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My field study here in Maroco is concentrated on one organisation and its way of working. To be able to see and understand the bigger picture though, I take every opportunity to get extra input. Last week was very interesting. I had the chance to meet a young woman who is about to start her own feminist NGO. Her first goal concerns the sexual harassment that you experience every day in the streets. She wants the young popluation of Morocco to be able to work side by side with the more experienced NGOs who mainly are run by a bit older women.

Thanks to my house mate I was invited to listen to a formation at UN Women… unfortunately they had to postpone the session due to last minute problems for the NGOs… But, at least I got to see their office, get some information and be invited back in April…

Another event I joined was at the cinema. Every Thursday they show different documentaries with Human Rights theme. The one last week is called: “No Land’s Song”. It is about a woman’s struggle to arrange a concert in Iran. Afterwards was a debate hold and parallels to women’s situation in Morocco was made.

Finally, the week ended with a spontaneous meeting with a president of another feminist NGO who kindly answered my questions and confirmed some of my impressions so far!

 

 

Vårt första möte på universitetet i Medellín skedde i ett litet rum med stolar i en ring. Efter att ha mött upp vår kontaktperson i entrén droppade det till slut i ungefär tio personer i den lilla salen. Detta gjorde oss lite nervösa då vi främst förväntat oss ett möte med vår handledare och möjligen någon mer. Med på mötet var rektorn, rektorns fru, en lärare och flera studenter. Detta var alltså lågt ifrån vad vi hade förväntat oss. Allt började lite otydligt men slutade med att det togs ett beslut kring att vi skulle hålla en presentation om vår undersökning några dagar senare, på en lördag. Efter en halv vecka med omställning av mat- och sovklockan åkte vi nervösa tillbaka till universitetet. Hur många skulle egentligen lyssna på vår presentation? De som hade varit med sist? Fler? Färre? Vi andades lättat ut när vi insåg att det var en mindre skara, bestående av professorn i urban planering och två studenter. Presentationen gick bra och äntligen kändes det som att vi alla förstod varandra.

Under våra tre veckor här har vi fördjupat oss i teorier, utför en pilotintervju, intervjuat studenter, åkt linbanan och haft myrinvasion. Såklart har även vår spanska satts på prov. Det mest utsatta tillfället var under en tur till mataffären. När India ska betala i kassan ställer kassörskan en fråga om någonting, om vad är oklart. Efter lite hjälp från annan personal visar det sig att det behövs legitimation för att kunna betala med kort. Vi erbjuder oss att gå hem igen och hämta id, men nej nej, pojken som packar kassarna får i uppdrag att följa med oss hem med kortläsaren. Väl utanför dörren till lägenheten visar det sig att killen, som heter Esteban, har noll koll på kortläsaren. Efter en kvarts testande med olika kort (glassen smälter) visar det sig att maskinen hela tiden har frågat efter chipet! Med dålig uppkoppling går det långsamt men till slut verkar det fungera. Då ställer Esteban frågan ”cuantas cuotas?”. Vi försöker googlea upp vad detta betyder och får översättningen ”vilken nivå?” Hm, vi får helt enkelt chansa på en. Till slut går köpet igenom och Esteban får en kram.

Nu har snart hälften av tiden gått och hittills har Medellín varit snälla mot oss. Colombianerna är hjälpsamma och nyfikna. Den bästa maten vi ätit har varit peruansk och den bästa låten vi hört har varit svensk.

Hasta luego!

They people here say that Nicaragua has two season LODO y POLVO – Mud and dust! Right now it is summer which is the season of dust, wind and HEAT! This is actually hindering my studies a bit, because my computer gets overheated. I know it may sound a bit ”i-lands problem”, and of course it is! I just have to adjust my study hours from 5-6am til about 12-1pm and then continue again around 6-7pm.

In the community where I live there are only dirt roads which makes the air filled with dust. So does all the peanut fields that are around and about and it can create big dust storms. The only thing to do when this happens is to stay inside and wait for it to be over. I experienced one last year and it was not a blast!

But soon it is time for the rainy season and it will be wonderful! Everybody where I live are now repairing their houses, cleaning up around, making sure that everything works as it should so that the rain won´t destroy anything. It is fun and interresting to see the solutions I must say. I hope that I can get good connection and upload some pictures soon!

 

Take care everyone!

Sandra

I will continue to write in English after some requests from my classmates at the Human Rights course!
The last week like i mentioned in the last post have been Semana Santa- Easter, which is the biggest holiday here in Latin America. The beaches get full of people, food, music and party! It has been hard to find somewhere quiet to study to be honest. But I took the bus to town 2 times so that I could get some internet and some quiet.

My focus this week have been to sort all my literature, write on a literature review and make a frame of interview-questions. The more I read the more and more questions I have and I know how important it is to stay within the framework and narrow it down since I actually only have a short amount of time to do my research.
I have found 3 persons now that are willing to do interviews with me and be part of the research. I will start the interviews this week and I am really excited! Since abortion is a stigmatized theme here in Nicaragua, or it is said to be it is hard for me to predict the answers. I still haven´t found any other research about the public opinion in Nicaragua concerning the abortion law. The abortion law in Nicaragua was changed in 2007 by the President Daniel Ortega after making a deal with the Catholic Church. Therapeutic abortion had been legal in Nicaragua since 1894, but the deal banned and criminalized the woman and the doctor performing the abortion. What I will investigate is the opinion among women about the law. Previous research shows that there exists feminist views parallel with Cristian values, so I will see if there exist a discussion, opinions about this subject and if it is connected by the women to their right to life, their own body and reproductive health.
So that is a little bit about my work and research that I will do here.
Take care everyone!

Äntligen har vi fått beslut om tilldelning av MFS-stipendium för 2016. Malmö högskola har fått 21 MFS-stipendium att dela ut. Antalet stipendium för 2016 är färre än tidigare år då SIDA:s budget har minskat.

Deadline för vårens ansökan är den 15 april.

 

I have now spent my first week at the NGO. I ended up with an internship, full time, from 9 to 5 :-). It is interesting to see their activities and struggles from the inside. I helped out with the translating of a press release concering the 2nd draft of the law 103-13. This draft is about the violence against women and is, according to the NGO, even worst than the first one….

On my second day I assisted at the pressconference (wish was hold in arabic,  I was in charge of taking photos) where the coalition ”Le Printemps de la Dignité” (the springtime of dignity) was reaching out and calling upon a change of the mentioned draft. Several women were present and sharing their stories and how they feel that they have been let down by the current legislation.

I am know in the Moroccan ”rythme” and I am adapting to the environement. Always having coins in my pocket,for bus, tram, paying the parking or buying lunch-bread at the local small shop. Not worring that you have no idea what bus will come your way, nor when it will show up. And when it eventually does, not so sure you will be able to get on :-).  What is more of a challenge though is the internet access at the NGO…the wifi has its own agenda… 🙂

 

 

 

Time flies by and already one week in Rabat!

I have had the time to learn how to get around in the area and in the city, it is a ”living on the edge” moment every time you try to pass the street. I observe the locals and stay close to them….so far so good! 🙂

Taxi White, taxi blue, tramway, buses, I do have options on how to get from one spot to another. Mostly friendly and really not expensive. I have been spoiled during my first week by my host who kindly has been taking me with her car to fix practical things like getting a Moroccan sim-card.

The meeting with the NGO went well, from Monday on I will spend a month internship with them! I have already been given homework, different reports that they ask me to be familiar with on my arrival.

On the social side am I getting to know my housemates. Swedish chocolate cake baking and jogging  (to get rid of the cake!) are some of the activities. This week-end I am hoping to go ”tourist” a bit! The last couple of days have been filled with assignments and home-exam for Malmö University.

I am very pleased by the daily interaction with the population of Rabat. Have been nothing but friendly treated and they offer to help when they see my confused /lost expression!

(some tiny problems with uploading Pictures… more to come!)

In Rabat since 3 days and loving every minute! I have had the possibility to visit Morocco twice before and therefor hade some ”worries”….. But so far I have been very pleased. It is much cleaner, nicer and more organized than I remember.

So….Morocco – Patricia 1-0!!!  🙂

I was picked up at the Airport by my host who took me straigt to a restaurant to have a wonderful couscous because it is  Friday = Couscous in Morocco. After the 2nd prayer (of 5), people of Morocco join their family for a lovely meal. I feel that Friday is gonna be my favourite day!

While looking for somewhere to stay during my MFS I was hoping the find something ”safe” and comfy. I have been very lucky to get so much more! I now share a big house with a amazing women (the host) who takes her ”mission” seriously, and several students, (a woman who is doing her internship at UN Women…what where the chances? :-). )

I have been given advice about sim-cards, how to get around, where to eat and shop and much more, I feel very spoiled! The fact that the host is involved and has a great network concerning NGOs working for women’s rigths just makes it even better. Having the privlige to discuss women’s situation with her the last 3 days has thaught me a lot!

 

Today I had the pleasure to go for a bit sight-seeing by car. Two beaches close by and a ”team building place”:

 

Tomorrow the plan is to meet up with one NGO to explain in person the purpose of my study and hopefully get their support and help.