All MIA and MPA students at SIPA complete thirty weeks of professional development during their two year program.  Fifteen weeks is comprised of an internship and fifteen weeks is comprised of a group project referred to as a workshop or capstone project.  SIPA offers no summer classes and this allows our students the opportunity to complete their full time internship anywhere in the world.

There are several SIPA students working in the Admissions Office this year.  The blog will feature a post written by each of them describing what they did over the summer.  The entries should provide a glimpse of the exceptional individuals in our program and the various professional opportunities they engage in over the summer.  This first entry was written by Mynor Godoy, an MIA student concentrating in International Security Policy.

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Recreating Realities Through Art

For many Americans, perceptions of Latin America are often tied to violence, corruption and poverty. Many of these views are derived from and enforced by media coverage of the war on drugs, among other things. Colombia is considered one of those dangerous places. The United States and Colombia officially declared a war against drugs in the late 80s. The city of Medellin, Colombia was usually in the spotlight because of its most notorious resident – Pablo Escobar. However, for Colombians, the war on drugs only perpetuated the cycle of violence that had been plaguing the country for years. While Colombia has been considered a perfect conflict resolution case study by some, there does not seem to be much resolution. In contrast, cities like Medellin have experienced a transformation of conflicts characterized by a recycling of violence.  What better place to spend summer and put my conflict resolution skills to the test, right?

I decided to attend SIPA specifically because of its International Security Policy concentration and Conflict Resolution Specialization. As an undergraduate at the University of California, Irvine, I developed an interest in the phenomenon of youth gangs and was able to do research on the transnational gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13).  Even though I had some experience, I was surprised that at SIPA, I was funneled from a classroom course and into the field so quickly.  I secured an internship with Fundación Mi Sangre in Medellin thanks in part to Professor Aldo Civico, who taught “Theories and Methods of Conflict Resolution.” At SIPA, professors are the leaders in their respective fields and are valuable resources for their students. With his extensive experience working in Colombia, Professor Civico knew of plenty of organizations that fit my interests.

Fundación Mi Sangre is a local, arts-based non-profit that was started in Medellin by Colombian musician Juanes. Its mission is to help victims of landmines and internally displaced people in the cities of Colombia. It is one of the leading peace-building organizations in Colombia and it has offices throughout the country. Medellin was not the city that came to mind when I started my internship search, but after talking with the director, it was a no-brainer. Mi Sangre was a fusion of all the things I was passionate about: education, at-risk youth, community advocacy, and art. They were in the process of launching a new program known as “Pazalobien” and they wanted me to assist with their research on the role art can play in the construction of peace.

Due to the years of conflict in Colombia, Medellin has one of the largest populations of displaced people in the country.  Since the city is located in a densely populated valley, there was no place for the displaced people from the countryside or coast. These displaced people have been forced to build their homes on the mountainsides. Entire hillsides have turned red, as brick homes have overrun the lush grassy slopes. These areas, known as comunas, are very similar to the favelas in Brazil or the ghettos of the United States. The harsh realities of comuna life are twofold: the residents there have to worry about adjusting to the social problems posed by their new surroundings, and they also live in constant fear of the combos or gangs that operate in the comunas. These groups are made up of guerrilla, paramilitary and cartel influences. They have established lineas invisibles or “invisible lines” that cannot be crossed. Violent turf wars keep residents locked inside their homes.  This form of urban warfare has claimed many young lives in the comunas. The combos even threaten parents with death if they don’t give at least one child to the gang. Ultimately, many families end up leaving, resulting in a population of people that have been displaced numerous times.

In this context, Mi Sangre has partnered with a local organization called Circo Momo to help youth living in the comunas cope with the violence and create new opportunities. Circo Momo is an organization made up of sociologists and psychologists interested in the arts, which they use as a means to do social work and help rehabilitate youth who may have been victims of violence or abuse. The technique is simple enough; participating schools have one day dedicated to art in every class, from kindergarten to high school and ranging from literature to science. Staff at Circo Momo implement project-based learning and bring a framework for the day, but allow students to choose the subject. One example was the kindergarten class in Comuna 5 where the students were fascinated with robots. The Circo Momo staff structured their sculpture lesson around robots. Each student made a robot out of clay and was then asked to place the robots in the middle of their table. They would then discuss the robot family that had just been created. Each family was different and students would then be asked to decide who was the dad, who was the mom, and so on. In this way students learned to work together and accept differences. More importantly, they were able to discuss what a family was and the type of relationships families foster. Slowly, these types of projects are helping Medellin heal from the wounds of the conflict and build a generation of students that can tell Medellin’s history from a different perspective. Their perspective will be peace.

These youth groups are also supported by the Mayor’s office on Cultural Affairs, not just Mi Sangre, and the strong emphasis on social works projects seems to be a valuable investment. Yet, these youth groups were not moved into action because of a small influx of funding. Rather, they were working in their communities and trying to change their neighborhoods before the funding even came. They understood that there were alternatives to doing drugs or stealing. However, without the financial support, their organizing efforts would have been limited only to their single comuna and their sphere of influence would be much more limited.

My internship experience helped me to see that working with youth in conflict zones is my calling. During the course of my internship, I would start work at 8 AM in the offices of Mi Sangre, and then head out to interview leaders or visit classrooms in the comunas, then head to youth group meetings, and finally visit hip-hop groups that met at night around the city. I returned to my apartment at 11 PM, exhausted mentally, emotionally and physically, but with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. The work that I did in Medellin demonstrated that reconciliation and reconstruction are possible in conflict zones. In short, a better world is possible. Augusto Restrepo, a representative from the Mayor’s Office on Cultural Affairs, put it the best, “When you ask me if peace is possible? These kids demonstrate that it is because if it wasn’t, they would not be in the comunas.” It is hard to find a stronger argument for the powerful role that art plays in constructing peace.  The youth living in the comunas are leading a revolution; they are recreating their communities and constructing a new reality – all without ever picking up a gun.

SIPA students have a lot of talent that they express in different ways and recent graduate Lenny Pridatko (SIPA 2011), has launched columbiauniversitycampus.com with photographs of Columbia University. He is currently working on his first picture book, Columbia University in Pictures. He hopes to make a career out of making picture books.

Pridatko came to SIPA in January 2009, with an interest in merging photography and international relations. A year later, he launched his first photography website, lennypridatko.com, and soon afterward, began working on a Columbia University picture book, a first in the university’s history. At SIPA, he concentrated in Management and became the school’s honorary photographer at events and parties.

Samantha McCann, 2nd year MPA, joined Pridatko on the project in May 2011, to help write text for and edit the book. (Pridatko avoids writing at all cost). McCann is Editor-in-Chief of SIPA’s bi-weekly newspaper, Communiqué, and is specializing in media and communications. This is her second book project, but her first contribution to a photography book.  Enjoy a few of his photos.

I mentioned that the incoming student photo series was likely coming to a close, however we recently received another set of photos – enjoy.

My name is Lisa Deng, an incoming MIA student from China. Photography, for me, is an unique experience to capture the beauty and emotions of special moments in life.

This photo was taken in Tibet (4500 meters above sea level) during  an outdoor adventure tour in 2006. This magic land is filled with beautiful snow mountains, lakes, grasslands, temples and villages that can deeply touch the purest feelings in one’s heart.

In a Maasai village in Kenya, Maasai women wear very colorful clothes with beaded necklaces made by themselves. They showed visitors the hospitality with friendly smiles. One of Maasai women’s tasks is to build their houses for the family. The traditional Maasai house (behind them) is made from mud, grass, sticks, and cow dung, etc.

Aershan is a small city located in the north of inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China. When conducting a strategic consulting project for its local government on a quiet and cold winter morning, I  was attracted by this lovely view of snow-covered European-style buildings in this city.

At this point in time this is the last submission of photos from incoming students that we have received, and Orientation starts on Monday.  Thank you to everyone that made contributions throughout the summer.  We might post some more photos in the future . . . if new students decide to set aside class and social time to submit more.

Jesse Alejandro Cottrell  MIA 2013

Photo Descriptions:

4th of July Float (Salem, NY): This picture was taken during Salem, New York’s 2011 4th of July parade. Artists in residence at Salem Art Works (SAW), the artist colony where I serve as Associate director and Development Coordinator, sit atop and stand upon a dry sauna created by Jonas Lindberg, an artist in residence at SAW. From the sidelines, parade goers gawk and demand candy.

Taken during a show by The Big Fatt at Brooklyn’s Trash Bar. I am the singer and guitar player. The unseen audience is sated by the open bar and free tater tots, which undoubtedly make our music sound better.

Iron Pour SAW 1 and 2 (Salem, NY): Pouring iron into sculptural forms is a monthly occurrence at Salem Art Works (SAW).

The artist colony where I serve as Associate Director and Development Coordinator. Iron poured at SAW reaches temperatures above 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. Artists from across the United States and Europe travel to Salem to pour iron.

It is hard to believe Orientation for new MIA and MPA students is one week away.  Enjoy some more of the photos submitted by incoming students.

Tori Fahey, incoming MIA student.

Cairo, Egypt

This was the beginning of a journey that took me 12,000kms, through ten countries, across a continent over the course of the first four months of 2011. When I look at this photo I can relive the elation and anticipation that I felt as I embarked on a journey that would open my eyes to many new people, places and ideas.

Just outside of Livingstone, Zambia

During my trip across Africa, a few of my friends rode a bit too close to an elephant at the side of the road. Sometimes adventure can present unexpected risks and you have to be ready to react.

Antelope Wells, New Mexico

This photo was taken this summer at the end of a bike trip from Canada to the Mexican border, self-supported, off-road, along the continental divide. During the voyage, I encountered long stretches of snow, narrowly averted hypothermia, crossed flooded rivers, climbed many mountain passes, ran out of food and water during a heat wave in the desert. It was strange combination of magic and misery and, by far, my proudest achievement. There are some things that are better to have done than to do. As you can see, I’m happy to be finished.

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Alex Lee – MIA

I prefer to let photos speak for themselves, so descriptions are very brief.  All photos are from 2011.

Graffiti archaeology – Taken on Lafayette Street near Grand.  Layered graffiti from multiple artists on and around the same street-side door.

Blossoms – Taken at a festival celebrating Asian culture in Washington, DC.  Hanging decorations add to the already-bright atmosphere at the lotus gardens.

Sword dancers – Taken at the same festival in DC.  Traditional Korean dance form mimicking swordplay.

We are close to winding down the incoming student photos series.  Thank you to all of those that have helped to add life to the blog over the summer!

Christian Loubeau – MIA-Economic and Political Development.

The first photo was taken in the White Desert in Egypt during the summer of 2010.  I was in the desert for an overnight camping trip and we were checking out white rock formations that resembled people and animals.  My friend took this photo of me at dusk next to a formation known as Chicken Mountain.

This photo was taken in Caracas, Venezuela when I lived there in the fall of 2007.  President Chavez spoke at this rally a few hours after the photo was taken.  At the time President Chavez was rallying his supporters to back a referendum that would, among many items, abolish presidential term limits.  I like the dignified look of hope on the woman’s face while the man stands tall contemplating what lies ahead.  There were several points of contention regarding the referendum and I think the overcast skies speak to the stormy path that lies ahead.  Although the referendum was at one point expected to pass rather easily, it was defeated about a month after this picture was taken.

This photo was taken on the Great Wall of China during the summer of 2010.  My friend and I squeezed this quick trip in on our last night in Beijing.  I didn’t have much time to visit the wall as I had to catch a flight later that night yet we managed to find a moment to clown around.  This part of the wall was on a steep incline so I was able to lean forward without any support.

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Hello, my name is Marisol Alarcón, an incoming MDP. I’m from Ecuador/Chile and had the great opportunity to work in slums from different countries in Latin America. Apart from the overwhelming poverty, I have also seen beautiful, contrasting sights and met amazing and strong people. These pictures are just a glimpse of what I have seen these past years.

Family Canaan: This family represents the many families living in Canaan, the camp city 5 miles up north from Port-au-Prince. Their smiles and bright eyes were always surprising.

13 de Julio: This boy lives in the slum 13 de Julio, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is playing naturally surrounded by trash and houses made with waste materials.  The dirt on his skin is his regular condition, not the result of one day on the play ground like it would be for most of us. This place is only minutes away from downtown Buenos Aires, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the region.

Favela Padroiera: This girl is washing the dishes after our lunch together.  She lives in the Slum Padroeira, on the outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The photo shows the incredible overcrowding of the favelas and the hard living conditions the families must face.

More incoming student photos today . . .

Stephanie Chang, incoming MIA Student

La Bodeguita Del Medio, Havana, Cuba – A bartender makes our mojitos, Hemmingway’s preferred drink, at this exact bar he famously frequented while living in Cuba, La Bodeguita Del Medio.  A portrait of Hemminway is on the wall behind the bartender.  This picture was taken this past March, when I was on a Spring Break trip to Cancun and we spontaneously decided to take a detour and see what Cuba actually looks like.

Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia – This is the view from the top of The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains of Sydney, Australia.  The Three Sisters are a set of three large rock formations.  You can’t see the rocks in this photo, but they are just to the right of me.  The hike trail involves 900 steps, leading to a river at the bottom.  The view is definitely worth the climb!

Santa Monica Pier, California – This is my favorite destination to run to when I jog around my neighborhood.  Santa Monica Pier is usually packed with tourists, but the walk and bike paths are pretty serene in the mornings.  I’ve had the luxury of traveling a lot in the past years, and for my last summer before I move to New York, I’ve tried to spend as much time as I can relishing unique aspects I love about living in Los Angeles.

Once I move to NYC I will most sorely miss the warm ocean breezes and and the ability to run freely outside in sunny weather!

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Holly Sue Hatfield, an incoming MPA-DP student.

Lindon, UT:  I work for the Princess Festival – an event that started as a fundraiser for the charity I work for, but has since become its own private business.  This is a picture from this year’s King’s Daddy-Daughter Grand Ball that we held in Lindon, UT.  The girl up front is a new princess character we created, Princess Mila, and she’s doing a storytelling  for the girls.  Between the two Kings on the stage you’ll see His Excellency Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador of Kenya to the US.  Yes, the Ambassador comes to our princess parties, and yes, we make him sit on the stage.  <grin>  The Princess Festival only has two employees, but has over 350 volunteers that put on the annual event, including a cast of over 60 fairy-tale characters, both classic and new.

Lindon, UT:  I’m the youngest of 8 kids, and I have 44 nieces and nephews; 36 of them are under the age of ten and 38 of the grandkids are girls  (ergo the creation of the Princess Festival).  It’s utter insanity.  When family gets together, though, there’s one thing we can count on – my 63 year-old dad giving his full attention to the kids.  Here he is playing volleyball with a bunch of 5 year-old girls who have no idea what volleyball is or how it is played – so they’re all standing there cluelessly.  But if you look closely, you’ll see the best part of the picture: dad’s casually wearing a headband with cat ears.  Nobody knows why.

Somewhere around Nakuru, Kenya

I’m kind of afraid of birds.  So at this rest-stop park in Kenya, my dad dared me to try and touch one of these crazy big birds.  You can see me in the red dress trying to sneak up on them; I never even get close (ha ha).  I’m sure the Kenyans in the park were as intrigued with the muzungu girl tiptoeing around as I was with the creepy birds.

The fall semester is just a few weeks away and we still have more incoming student photos coming in.  Thank you to everyone that has sent photos in and we will make sure to get them all posted in the coming weeks.

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Tory Webster – Incoming MIA student

This first picture was taken off the coast of Tyre, Lebanon. I have spent the last two years in Tyre teaching and hanging out with some incredible teenagers. Some of my favorite summer memories in Tyre include drinking tea under the stars talking about books and the future with the teenagers that I had the privilege of teaching. Life in Tyre is an exploding bomb, and the subtle sweet joy of a sunrise.  It is the tug of the sea, the overwhelming reality of how much there is to do and the inability to do much of anything, paralyzing fear and insecurity, and the desperate desire to be known, but the incredible fear of being seen.

This picture was taken in Anjar, Lebanon in its Ummayad ruins. I lead three joint history field trips (to Anjar, Tyre, and Rome, Italy) with a colleague of mine from Beirut. Lebanon is so full of history, and most of the students have no idea what it’s all about. Lebanon has a notoriously wretched history curriculum (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7988399.stm), so as a foreign history teacher, I had the privilege of expanding my students’ horizons, introducing them to people’s stories, and showing them how they’d become who they are.

This picture was taken in Petra, Jordan of two Bedouin kids. The Bedouin, like indigenous people everywhere, are located on the fringes of Lebanese society. One (only one of hundreds!!) of my students in Tyre was a Palestinian Bedouin, and consequentially he has to fight for every second of his education and future. The relationship between the past and the future is growing increasingly complicated in Middle Eastern countries, where Facebook and tradition battle for loyalty in teenagers’ daily lives. My Bedouin student lives in a traditional camp, but will daily make the trek to school where an increasingly progressive curriculum, Model United Nations, and modern literature become his world.

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My name is Annie Zhou and I am an incoming MPA student concentrating in EPD and East-Asia Studies. I moved to the U.S. from Beijing when I was young and have been living in New York for the past five years.

This is a photo of me in Nanzheng Village in the Shanxi Province of China, where I taught science and English for three weeks through an organization called the Rural China Education Foundation that helps to fund education programs, teacher training and curriculum development in rural China. I have been their Director of Development since 2008 and hope to invite many of you to attend our future events.

This was taken at the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco in a traditional djellaba. Morocco is a beautiful country that inspires me with its rich history, colors and sites. I believe the country has potential to step up their leadership in North Africa to maintain stability in the region.

This is the Sultanahmet, or commonly known as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, a country I am fascinated with because of its history, strategic location and cultural diversity. Turkey has significant opportunity to further establish itself as a regional power through economic development and cooperation, maintaining political and national security and combating terrorism.

It is not too late to submit photos if you are an incoming student.  See this post for details.

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Name:  Nicolas Rodriquez

SIPA – MPA 2013

Dancing at Proyecto – This picture was taken at the 2009 Women’s Conference of Proyecto Pastoral, a community-based organization in the Boyle Heights-area of Los Angeles. I have had a change to work with the organization since moving to LA and the Women’s Conference is my favorite event to volunteer at.  Pictured here, La Santa Cecilia, a local band performs during a lunch break for participants.

Looking Towards Skid Row – I took this picture of a few friends as they stood on the roof of a former low-income housing hotel which is located on the edge of the Bank District in Downtown LA, next to Skid Row.   This area, recently gentrified has put a lot of pressure on the homeless Angelenos in the area, who used to rely on the old apartments and hotels of Downtown LA for shelter.

Visiting Family – My dad and I visited a family cemetery in Progreso, TX.  This plot was in my mother’s family dating from the Mid-19th Century and is adjacent to a large sugarcane field.  This area lies on the edge of a new border fence being constructed along the border with Tamaulipas, MX.

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My name is Juan Manuel Rodilla Navarro (SPAIN) and I am an incoming MIA student.

2006 Ecuador. San Antonio del Tio Cajas. Several children attending a workshop for promoting lecture in their tiny village more than 2000m high in the Andes.

2007 Algeria. Sidi el houari, Oran. Participants in a laugh dynamic inside a project of theater teacher´s formation.

2009 India. West Bengal, Kolcata. Proud child showing his self-made latrine, inside of a project of Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS).

Two more incoming students are featured today in our New Student Photo Series.

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My name is Leena Khan.  I am an incoming MPA-DP student and would like to share the following photos.

These photographs were taken in 2008 in the village of Airayan Sadat, which is located in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.  My time in Airayan Sadat gave me some exposure to the types of development challenges faced by rural villages across India and South Asia.  This experience solidified my passion for working on poverty alleviation and other development issues.

The first photograph is of the only primary school in Airayan Sadat.  There was one female teacher for this entire school and the ages of students ranged from approximately five to ten years old.  Classes were overcrowded and basic education supplies noticeably absent.   Nonetheless, the smiles and energy exuding from these children filled me both with hope.

The second photograph is of a female agricultural worker who shows me some carrots pulled fresh out of the ground.  Women play a significant role in India’s agriculture and rural development but have remained largely unaccounted for in measuring economic performance.

The third photograph shows the evening ritual of a local sheep herder leading his flock through the village.

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Serene Ghneim, incoming MPA student.

Monastery – This photo was taken in May; that’s me sitting on the edge of a cliff overlooking St. George’s Monastery in Wadi Qelt (a valley in the Judean desert) in the eastern West Bank. Its origins date back to the fourth century A.D.  Today, it is active and occupied by Greek Orthodox monks.

We Will Return – This photo was just beyond a security checkpoint in the West Bank, on the outskirts of Jericho – a symbol of Palestinian hope that persists even after more than half a century of wars and “peace talks” that have produced nothing.

Lightning – A bunch of my cousins and I set a camera on a tripod and just let this photo happen as we sat on my cousin’s balcony in Nazareth, Israel, and watched the most spectacular lightning storm the region had seen in recent memory.

Today we feature more photos from incoming students.

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My name is Venetia Aranha, an incoming student to the MPA (economic and political development). I am from India and here are a few of my favourite photographs!

Last year I travelled along with a Japanese friend of mine to the town of Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, known for its religious significance, notably the worship of the scared river Ganges (or Ganga).  Here every year, scores of faithful Hindus throng the river to offer their prayers to the Ganges- in the picture below two aged ladies light ‘diyas’ which are lit wicks in an earthen base, to float onto the river.

If you look closely enough, there is always priceless humour to be found in a little store in a tourist town in India. This picture is of the market area in Haridwar of a shop display of music and cinema CDs. At a glance, you will see only famous old Hindi singers and actors- but on the right most corner of the 4th shelf, there you’ll find none other than the epitome of English Pop- Madonna!!

This last one is taken at a popular fete or ‘Mela’ as it is called in India, known as the ‘Suraj Kund Mela’ somewhere on the outskirts of Delhi. My father used to speak to this wondrous contraption from his childhood days- a little machine that shows you pictures in succession to form a story- and sometimes its operator would even sing along to provide a background score- the perfect substitute for a television! I was surprised to find this very device at the fair, with a little boy keenly peeking into it.

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My name is Moussa Magassouba. I am an incoming MIA Student. I am sending a few of the photos that I have taken from my 2010 trip in West Africa as well as from my work places.

Description: Guinean Minister of Presidential Security

This photo was taken in 2010 during my two-week vacation period in Guinea (West Africa) at a military camp with my camera carefully concealed. The man in the center of the picture wearing traditional African voodoos is well the Minister in charge of Security of the chief of the military junta who, after a military coup on December 24, 2008, proclaimed himself  President of Guinea, a beginning of lawlessness and military burtality until democratic elections were held at the end of 2010. The man is currently under the arraignment of the Hague International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.

Me leading by example:  I am operating a Caterpillar Bull Dozer D8 in 2008 at a gold mine in Southern California. As a Superintendent of mine operations and the Senior Engineer, my job does not stop in the office environment. When I give complex assignments in the field and operators do not seem to understand or cannot successfully execute the assignments, then I decide to lead by example. Thankfully, I know how to run most of the heavy equipment in the mining and construction industries.

Drilling and Hauling: This photo was taken in December 2010 in Pennsylvania. Operators at one of our cement quarries are seen laying out blast holes that will be drilled each one a 50-foot depth and loaded with explosives before they are fired to break the limestone, the raw material for cement fabrication. An articulated haul truck Euclid type is seen hauling limestone on a very rough terrain heading to the crushing plant.

Today we feature more pictures submitted by incoming students.

Name: Nicole Margaretten

Degree Program: MIA

Pinar Del Río Province, Western Cuba.  Two boys were playing hide and seek next to their small, neon blue farmhouse. The stoic oxen and hand painted grave reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath while the giggling children capture the heart of Cuba.

A plaza in La Habana Vieja, Old Havana – I noticed a small boy pedaling ferociously across the plaza as I stood on the balcony of an artist’s studio. Quickly jumping behind a white column I waited for the perfect moment.

The sky was drizzling over thousands of tiny statues. I had traveled from Tokyo to Kamakura to visit the Little Statues of Jizo. The statues pictured covered a large stone wall while thousands of smaller gray figurines filled the gardens and flowed into the walkways. Many were clothed to stay warm and lovingly surrounded by vibrant flowers and pinwheels. At first appearance the shrine resembles a magical garden, until one learns that Jizo is the patron boddhisatva of travelers and lost children. Each statue was placed by a mother who lost a child to miscarriage or abortion.

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Name – Jaivardhan Singh

Degree Program – MPA-DP

Location – An election rally in Madhya Pradesh, India. Description – India…. the world’s largest democracy.

Location – Bihar, India.  Description – The floods in Bihar which affected over 2.3 million people were one of the worst in Indian history. Here you can see a family which was rendered homeless by the swelling waters of the Kosi river.

Location – Satpura National Park, Madai, Madhya Pradesh, India.  Description – A group of disciplined geese in height order……

New student photos continue to roll in.  See this entry for details on how to submit your own photos if you are an incoming student.

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Kenneth Hau, MPA ’13

Suzhou, China: A father navigates a busy street filled with cars on a bike while his child sits in a makeshift baby seat.

Beijing, China: Fried scorpions are a common snack found on the streets of Beijing. I did not have the guts to try them.

Xian, China: The world famous terracotta soldiers of Xian. Fun fact: The soldiers originally had color, but upon exposure to the air, the color immediately faded due to oxidation. The result is the dull earthen color you see now. There are many more soldiers that are left buried until future technology allows us to excavate them without losing their colors.

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Name: Sarayu Natarajan
Degree Program: MPA-DP

These photos are based on what I’ve been doing at work. Please note that this will be published at http://www.enterprisingschools.com/blogs as well.

I work with Gray Matters Capital Foundation, a philanthropic foundation working to improve the quality of education in low cost private schools. We work with over 300 schools, currently in two Indian cities – Hyderabad and New Delhi. We hope our work in rating schools and sharing these ratings with parents will help strengthen the feedback loop between poor parents and these entrepreneurial schools, thereby driving quality.

These are pictures that were taken in Alpha School, Silver Dale High School and Little Century High School, both in Hyderabad, India. They were taken as part my work in leading the design of a School Report Card.

Sandeep Kumar (Silver Dale High School) runs a school in the peri-urban areas of Hyderabad where fees average Rs.350/mo (About $8). Parents are mainly daily wage labourers and their children in the school are first generation learners.

Sandeep Kumar (Silver Dale High School) runs a school in the peri-urban areas of Hyderabad where fees average Rs.350/mo (About $8). Parents are mainly daily wage labourers and their children in the school are first generation learners.

However, for any initiative to be successful in this market, buy-in from stakeholders is critical. We learnt that that buy-in is driven by comprehension. We drove the process of comprehension by developing the product through feedback from the main consumers – parents. We are looking at ways to enhance comprehension among parents through teachers and most importantly, students.

Students at Little Century High School giving feedback on our design of a School Report Card

Sandhya Chari, SIPA alum (MPA, ’11) and Principal Consultant, Policy Innovations, explaining the report card to a group of teachers at Alpha School

Ganesh and V. Sriram (students at Alpha School) discuss the report card

There is still plenty of time for incoming students to submit photos for posting on the blog.  See this entry for details.

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Hi, my name is Andrew Hill, an incoming MIA at SIPA.  I thought I’d share a few photos since all the cool kids are doing it.  I currently teach English on the JET Program and live in a small chain of remote islands off the coast of Japan’s Shimane prefecture; so remote, in fact, that they were once used to exile deposed emperors.

This first picture was taken on the clifftops of the Kuniga Coastline on Nishinoshima, the second largest island in Oki.  The cliffs are populated with wild horses and cows; or wild in the sense that they have free reign of the place.  They’re actually pretty tame.

The second photo (SIPA 2.jpg) was taken behind Dangyo-taki on Dogo, the largest of the four inhabited islands.  Dangyo is a sacred waterfall, and you can tell by the tori-gate that leads up to a shrine, out of view to the right of the photo.

This last picture is also from Dogo.  This one is of their recent Go-rei festival that involves racing sacred horses at breakneck speeds up the path to a small shrine.  Rather than riding the horses through the gate, teams of five men steer the horse by hand while running along side of it.  The man in the photo has gone through a week-long seclusion and purification process in order to be on one of the teams that handle the sacred horses.  Here, he and the horse are slowing to a stop after just dashing through the main gate of the shrine.

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Student: David Ganske
Degree Program: MIA

The photos in this series were all taken in front of my home in Kabou, Togo during my time there as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Each photo was taken at a different time of year to show the seasonal changes of Togo’s woodland savana climate zone. The first two photos show vegetation during the Rainy Season while the final two photos were taken during the Dry Season.

The first photo was taken in June 2008, shortly after planting corn. All tilling, planting, placing fertilizer, and harvesting would be done by hand.

The second photo was taken one month later in July 2008 after the corn had reached a height of about 20 inches. Soon the family would return to remove weeds around the base of the stalks.

The third photo was taken in early November 2008, following harvest. Women are traditionally expected to harvest by breaking the stalks and removing the corn.

The final photo, taken in late November 2008, shows the last stage of the farming cycle in Togo known as “The Burn”. To clear the land and to rid the area of snakes and other predators, farmers blanket their land with fire within just several minutes time. This practice has become controversial because it also contributes to soil depletion.

There is still plenty of time for incoming students to submit photos for posting on the blog.  See this entry for details.

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My name is Mariana Costa and I am an incoming MDP student from Peru. I wanted to share some pictures I have taken from children in Latin America and the Caribbean. I think their expressions tell much about them.

This picture was taken in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. We were doing a training on civil registration to local community leaders, and this little girl and boy were playing around.

This is in Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world (3,811 above sea level), shared between Peru and Bolivia. A local girl from Amantani Island is wearing a typical hat that symbolizes she is already over 7 years of age.

This last picture was taken in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I took it during a registration campaign we were doing in one of the shelters established in the city after the January 2010 earthquake.

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Ziqi Wang from China is an incoming MPA student.

These first two photos were taken in Hong Kong. In the the first photo, the fortune-telling people are talking with their guests.

The statues in the second photo are the typical costumes in the Peking opera. I took this photo together with my friends.

This is a photo taken in the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. I like the color of the sea at dusk. The buildings along the seaside give me a peaceful feeling, totaling different from the noisy atmosphere in Hong Kong.

With seven weeks until the start of classes we still have plenty of time for incoming students to submit photos for posting on the blog.  See this entry for details.

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Eric Smyth, incoming MIA student.

Jalokhel village, Kapisa province, Afghanistan

Sunrise over the Alasay valley during a joint operation with US, French, Romanian, and Afghan military and civilians. The operation improved security in several villages at the mouth of the valley and greatly improved the ability to travel safely along the main road through the province. The operation also provided an opportunity for civil affairs teams to assess the needs of the villages for future development projects.

Maktab bazaar, Kapisa province, Afghanistan

A young Afghan “reads” a local newspaper produced and distributed with assistance from the French military. While literacy is still low in the area, the newspapers are an important means of disseminating information from the local government (third after radio and word of mouth)..

Shura with the elders of Sultakhel village. This was one of the first meetings between coalition forces and elders in this remote village in eastern Kapisa province. Water and seeds for crops were the most prominent concerns of the eldars. Arbitration services and improved road access to the markets in the lower valley were also requested.

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Savanna Honerkamp-Smith, incoming MPA-DP student.

All of these photos are from my Peace Corps service in Honduras. The majority were taken at my site, a small coffee community in the mountains called Las Crucitas.

Doña Sara at her house. (note the chicks inside)

Men loading light posts on a truck for the town’s electricity project.

Boys at the plaza on their way to do errands.

The new student photo series continues to turn out great shots.  If you have sent photos, thank you and we will work on posting.  If  you have yet to send photos see this entry for details.

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Hi, my name is Nicolas Zaharya, from Argentina. I am an incoming student for the MPA-DP.

This is me, enjoying lake Nahuel-Huapi in Bariloche, an Argentina city by the Andes. The water is so clean and transparent but its also sooo cold!

Sun rise on the atlantic ocean in the city of Mar del Plata. They were building a new quay.

Children enjoying a new water conection in Lomas, a neighborhood on the suburbs of Buenos Aires, the most populated area in the country. They have been doing some impresive work extending water pipes for almost 1 million people.

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The following three shots were submitted by Debi Spindelman, an incoming MPA-DP student.

Shot with my 35mm fisheye camera in Ao Thong Nai Pan Yai on the island of Ko Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. Longtail boats are a tourist photo staple, but the fisheye lens and some truly wild film helped capture the frenetic color of the islands in this region.

Shot with my D-SLR at Daraja Academy outside Nanyuki, Kenya. Last fall, I taught photography and creative writing to 52 young women of promise in Kenya’s first free all-girls secondary school. Part participatory research project and part creative project, I captured this shot of Form 1 students at an early-morning flag-raising ceremony as they shared a new song they had been learning. For images and words created by Daraja students through this project, check out www.OutsideTheLensatDaraja.blogspot.com.

Shot with my 35mm fisheye and waterproof housing at Pipes surf spot, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA. It’s easy to forget the glamour available domestically, and this was shot a few hundred yards from my house. I competed in surfing regularly for years, and am slowly selling off boards in anticipation of the surf-hiatus happening over the next two years.

The new student photo series continues again today.  If you have sent photos, thank you and we will work on posting.  If  you have yet to send photos see this entry for details.

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Hi, my name is Carly Roberts and I’m an incoming MPA student.

French Music Critic: I took this photo in Nice, France last summer. This little girl was fascinated by the street musicians; she alternated between looking quizzically at them and dancing to the music.

Tokyo Blur: This photo was taken in a busy train station in Tokyo, Japan. As I stood still for the long exposure, all the locals hurrying past looked at me like I was crazy!

Capital Funk: Most people are surprised when I tell them that I’m part of an award-winning hip hop dance crew! I’ve danced with Capital Funk in Washington DC for 6 years (you can look us up on youtube, we’re pretty awesome!)… that’s me to the right of center on the floor, in the yellow jacket.

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Anne Yalkabova, an incoming MIA student interested in International Security Policy, submitted the following pictures.

The photo is taken in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the ancient Basilica Cistern.

Below is the Sophia, Greek goddess of wisdom.  The photo was taken among ruins of ancient Ephesus, Turkey.

Incoming MIA student Jesse Wolfe, who plans on studying International Security Policy, sent along the following text and photos.  Enjoy.

All three photos were taken in Arghandab District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

Photo 1 (Polling Site): This was a former school being used as a polling site for the Afghan parliamentary elections in 2010. There were 12 men who showed up to cast a vote at this center on election day and 6 of those were paid election monitors.

Photo 2 (ANCOP 1): An Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP) officer assisting with election security.

Photo 3 (Arghandab Malik): This is Hajji Baridad a prominent malik in a key district of Kandahar Province. He was assassinated by the Taliban recently because he had been working closely with the Afghan district governor and US forces to bring projects to his village. He had helped generate one of the first (and controversial) Afghan Local Police (ALP) forces in Arghandab with the support of US Special Forces.

Incoming MIA student Paul Hersh sent along the following photos for posting.  Enjoy.

“Vietnam – Ha Long Bay” – A lonely fisherman in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.

“Syria – Aleppo – Umayyad Mosque” – Inside the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, Syria.

“Cambodia – Phnom Penh – Tuol Sleng” – Building A of Tuol Sleng, with large cells in which the bodies of the last victims were discovered. The photos on the wall are how the rooms were found, with the mutilated body of a prisoner chained to the bed, killed by his fleeing captors only hours before the prison was captured.  Tuol Sleng, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979.