Even as an older (aka mature) and part-time student, or maybe because of that, I often fought the feelings of being intimidated by the scale of, well, most everything! From the massive theater halls with 300-400 fellow students, to the small, one-on-one prof and TA meetings, to sharing laps in the pool or gym time with major athletes—and generally being overwhelmed, motivated and inspired by that massive flow of conversations and ideas everywhere, and the varying perspectives of students from around the world. Truly the university was my most unique life-shifting learning ground, as it should be, and on many levels both personally and intellectually.

My favorite memory was one class with the well-known and well-regarded Dr. Ronald Glasberg. I was one of the many students so very thankful to have studied in his classes. I credit him with opening my mind to a larger world view. I digress…I was attending a lecture, surrounded by 400 students in that huge hall. Dr. Glasberg appeared almost like a tiny dot way down on the stage but he had such a strong presence and impact through his unique approach to teaching. The class was quiet and listening. It was twenty years ago, but I still remember him asking all of us “what is your fundamental fear”? My shy hand shot up and a voice inside me shouted, ‘white supremacists’! It completely shocked me that this was my response, but it was with hindsight the very early beginnings of my struggle to find a way to address the racism and imbalances of power in the world. Within the year, I was on my own personal journey in solidarity with Afghan women in their fight against the war, violence and oppression of the Taliban and warlords.

Anywhere outside or in the rec centre. I always had imagined my studies would be more towards recreation and kinesiology being someone who loves outdoor activities. But when I focused on what I truly enjoyed in my studies, it was people (cultures) and places (travel).  I often studied, read or visited with friends on the grounds around the student centre or social science building, and on colder days, made use of all the pool and gym facilities.

I remember leaving the university that last day of class having a sense of all I didn’t know about international development. Why is that, after spending so many years in the classroom with excellent profs and brilliant students? Because as I have since learned, development is messy, it’s often slow, and complicated, and there are rarely any easy answers or solutions to making change happen even when it is urgently needed. It takes time, and constant critique and learning from all involved. So, my advice would be to stay focused on the goal…but first spend a lot of time listening and working with the community in setting that goal. Get it right at the beginning and then be ready to find the patience and build the determination to stay the course…collaborate, be open, supportive, listen, learn. It’s worth it!

It would have to be Dr. Edna Einsiedel’s senior-year class in International Development studies, when we were challenged to do a large term project with student partners. We first had to find a topic tied to a current funding stream (eg, education, environment, human rights) of major donors, (eg, then CIDA) and do a proposal with a fellow student(s) to find funding for our own albeit hypothetical project. That night, by ‘coincidence’, I read Sally Armstrong’s article ‘Veiled Threat’ in Homemakers Magazine 1996/97 about the little-known Taliban, and I was shocked. How could Afghan women be locked away, if not beaten or killed by the Taliban…and on my watch??! I knew this was something I needed to learn more about and thankfully joined with other students (Carolyn Reicher and Geraldine Byrne) on that class project. We got an “A”…we were all so inspired, and this was the early beginnings of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan.ca). I always appreciate the many hours Dr. Einsiedel spent on getting us to understand the difference between GOALS, PURPOSES, OJBECTIVES and OUTCOMES. It was time well spent, for sure!

Mine has not been a typical career path, by any means, if there even is such a thing as ‘typical’. My partner and I had a young son in elementary school; he had his own consulting business working from our home; I had already worked for decades in management and paralegal careers while studying part-time. All my fellow DEST classmates where talking about heading to Ottawa to find work with INGOs after graduation. That was not happening for me. When friends would ask, well what now? I’d say I just want to volunteer another semester (still talking in university lingo) with CW4WAfghan and then I’ll go find a ‘real job’. But as things evolved at CW4WAfghan, and I asked myself, ‘what would that ‘real job’ look like?’, I realized I already had the ideal job for me. It was forever fascinating, inspiring, growing and evolving. It was also very manageable working from my home, allowing me time to balance career, time with family and friends, travel and life overall. After 20 years, I’m now at a point to reflect on this as I approach retirement. I am thrilled to have so many qualified, capable people in Canada and in Afghanistan taking this work forward. The career has evolved through millions of tiny baby steps, through collaboration and partnerships, through determination and commitment…and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of this global movement.

It’s very hard to narrow that down, as it is all so integrated or organic as part of life, not a job per se. The excitement I still have when getting up every day and checking emails from our team...coast-to-coast and across the world in Afghanistan; the life-long learning (I still find myself considering all I don’t know about development…); knowing that I’m sharing my world with like-minded people both Afghan and Canadian, and the fantastic friendships this has brought to my life.

My undergrad degree has definitely helped me find this path and gives credibility to my role in the work I do. I am also thankful that I put the extra time to focus on the honorary degree, with my topic being the Empowerment of Afghan Women. Not only does that add additional credibility, but it was the groundwork through my research and writing of that thesis, that gave me a solid base for moving forward with my work. I had always imagined continuing my studies in a more formal way, but I could never find the time---or to be more accurate, to give up my work to make that change happen. Perhaps that time is coming now in ‘retirement’.