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zvaigzdelasas · 11 months

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“How did we lose to China in Indonesia!?”

This is the question being worriedly debated in government offices and executive suites throughout Japan. [...]

Japan’s project plan called for a five year construction period, including a full one year trial operation period. If construction were to start in 2018 the line would be ready to take passengers in 2023. Total cost would be some Rupiah 64 trillion (JPY 534.6 billion, or $4.5 billion). The Japanese government operating through JICA (the Japanese International Cooperation Agency) would finance 75% of the cost with a 0.1% long term yen loan (terms and conditions in conformity with international convention for concessionary financing). The remaining 25% would have to be raised by the Indonesian government and private enterprises. Importantly, Japan’s concessionary loan would--in accordance with international conventions for official government lending--require an Indonesian government guarantee. Then, in October 2014, as the Japanese agencies and companies prepared for the project, something happened in Indonesia: the swearing in as president of Joko Widoko. Campaigning for office Joko had called for greater infrastructure investment, and it was taken for granted that he was a supporter of the Java high speed rail project. However, Joko had campaigned as a “man of the people” whose priority would be improving welfare for Indonesia’s common and rural people over the more affluent people in the big cities.[...]

on March 26, Joko visited Beijing and met Chinese president Xi Jinping. Xi publicly announced support for the Indonesian high speed project and the two governments signed a memorandum specifying China’s interest in the Jakarta-Bandung line. Well before the Joko-Xi meeting China had entered competition for the project. China’s proposal was for a total project cost of Rupiah 74 trillion (JPY 618.2 billion, $5.2 billion). The cost was higher than Japan’s, but China committed to financing the entire amount at an interest rate of 2%. Moreover, the project would be completed in three years--meaning taking passengers in 2018 [lol]. [...]

That China was awarded the project and Japan rejected seems to owe mainly to China’s willingness to accept the financial risk of the project (i.e., to forego an Indonesian government guarantee and also, thereby, possibly to finesse international ODA norms) and of Japan’s inability or unwillingness to do so. The Toyo Keizei piece makes the point that such projects’ risks are not small. Taiwan is an example. Taiwan’s high-speed rail line enjoys relatively heavy business passenger traffic, which allows relatively expensive ticket prices. But the high prices seem to have discouraged non-business passengers, such that ridership numbers have fallen short of forecasts and revenues have proven insufficient to cover debt service requirements. Compared with Taiwan, Indonesia is a very poor country. Given that business traffic will be relatively limited, ticket prices will have to be set low to be affordable for average citizens (and to avoid political backlash). Generating sufficient cash flow for debt service looks like a formidable challenge. That China is willing to take the risk speaks volumes about how China views infrastructure aid in the Asian region. According to press reports China sweetened its offer in other ways as well, including committing to establish a joint venture with Indonesian firms to produce rolling stock for high-speed rail, electric rail, light rail systems, not only for Indonesia, but also for export to other Asian countries; to transfer related technology [!!]; and also to renovate and rebuild train stations.

2015

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jordanianroyals · 10 months

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31 May 2023: A ceremony announcing the establishment of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association was held under the patronage of Prince Hassan.

The event was attended by Princess Sarvath Al Hassan, Princess Sumaya, Princess Wijdan, Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Japan, as well as Sasaki Mikiyo, the President of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association.

In his speech, Prince Hassn emphasised the importance of the historical and deep-rooted Jordanian-Japanese relations, which are based on mutual respect. Prince Hassan called for expanding cooperation between East Asia and West Asia.

He highlighted the significance of the association’s role in building and strengthening relations in various fields, emphasising the role of culture in empowering and supporting relations between nations. (Source: Jordan Times)

Furthermore, His Royal Highness stressed the importance of business, science, and culture in building commonalities and enhancing peace, emphasising the need to develop a comprehensive cultural commitment based on dialogue and appreciation for cultural diversity.

His Royal Highness also called for the establishment of a regional knowledge system to share “absolute truths” for regional development, empowerment and individual advancement.

Princess Takamado delivered a speech in which she emphasised the significance of the distinguished relations between Jordan and Japan, which have been strengthened by His Majesty King Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania and HRH Crown Prince Hussein’s recent visits to Japan.

Princess Takamado pointed out that His Majesty King Abdallah has made several visits to Japan, reflecting the exceptional relations between the two countries.

Princess Takamado underscored the importance of Jordan’s role in the region in achieving peace and stability.

Princess Takamado characterised the establishment of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association as “a significant step in the history of relations”, urging all to take the initiative and support bilateral relations as they approach their 70th anniversary next year.

“Today’s celebration of the enduring friendship, which began nearly 70 years ago, marks the beginning of a new era in the history of relations based on mutual respect,” Mazen Darwazeh, the President of the Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association, said during his remarks.

Darwazeh pointed out that His Majesty King Abdullah attaches importance to the existing partnership between Jordan and Japan, based on the cultural exchanges shared between both countries during His Majesty’s visit to Japan last month.

Darwazeh stressed the importance of expanding relations with Japan at all levels.

Japanese Ambassador to Jordan Okuyama Jiro outlined Japan’s role in supporting development in Jordan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The ambassador stressed the significance of the Friendship Association in supporting and strengthening relations between Jordan and Japan.

Shefa’a Zghoul, the executive director of the association, presented the association’s plans to expand cooperation and establish more channels of communication with the Japanese community in various fields.

During the ceremony, HRH Prince Hassan and Their Imperial Highnesses were honoured, along with several contributors to the construction and strengthening of Jordanian-Japanese relations, in recognition of their efforts in this context.

The Jordanian-Japanese Friendship Association aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries and strengthen relations in academic, cultural, and economic endeavours.

#Prince Hassan #Princess Sarvath #princess sumaya #japanese imperial family

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acehcouncil · 2 years

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Key Considerations When Giving Humanitarian Aid

January 10, 2004 | 00:00 AM

People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia

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A BILL TO FUND RECONSTRUCTION AND REHABITATION EFFORTS IN ACEH PROVINCE

PREAMBLE

The Indian Ocean tsunami devastated coastal towns and communities, with Aceh alone bearing almost half of the total damage and losses worldwide.

Thousands of buildings in the coastal province of Aceh were washed away, while urban infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water supply, and telecommunication and public services such as education, health and public transportation were greatly compromised.

Political conflicts between Aceh’s militant leaders and the Indonesian Government has crippled the social and economic fabric of the province, greatly affecting the ability of the Acehnese to earn their livelihoods as farmers prior to the disaster.

Investment as a share of GDP is only 7% in Aceh Province, a percentage well below levels in the rest of Indonesia and neighbouring countries in the region.

Some preliminary assessment of damages estimate several billion USD to be necessary to reconstruct Aceh, with a more detailed Master Plan in the works for a more specific cost breakdown.

Therefore, it is essential that monetary aid from domestic resources, donor contributions and voluntary contributions, channelled through Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), be offered to Aceh to rebuild its infrastructure, and a peacekeeping treaty be signed by the incumbent political leader of Aceh and the Indonesian Government.

However, rapid decentralisation in Indonesia caused the shift of financial resources to local government levels, while financial management systems are yet to be adequately developed to cope with devolved fiscal arrangements.

SECTION 1

Aceh’s buildings a nd infrastructure that has been reduced to rubble requires urgent repair and rebuilding,

An urban reconstruction plan to build a city that is protected from future tsunamis must begin, helmed by the National Development Planning Agency, Indonesia (BAPPENAS),

Calls for financial aid and support from overseas organisations such as but not limited to the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) for the formulation of such a plan,

Mitigation of civil conflict will further sap Aceh’s financial reserves;

Hence, international organisations need to be enlisted to improve the access to the areas affected by the tsunami and the conflict, improve the living environment for local communities by rehabilitating roads and urban drainage infrastructures, to a level that exceeds pre-disaster and conflict conditions;

This will contribute to promoting local economic growth as well as making further progress in the process of a peace treaty coming into effect;

Proposes collection of funding from NGOs through a Multi-Donor Trust Fund established by the World Bank,

In accordance to the Government’s reconstruction and recovery efforts, the trust fund is intended to pool donor contributions to provide assistance for Government programmes;

Such a fund minimises transparent administration costs and provides a coherent framework through which contributing agencies can ensure that their financial contributions are meeting the needs of the Government’s reconstruction agenda;

This also allows for direct response to guidance from a committee of advisors that must be established;

SECTION 2

Recognising the need for stimulation of the local economy, and Aceh’s semi-autonomous standing, recommends that development beyond infrastructure, such as but not limited to livelihoods of Acehnese, be handed over to local volunteer organisations and political leaders,

Acehnese NGOs that are currently run on a predominantly voluntary basis will need to receive funding and assistance from foreign aid agencies;

Aceh’s war time economy requires bolstering beyond that in an ordinary tsunami reconstruction response, with its people requiring humanitarian aid and grants in order to begin businesses and grow an organic economy that can sustain Aceh after the recovery period that provides Aceh with funding from the Government and external organisations.

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fin-markets · 2 years

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Bangladesh's Economic Crisis

The seriousness of the situation is confirmed by the IMF's willingness to support Bangladesh's request for a $4.5 Billion bailout package over the next three years. Although the government of Bangladesh claims that a request for Budget Support is a preemptive measure and the economy is not in trouble, this cannot be farther from truth. The government also claims that the country will weather a growing trade deficit, shrinking foreign reserve, record-high inflation, and the daily depreciation of the national currency. Apart from the 1 billion dollar loan from IMF, the government has also secured a whopping 2.5 billion in loans from other multilateral organizations and donor nations, such as the such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), just this year.

Over the past 3 years, the government has taken loans amounting to $5.8 billion from various multilateral agencies. Dhaka received 732 million dollars from the IMF as a balance of payment support and 1.4 billion dollars from the World Bank to implement the countrywide vaccination program. It also obtained sixty-one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the US, free of cost.

It can be inferred from this information that, considering the significant support from various sources, the fallout from the pandemic should have been addressed in the past year, and that the government has been taking loans in recent years despite claims of robust economic recovery.

After Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Bangladesh is the third country in the region that knocked on the IMF's door in the recent months. We'll discuss the reasons that led to this situation in my next blog.

~Lakshya Kapoor

#finance #business #trade #companies #economy #banking #corporate #financial markets #investment banking

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railwaysupply · 4 days

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#Supplyofrailwayrails #Ukrzaliznytsia

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zeinabragab · 17 days

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Discovering the Wonders: A Historical Development for the Grand Egyptian Museum

Standfirst - One of the worlds most expensive archaeological museum The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) or Gisa Museum ensures for providing magical experience in preparations of the grand opening. More than 100 000 artifacts representing the historical background of Egypt have been designed in a magical style associated with ancient kings to be housed within the premises of this building. People are waiting back to the late 2002 the Grand Egyptian Museum the opining after Egyptian government announcement a global competition of budling the biggest museum and its purpose of creating this museum is display some of the rarest ancient antiquities in Egypt. Who is responsible for the development of for the Grand Egyptian Museum, why has it taken so long to come to develop it, what makes it unique, where its located, and when will that be? The Grand Egyptian Museum is located near the Giza pyramids and has a strategic location that overlooks the famous attractions that have awed tourists over time.The political instability in Egypt 2011 Arab Spring was one of the reasons of delaying the opining of the Grand Egyptian Museum. In 2008 global financial crisis in Egypt effected funding for the project this also did caused delays in development. Additional COVID-19 pandemic which affected logistics and slowed down the installation of the large collection of artifacts. The Grand Egyptian Museum is an effort that includes partnership between the Egyptian government and a number of international organizations including the UNESCO and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which provided technical and financial support. More than 12 years building the museum it will open in mid-2024 but it offers limited tours.

Grand Hall welcomes visitors upon entering the Grand Egyptian Museum with massive sculptures and hieroglyphics that send you a trip back in the time. It includes 100,000 artifacts, 3,500 of which belongs to the golden king Tutankhamun crafted jewelry, and other personal belongings that will be shown for the first time. The total land area of the museum equal to 490,000 square meters. The Grand Staircase its around 6,500 square meters helps leading the visitors to galleries that explore many subjects including art, religion, and everyday life. It’s divided to four sections for example in the first section about how the pharos portrays themselves. The Grand Egyptian Museum it’s not only a museum there is commercial areas will you find boutiques, cafés, and souvenir shops but also it promotes direct contact with international museum. The plans for this museum include a children’s museum, conference facilities, training facilities, and studios that display the ancient Pharaonic complexes. The outdoors gardens offer a peaceful feeling because of the number of the colorful plants you will feel like a relaxing haven. To conclude entering the Grand Egyptian Museum its more than it just a building it’s a symbol of the future in Egypt. Guests may travel across time and interact with the ancient ancestors it helps us to discover, educate ourselves, and marvel that have lasted for ages.

Aya Hussein

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coopsday · 3 months

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Local communities learn about the cooperative model in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The ILO organized training workshops for district officers, vocational teachers and students and cooperative members in Attapeu province, Lao PDR utilizing its Think.COOP and Start.COOP packages.

Three workshops using ILO’s training tools, Think.COOP and Start.COOP, were held in Attapeu Province on 29 February and 1 March 2024, by the ILO in collaboration with COOP Okinawa, Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF) and Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU).

Around 75 participants from the Attapeu Department of Industry and Commerce, vocational training educators and students, and members of Lao’s rice whiskey producing cooperative Lao-Lao took part in the workshop. Representatives from JICA Laos and Okinawa also joined as observers. The training sessions used select modules of Think.COOP and Start.COOP tools to help participants learn about the benefits of collective action, principles of cooperatives and rights and responsibilities of cooperative members.

Ms. Heejin Ahn, Technical Officer in ILO Bangkok stated in her presentation that ILO is the only specialized agency of the United Nations with an explicit mandate on cooperatives. Ms. Ahn gave an overview of ILO’s support for cooperative policy development, where over 100 countries have used the Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No. 193) to develop and revise cooperative policies and laws. Ms. Ahn also provided an overview of the Our.COOP tools, including Think.Coop, and Start.Coop, developed for people interested in setting up, launching, or joining a cooperative.

Mr. Ishihara from COOP Okinawa quoted the origins of the cooperative idea in Lao PDR as “If you share it, there will be more; if you compete for it, it will never be enough”. An official of the Attapeu Department of Industry and Commerce noted that “This training helped me put into words what I have been practicing all along. Now I can share this knowledge with others.”

Participants visited the cooperative’s production facility of the Lao-Lao (Lao’s rice whiskey) in Xai Village, Attapeu Province. The ILO will continue raising awareness and strengthen cooperative development by conducting trainings using Our.COOP tool with COOP Okinawa, JILAF and LFTU.

The training was conducted jointly by two projects; ILO’s Building Youth Capacity and Network in Asia-Pacific project, which aims to empower 50,000 youth and vulnerable people using sustainable, scalable and impactful training tools in countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Lao PDR; and COOP Okinawa’s Project which aims to support the establishment of cooperatives in Attapeu Province. Both projects are funded by the Government of Japan.

#cooperative model #laos #Think.COOP #Start.COOP #awareness raising package #training of trainers #cooperative training programmes #Youth Capacity #ilo asia pacific #Japan International Labour Foundation (JILAF)#Lao Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU)#cooperative development

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memorylang · 2 months

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Thanksgiving and Chinggis Khaan’s Birthday | #67 | November 2022

This holiday double-feature takes us through the collaboration between the Peace Corps, KOICA and JICA, development agencies of the U.S., Korea and Japan, respectively. Following the project, I continue with the next day’s stories, as networks grew and relationships built. We also saw an opera for Chinggis Khaan’s birthday! So that was exciting. From these, we reach the beginning of Advent.

Chinggis Khaan’s Birthday

On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, I joined a group of about a dozen of our Peace Corps Trainees on a trip out of town, to a modern ger camp in Terelj. Our journey began before dawn, in the cold outside the pink Socialist-era Drama Theatre. The temperature was -25°C (-13°F). A bus would collect us from outside the green Grand Irish Pub.

While we waited, we had a chance to warm up inside the office of KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency). Their organization had sponsored the mentoring project for youths living in the Chingeltei District of Ulaanbaatar (UB). I recalled having just been in Chingeltei earlier that week for school visits that Monday. The joint project with us Peace Corps Volunteers was to “provide opportunities for cultural exchange with other countries for underprivileged youth, [...] promote KOICA in relation to the resumption of the dispatch of KOICA volunteers in Mongolia and raise positive awareness of volunteer activities.”

The students would have the day off because Mongolia observes Chinggis Khaan’s birthday as a national holiday. It’s been celebrated since 2OI2 according to the lunar calendar on the first day of the first winter month. It typically lands around American Thanksgiving, celebrated on November’s fourth Thursday. That said, they don’t always align.

After the wait, we PCVs hopped aboard the coach bus with KOICA staff for the journey. Along the way, my M3I friend Rowan and I got to talk to KOICA staff, whose roles were equivalent to our American Peace Corps staff. I enjoyed meeting fellow development workers and hearing their perspectives on life in Mongolia from Korea. To my surprise, they had plenty of opportunities to speak Korean because so many Mongols study the language!

Along the ride from the city center, the windows frosted over as they tend to. We used the practice of taking a credit card or ID to the window to scrape aside such frost to see out. After leaving the city, driving east, we eventually descended a large, winding hill past an ovoo and crossed a bridge. I’d often treat this area as the entrance into Terelj, though it wasn’t a formal one.

An International Holiday Venue

We arrived to the Terelj site. After everyone had disembarked, we got a group photo of all the volunteers. Then we ascended the hill and steps to enter a massive ger-shaped building.

The buildling remind me of the dining hall in Chinggisiin Khuree, where my Peace Corps cohort and I had first arrived in Mongolia. In this building though, we PCVs were setting up among folks from many nations. International Volunteer Day was coming up, too, on December 5. KOICA brought in us Peace Corps folks alongside JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to make the day.

A Peace Corps staff member came to help with language facilitation. It was the recent Mongolian instructor of M3O Eric and me, Sumya! Sumya mentioned to us how the cloud-like decorations hanging above us were like those of her childhood in preparation for New Year’s, decorated much like Christmas from the socialist period onward. It was nice to have context behind the light blue and white crafted puffs above us.

Shortly after we arrived, our groups from the U.S., Korea, Japan and Mongolia together received matching grey KOICA hoodies. KOICA always had that drip, I remembered from IST 2OI9. So cool to be part of the action, too! Then I wandered the floor to meet folks and help out. It turns out Eric and I weren’t alone among evacuated returned volunteers, either. An older JICA gentleman was among us!

Day of Service

Before long, the children who’d participate arrived. The table group with which I was paired had a kind JICA nurse, a bubbly KOICA volunteer and half a dozen adorable kids. It turns out that the KOICA in our group was the same eager gal who’d served me hot cocoa shortly after I arrived. It was “No Brand,” the same simple yellow products I saw throughout the huge Emart. Eventually I’d adjust to the fact that Emart is a Korean chain with Korean brands.

I enjoyed how despite just meeting my fellow volunteers, we worked together to bring joy to the kids. At some points, since the JICA volunteer only knew Japanese and Mongolian, she would say something to me in Mongolian that I would then translate to our KOICA volunteer in English. Fun teamwork!

Each delegation had something to present. The JICA volunteers taught us to fold origami sumos then how to make them do battle. After demarcating the ‘ring,’ competitors simply tap their fingers against the surface to cause their combatants to waddle at each other. The fight reminded me of how Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots seem to fight. The KOICA volunteers taught us to make weighted hacky-sacks from paper, stones and rubber bands.

We Americans hosted a little dance party amid our regional presentations, including my bit about the Southwest. The Northeastern presentations reminded me of Boston, the Red Sox and New York, too. We Americans really pumped out the energy! Our colleagues complimented me and my friends for our moves. It was a good vibe!

Around lunchtime, we enjoyed a tasty meal like those of Terelj’s Red Rock Resort, where my fellow PCVs and I had IST 2OI9. Afterward, our groups headed outside into the snow for a photo competition. My co-volunteers were much more creative than me with staging cool squad poses. Nonetheless, I enjoyed our gleeful grins. Our team hadn’t won the prize this year, but we’d won the joy of a good day.

Before the event’s end, students heard motivational life advice from a presenter who walked people through the past decade or so of autobiography and testimonials. I hope the presentation helped kids to see some directions where they could go in life. As for us volunteers, we got to know each other better and resolved to hang out sometime. It was a good day.

I don’t recall much from the bus ride back probably because I was asleep. I needed that. We rode back from Terelj across the bridge, back up the winding hill and surely hours later back into downtown UB. Traffic was as rough as usual, but at least we had each other.

Thanksgiving 2O22

Unlike my last Peace Corps Thanksgiving, during which staff had sent all our sites turkeys, we celebrated in UB this year. That evening, we Peace Corps folks reconvened at the Star’s community center, where we’d celebrated Hallowe’en. Since we were all in UB, staff had generously chosen to throw us a Thanksgiving dinner alongside a committee of Trainees. They gave us good vibes!

We each received cool standing nametags welcoming us to the event and noting where to sit. Those of us from the KOICA event still had our hoodies, easily identifying us. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with the new Trainees since M3O Eric and I had split off to resume our service.

While there wasn’t turkey, the chicken equivalent was great. And my, the pies were wonderful! At the night’s end, Peace Corps staff sent us home with plenty of trays of leftovers. So nice to have salads, too.

Fourth Peace Corps Anniversary

The next day was Black Friday 2O22 and thus marked the fourth anniversary since in 2OI8 when I accepted my invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. Admittedly I hadn’t expected much to occur. I had a meeting scheduled with my local children’s speaking club counterpart, a Mongolian language lesson with my tutor and a sports evening then show afterward. Yet the day had surprises in store!

My counterpart from the children’s speaking club indeed came to visit my office to co-plan our afternoon’s session. When we were walking from the library after that club session, we chatted a bit. At some point she slipped into Mongolian, and we chatted about my trip to Övörhangai. (She was from its neighboring Arhangai.) She also asked if I’d seen “Wakanda.” I felt amused. I felt like she asked me if I’d seen a country. I’m used to calling the film “Black Panther,” though that was indeed “Wakanda Forever.” I saw it, yeah—highly recommend.

Afterward, I headed to my language lesson in the tower west of the Square. Afterward, my tutor Adonis helped me to find where I could get my first UB haircut. (After I’d moved to Erdenet, fall 2OI9, I simply got my cuts done by a community member after my first barber visit.) We’d mentioned the word “paradise,” which I remembered from Sunday translates to “divaajin.” It sounded to me like the word “divine!”

The haircut cost more than my friend foretold, but he helped pick up the difference. Afterward, I continued on from there to visit the nearby Secondary School #21. The department of education was having our sports night. So my friend pointed me in the right direction.

Unexpected

When I reached the school, a young woman who seemed to be the designated door guard asked something like, “Хашаа агаа?” when I approached. I fumbled through some words to explain I came to play sports with my colleagues. I also mimed bumping a volleyball. “Өө, заал, гэх юм уу?” she replied. Yup, that where I was trying to remember. Anyway, she let me by.

I reached the gym without issue. Then I found my colleages weren’t there. So I sent a photo in our English group chat to confirm I showed up. I also implied I got a haircut, hehe. I checked my other messages while I waited and felt pleased to see an Honors College Student Council officer offered to fill my Community Advisory Board’s secretary vacancy. That left me hopeful! Still, it seemed like my colleagues weren’t coming to the gym that night.

On a grim note, I also read the news that our cohort’s first Early Termination (ET) would occur. ETs always feel painful, for they mean the loss of a Peace Corps community member. I thought about this for some time on my walk home. I returned to my apartment for a nap.

Adventure

I awoke to “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson, followed not long after by “Sunday Morning” (Maroon 5) and “Stardust” (New Politics) as I got ready. Turns out the person I was supposed to meet ahead of the night’s event came early to the restaurant where we’d meet. So, leaving behind my backpack and armoring up with my coat for -17°C (1°F), I bolted from the apartment.

The eager KOICA intern with whom I served the kids on Chinggis Khaan’s birthday had invited me to come to see a concert with her at the cool Fat Cat Jazz Club. The headliner was Carole Alston, an American. So we’d grab dinner before the show. That was the plan.

Rushing down streets against the clock, I felt as though the male lead of some drama. I pictured a scene of having to catch someone before that person catches a train, perhaps never to be seen again. I hustled. I skipped across the broken sidewalks and navigated past even a great mound of dirt across a sidestreet.

On the run, I saw pleasantly that the sidewalk ice cleared by local workers had largely melted. Still, I recalled that Safety & Security emailed us colder weather was coming. (Earlier that day, I felt surprised that we hadn’t gotten emails about such things until that very day we got such an email.)

Arrival

By the time I arrived, my friend and I found that apparently the café closed early that evening. So we would try elsewhere. Apparently her apartment was nearby. Its interior reminded me of the digs an undergrad in nice parts of America might have. The direct nighttime view of Sukhbaatar Square was phenomenal.

Hanging out for a bit, my friend treated me to homemade Korean foods I hadn't had before. They were cute and so good. The intern mentioned she too came from a comms background. I shared some about my recent time in New York, as I'd shared in my blog earlier that day. I feel a bit bashful that she said she’d already read it, given that not even 24 hours had passed since I shared it. Still, I feel grateful that someone had read it.

We chatted a little about churches, too. She mentioned attending a Korean one sometimes! Adonis had mentioned Korean churches when I was first in Mongolia, but I never had a chance to visit one. An outing to one would be a future adventure, then.

Jazz

We stepped underground into the brick jazz club. I felt surprised to see KOICA staff members with whom I’d been chatting within the past 24 hours. People who were strangers no less than a day before were fellow concert-goers. Their table was too small for the two of us to join, though, so we retreated to a high table along the back wall.

The concert kicked off with the tune “Route 66.” Music brings back memories. The tune mentioned such places as St. Louis, where I was during my last month in America. The performances also reminded me of a few more experiences. I remembered watching the evening performance of my professor of the MUS 122R honors survey of jazz class. I’d taken that during my first semester of college, fall 2OI5. I even remembered that pandemic experience when my fraternity brothers and I took a friend out to midtown Reno jazz bars. That marked his belated 21st birthday and my belated 24th, a couple nights after our shared day, July 6, 2O2I.

My friend ordered a cherry Coca-Cola to share between us. We got these quaint little jar-looking cups with bright plastic straws. Pop tasted sweet. I liked it. I didn’t feel like ordering anything else. She was so generous. I’d pick up our bill.

As the jazz night progressed, I remembered too scenes from “La La Land,” that favorite film of mine. I considered how quite a lot of its plot happened during concerts in jazz clubs like this one. I felt glad to experience another part of that “La La Land” tour from—to my surprise—a year and a half before. The film captured the intimacy of such spaces well.

Next Quest

During the intermission, a friend from KOICA staff came by our table and said hi. She was surprised to find out I’m Christian, since I remember on the bus we talked about Christian roots. My name’s “Daniel” after all. I guess I hadn’t brought up my personal story.

The person I sat with mentioned I would be joining her at the Korean church in a couple days. The staff member, amazed, and said something to her in Korean. Their nonverbals gave me the impression she said something joking, like that my pal was recruiting me into her community when I didn’t speak Korean. Plenty of people in Mongolia had encouraged me to study Korean, anyway.

The waiters came by at some point to announce the last call for drinks. Like the last call for food, we said we were fine. Indeed we were. We kept chatting after the show till the venue’s closing.

During our stroll back in the cold outside, I recognized the great mound of dirt I’d skirted by earlier and realized that I’d hustled right past this place on my way to the nearby café. We joked that I could run home to stay warm. But I opted instead for the brisk walk. One dash across town was enough for the night!

As I walked home, I remembered how my dad would often do as I did, picking up the bill. He did that especially in front of my stepmom unless she snatched the bill first. I felt glad I could do something in thanks for the fun time that Friday night.

Advent of Advent

The next day, Saturday, November 26, I came by the cathedral again for choir practice and the Mass. After I sang with the music ministry, a younger participant said, “гал, гал.” It translates literally to “fire, fire,” or, as I would say, “lit, lit.” I felt touched by their praise.

My peers complimented me too on, “Christ, Be Our Light,” even though I kicked myself a little for my harmony fading during the refrain’s back half. Still, I felt glad too to get to sing Mongolian Mass parts during the children’s service. Singing really was a great way to practice languages.

After Mass, I reunited with the Peace Corps Trainees downtown for an evening at the opera. Our Trainee Chris W. found a show commemorating Chinggis Khaan’s Birthday. We headed into the large performing arts building east of the Square. We watched from a great vantage on the theatre’s second floor. Chris also commented on the Soviet style of the theatre. His experiences in Russia sure feel cool to hear.

Chinggis Khaan in Opera

We witnessed an epic retelling of Temüjin’s journey to become Chinggis Khaan. I felt especially impressed by the opera’s dramatization of Temüjin’s loving mother, his captive wife and the rift between him and his blood brother Jamukh. I felt chills from the solo performances of the woman who portrayed Temüjin’s mother Hö’elün. I felt that she really captured a mother's love for her son.

I felt the most emotional from the final performance by the man who portrayed Jamukh, Temüjin’s friend. The way the singer as Jamukh compared his life to Temüjin’s left me feeling heartbroken to recognize that Jamukh’s betrayal of Temüjin was imminent. Temüjin ultimately had to overcome Jamukh to become Chinggis Khaan. The actors depicted them impressively.

With the show entirely in Mongolian, it led me to considerably practice my listening skills. Peculiarly, I noticed that Temüjin’s father’s name sounded an awful lot like the Mongolian name for “Jesus.” Есүхэй sounds close to Есүс. But that was just a coincidence. Yesükhei didn’t have much to do with Yesüs. Anyway, the show, in its marvelous performances, stage and costumes, increased my interest in the life of Chinggis Khaan and led me to read more about him that night. I love great performances. Anyway, the next morning would kick off Advent 2O22.

You can read more from me here at memoryLang.tumblr.com :)

#Peace Corps #Mongolia #memoir #story #Catholic #God #memoryLang #USA #jazz #church #Asia #KOICA #Thanksgiving #Korean #music #UB #Chinggis Khaan #travel #winter #Ulaanbaatar

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konradnews · 2 months

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Grant Aid Agreement Signed for Indonesia: Contributing to Maritime Safety in Indonesian Waters through the Maintenance of Patrol Vessels ｜ News & Media

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Grant Agreement (G/A) with the Government of the Republic of Indonesia on March 22 in Jakarta, the capital of the Republic of Indonesia, for a grant of up to 9,053 million yen for the “Coast Guard Capacity Enhancement Project. This project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Indonesian Coast Guard Organization to swiftly and…

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#JICA

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carlocarrasco · 1 year

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Marcos reiterates vow to upgrade Philippine transport system

Recently, Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., reiterated his vow to improve the transport system of the entire nation which can benefit many people who need to travel, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. This is similar to what his predecessor declared before. To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in…

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pikpartblogs · 3 months

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"Hero MotoCorp's Former Associate Vice President Mr. Ashok Goel Joins Pikpart to Achieve Leadership in Automotive Aftermarket Industry”

Embracing Innovation: The Journey of Pikpart

Pikpart, is O2O based ecosystem automotive company which is renowned name in the automotive aftermarket industry, proudly announces the addition of Mr. Ashok Goel Former Associate Vice President – Strategic Sourcing & Supply Chain at Hero MotoCorp. to its esteemed team. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Mr. Goel brings a wealth of experience and expertise in supply chain management from his tenure at renowned organizations such as Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, and Bajaj Auto Ltd.

Since its inception in 2018, Pikpart has been at the forefront of innovation, offering top-notch motorcycle/car spare parts and cutting-edge services through its Pikpart Smart Garage. As a leader in both the B2B and B2C spare parts markets, Pikpart currently caters to over 2000+ customers daily across a vast network of 120+ franchise garages spanning 22 states and two countries. The company's unwavering commitment to service excellence is exemplified by the successful completion of over 130,000 customer satisfaction jobs.

With a catalogue boasting over 7000+ SKUs of its own brand spare parts, Pikpart has witnessed remarkable sales growth, reaching a network of 15,000+ mechanics through 5000+ retail shops, 25+ distributors, and 120+ franchise garages. Looking ahead, Pikpart has set ambitious goals for the years 2024-2028, aiming to expand its garage network to over 10,000 locations and engage more than 50,000 business associates.

As a bootstrap and profitable enterprise, Pikpart's journey is propelled by a team of automotive enthusiasts committed to delivering high-quality automotive aftermarket spare parts and services. With a visionary outlook, the company is poised to disrupt the four-wheeler automotive aftermarket industry, building on its success in the two-wheeler segment.

Mr. Ashok Goel: A Visionary Leader in Supply Chain Management

Welcoming of Mr. Ashok Goel signifies a significant milestone for Pikpart. A graduate of IIT Roorkee with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Mr. Goel's pursuit of excellence extends beyond traditional education. His participation in the Visionary Leaders for Manufacturing program under Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and CII underscores his commitment to continuous learning and innovation.

His proven track record in strategic sourcing and supply chain optimization aligns perfectly with the company's vision for growth and innovation. Together with Mr. Goel's leadership, Pikpart is poised to redefine industry standards and drive sustainable growth in the automotive aftermarket space.

A Collaborative Vision for the Future

As Pikpart embarks on its journey to disrupt the four-wheeler aftermarket industry, Mr. Goel's leadership and vision will be instrumental in shaping our strategic initiatives and fostering a culture of excellence.

Mr. Goel's vision will play a pivotal role in shaping strategic initiatives and fostering a culture of excellence within the organization. Together, Pikpart and Mr. Ashok Goel envision a future where the company emerges as a global leader, pioneering ground-breaking solutions and setting new benchmarks for success.

Mr. Goel's appointment as a pivotal member of the Pikpart team heralds a new era of collaboration and innovation. His proven track record in supply chain management, coupled with Pikpart's ambitious goals, promises to redefine industry standards and drive sustainable growth. Together, we envision a future where Pikpart emerges as a global leader, pioneering ground-breaking solutions in the automotive aftermarket space.

In conclusion, we extend our warmest welcome to Mr. Ashok Goel and look forward to embarking on this transformative journey together. With his expertise and our collective determination, the future holds boundless opportunities for Pikpart to continue its legacy of innovation and customer-centric excellence.

Welcome on board, Mr. Ashok Goel to the Pikpart family! Let us chart a course towards unprecedented success and industry leadership, united in our commitment to excellence and innovation.

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