Human rights and wrongs

With a little over one week to go, the self-doubts are creeping in. I just sent off a mass email a minute ago describing this whole process of preparing for Romania. I realise that the majority of the recipients (mainly university friends and staff) will wonder what the hell I'm doing going off to the Wild East of Europe. Sure, I was voted "Most likely to have several 'International Relations' and have her memoirs top the best sellers list" but that was referring to my love of European travel (and men). I've never been particularly known on campus for my bleeding heart. Sure, I'd spend the day helping a classmate recover a corrupted file on a diskette, but I chose to do theatre and the Sackville Movie Project over the Yellow Ribbon Society. I even mocked the "I stand for Human Rights" and "Say nay to the FTAA" people.

I didn't do honours, nor did I have the highest average. Why me? I'm sure that's what everyone else is asking too.

Granted, I was raised by a single mother who taught me I had to fight for what is right. I remember volunteering for Eco-Action and Support for Single Mothers back before I knew what volunteer work was. I learned that everyone should give back to society in whatever way they can.

"I stand for human rights" (Students spent the entire day standing up to protest human rights abuses). What does that accomplish? Yes, it raises awareness. However, it's merely a gimmick. In all honesty, what does standing up in a home-made tshirt do? Nothing. It's all fine and dandy to talk about it, but how about you *do* something about it? Or do you just go home and feel satisfied that you did your part by standing up all day?

A good friend Susana wrote an article on the Youth Partnership with Jamaica which I will never forget.

I don't want to sound self-important. I'm not. It's a trait I detest in others. I think global awareness is a very noble quality to have. I just wish people wanting to make changes would actually go about helping to make changes instead of standing up all day, feeling satisfied that they helped make the world a better place and then going home to sleep.