August 2009 - Issue 7 - Europe
Newsbeet
Photo: Kevin D'Orro - An extended beetroute team cycle the last few km’s to the finish
• And More!
• Reverse Culture Shock
it real!’
‘Keeping
• 'SEA-SAW Tips' for Next Time
Nb
Contents The SLOW Journey arrives in the Netherlands
Cheers!
(3) The State of California vs. a toothbrush After 10 months and 8 days, we finished the SLOW Journey
and packet of potato chips from Tanzania to the Netherlands. We have come a long way…
(4) routelog Europe We have had blood, sweat and tears.
(5) 'SEE-SAW Tips' for Next Time New sights, new tastes and new feelings.
(6) Reverse Culture Shock Frustrations, joys and pains.
Insights, intensity and experiential education.
(7) Bittersweet Salone Practice, learn, and share.
(8) Newsbeet Celebrates the Independent
(9) Funity and Arrival Day We no longer have to fight up steep hills or cycle
against a tough wind in a physical sense. We can sleep in,
instead of rising at 5 a.m. while attempting to force some
Editors: Jon Earle and Aukje van Gerven
Content Editor: Amanda Gomm
oatmeal down our throats. The constant necessity of being 'on
Assistant Editor: Angus Argyle edge' in terms of safety has disappeared. The next beetroute
Contributing writers: Hugh Patterson, Kevin Hill, Alex Fayle
Contributing Photographers: Jon Earle, Aukje van Gerven,
chapter begins.
Daniel Sheridan, Hugh Patterson, Kevin Hill But with all of this relief, the end of our first beetroute
chapter also means a pause from exploring a new places every
Amanda’s Notes new day, being exposed to radically different cultures and
bumping into the expected and certainly unexpected sights,
Dear Newsbeeteers, sounds, smells, tastes and experiences on a daily basis.
Each of these things, both the positive and the
This issue of Newsbeet expands great horizons. It negative, make up a true journey. We feel privileged to have
shares the wonderful details surrounding the final completed this trip and even more privileged to have had you
destination for the beetroute team and it hits some follow along with us in this newsletter.
Thanks for being a part of the SLOW Journey. Newsbeet will
heart strings about being yourself. This issue also
continue.
explores what a person can do with some ingenuity,
inspiration and a whole lot of garbage found on a Jon and Aukje.
beach shore. Plus, the human rights situation in
Sierra Leone is vividly captured through the personal
experience of a young journalist.
It is a package full of small treats… so enjoy.
Your Content Editor,
Amanda Gomm
Photo: Kevin D'Orro - Champagne for everyone!
‘The State of California vs. a toothbrush and packet of potato chips’ - By Hugh Patterson
Date: 13 May 13, 2009 lure? Out it went upon leaving Forteleza fo lle du Sault and then
Lat: 12 degrees 20 min N - Long: 059 degrees 37 min W we waited. And waited. And waited, remembering it was called
“fishing” and not “catching” for a reason.
The package reads “This products contains substances Late on day two, as I enjoyed an afternoon tea, SHAAA-
known in the state of California to cause cancer.” Hmmm… sounds BLAM!!! The Toothbrush Lure gets hit!!! 50m of 100-kg strength
reasonable if you're perusing the paint isle, shopping for rat poison, line is attached to a heavy bungee cord on the boat. At this point,
or maybe have a hankering for a smooth, oh-so-tasty cigarette; but the bungee cord is stretched to about 3 times its length and
going fishing? Seems strange, no? bouncing wildly. And then, TH-TWANG, the bungee comes flying
Well, believe it or not, we somehow ended up with a purple back dangerously as the line breaks at the knot! Drat, something
imitation squid fishing lure in our tackle box that stated this very LARGE just bit the Toothbrush Lure and we lost it.
dubious claim. Not discouraged, I set to work again constructing a
Now, it is a bit embarrassing, for obvious reasons, to admit Toothbrush Lure V2.0. It seemed the design was working, maybe
that we carried this type of fishing tool while sailing around the even a bit too well. Soon we're trolling with the second version of
world, broadcasting a positive message of conservation and our Toothbrush Lure. Now we're north of the Amazon River and
sustainable living. Yet here we were, two conscious individuals, the water is no longer our normal brilliant blue, but instead a
fishing with a lure that is carcinogenic?!?!? Well, I can promise that murky brown from the mighty river's muddy outflow. Once again,
we did not knowingly purchase the lure in question. However, we in the late afternoon while enjoying a cup of tea, the line is hit!
have admittedly caught a few fish with it. Ryan, my shipmate, This time it is evident that something quite a bit smaller has
joked about how ridiculous the situation was and that maybe we'd taken the lure. Suits me just fine, I don't think my ego can handle
see some 6-eyed fish out there in the big wide ocean due to these loosing another fish! After a short but well fought battle, we
types of lures made en masse. landed a smallish, um, unidentified tuna-looking fish. Finally, the
But, the Deadly 2X Purple Squid got us thinking: Do we really Toothbrush Lure wins! We still have some fresh food from Brazil,
need fishing lures that contain cancer-causing chemicals or can we so we decided to return this little guy to the sea with the hopes of
do without? Isn't it a bit crazy that we need to use toxic substances being rewarded with a bigger, tastier fish later.
to do something as basic and ancient as fishing? Is it really I have yet to construct Toothbrush Lure V3.0, but it is
necessary? No. But for some reason most fishermen put their faith coming. Today we're going to take the bus to the east side of
in technology and gismos, not good old-fashioned patience and Barbados to do a garbage study there and yes you can be sure
luck. we'll be looking for the next piece of 'garbage' to construct
It was about this time that we stopped on the Island of St. another up-cycled lure.
Helena in the mid-Atlantic. After our Garbage Study in Sandy Bay
we dubbed the beach 'Glow Stick and Toothbrush Beach' for the
surprisingly large number of these products found on its shores.
Here we learned that squid fishermen use glow sticks to attract the
slippery prey into their nets, but then why toothbrushes? Well we
haven't figured that one out yet, but hey! A white toothbrush looks
an awful lot like the underbelly of a flying fish. Hmmm… Cut in
half, it was about the right size and shape, but perhaps not quite
vibrant enough. Bryson, my dad, tilted the bag of chips he was
eating to seek out the last few tasty crumbs, and there I saw the
attractive part of our lure: the shiny silver chip bag itself. This was
perfect – a found toothbrush and recycled chip bag.
I set to work constructing a lure with the use of a drill and
some twine. About 20 minutes later, I had a beautiful looking, um,
Flip-flop fishing and Toothbrush Lure. OceanGybe
What is ?
routelog - Europe
beetroute is a vehicle to explore
edutainment. It communicates fun,
adventurous and sustainability-
focused projects, products and
services with a global audience.
NEW beettv
Greece: The Greek chapter
of beetroute’s the SLOW
Journey! Back into Europe... Travelled: 1120 Kms by bicycle; more by train and ferry.
Kms
(4min) in Plastic bottles consumed: 0! We are so happy to be
Water
back to drinkable tap water.
Lowlight: When we came across some very poor hospitality
service during our time around Paris. This was totally
‘A short trailer of all the unexpected.
countries the team has Highlight: - We were invited to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show,
cycled through...’ Country Trailer which was a lot of fun.
(2mins) - Having a friendly family from Lille point us in the right
direction after being disoriented from cycling on a highway.
-The friends that we stayed with along the way.
Turkey: Hitch-cycling, - Our arrival and finish in Vinkel, the Netherlands, on June 7th
mosques and spring 2009!
blossoms... the beetroute
team was cycling through
Turkey! (10min)
Photos: Van Gerven –
Special times and
friendly people.
‘'SEE-SAW Tips' for Next Time’ - Jon Earle
“See-saw, see-saw!” were the cries from the backseat of the Kombi van. My mum and dad relieved
at the chance to free the three youngsters from their seat belts and let them release some energy.
The car pulled over and the eager monsters were unstrapped. As kids we ran straight for the seesaw,
it was a favourite. We found great amusement in becoming airborne from the seat whilst holding
onto the bar. Our knuckles white with fear, exhilaration & joy pulsing through our young bodies, as
we made the most of this playful tool to learn about balance. While on The SLOW Jouney I began to
reflect and noticed that some of my findings could relate to this simple tool that teaches balance.
Planning Naivity:
Without a doubt, we went into The Slow Journey naively. Had we known in advance about losing
more than five kilograms each on our already slender frames, cycling with diarrhea week after
week, stone-throwing kids or the extreme stresses our relationship would be tested under, we may Photo: Daniel Sheridan. Kids on the 'Energee
Saw' providing much more than joy! Energy too!
have pursued some thing different. Maybe pétanque or lawn bowling may have been better suited,
or maybe we would have just simply given up even before we started. There is a seesaw between being overly prepared (losing some of the
adventure and challenge) and under prepared (being overwhelmed and potentially compromising safety). Our being slightly naive
contributed directly to the successful completion of this project, however it is a thin line.
Experiential Cross-platform Journalism through Adventure:
I would have become quickly bored if The SLOW Journey was simply about cycling. The initial day after day of cycling in exotic countries is
exciting and adventurous. However, the following months after months, it becomes tedious. Thankfully, we chose to learn about hands-on
film-making, writing, editing, and photography, which added another level of challenge and excitement to the adventure.
Pulling out a camera in a buzzing market in a developing county is a wonderful challenge. It needs to be done in a way that’s not obtrusive
and rude to those being filmed. However, capturing a shot that delivers the the scene in an engaging way has immense challenges, risks and
rewards. The added level of difficulty while being vulnerable on a bike to theft and other external factors adds to the seesaw of balance.
Social Outreach Motivates:
We spent an enormous amount of time and energy on outreach from the road. Updating Newsbeet readers, social networking communities,
our blog/website and 600 students in schools around the Netherlands proved to be a
massive undertaking. Losses in postal systems, power failures at internet cafes at crucial times and email mis-interpretation have all taken
their toll. The social impact that The SLOW Journey achieved has been small, yet we believe the ripples have been felt wider than we
know. Receiving positive or contructive feedback from teachers, students and readers was hugely motivating for us during some of the
tough times.
Little do I know:
We have recently developed a simple evaluation process that works for us. Looking back over the 10 months on the road and the rushed
months prior to our departure, with a ‘one-step back’* perspective, we can see our mistakes and our successes. I have completed
evaluations before, however none so revealing to me as this one. It’s been a fantastic process, providing clarity, wisdom, errors, failures
and most importantly things we can do better next time. Tomorrow or the next day when you pass a parkground and see a seesaw, grab a
friend or make a new one and begin to play. Remind yourself of the joy, the energy, and of course the balance you experience. There's a
place in every aspect of our lives that can always be tipped back, re-balanced or with careful positioning, raised off the ground. These
seesaws of life are everywhere.
‘Reverse Culture Shock’ - Aukje van Gerven
Europe! Back on the continent where I was born, where I feel at this was not a problem on the TGV (the high-speed train). However,
home and where everything feels normal… Or so I thought. I never this was Europe and we couldn't just take any train, oh no. You had
expected that I would ever feel surprised or uncomfortable with to take a specific train at a specific time, one that carried a
things that were so familiar to me before. But, on my return to specific bicycle carriage. I think my head must have still been stuck
this continent after 10 months of journeying… I did. in non-western mode, because I asked, “Why can't we take the
Maybe it was a type of small culture shock when we first set earlier train? The bikes will fit!” The attendant said, “Non”. I shook
foot on African soil in May 2008. But as you travel slowly from one my head in complete disbelief and said, “But what if we pay extra?!
country to another, up winding coastlines and red dirt pathways, It's no problem really, it will fit!” He said once again, “Non, it iez
the differences between these areas seem to dissolve into one dze rules!” Suddenly it dawned on me. This was Europe. Here
another. You grow accustomed to all the things before that you everything is organized, which is great. There's no more haggling
initially found uncomfortable or weird. over ticket prices, no more uncertainty if the train will even leave
During Christmas we took a short time away from The SLOW the station, but also complete and utter rigidness. In Africa, no
Journey to visit our families. Fresh out of Ethiopia and Sudan, the matter what: of course the bikes can go on the bus and of course
differences between the parts of Africa we travelled through and there is a truck that will take you to your desired destination just
Western Europe were enormous. I couldn't get over the fridge that as long as you're prepared to wait or to pay. Everything is possible…
was always full of food, the cleanliness of my parent's house, the there are no rules.
warm shower every morning and the soft, padded texture of the It was not just the way of life, but also the little personal
beds. things. For almost a year, I wore a ring (that my parents once gave
A few months later, we travelled slowly from the Middle East me) on my right hand, as if it were a wedding ring and I'd refer to
into Europe. Turkey was already a crossover country, an interesting Jon as 'my husband'. I had to simply because a word like 'boyfriend'
mix of East meets West. I had just recently become perfectly or 'partner' is not taken seriously in parts of the African and Arab
accustomed to wearing clothes that covered most of my body and worlds. On the same note, as a woman, it is also a good way to
now here at the border of these two continents I had to adapt to protect yourself against any unwanted attention. In Europe, the
showing some skin again. I never had any problems with it before need for this was no longer there and I moved my ring back onto my
and am a firm believer in everyone's right to wear what they want left hand. And strangely enough… I missed it. It didn't feel good to
without being harassed or picked on, but now I was suddenly not say 'my husband' anymore. 'My boyfriend' sounded so
feeling uncomfortable in a singlet and shorts! I decided to stick to meaningless, as if I automatically adapted to some of the values in
my jeans and a T-shirt. But then it was not just the issue of my other societies, even though they were not my
clothes… it was everyone else's. I couldn't help myself. I stared at own.
men with big red bellies and at women wearing little more than a So, from the obvious contrasts of material
bikini in the tourist places. There just seemed to be too much luxuries and clothing, to the deeper cultural
flesh! My eyes! My eyes! Is this how people in more traditionally differences and the small personal
'dressed' areas feel? Are they unable to keep their eyes off so much contradictions, I think the correct word to
naked skin as well and if so how do they feel? To me in that describe what I experienced would be having
moment, it felt disturbing and I couldn't fully grasp why. a reversed culture shock. You get used to
Once we hit Greece, we were back into euro-land and 'the real certain things when you are exposed to
Europe' began. Higher prices, well-stocked supermarkets and another culture for a while. And changing back
bicycle lanes. It was all too familiar. can feel strange, if you change back… because
On the border of France and Switzerland, we took a train from maybe it is you that has changed as well.
Geneva to Paris. Obviously, we took our two bicycles with us, and
Photo: Earle - Naked advertisment girl vs dressed cyclist girl
‘Bittersweet Salone’ - By Kevin Hill
allowed me to see both the injustices of life in the country,
For over a year I lived and worked in Freetown, Sierra but also the vibrant fight against these unjust conditions.
Leone, as a reporter and trainer for Journalists for Human The rebuilding of the nation is ongoing, with a large United
Rights, a Canadian NGO that seeks to inform people of their Nations presence and many international NGOs, all working in
rights through local media. collaboration with the democratically elected government.
I worked at a newspaper called the Concord Times with a The International Criminal Court's Special Court for Sierra
terrific team of young, smart and motivated journalists. It Leone is nearing its end. Trials for those held most responsible
was an amazing experience, and truly life changing. for the war are leading to convictions, creating
But before setting foot in the country, upon hearing that I precedent in international law, and further disincentive for
had been hired to go there, I was afraid! I had no idea what conflicts like this one to start in the first place.
to expect, despite having previously lived in West Africa. All I But, it is regular Sierra Leoneans who are doing the heavy
knew about the country, and all my West African friends lifting, rebuilding their own country through small businesses
knew, was its bad reputation. and with local grassroots NGOs.
Sierra Leone is a small nation between Guinea and Liberia Poverty, corruption, broken health care and education
in West Africa, ranked at the very bottom of the Human systems, and a lack of jobs and industries in the country are
Development Index. It was a major site of the trans-Atlantic still holding Sierra Leone back. However, the fight to improve
slave trade, before becoming a home for returned slaves the lives of those living in what Sierra Leonean's call 'Sweet
after the abolition of that trade; hence the name of the Salone' continues.
capital, Freetown. With peace, stability and strong governance Sierra Leone
A former British colony, it gained independence nearly and its people have a chance to show the world just how
forty years ago. We now know the country because of its special Sweet Salone really is.
infamously brutal, decade-long civil war. My time in Sierra Leone was the most challenging period of
The rebels used indiscriminate violence, rape and my life, but the experience engendered in me a better
dismemberment to create fear and chaos across the country understanding of social justice issues across the globe. More
to gain control of diamond producing areas so that they could importantly, I experienced first-hand the positive impact that
fund their attempted overthrow of the government. The social justice work has in the lives of people living in unjust
diamonds they sold were later called 'blood diamonds'. circumstances.
Eight years later, the scars of the war are still visible.
Bullet-riddled walls and shells of burnt down buildings are
reminders of the violence. But, it is the human scars that are
the most visible.
Many men, women and children missing hands, arms, feet
or legs are now forced to beg under the giant cotton tree, a
major landmark in Freetown and a national icon. They are
struggling to survive as victims of senseless violence.
But, I learned that this is not the end of the story. The story
of Sierra Leone today is one of recovery, growth and hope for
a better future.
Working as a journalist, and with other local journalists,
Photo: Kevin Hill - Kroo Bay Sierra
‘Newsbeet Celebrates the Independent’ - By Alex Fayle
Newsbeet celebrates the independent, the risk takers and the bold. I their inner freak and pursue the life they want. Because, as you can
suppose you could call me that – after all, I sold my house, dropped a probably guess, by following my dreams, something wonderful
business that was on the edge of becoming successful and moved to a happened…
country where I didn't speak a word of the language.
Suddenly everyone came out of the woodwork telling me how proud
And yet despite all that, my entire life I've been an approval junkie. I they were of me, how much respect they had for me and how much me
crave praise, acceptance and gold stars. If I don't get them I become following my dreams made them happy.
anxious, alien babies take up residence in my stomach and I start
thinking that I'm the biggest freak on the planet. In other words, I got the acceptance and gold stars I always wanted
without having to change a thing about myself.
Balancing these two aspects of my personality has been a challenge my
entire life. Someday Syndrome
As a child I played with Barbies when every other boy played baseball.
In high school in the 1980s, I crimped my hair in the hallways when
everyone else was doing their best to not stand out. I laughed at the
stories that circulated about me and my group of friends.
I never changed, never did anything other than what I wanted to but I
did cry many nights and felt like I didn't exist at times. However, I
refused to be anything but myself. The world needs its freaks, so what
was everyone's problem?
Despite this attitude, somehow after high school, I put away the freak.
For example, even though I've always wanted to be a writer, I allowed
fear (of failure, success, judgment) to cut me off from this dream.
I went to university in a city I knew well, out of comfort. I took a
Masters degree and found steady work instead of going off to Europe
like I wanted to do because I felt I needed stability. For the same
reasons, I bought a house and stopped writing altogether despite
having gotten a short story published.
However, in 2006, my soul couldn't take it any longer. After suppressing
my dreams for more than a decade, my independent self took control.
No one had asked me to conform to live according to some imagined
idea of the "right life" and doing so didn't even garner me the gold
stars I'd been hoping for.
So, after giving southwest France a try, I discovered Spain and now live
in the Basque Country, where I write fiction and help others release Caption: Alex's high school 80's hair
The SLOW Journey Arrival Day: 7 june 2009
‘Europe Explained’ smilespedia
Europe English
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby
English will be the official language of the EU rather than German
which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, Her Majesty's Government conceded that
English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a
five-year phase-in plan that would be known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make
the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in
favour of the "k". This should klear up konfusion and keyboards kan
have 1 less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year, when the
troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like
"fotograf" 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
ekspekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are
possible. Governments will enkorage the removal of double letters, Photos: Kevin D'Orro, Cecile Wielens, Sjoerd Lintermans, Marjolein Schuurmans
- A selection of arrival day photos
which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre
that the horible mes of the silent "e"s in the language is disgraseful, Many thanks to all those who have followed and
and they should go away. supported us! Special thanks to Empella, De Dorsvlegel
By the fourth year, peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing and Wihabo, to Burgemeester Augusteijn, to Suzanne,
"th" with "z" and "w" with "v". During ze fifz year, ze unesesary "o" kan Cecile, Michelle and Mark, and to the wonderful
be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and similar changes vud of kors beetroute volunteers for making this day possible!
be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters.
After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a reli sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor
trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi to understand ech ozer. Ze
drem vil finali kum tru! And zen world!
ahajokes
Next Issue ... October
“If you are never scared or embarrassed or hurt it means you
never take chances."
- Julia Soul
Fondue a la Foret'. Coming Soon!
Photo: Earle
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