"It's not an adventure until something goes wrong."- Yvon Chouinard
When I was a young, I dreamed of travelling the world and being able to encounter new people and places.
In fact, I spent hours consumed in the history of places, reading atlases, and looking at maps and globes. It was always exciting to go on road trips or plane rides as who knew what would await at the destination.
This early love for adventure brought me into some rather unique spaces such as Army Cadets and their field training exercises and as I got older, to different countries on different types of service trips. Both these early and later trips inspired me into the path of studies that have been the centre of my life for the past six years.
When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to have make some impact in the world so, I chose to pursue a degree in Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies. But what does that teach you? How can this make a difference?
Conflict is Everywhere
One does not have to look far to find conflict in the world. While we are presented with large forms of conflict like war and structural injustices, there is also conflict in our personal lives. As people we must find ways to deal with both if we are to find peace in our lives. We must come to terms with the fact conflict exists and can reveal to us the problems in our own lives and the larger world around us. When we acknowledge conflict around us and within our lives, it becomes the first step in engaging the issues and finding a solution.
Finding Ways Forward Together
Just as it takes two to tango, it also takes two parties in a conflict coming together to find peace. This means focusing on finding common needs and interests while at the same time expanding one's understanding of the "other." What this entails is leaving our comfort zones, learning from those we might not have ever had conversations with, and growing together from them. This is one reason of many for why I love travelling!
Faith Helps Guide The Way
Growing up a Christian I would be lying if I said my faith did not have an impact on my life's direction. However, just as faith continues to guide my life, so too does it guide billions of people daily. In fact, it might shock some that peace is a key element in the vast majority of faith traditions around the world. Understanding this, faith becomes a key element in any meaningful peacebuilding efforts as it can be a starting point for dialogue.