Dishes clank, coffee stirs, and teenagers awkwardly smile; all try to find their place as organized chaos ensues.

It's another world for most volunteers at the Soup Kitchen, but a reality for many who eat here everyday.

The regulars are called by their first name -- often making jokes with the people handing them their plates. But some are known for the wrong reasons, known to pick fights and cause friction. Between it all, there's never a dull moment at the Soul's Harbor Soup Kitchen.

From the men who ask for your name and number to the people who barely notice that you're there, everyone is at this facility for one reason: to eat.

It's fascinating how our daily provisions are illuminated when we're around those who have so little. I barely even think about where my food comes from or why I'm so privileged to have meals everyday. And usually when I think of starving people, the images of children in Africa immediately come to mind. Despite having enough food in our world to feed every living beign

Coming to the soup kitchen made me realize once again that people in our community go hungry everynight -- and if there wasn't services like this one, where would many of these people turn?

One woman ate eight bowls of soup! She wasn't the most polite or soft-spoken person, readily demanding what she wanted. I found it easy to serve the people who appreciated what I was serving, and tougher to address those who didn't. Maybe with my waitressing background you expect people to reciprocate the effort you put into serving them. When you don't get that attention or respect its seems almost worthless.

But then I thought... what am I here for? To get people to like me or to get polite, candid compliments? Or am I here to give some of my honest time and energy to something that's almost foreign to me.

Volunteers like Beth Ell help create a better perspective, she started volunteering 12 years ago and has stayed the course ever since. Now she has a dynamic relationship with the clients as well as the helpers. I'd describe her as the "mama bear" of the establishment, making sure everyone's happy and everything runs smoothly.

If someone like Beth can invest more than a decade of their time into serving others, I should be able to give back a few times a year, even when it's not easy to do so. And as students, we may have a unique role -- to philanthropically invest time and energy into all kinds of people, showing the marginalized in our society that we do care about their future.

At the end of the day I realized, it's not all about me.

Uganda's the Hotspot

It's refreshing to not talk about hair, the latest fashion trend or hollywood movies. These topics ironically dominate university life... even though they're quite menial and unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

Meeting two university students with an international outlook was a welcomed change. Kaitlin Sherven and Jana Knezacek both have volunteered overseas. These trips have shifted their perspectives and made them more concerned for the people and major issues around the world.

The best part is that they've brought this international passion back to Regina.

Sherven is heavily involved with the Gulu Walk, which focuses on raising awareness and funds for kidnapped children in Uganda. During the 23-year civil war, many children became night commuters; trekking along the Gulu trail to avoid capture Over 20,000 children have been taken and forced to be soldiers. Sherven's hard work paid off as over 70 people participated in Regina's walk. Even a few city councillors and MLA Trent Wetherspoon made an appearance.

Knezacek is also taking a stand. She worked in Rwanda this past summer where she documented genocide accounts of survivors. She also sheltered street children who had no place to sleep.

Back in Regina, she brought the screening of Invisible Children to campus; a film that focuses on child soldiers in Uganda. Over 100 students came to see the short documentary and she has enough support to start a campus group.

Unfortunately, these ladies are few and far between. Taking a camera around campus, it was soon evident that most students don't know or necessarily care about international issues. Some didn't even undertand what international activism meant.

When I posed the question: "Do you care about international issues?" I could tell by their faces what they really thought. Most felt obligated to say yes... yet they couldn't relay to me any specific issue or circumstances where they had been involved.

Some said they cared but found it difficult to get involved. Indeed, only 7 of the 70 campus groups are directed towards international issues, still its a start for students who may just be looking for like-minded people.

Some blame it on the busy schedule of university, but it hardly seems the case, seeing as some students like Sherven and Knezacek are making a difference. But then again, they had the opportunity to travel overseas and see first hand what needed to be done.

It's encouraging to me that students around Canada have more and more opportunities to travel overseas. Student exchanges and co-op programs may be the best way to see other parts of the world.

It may be difficult to produce international protagonists if students barely have time to read a newspaper. We may have to rely on these global opportunities to spur awareness and change. Maybe then, the next generation of leaders will be better prepared to tackle tough, global issues.

Re-evaluating the Vote

As a politically engaged journalism student, I generally take my right to vote very seriously. However, I must admit, in the past it has been tempting to forgo the political process when civic election's roll around.

I remember being sprawled out on my couch when the ballots for the 2006 civic election were cast. Instead of making the treacherous walk down the block, I gave up and went to bed early. It was completely a convenience issue for me, and I didn't feel the need to get out and vote. Apparently, I wasn't alone. Only 36% of Regina residents made it to the ballot box. One interview made me think about this apathy and re-evaluate the way I was voting.

Palwashah Humayun is originally from Afghanistan, a country marred by internal and external conflict. Growing up, she barely remembered elections, only those held at the city level. But then again, she was a woman, and therefore not allowed to voice her political opinion.

Humayun left her homeland in 1992 when the Mujahideen over ran the Soviet forces and tried to take control of the country. Ethnic tensions led to an internal bloodbath; Humayun knew she had to flee.

She and her husband escaped into India, eventually ending up in Canada. Today, she is a proud Canadian citizen. Humayun now votes whenever she can.

Perhaps Humayun has a better understanding of the what it means to vote. She has lived within conflict, she has been denied the opportunity, and so maybe she values her political freedoms more than I do. Looking at her home country now, Afghanistan still doesn't have free elections. They were supposedly introduced in 2004, however the hostile conflict and opposition hardly constitutes democracy. Moreover, the recent elections were marred by corruption in the voting process so it's hard to call it a success.

Speaking with Humayun she has a passion for having her voice heard. Even as she tells me her story, she is excited and enthuiastic about her rights as a Canadian citizen. How come I don't always feel this way? The 77% of Regina residents that didn't vote in this year's civic election seem to share the same apathy.

Where's the passion gone in politics?

The US got a taste of it last fall. Prior to his election, Barack Obama ran a campaign that stirred up American pride. Voters were out in record numbers. But how do we get to the same point or better as Canadians?

It's a difficult question but maybe the solution is simpler than we think.

Perhaps we don't know what it's like to have these freedoms taken away. Perhaps we take for granted the electoral process that is for the most part, fair across the country. And perhaps we don't look closely at the immigrants in our community, to understand their stories.

With 10,000 new immigrants coming to Saskatchewan alone, we have a great opportunity to learn from these people first hand.

If we can't inspire ourselves, maybe we have to lean on our foreign neighbors to bring us an outside perspectives. It may be these newcomers that bring a sense of pride to the voting system, and ignite a country on fire for democracy.

Unveiling Values in Canada

Canada prides itself on being the most multicultural country in the world... yet it's still surprising when a woman walks past you completely covered up. The niqab and burka, though popular in several middle eastern countries, are still rare on the prairies.

The diverse University of Regina population is slowing changing that. Students from Saudi-Arabia have been flowing into our university. A scholarship provided by Saudi Arabia's King has given 60,000 students the opportunity to study abroad. Hadeel Bin-Amer is one of those students. She came to Canada two years ago and refuses to change clothing.

With her dark, covered robe, she's a bold statement all on her own. In public, only her eyes are visible.

I can't even thinkg of covering up like this but for an indignant, confident Hadeel she can't imagine her life without it.

Perhaps this confidence comes from a Saudi Arabian sentiment most of us will never understand. But it's not only Canadians that don't see eye to eye with this tradition. Two weeks ago, the Muslim Canadian Congress asked the Federal government to ban all niqabs, masks and burkas. The congress feels that these coverings marginalize women and are more a part of Saudi custom than religion.

And so the debate rages on. Do these coverings marginalize all women? Or are some women happy and comfortable with this clothing? And can we as Canadians, who boast about our multicultural, accepting nature, actually ask these women to undress a part of their culture?

It reminds me of the debate over Sikh turbans in the RCMP force. After much discussion, the Canadian government ruled in favor of Sikh peoples' right to wear their religious head wear. But this time, it's Muslim women, not even Canadians that are making a stir. So, it's all in the way you look at the issue. Is it a problem or a sense of identity for these women?

Before talking to Bin-Amer, I would have thought the former. However, meeting a confident and content female that has had the choice to "de-robe," yet has chosen to stand out on her own has really changed my perspective.

It is a Canadian right to express one's culture and traditions. I don't think we can choose for others what they can or cannot wear. However, if some Muslim women in Canada feel forced to wear the niqab or burka, then they should come forward. And our courts can deal with the human rights violators of this whole different issue.

Past My Bedtime

So when our professors said newspaper layout, they truly mean newspaper CAMP OUT.

It's rounding midnight and I can't remember what masthead, font size or text box even mean. When I started refining my pages at noon, I thought I was ahead of the game. Clearly seeing the finish line, racing after that racetrack bunny. But 11 hours later... and Myles and I are still here. The best part... after everything's laid out, you must wait for EACH page to print separately. Approximately 1 and a half minutes per page :) yeeee times that by 60! Then take that number and times that by 4 separate massive pages gahhhhh

So for all you future layout groups, bring a sleeping bag, maybe a cushy pillow and some tylenol. Because one displacement of a photo could send your whole page and head reeling.

So here are my survival tips:
1)PREPARE: Do as much as you can before your print day so you're not spending your Thursday night hugging the printer, and praying it will start up again... (that was Myles by the way).
2)LINGO: learn Mark's newspaper lingo beforehand... so you don't look like a complete idiot when it comes to Quark. GUILTY!
2)SLOW: don't expect it to be quick and easy. It's a long and complicated process if you're not familiar with this software.
3)SNACKS: pack the basics... it's survival mode after dark.

Our consolation is that your stories are fabulous and we were happy with our final layout. Sweat, blood, tears and a TEMPLATE went into this for the rest of you! You can thank us later ;)

CAN'T YOU WAIT TO GET STARTED?!?

Mwahahaha group one is done (the evil laughter is wearing off and the salty tears of a very tired brown girl are taking cheek) Out of here before the downpour...

Why do we not care?!?

It seems nowadays with students, you have your political junkies who spearhead clubs, raise party issues and speak so eloquently you'd think every student was adamant about their voting right. Then you have your students who are formally educated, and by this I mean forced to take political science 100. So, if their teachers don't take them by the hand to the voting poll, at least it's discussed in class. Then you have your vigorous journalists, who are supposed to be actively involved and promoting democratic discourse. And of course you have your keeners in EVERY faculty who'll take on their Canadian right to have an opinion. But it's shocking how many students are apathetic or ignorant of election issues, even those happening in their own city!

Today, I interviewed a variety of students, asking them if they're voting in the upcoming civic election. The majority of responses were, "What? there's an election". It's one thing to not know the issues, maybe even the candidates, but to not even know it's taking place? It's slightly disturbing and worrisome considering the local coverage the media has provided. The mainstream newspapers and tv outlets have been following candidate injunctions for weeks.

We are the next generation of politicians, and if we're so apathetic, what will become of our political process? Last year's federal election was less than heart warming as only 58% of Canadians came out to vote. The lowest demographic of people were young Canadians. Shamefully, not surprising from the answers I heard today. Although we're only holding a civic election, if young people are not even voting in their cities, why would they care about federal politics?

Many people have offered solutions to voter apathy. Some say we need more dynamic leaders, a different system of voting, better communication. I think education is the first step -- by putting value on city, provincial and federal issues in the classroom. I wish I had teachers that discussed the daily news while I was growing up. Even just 10 minutes to start the day would help kids get a sense of the world we live in. Rather than regurgitating mindless facts that don't actually apply to our lives. If students are too busy to keep tabs on the political process, we need to bring the political process, in an interesting way, starting from a young age to the classroom!

Privacy vs Safety?

Privacy and Safety - both strong Canadian values we often take for granted. But are they mutually exclusive?

That question is being raised over the Federal Proceeds of Crime (and money laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. Implemented in 2008, the act requires realtors to collect some form of personal identification from all their clients and store that information for five years. (Prior to 2008, realtors voluntarily notified FINTRAC about suspicious spending. Now they are required to keep it filed on record.)

I can understand the frustration of many realtors, having to take responsibility for people's identities. And what if their offices get broken into? They could be sued for lost records... which most of them didn't want to keep in the first place. It's also interesting how our province's privacy commissioner and medical association have also written concern. Primarily, over the use of health cards for non-medical purposes. But the government is of course covered. Section 11b of the Saskatchewan Health Information Act has a minor clause that allows the use of health cards for non-medical purposes, if required by an Act or law. Either way, privacy commissioner Gary Dickson has written his concerns in an e-mail saying he's worried about identity documents held by various organizations for long periods of time.

On the flip side of the coin, realtors aren't the only ones required to keep records. Accountants, security companies, insurance brokers and even casinos have to retrieve and keep some form of personal id. So the federal government doesn't think this is an onerous and new burden for realtors. 500 million dollars is laundered in the US each year alone, and the Canadian government wants to keep track of suspicious spending on this side of the border. All to prevent terrorists or organized criminals from setting up shop in Canada. But is this a legitimate concern of Canadians or is the government simply perpetuating a culture of fear? General crime rates across Canada have dropped over the past 10 years... mind you organized crime may be less detected and reported.

I think it's more likely these files will be stolen and identity theft will take place than for organized crime to start up. But, either way your information is out there, maybe not through realtors but through other job occupations. Not to mention the many ways we use the internet to give out personal id numbers all the time. So, technically you're information is daresay, never completey safe.

So what can you do. Is it better to be safe than sorry? Can you completely protect your identification? It all comes back to the basic question. In this day in age it seems like you have to choose. Privacy or safety - which one do you want?