The cycle of life

So, I've taken a little break from writing my blog. Not for any particular reason, I'm not too busy, interesting stuff has been happening and I have a few half written pieces, I just haven't posted any of them. Perhaps it is because I think that I finally realise that I have an audience in my blog. You are reading this. Why?

I've been very honest in my posts in the past and it occurs to me that perhaps it is wise to be careful about what I post. So I started to think about it, maybe a little too much, and my writing began to turn from the spontaneous outpouring of my thoughts and feelings, to this structured piece of literature which lost some of its essence.

Sack it.

C. A. R.
It all started last Tuesday when I went to hear the former prime minister of the Central African Republic speak at the Oxford University Strategic Studies Society meeting. I have made the concious decision to go along to more non-business school events happening at the University this term and I hope that this was the first of many. HE Martin Ziguele was a well spoken, well educated African man who spoke about the percieved injusticies which have taken place around the democratic process in his country and the lack of media attention that the country has had from the rest of the world.

"No one even knows who we are"

he says, as he calls for greater international involvement and help for a country which is slipping further and further into chaos and ruin.

Chatham House Rule
We then had a lively discussion about the country and the international response under the Chatham House Rule. I wasn't quite sure exactly what it meant however when I looked it up, it really made me think... it states:

"When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed"

Interesting, you could look at the pros and cons of such a rule - it provides information for the "haves" and enables them to succeed in ways that is not accessible to others or it is a useful tool which encourages the free debate of an idea without the fear of it coming back to bite you at a later date.

Week 1
is over, and I still cannot believe that I am in my final term of classes here. We keep speaking about it, commenting that we've only just started, how can it be that it will soon be over? I won't be the only person who will be sad to part ways with such a great bunch of incredible people. One thing is sure, when we leave this place, everyone on the course will go on to great things.

May Day
I completely missed this great Oxford tradition. I heard it was pretty cool though. Hey ho.