Elizabeth Zarpa

http://www.frozenfireart.com/

It was beautiful to bike to work in the snow...........It was the first snow fall of the year and I loved it.

In preparation for my adventure to Rovaniemi, Finland I had been advised to purchase a Culture book on Finland, so I did. I read through the pages curiously, wondering if these little things mentioned, held any truth.

For some reason or another - I questioned the legitimacy of reading about Finland before I went there, why? Well... I didn’t want to have any judgments about Finnish people before I met them. I understand that it is important to recognize that there are differences in Finnish culture, but if anything I would prefer wandering into the culture with as little understanding as possible... Perhaps this is very dangerous, but my point is that sometimes when I read about a culture or a particular group of people without getting to know them before hand... I could have a false personification about the reality....Its *double edged sword* I think....

This entire day was filled with interesting outlooks on climate change, the arctic council, COP-15 and a few other in depth descriptions of complex situations.......

The world is heating up and there is no reversing this. 

the arctic council is including youth through the arctic council youth delegation - 3 young northerners from Canada's north are gaining work experience and knowledge to help spread the workings of the Arctic Council and its Circumploar priorities. 

COP-15............ish. this is a complex situation that I need to do more research before I accumulate a stance.

I am a little tired now....must prepare for my experience in the North end of Winnipeg. (:

“You have the tools to make change you want to see,

What do you want to change?”  - Elizabeth Zarpa

What is something that was so powerful that it changed you?

What is something that you would like to change?

These were interesting questions that I was asked when Vanessa Timmer presented on Making Change Happen. With this approach to teaching Vanessa used our personal stories and aspirations as tools throughout her presentation. With an interactive approach to her teaching style it left me feeling “inspired.” I was inspired even more when Vanessa’s sister, Dagmar gave examples of Revolutionary Change, Systematic Change and Organic Change through examples of individuals who were just ‘normal.’ What I mean by this is that they didn’t come from a background where they had everything handed to them on gold plates, rather they had tools and a vision. When I began to realize that I also have the tools and the knowledge that I need to make change I want to see, I realized I was inspired. Although, I am a little bit stuck. I don’t exactly know what it is that I want to change……………

Ideas?