I Try

This is a random pic from when I went to Sofia, Bulgaria. These were my hosts, Kyle and Petya. They have since returned to the States.

Recently, I was applying for a job with the US Dept of Labor researching human trafficking, forced labor and child labor with an international perspective. I had to answer all these questions surrounding my professional experience with research and how I dealt with the aforementioned exploitation in the labor market. Being the spin doctor that I am, I discuss my research on social exclusion and women's economic rights here in Macedonia and how social exclusion and poverty increase the likelihood of being trafficked, exploited, etc. I suddenly realized that I don't know exactly what social exclusion is. I hear the term and intuitively know what it means (it is fairly obvious), but upon realizing that it will be incredibly difficult to reach the rural socially excluded women from various ethnic communities, I decided it was time I discover what the EU and UN says being socially excluded means. I found this great website on social exclusion in the Netherlands that contrasts social exclusion with poverty. I learned that poverty is measured solely on the basis of income, or lack thereof. Social exclusion incorporates not just income, but housing, education, access to the labor market and social services...social inclusion is a much more holistic indicator of 'poverty' because it incorporates what poverty reduction advocates are trying to say by using their poverty indicators/statistics. It isn't just about being hungry. It's about quality of life. This makes the challenges seem that much more insurmountable; however, social inclusion also enables much more creativity in addressing the challenges. I still have no clue how to reach the socially excluded women in rural Macedonia who are members of traditional, conservative communities. I'm at the point where I am overwhelmed by the information on how many challenges there are and must digest for a moment so I can make some recommendations.

In other job news, I am sending my CV off to a research center in Greece that studies women in the Balkans. I sent them an email of inquiry months ago and they requested my CV late last week. :) Additionally, I am going to apply to be an UNESCO Young Professional, a long shot for sure. For the UNESCO YP program, the US forwards its 10 nominees off to see if any one of them is selected for the program. Same with who knows how many other countries. So yeah, slim slim slim chance at that one. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...

Time for a flash fashionista update. I saw a man with long hair in a pony tail and a tan fanny pack, on the side (I guess it is better than worn on the front) in a cafe. First of all, in a dimly lit cafe, tan stands out, especially when wearing blue jeans and a black shirt. If one must wear a fanny pack, do us all a favor and not draw our eyes to it. Second of all, I do not have a feeling this fanny pack is for the purposes of toting a gun around due to being "undercover," not that I support toting around firearms. Remember the guy from the summer who was wearing leather pants, biker boots, a sleeveless shirt and fanny pack - that would be firearms in my humble opinion...I told my boyfriend that while I understand there are differences in what is considered fashionably acceptable, especially in eastern Europe, I told him that fanny packs are unacceptable under any circumstances. I received a blank stare. I am hoping it is because he never once considered donning a fanny pack. And yes, he knows what I am talking about. I made sure that.