Simon Mol

SEEING OFF THE MONKEY YEAR

Simon Mol: (For Metropol)

To us the superstitious, 2004 being a monkey-year in Chinese Horoscope didn’t disappoint. The Monkey was at the peak of its art. And its traits—treachery, trickery, shrewdness— were bountiful. Even before 2003 vanished, the Monkey, noted for its agility, grabbed mischievous opportunities brewed by 2003, brought them over to its year and squeezed hell out of them. With tactful charade, it blew everything out of proportion, making a triumphant mess of everything— the war on Iraq, faith in political institutions, faith in fate, the global economy and policies; all were dented almost beyond recognition.

A POLISH LESSON FOR THE U.S. POLICE

By Simon Mol - Published by Metropol (Warsaw), October 21, 2004

Simon Mol conversing with Polish Police during a demonstration in Warsaw

August 12 2004 was to be the last day for 25-year-old Peter Ayompeuh Njang. With a dream of becoming a medical doctor, exactly 85-days after landing in the US from Cameroon, Njang paid a visit to his sister at another end of the City of Silver Spring to seek help in getting a job. By a twist of fate he missed the sister. Unschooled about events he went peeping through the window of his sister’s apartment, thinking perhaps she hadn’t heard the bell. Just then a police patrol car pulled up. In the presence of four witnesses; The police, Njang, God and the devil, three things transpired in rapid succession; 1). Something went lethally wrong, 2). Police officer Candice Marchone fired a shot and 3). Njang dropped dead. ‘

WHO WANTS TO BE A MINISTER?

Simon Mol Published by Metropol (Warsaw): September 7th 2004.

“Who has not lied? Who has not stolen? when we commit such acts, not as a lifetime strategy but as a temporary means for our survival, I think we could be forgiven. Especially when they do not directly affect others. And if indirectly, the effects are minimal.”

Honestly I don’t recall whose quote this is. But the words I do remember. This is evidence that the most important thing in the life of a human is his work. It could as well be a contribution so small that it is remembered only by a nation, a community, or just an individual..

Reflections on being African in Poland

Article written in December 2001 for a book by the Polish Humanitarian Action on Refugees in Poland.

Ja w Polsce!… Hmmm. (Me in Poland!.... Hmmm)

Time. What a mystery! How it bridges distances! Early last year I went for a walk in £azienky Park. My companion pointed at the monument of Henryk Sienkiewicz and asked me,

“Do you know who he was?”

“No.” Came my reply.

“He wrote Quo Vadis” she went on.

“Ah!” I exclaimed, “I remember now!”

And we started talking about it.

WHAT TO DO WITH THIS BRITISH EYE?...

Simon Mol

The train thundered on, bringing us closer to Berlin, from Warsaw. Each moment was magical. Each place we passed was replete with a power of its own. At certain points, place and moment merged to produce stupendous views— stirring unfathomable, overwhelming sensations. We passed a valley. The environment there radiated its virginity with such impact that, out of sheer respect for its sanctity, I shall not name the place. Kilometres away I was still asking how it would be like there at night: ‘What Beings thronged its sacred petals with owls, rodents and insects as spectators?’

The Spirit of Wigilia

Warsaw Voice, December 23-30, 2001 No. 51/52 (686/687)

By Simon Mol

IN my homeland of Cameroon, the countdown to Christmas is no different than in any other part of the Christian world, including Poland. Cleaning, decorating, and frantic last-minute shopping are done with such vigor which only the few days before Christmas can inspire. Shopping, however, is slightly different in Cameroon, as nothing is valued more than a piece of new clothing, elevating fashion to a major spectacle.

Europe’s ‘Gaza-strip’

By Simon Mol

This article was originally published in the Polish daily Metropol.

In geopolitical terms, you could say that the controversial ‘Gaza Strip’ that is supposed to divide Palestine from Israel, has its equivalent in Europe, precisely at the point called ‘EUREGION’. Palestine and Israel could learn many practical lessons from this area that unites Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands. In fact Poland, and the other new EU member States could also learn from the EUREGION, because, contrary to what some might think, the European identity isn’t at all homogenous. One could forge that the European identify is founded on ‘harmony in diversity’.

POSITIVE EXAMPLES OF IMPARTING INTERCULTURAL COMPENTENCY (The Polish Experience)

Herzogenrath (Germany), May 6-9, 2004

Whatever definition we may have, it virtually boils down to the fact that ‘Intercultural Competency’ is a social science dealing with the phenomenon of social and cultural harmonisation in society between nationals and non-nationals. This has an impact on the economic and consequently the political fibres of a nation, with Culture as a catalyst. Even if clothed in different allegories and words, Culture is what and how one eats, what one wears. It is the language one speaks and how one looks and sees. In a nutshell, it is how one functions both as an individual and member of a group both at home and abroad.