October 2021 Broadcast: Martina Nicolls

 

OCTOBER 2021

​​ INSIGHTS FROM MY AID DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANCIES, 2021​ ​​ This year, my aid development consultancies have focused on 5 main areas: education in crisis, human trafficking, labour migration, workers’ rights including labor law enforcement, and employment support. Although donors commenced these programs before the Covid-19 pandemic, the pandemic has exacerbated issues related to inequalities, exploitation, human rights, workers’ rights, and employment opportunities. My work, and the concern of donors, is moving beyond access to quality basic education and more towards vocational education and training that meets the labour market needs of countries, as well as specific workplace and entrepreneurial skills for individuals. More importantly, my work has focused on vulnerable groups and populations that were already marginalized and are further disadvantaged by countries in crisis. In terms of regions, my work in 2019 was Asia-focused, and in 2020 I worked predominantly with African countries. In 2021, with remote work, the locations have been widely scattered – from Bangladesh, Ghana, Laos, and Lebanon, to the Caucasus countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan. ​ 2017 FLASHBACK: I'M MISSING KENYAN COFFEE AND THE BARISTA'S "MARTINI"GREETINGS ​ SEPTEMBER ENTERTAINMENT​ ​ I managed to travel out of Paris in September to take a trip to Giverny 80 kilometres (50 miles) northwest of Paris to the Claude Monet's museum, and to the Loire Valley south of Paris to the UNESCO Heritage Site. In Paris, I visited the Vivian Maier photo exhibition at the Jardin du Luxembourg gallery, famed for her 1950s street photography in New York and Chicago, but virtually unknown until 2007. In late September, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude "Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped" installation drew crowds along the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. And for animals, I went to the Zoological Park in Paris and a virtual trip to the New York Aquarium for a behind-the-scenes tour of the "Ocean Wonders: Sharks!" exhibit. I missed the Australian Food Temple weekend, so no Vegemite on toast for me! ​ CLAUDE MONET MUSEUM: GIVERNY READ MORE and VIEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS: ​Claude Monet's Water Garden ​Claude Monet's Flower Garden​ ​Claude Monet's Paintings of Water Lilies​ ​C[aude Monet's House​ ​Claude Monet's Window Views​ ​Les Nympheas Tea House, Giverny​​ ​ ​ LOIRE VALLEY: BLOIS READ MORE and VIEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS: ​Chateau de Chambord​ ​Horses at Chateau de Chambord​ ​Chateau de Blois​ ​Denis Papin Staircase in Blois​ ​Around Blois​ ​Le Petit Bistro, Blois​ ​MERCHANDISE ​ ​ ARC DE TRIOMPHE, WRAPPED ​ More about the Arc de Triomphe Wrapped installation and photos ​ GIRAFFES AGAIN ​ My photo of the tail of the Rothschild's Giraffe in the September 2021 broadcast was very popular. So here are some more giraffe photos: ​ Website: Similar but Different in the Animal Kingdom​ ​Giraffe Tail MERCHANDISE​ ​Giraffe Kiss MERCHANDISE​ ​Giraffe Tongue Kiss MERCHANDISE​ ​MORE PHOTOGRAPHS AND MERCHANDISE​ ​ ​ ​ A FLOWER EXPECTED EVERYWHERE Website: See information and photos on flowers, gardens, floral art, poetry, books ... HERE​ ​ THE PARIS RESIDENCES OF JAMES JOYCE ​ ​ The blogs on my website The Paris Residences of James Joyce are under the category Opal Hush, connecting the past to the present, and discovering people and places in Paris.  Opal Hush is mentioned in James Joyce's 1922 novel Ulysses. It's a drink - a quarter of glass of claret topped with lemonade from a soda siphon.  ​OPAL BLUSH BLOGS​ ​READ MORE ABOUT THE BOOK​ ​ To receive broadcast updates, subscribe here: SUBSCRIBE​ ​​ Copyright © MARTINA NICOLLS, All rights reserved. MARTINA NICOLLS​ ​http://www.martinanicolls.net​ ​http://martinasblogs.blogspot.com​ ​https://www.facebook.com/Martina-Nicolls-მარტინა-ნიკოლსი-1450496988529988/timeline/​ Unsubscribe | Update your profile | PO BOX 16, NO 15975, NOBBY BEACH, QLD 4218