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Posts under ‘opinion’

Seven-Weeks in Southern Sudan Beckons a Return Visit

[Montréal, Québec, Canada  13°C] It has been just over three weeks since I returned to Montréal from ten weeks in East Africa, most of which were spent in Southern Sudan. I’ve been back long enough to discard the lag that fogs the spirit after flying between continents. Sufficient time has passed to deplete the novelty [...]

Travel Health: Mefloquine, Neem and Choices

[Nairobi, Kenya 28°C] It’s now one week before my arrival in Juba and according to the prescription of apo-mefloquine that sits on my desk, I should be starting my antimalarial treatment today by taking my first 250-gram tablet. One tablet to be taken one week before arriving in a malarial area (some areas of Kenya [...]

Global Video Games for ‘Serious’ Gamers

[MONTRÉAL] I’ve always been a fan of video games, sometimes spending hours scouring through medieval landscapes blasting the crap out grotesque monsters or evil sorcerers. But I’ve recently come across a few video games that have a purpose to them other than pure entertainment. Rather than divert a player’s attention from the real world, these ‘serious’ video games attempt to bring a sense of reality to the screen.
One such gaming developer is Copenhagen-based Serious Games Interactive, which was founded in 2006 “to revolutionise the use of computer games for purposes beyond entertainment.” They initiated a series of video games called Global Conflicts that challenges 13- to 19-year-olds to be critical and reflective citizens (source: Serious Games Interactive)in a globalized world. They offer two versions of the game: one based in Palestine and the newer one in Latin America.

Departure for Nairobi, Kenya is set. Juba, Sudan will follow.

[MONTRÉAL] Today, I bought my airline ticket, leaving me with two weeks, two days, 22 hours and two minutes before departure time. Actually, the accurate time is constantly changing in the Countdown columnn to the right, which will benchmark various phases of the trip. Arrivals, departures, events. Something to string you along.

Bombarding Palestinian Refugee Camps in Gaza

[MONTRÉAL] A little-known detail about Gaza that is rarely mentioned in the media is that within its borders exist 8 United Nations refugee camps: Palestinian refugees within occupied Palestinian territories. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), the 365-square-kilometre Gaza Strip has a total population of approximately 1.4 million [...]