Upon coming to Chestnut Hill College I was very enthusiastic to start my college career. At the beginning of the school year, I set for myself some goals that I would try to accomplish this year. These goals were to succeed academically, work for GEM, and play football (soccer) for the college. In order to achieve these goals, I knew it was going to take a lot of change with my daily routine. I also had a part time job over the summer at American Brokerages Service that I wanted to keep in order to make financial ends meet. It was somewhat overwhelming to sort out all these things, and above all succeed in doing them all.

At the end of last summer I had decisions to make regarding the various time commitments that would be needed when school started. Coming from a different culture this was very difficult for me. I did not know which of them to change or eliminate and thus was caught in confusion. Certainly my college studies were on top of the list. I was also going to work for GEM and hoped to play football if possible.

In committing to my new responsibilities, I promised myself to be ready to excel in all of these things. Besides all my personal goals, I was asked by Wayne Jacoby, President of Global Education Motivators (G.E.M), to direct a new school program on Conflict in Africa, with a sub-program Sudan Wars & Lost Boys. Before coming to Chestnut Hill I had worked for GEM doing presentations to primary schools, secondary schools, and universities and at times at the United Nations. It was a great honor to hear from Wayne that he wanted me to work for GEM. I remember in our phone conversation when he said, “when you make your decision to where you’re going for college let me know because I want you to work for GEM this coming school year, and the years that follow.” So I guess working for GEM and further having more access to go to the U.N through GEM, did impact my decision to attend Chestnut Hill College. I had three options for college: St. Joseph’s University, LaSalle University or Chestnut Hill College. I was initially heading to St. Joseph’s University, because everything seems to be going well now, I am happy I came to CHC.

Being a GEM staff person, I have benefited a lot. I am able to do presentations on vital issues of war and share my experiences as a war survivor. These presentations are every week via videoconferences with many schools in the United States. I also get to do on-site visits to schools in the tri-state area.                        

Most importantly, through GEM I have been invited multiple times to speak at the United Nations. Whether it is on GEM UN Days in NYC, or special UN invitations on topics like War Affected Children or reporting to UN committees, it has broadened my understanding of how the global community works. When speaking to any group my theme always has been to urge people, whether young or old, to try being a citizen of the world. All mankind should have the responsibility to fight for what is just and fair for all. It is to the best interest of all world citizens to have chance to be treated justly and embraced under a trustworthy system of government. For a safer world, peace is the key and it is every man’s responsibility to foster it regardless of your living situation.

With the recent civil war in my homeland of Sudan, my life was interrupted by it and it still has some disturbance to my current life. I however have to move forward, let bygones be bygone, and focus on what the future holds. It is by nature that all of mankind encounters difficult circumstances in the course of their lifetime. Some situations are easy to overcome by man’s ability, others are difficult to deal with and require perseverance, but all are considered part of life in this world. It is just unfortunate that humans themselves cause most of human disasters. Natural calamities (hurricanes, earthquakes, famine, Floods, global warming) and are exceptional as they are beyond our capacity, and are owed to the almighty being.

As far as the nature of destruction in Sudan, it is despicable and should be condemned at least by the eyes of the outsiders. Very disturbingly, it is how the international community hesitates over of what to label the situation in Sudan. I think it is time the world community needs to realize that just giving a name to the hostilities in Sudan is not the solution to the crisis. The terms should be clear and should meet the criteria of what it considered genocide. If it doesn’t meet that category as far as what is in accordance with the U.N Charter, well, then shouldn’t the systematic killing of mass ethnicity tell the world that ….at least the killings and abuses are wrong and inhumane and should be stopped!!! Those responsible for the atrocities in Darfur should be held responsible as the punishment would solidify the current newly born momentum of peace between the South-North conflicts. There is no question that the peace deal in Southern Sudan will pave the way to solving Darfur’s problem. But in order for that to happen, there needs to a cementing of implemented items in the already achieved peace accord. In that regard, the reconstruction and building of the region should at once commence.

As I now come of age in my new society, I find myself both giving and receiving an “education”. It has been rewarding to me both ways and will help me tremendously with my future endeavors.