Gone was my innocence...

I did not think I will be able to forget this day for the rest of my life. In fact, it is the beginning of the first day of my BUSINESS life. I was shocked, perturbed, and left with my confidence shaken, as one my confidant friend worded it last.

It was who I call my best colleagues that worked at the UN who said it to me. I asked his intervention on some politic I was navigating to get my project approved and send him copies for his own confidence. Here came the feedback. 'Sophia, you do not have the credibility", what? I asked? what the h... r u saying? getting mad of course. He said it has got nothing to do with your accomplishments or what you can do. It is just that u r good looking and people will never say No to you as you ask their support, but will never support you in fact, unless they put their mouth to paper. That was the point he was trying to make. Need it in writing, of all the verbal supports I depicted in the memo of the big boys, that he read.

Somehow it sounded right..but after I hang up the phone, it is almost 5 days now and I am still reeling down my past, present and potential experience through what he said. I was shocked to how most could have been thru and how naive I was that I never knew, that the YES was just to be nice ... although I hate my friend for telling me the truth and it hurts so much, it is an eye opening statement, one that would live with me the rest of my life. I just hope it does not present a stumbling block instead.

Talk to me!

sr

Taking Liberties is released June 8th

Copyright © 2007 YouTube, Inc.

Freedom of Speech. Right to Privacy. Innocent Until Proven guilty. Prohibition from Torture. TAKING LIBERTIES will reveal how these liberties have been systematically destroyed by New Labour, and the freedoms of the British people stolen from under their noses amidst a climate of fear created by the media and government itself

Getting on..

Went to my World Affairs Council regular meeting.. topic was NGO work in Kenya. Interesting to hear from the horses mouth. Really shows that people do vacation in Africa take photos of slums and create a whole "let us raise funds" charity around Africa.. brilliant idea..the org they are affiliated with gave then 2500 plus they have to raise their travel ticket themselves they said. Ok let us do the math... save few moneys, couch class ticket to East Africa can be obtained between 700 to 1500 depending when u planned. so the money raised by the institutions will go for maybe car rentals meals or photo hire and other administrative moneys, even 10k could not make a big impact let alone 2500.

Will try and see the positive side, these people at least told their story, but admit it would never be sustainable for those communities they visited or even other. Africa needs a massive effort to change and local US NGO will never make a difference i that what is required. Funny how one fellow from the audience came later and approached me with a proposal for testing his aids medicine in Africa over say a 400 people community, after hearing me make comment and ask questions to the speakers and introducing myself as an Ethiopian. Of course I have to turn him down gracefully after explaining to him to watch the movies related to these stories., which he does not seem to have a clue about.GC and i went for drinks some o'dervs after to Bings, Prima & then Scala for cafe latte. Cheers..I am back! s