SoJ Web Report | April 20, 2009
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| Courtesy photo |
| Sophomore Courtney Miller explored the markets in Dubai while visiting for the Education Without Borders conference. She was one of 36 presenters at the event, which brings together students and scholars to brainstorm solutions for global issues. |
MultimediaRelated |
At the Education Without Borders conference, hers was one of only six multimedia presentations among 36 finalists on the schedule. (Read the full story.)
Here, Miller writes about the experience:
My 15 minutes of fame
By Courtney MillerMarch 29-April 1
Arriving:
It was 3:30 a.m. and I was lying down for the first time in days. Twenty hours of travel is draining, but I was wide-awake. In the morning I would begin my adventures in Dubai, the world’s playground. I was anxious, nervous and most of all excited. If you told me a month ago I would be here, I would have laughed in your face. I never thought a short film I created my freshman year in college could take me so far.
This exceeds all my expectations. The buildings are more elaborate than the pictures, the food more exquisite, and the people more interesting. This conference is going to change my life. I can feel it.
Adventuring:
We had one day to explore before the conference began, and we went to the mall. Half the city is under construction. This was our best bet to see what makes Dubai famous. Now, I know. The infrastructure is extraordinary, and the detailed architecture screams wealth. Dubai is one of the most extravagant cities I have ever visited.
It did not take long for the mall to overwhelm us. It was far too big. We left in search of a more cultural experience. Our next stop was the Gold Souk. It is one of many markets in Dubai. With my blonde hair and puzzled expression, I obviously was a tourist. I attracted the vendors like a flower to bees. Luckily, my new friend from the conference, Pawel, is Arabic and could get us where we wanted to go.
The bright colors of authentic, hand-made pashminas and stores filled with gold and jewels made me think I was Aladdin in the Cave of Wonders. We were feeling adventurous and decided to make our own route. We traveled through questionable, run-down alleys and found ourselves in the midst of the spice market. I tasted Arabic chocolate, fresh cashews and dried cranberries.
We returned to the hotel after our visit to the market and met the other presenters for the conference. There were 36 students total, from six continents, joined together to propose different ways to solve the world’s greatest problems.
It was refreshing to talk to students whose interests are similar to mine. My passion strengthened, and I was further convinced that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I was living out of a suitcase, staying in one of the most majestic cities in the world, with students from all over the world, and I was completely in my element.
The conference:
What do I want to be remembered for? At a conference like this, I expected to gain some perspective. Now, I am asked what I want to be remembered for, and I cannot come up with a decent answer.
It’s the first official day of the conference. I am beginning to realize just how prestigious it really is. People like the ex-president of India, A. P. J Abdul Kalam, and the chief executive of Rolls Royce, Sir John Rose, are here to speak to us. I am impressed, and I’m thinking to myself, “What do I have to offer?”
The people here are proposing ideas from every angle you could imagine, such as global solutions and economic recovery, a sustainable future for the planet, and the role of education in meeting global challenges. It was inspiring to meet so many proactive students with such different aspirations but one resonating vision. I just did not see similarities between the majority and me.
There were six multimedia presenters at the conference, and I was one of them. The others were graduate students or getting their doctorates, strictly academic. My presentation was not a research paper that studied why the economy crashed. It was not a proposal on how to reduce our carbon footprint. It was an informal, inspirational speech, like at a graduation. It discussed why we were all there in the first place. Then it was over – my 15 minutes of fame.
Afterward:
It started like a ripple. At first it was small, but as time passed it got bigger and bigger. People came up to me to talk about my presentation. By the end of the conference, people who did not even see it said they had heard it was great. They congratulated me and thanked me for offering something different and entertaining.
Some were mainly interested in the service work I did in South Africa. Others wanted to know what my next project would be, if I might want to work with their organizations. This is exactly the response I wanted. My name was out there and it was for something I could be proud of.
This was one of the first times I felt like I knew how to contribute to this social movement. I am not a future politician, nor am I a future economist. I have something, something unique that many people need. I have the skills and resources to help people tell their stories and raise awareness. For social entrepreneurs, a messenger is exactly what is needed to promote projects and spread the word. As a documentary filmmaker, I can fill this void.
I want to be remembered as someone who despite her flaws and limitations overcame obstacles to fight for human rights. Consider this the beginning of a long journey. Consider this my debut.
