I recently re-read my Business isn't Personal post and realized that I failed to correctly convey the essence of capitalism and the driving force behind business. According to dictionary.com, business describes a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce or service for profit-seeking purposes. 

Uh huh. Profit. That's it. There's the dirty word.

It's profit.

The ultimate goal of a business is to make a profit.

But if these businesses seek to provide the people with a service or commodity, which priority then takes a backseat? Profits or people?

In most cases, the well-being of individuals is put aside in the ultimate quest of making that extra buck. And this is true, despite the harshness that may be exuded in this remark. Evidence of this is all around us. Just take a look.

Wal-Mart. The next dirty word. They have failed to provide equity in their workforce, where women still make less than men, potential for promotion is slim to none, and in some places, they fire their employees whom return to work for them (free of charge) as part of a government initiative to keep the unemployed busy while they seek alternative career paths. 

Despicable.

Yes.

But, let's be honest. Being a student, I do not have the luxury of choosing where I shop due to financial and transportation constraints. 

Another example, and one that we've all personally dealt with. Those suspicious frivolous charges that show up on your Cell phone bill, and when you call to inquire about how you procured them, their explanations are ridiculous and they end up pretty much telling you to pay the goddamn bill or that your line will be cut. 

People vs. Profits

Ultimately, businesses in general do not put the people at the forefront of their agendas. 

Morals and values are crushed along the way to make that extra penny. 

And then, what?

When you've lined your pockets, what do you with it?

It's been shown that the highest earning population in the USA gave the smallest percentage of their annual income to charity. 

I recognize the multitude of businesses and companies that are equitable and put humanity on the forefront.

But the ultimate question I want to pose is, is the structure of a profit-generating mechanism in and of itself conducive to feeding our humanity or destroying it altogether?

Have a wonderful Sunday y'all! And this playing in the background will make it a bit brighter.. just a bit ;)

Hello.

My name is Ganya Gajan and I am a 3rd year IDS student. I am also an avid blogger, as is evident here, and a believer in world peace. I also believe that too often is underestimated the potential of small acts of kindness and the simple things in life that ultimately bring about moments of happiness and joy in our lives.

I've pursued my passion for writing with my change the world mentality in the form of this blog. The initial purpose of this space was to keep track of my research in preparation for my upcoming thesis in the fall of 2013. However, I found myself using this space as a portal of expression for my experiences and the way I perceive the world. To my surprise, you and many people like yourself actually want to know what I'm thinking, and this space has become more and more widely read by people not only in my personal network, but abroad as well. I have received great comments and those keep me going. 

But here and there, I get the odd person who will ask me quite blatantly, "your blog is great and all but.. what's the point?"

And here it is.

A very close friend of mine who is familiar with my written work for years now, described it as, "a recount of your experiences and emotions to show where an injustice has happened without fear of judgement or without seeking empathy from the reader".

Another friend describes this space as "an archive of humanistic posts that I really appreciate".

Here is how I see it.

This space has evolved and will continue to evolve. I share my experiences and ah ha moments with you. You take from it, you share it, you gain from it. You grow from it. Or, you just read it and go on with your day. If I have made you think about your life or made you perspectivize your own life, or even if I've made you laugh along the way. I have fulfilled my purpose in sharing it with you.

I have always been an open person. And will always be.

This is an intimate note to the sincere reader. This is a note from me to you. Not from a stranger on the other side of the screen writing to you. I am a human being, with a heart, and a soul. I am writing to share my experiences with you. 

And the sole purpose of this space is to reignite that side of us that is on the verge of extinction.

The side that gets side-tracked, stomped over, and forgotten.

What is it?

Humanity.

We, as humans, have lost the one thing that make us what we are. Our humanity. Our ability and capacity to love unconditionally. To see the light in others just as we see it within ourselves. To be transparent without fear of judgement. To be happy and carefree. To smile at the world and see it smiling back.

The ultimate purpose is to reignite your inner light. 

So that when you shine. The world around you mirror that light.

And the world will be as one.

Love.

What is your act of kindness for the day?

Here are some suggestions:

- Smile at a stranger
- Give a nice warm hug to someone you haven't seen in a long time
- Pick up garbage off the ground
- Offer a snack to a neighbour
- Call a family member/friend you haven't spoken to in a while

Or just..

Be Happy!

Because when you smile, the world smiles with you.

Today was the day Indira Ranamagar would be speaking at UTSC. I had marked this is in my agenda and permanently etched it in my brain. This was definitely not something I was going to miss. I worked my schedule around this one event.

I was prepared to go to the seminar, with my medium iced capp with whipped cream in hand, I was off.

I walked in at precisely 4:00PM, and Ms. Indira Ranamagar began speaking within seconds after my arrival.

She began by introducing herself and her background. She highlights that, although she went to school and graduated, that the majority of what she learnt was through experience.

She has been spearheading social work for over two decades and was inspired to help prisoners after learning about their plight through a famous poet. She started Prisoner's Assistance Nepal (PA Nepal), an NGO that houses and raises orphaned children and those of prisoners. She provides assistance to prisoners in Nepal and raises the children in an environment where they are taught about respect and responsibility. She is a true feminist to the bone as she challenges gender roles in raising the children by teaching the boys how to cook and clean and by showing the girls how to carve wood and by giving them the opportunity to mountain bike and parttake in sports. 

Furthermore, Indira challenges social rules of conduct when she speaks her mind in public and refuses to deny the fact that she is a divorced single woman with a 16-year-old daughter--which is frowned upon in Nepal. She replies, "people think I'm a bad girl, but I don't care. I like to be a bad girl".

She goes on to say, "If I was a good girl, I wouldn't have gotten this far. I wouldn't have done everything I've done".

And she makes a very good point. One that hit home.

***
This statement made me reflect on my own experience. Every action of defiance has brought me to where I am today. 

Choosing UTSC over McGill and explaining that move to my parents. And convincing them of it.

Taking the trip to Senegal--to much dismay of my parents, yet again--but I did it, and it made me a stronger person.

Going on the laughter yoga retreat in Muskoka that my parents were very much against.

The parallels here are that previous to these experiences, my parents were strongly in opposition. But afterward, they were boasting about my experience to friends and family.

And the truth is, if we don't fight for what we want. We won't get it. And being a 'bad girl' is pretty badass, don'tcha think?

***
For 45 minutes straight, my eyes were glued onto Indira. In awe and admiration. This woman is incredible. And her presence has a way of seeping into your soul and making you want to be a better human being.

She concludes by highlighting the most important ingredient, that being love.

"These children need love and attention. And we give them that", she says.

Once all the questions were answered and she returned to her seat, I looked down to find my untouched iced capp completely melted.

The past four months have been quite the learning experience for me. I've held two jobs, was laid off the former and left the latter to return to school. I've experience workplace politics, the inhumane side of business, have made new friends and left some old ones behind, I've been discriminated against as a Quebecer in my own province, I've fallen in love, I've pursued my passion for writing (with this blog and several Editorial positions), I've gained perspective into myself and have observed my reactions to situations in a way I haven't before. I've learnt how hard it is to make money, and how hard it is to save it. I've learnt that iced capps are addictive and that speeding and parking where you're not supposed to are expenses I can easily avoid by simply being responsible. 

I spent the summer driving around my dad's Intrepid that eats and farts gas like a chubby me used to gobble down chocolate cake as a kid (and still do, but to a lesser extent) and being fed by my mom and grams who cook all-day to satisfy my palate. I also learnt about the harsh realities of the value of a buck and how expensive life really is. I think I can finally say I empathize with my aunt whom I always thought was stingy beyond belief. Turns out, I've gained a bit of that stinginess, or how I like to call it, being thrift.

Being a die-hard feminist, optimist, activist, and someone who believes in the power of small gestures of kindness and save the world mentality, I found out that money plays a big part of the world we currently live in and that there isn't much money in the field of development. I've also realized that money runs our world. 

Quite literally.

Morals and ethics are stomped by cash. And so is our humanity. 

The truth is, at the end of the day, you are more likely to line your own pocket than to step out and make a change. And despite the crap I'm going to undoubtedly recieve for putting out such a blunt statement is because I've experienced it and it is the truth. It is much easier to give money to someone to do it for you than to do it yourself. 

And let's be honest, we all want to live a comfortable life. And how much are we willing to compromise for that? 

Nothing.

The rich want more, the average Joe works harder to become the rich man, and the ones living below the poverty line will work their whole lives just to stay alive. 

And the ones with nothing? 

Well, we all know the answer to that one.

Most of them die. Some cash in their karma points and receive aid from NGO's.

***

Growing up, my mother had instilled in me the idea of medicine and had brought me up in the hopes that I would follow that path. Until my 2nd year of CEGEP, that was an option for me. Until I discovered the wonderful, but not really, world of development that I instantly felt a great affinity to. After my trip to Senegal, I realized that I had a greater purpose. I didn't want to help 20-30 people a day as a medical doctor, I wanted to do more.

So I pursued International Development Studies at the University of Toronto in Scarborough and knew, rather thought, that my path was undoubtedly in development.

Until this summer.

I realized there was no money in development. And I wanted to live a comfortable life. This was enough to mindf*ck me, over and over again. I was like a lost puppy dog in a maze. 

I asked around. Spoke to some people. I always go to my inner self but, I had lost touch with myself this summer. So I decided to go to my mom. 

Over the years, the relationship between my mom and I has gotten much better. I seldom listen to her but turns out, she's right more times than I'd like to admit. She always remarks, "you do what you want but you always come back and say I was right!".

So I figured, this was the universe telling me to go ahead and listen to my mumster considering mama knows best. So I did. 

And the Medicine peptalk began.

She began with the fortune-teller's prediction upon my birth that I was going to become a "women's doctor", followed by another, and another. And how bright I am. And how much she knows I can accomplish. And blah blah blah.

I considered it. Quite seriously. Again. And again. But in the back of my mind, I knew this would partially settle my dilemma. The only issue being that I wanted to impact more people than I could in a full work day in a small office. 

So how could I do that?

***

I had my first class today and it was International Health Policy. I have been waiting for this class since last year. So much so that I bought the textbook at the beginning of last year in anticipation. 

I knew that if I were to pursue Medicine, I should pay full attention in this class. I also knew that I was a die hard feminist. And wanted to make it work somehow with the Health aspect.

And in she walked the answer to my dilemma. Professor Suzanna Sicchia, with more degrees to her name than anyone I had ever met was the answer I was so desperately looking for. She worked in Public Health with a focus on Women's Health.

THAT'S IT!

The pieces finally started to fit together.

She went on and on about her work with women and the politics of health and health care.

***
As a second-year co-op student, we were given an assignment to do over the summer. Much to my dismay after my post on defeating procrastination, I was still a victim to it. And in my defense, I cannot write unless I am inspired or have anything of value to say. Our mission was to research three organizations in international development that work within our areas of interest/focus. My current focus is on Gender/Health and Environmental Science. And the deeper I dive into development, the more I can add to that list. And for the assignment, we had to choose one.

Great.

So I started writing about the three I mentioned. 

Until my first class.

***

So now I was inspired. But there was still something missing.

I got home and was exhausted from the day. I changed into my PJ's, washed my face, had a Kit-Kat and watched the Season 1 finale of Suits. And then stumbled upon Beyonce's I was here.

And that changed everything.

It reinstilled in me the drive to make a change. I realized that I couldn't allow my experiences to alter my path despite it be the easier road. I did not want to conform to the rules of society (except when driving). I break the rules within my own home and found a way to work within the confines. So how could I have let those meaningful experiences alter my path?

I had to let those experiences make me stronger as a person, with thicker skin, and a cautious eye.

I am who I am.

The experiences and the dark moments of my life have always made me stronger and have made me into who I am today. I have never let any dark moment bring me down. And this is no exception.

The realities of life may revolve around having enough cash to stay afloat, but someone once told me to "do what you love and the money will come".

And as much as capitalism has hurt me, it also provides me with shelter and food. I will not allow the one thing that I kind-of, but not really, despise keep me from fulfilling my personal legacy.

I am Ganya. I am a tree-hugger. I am a feminist. I believe that a smile is enough to heal the world and that laughter will kindle the spirit. I will fight for the causes I hold close to heart. I believe in the children. 

I am Ganya.

And I was here.

I had changed my schedule for my last Thursday of work to accomodate my plans to meet up with some friends before I left for Toronto. I started at 10, had lunch at 12 and finished at 4. So by the time noon rolled around, I knew it was time for lunch, which I wasn't used to considering my usual lunch breaks were at 4PM.

I put myself on break, took off my headset, grabbed my lunchbag and walked out to have my lunch outside by the picnic tables. I walked out to find a dozen unfamiliar faces--as I had never left the office unless I was on break--and approached them with a smile on my face. There were two full tables on the left and an empty one on the right. I decided to join the table with one empty spot so I approached them with a smile and kindly asked, "You don't mind if I join you, do you?".

To that, the man opposite me with a full head of graying hair replied, "only if you keep quiet".

Taken aback, I let out a nervous laugh thinking it was a joke. I was already sitting down when I realized he wasn't joking. This was damn awkward. WTF. Seriously, what the F? I don't think I had ever been more uncomfortable than at that table. My 15 minute breaks that usually feel like 15 seconds was now starting to feel like 15 hours. The man was speaking to the rest of the table in his hardcore quebecois accent in french. I would occassionally try smiling at the man or the woman but they both blankly glared at me in return. I turned away looking at the clouds wondering what on Earth was up their butts. I finished my lunch as quickly as I could and stood up, "enjoy your lunch", I said as I walked off.

I was still in shock. 

I came back to my desk and told my supervisor of my traumatizing experience with the quebecois French. I am a quebecoise, born and raised in Quebec, speak fluent French, and have never in my 20 years experienced discrimination like that. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise considering Marois' victory in the provincial elections. Lindsay--my supervisor--had a laugh at my experience. He told me to fill up my bathtub with water and salt. And to sit in it.

Just as he finished this, Neil--a coworker of mine--was walking out for his lunchbreak and responded to a joke to another fellow co-worker with, "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me".

And Lindsay nodded to that.