exit strategy

That’s right. It’s almost time for me to painstakingly remove myself from all the projects and I’ve invested in and the people whose lives I have been a part of, even if for a second. I feel like an awkward cephalopod that’s spent all its energy wrapping its arms around something only to be pulled away, inch by inch. If the imagery sounds jarring, I promise you the feeling is even worse.

Why is this such a difficult process? Well, let’s start with the kids. The art and play therapy sessions have evolved in some really amazing ways. From connecting emotions and thoughts to actions, to exploring psychosomatic symptoms, its been amazing to see these kids open up and explore how they feel. And of course inevitably, the more time I’ve spent here the more attached I’ve become to them and their laughter, hugs, and contagious energy. But now I have to focus my attention on my exit strategy, and it’s a fine balance: I need to find a way to leave without simply vanishing from their lives (as so many have done before), but at the same time, if I make a big deal out of my leaving, I’m also emphasizing the fact that they are being left behind, that they—unlike myself—cannot leave the island. Like everything we do here, it’s vital that all of our actions are done in the interests of the kids (or the beneficiaries) and not ourselves, so even just the act of saying goodbye takes a great deal of thought and preparation.

Children learn about psychosomatic symptoms through a drawing exercise

It’s a challenge that looms closer each day, and I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to face it. One thing that’s for sure is that these kids continue to amaze me. Just last week was African Cultures Day at the School of Peace and I got to see my students performing a Congolese dance. I sent a video of it to a friend who replied, “refugee camps on the news are always so depressing… It’s amazing for me to see how happy everybody looks.” And I realized that it was this inside perspective that I have, that one can’t get from the news—the insight into the smiles, courage and strength that these children constantly show me—that I might miss the most. But that’s also something that I will never have to say goodbye to.

hello!

Thanks for stopping by.

This blog is going to be a way for me to share pictures, videos and anecdotes of my first experience (so really, just dipping my toes) into the vast and complex world of humanitarian aid, via my summer internship with IsraAID on the island of Lesvos.

On the other hand, this blog is also going to allow me to keep track of my expectations, hopes, progress, experiences, challenges, successes and disappointments. It’ll be a bit of journal, both introspective and hopefully informational. Hope you come along for the ride.

So who am I? My name is Giuliana, I’m a junior majoring in international studies and sociology. I’m also language nerd, a slam poet, a bit of a singer and guitar player, and I also enjoy learning martial arts (i.e. judo, capoeira, etc).

Where am I going? This summer I will be working in Lesvos, a Greek island that became home to over 45% of the 770,838 refugees and migrants who arrived in Europe in 2015 (UNHCR). While the majority of refugees are Syrian, Afghani and Iraqi, recently there’s been an influx from the Congo and Angola as well. The increasing number of arrivals has put an extreme pressure on the island—there are regularly more than 10,000 refugees and migrants staying in the island against a reception capacity of 2,800—resulting in a severe lack of shelter, sanitation, and site management (UNHCR)

What is IsraAID? IsraAID is an apolitical non-governmental organization (which means that they have no affiliation with the Israeli government) that provides both lifesaving emergency relief and sustainable long-term solutions for people affected by natural disasters, epidemics and conflict situations all over the world. Their teams work in full collaboration with local communities while also acknowledging the desires and agency of refugees/displaced populations. While many humanitarian organizations skip doing their homework and end up miscalculating or badly executing relief efforts, IsraAID invests in making sure that their aid projects are both effective and ethical. This is super important to me, so I’ll discuss what it means in detail in another post.

Thats all for now folks! My journey starts in two weeks but I look forward to sharing more soon…