Name: Joel Katz
City: Sydney
Occupation: English teacher, UNSW
Twitter: @Joelkatz1
Blog(s):
www.joelkatz1.wordpress.com
http://www.aclimateforchange.org/profile/JoelKatz
http://www.openforum.com.au/blogs/joelkatz
Bio:
Since I was a fuzzy-headed bambino, my family’s been on the road. Once I was confident enough with my crayon-set, I started recording my adventures.
Got stories aplenty…
On a professional note, I’ve worked in education, international development and blogging, with folk like the UNDP, AusAID and Oxfam. This has taken me to Africa, Asia and South America, and given me an insight into key issues in developing regions.
Love teaching. I am quite goofy – or so my students say.
My dream: to write, to travel, and to make a difference…
Why I want to be an outreach blogger:
Our bus flies around a tight corner, and a turkey slips from the overhead luggage-rack, dropping on my lap. Next to me, a local girl chuckles. Her wrinkled Bolivian grandmother gathers up the fowl and crams it into a grocery bag.
My new amigos teach me some Spanish as we hurtle along the high mountain-road; the emerald-green Andes flashing past.
Might be the altitude. Or maybe the engine’s toxic fumes: but I’ve never been happier.
This is why I want to be the next outreach blogger.
Adventure? Love it!
Whether it’s crawling through mine-shafts in northern Zambia or sampling roasted tarantula legs in a Cambodian street-market, I relish every moment.
Smells of spices and tropical fruit. Conversations with tuk-tuk drivers about local politics. Filipino kids laughing at me as I attempt to eat a boiled duck embryo.
Discovering new worlds, sharing ideas, connecting with people… that’s what I’m all about. Putting these fantastic escapades into words… that’s what I love.
Passion and 15-years of experience in international development, teaching, communications and blogging – this is why ActionAid should choose me as the next outreach blogger.
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What a way to tell a story and let us know exactly what you’re all about Joel.
You’re entry makes me want to go travelling again and reminds me what it’s like to immerse yourself completely in another world. It’s amazing!
Checked out your blogs too and absolutely loved them. Goodluck with the toto challenge! You deserve this one!
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May be your curiosity, the way you describe your experiences, your humanity too, make me think your personnality and competences are according to this challenge. To my opinion, sincerity, a deep sense of implication in local realities, talented and colourful transcriptions are the best keys to win this challenge, you’ve got them, Joel.
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Good attitude Joel. I like your approach, and I like your writing style. I think the position needs someone prepared to get down and dirty with the locals, and if that includes eating tarantula legs then so be it.
I really think the outreach blogger has to be prepared to be physically and emotionally involved in the lives of the people they work with. Physicality is not important to us as we tap away at our keyboards, but to the majority of the world it is still a tangible thing that directly affects their lives.
So be prepared to run, swim, surf, carry, dig, build and do whatever else the locals do in their daily lives.
All the best with the challenge. -
Would absolutely love to see more of this wonderful world we live in, but until that can happen for me, It would be awesome to read about your adventures and maybe learn about some places I would otherwise not have thought to visit.
You’re a great storyteller Joel so hopefully you win this thing and can go on entertaining us!!
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He is the man and I should know I am his father !
In my experience as a geologist you have to be able to communicate with people on all levels especially in developing countries and Joel has that knack with an additional sense of humour that breaks down barriers.
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What a fantastic storyteller you are! Best of luck with this challenge, you deserve it. Carms.
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Love reading your blog, love reading your thoughts! Here’s awaiting more from you in 2010!!!
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Pingback from Project TOTO · TOTO Challenge #2 – The Winner! on 08/01/2010 at 8:45 am
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Pingback from Project TOTO · TOTO Challenge #3 – The Winner! on 22/02/2010 at 7:40 am
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Congratulation, Joel. As you really worked hard for this project. I can feel your kind concern about the forgotten world of those places. I sincerely respect you as a writer as well as my teacher. Again, thank you so much. You have done a good job!
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Thought this might be of interest to you- would love to see this happen globally, maybe that’s a task up to a man of your talents?
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Hi I’m in Pauline’s class at TAFE and we have been following your blog. It seems really intersting. Your mum says hello but Pauline says that you would rather we did not know you’re related. OOPS!
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This has been fascinating Joel. The classes have been enjoying the run down and your site has become part of the assessment. Thanks I will have to visit Bangladesh now. What an interesting place. The colours are so vibrant as is the life
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Pingback from Project TOTO · Last Mango in Dhaka… on 17/06/2010 at 2:49 am
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