<html>
<body>
G'day companions<br><br>
Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to open space for 35 delegates
at an international NGO (Overseas Aid) Regional Conference in Thailand -
participants were from 12 different countries and we had two days
alongside the beach at Pattaya, about 100klms south of Bangkok<br><br>
First - I nearly didn't get there - the organiser sent me an urgent email
message just before I was due to leave for my flight to Bangkok -
alerting me to an Australian Embassy warning that there was a terrorist
attack imminent in Thailand and that Pattaya was a likely target for
Australians - well, being Irish - I didn't think it applied to me and I
returned the email saying I was on my way - it felt a bit like going back
to Belfast! The threat of terrorist activity just doesn't seem to
have the same impact on me as it does on the others around me - who were
really quite concerned for my safety - I must be sick...? Anyway, as you
can see, I'm still here...<br><br>
The event itself was beautiful - I will tell the tale<br><br>
I had to get there in a bit of a hurry as I was travelling directly from
another event - a training of OS facilitators in north Qld - and
literally got to the venue at 10am for a 1pm start - the conference
participants had been learning about Myers Briggs typologies for the
first day and were all brimming full of their new-found
self-understanding. All the material preparations had been well taken
care of in advance and I had about an hour in the space while
participants went to lunch to get signs up while a veritable army of Thai
staff scurried around removing all the tables and other trimmings. I kept
glancing out the huge windows at a most beautiful view over an empty
beach and calm ocean - devoid of the usual bevy of tourists at this time
of year - and wondered at the peace and tranquility of such a magnificent
scene in times of terrorist threat - and increased economic hardship for
the local people and businesses - such is the world in which we live -
the beauty and the harsh reality side by side<br><br>
We started about 15 mins later than schedule - at just the time we were
meant to - and I was very centred as I opened the space - yet still
wondering how all this multi-cultural groups would hear and feel the
words and actions. I had checked beforehand if everyone could understand
and speak English (like wot I can) - was assured that this was not a
problem - and still found myself speaking that wee bit slower than usual
with great deliberation on pronunciation. I need not have concerned
myself one little bit - after I walked out of the circle and a pause of
about 10 seconds, away they went and the board filled up quickly - they
were into it and, after the usual chaos/confusion of negotiating
overlaps and swapping topics, were soon off to break-outs and I was left
alone to view the wide azure ocean and peaceful beach from the
balcony....<br><br>
When we sat in the closing circle two days later (we went from Wed 2pm
until Friday 2pm), after 23 recorded conversation topics and 3 recorded
Action Plans (there had been many more of these in the informal zone),
the comments were breathtakingly moving.... (I'm sharing the phrases I
recalled immediately afterwards) <br><br>
"I wish to apologise to anyone whom I may have offended in this
process" said a man from East Timor "I am not used to this
freedom and felt very shy to begin with. I hope you don't take this as an
insult - I am getting better each day and next time I will be more
confident" <br><br>
"I can really feel my people's pain during the past two days"
said an emotional Field Worker from the Philippines "These tears
were not in the script (as she broke down and wept) - I would like my
people to experience what I have experienced here these past days - the
freedom and the community we have developed - if only we could sort out
our conflicts in this way"<br><br>
"I was very scared and anxious about this conference - what would we
talk about for two whole days - I could only think of what I was bringing
about my own situation and knew it wasn't much to offer. Now, I feel so
relieved and relaxed - all my fears dissolved in the first
day"<br><br>
"I got my money's worth in the first hour" said a Snr Vice
President who had attended from California, "what would have taken
me months to achieve through other normal channels we have taken care of
here in the first conversation - everything else was a bonus for me. My
group started with four people and ended up with fourteen - we got our
issues identified, policies worked out and plans into place - we only
need a few minor refinements and we're done. All the right people were
here to do the job. I am so amazed especially when I think of all the
rounds of e-mails and telconferencing this has saved."<br><br>
"When you walked around in the opening circle and I heard you speak
those words, something opened up inside of me and I felt a great weight
lifting off my heart" said a man from Nepal "It was as though
the Spirit spoke directly to me and gave me freedom to be myself
here"<br><br>
"Although English is not my first language, I found it easier to
communicate here than at any other conference I've been
to."<br><br>
"We're here together, experiencing democracy in action. I wouldn't
have believed this was possible. This is my fourth Regional conference
and by far the best yet. The way which ex-patriots and indigenous staff
have collaborated here is far-and-away better than I've ever
seen."<br><br>
"Usually there is a distance between us and indigenous and overseas
staff find it difficult to really get down to deeper communication. This
barrier was broken here and we have connected at a deeper
level."<br><br>
<br>
And so, it worked yet again.....<br>
The sponsor was so thrilled - he had been very anxious that some of the
indigenous people would have been reticent due to their cultural
background and conditioning - as it turned out, I think that this need to
take care of it for others had probably prevented them from contributing
more fully in previous gatherings. Here the space was open, the freedom
given and they responded with vigour and voice - the Spirit was certainly
up and running.<br><br>
Cheers<br>
Brendan<br><br>
<tt><font face="Tempus Sans ITC" color="#808080">Brendan
McKeague<br>
Facilitator<br><br>
25 Halley Street<br>
Innaloo , WA 6018<br>
AUSTRALIA<br><br>
</i></font><font face="Tempus Sans ITC" size=2 color="#808080">Home
(08) 9244 3885 <br>
Work (08) 9244 8090<br>
Mobile 042 944 8090<br>
Email<x-tab> </x-tab>mckeague@iprimus.com.au <br><br>
</font><font face="Tempus Sans ITC" color="#0000FF">We must become the
change we want to see in the world<br>
</font><font face="Tempus Sans ITC" size=2 color="#FF0000"><x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab></font><font face="Tempus Sans ITC" size=2 color="#800080">Mahatma
Gandhi</i></font> </b></body>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:
<p>
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html