For Love of Country - Military Policewoman The Middle East www.silvaredigonda.ca

We stopped at an American post. I went inside and an American Officer began shouting at me. I was wearing a military t-shirt and combat pants and I guess he thought that too unmilitary. The Colonel came in behind me and told me to wait in the jeep. I left but not without hearing him yelling at the young officer, telling him that he was a Colonel and to address… and… and… . I did not like that American Officer and was glad that he was getting a taste of his own arrogance. The Colonel was a decent man, respectful to all of us and I had never heard him so much as raise his voice. He was an intellectual and a gentleman, but he was also a Colonel with the Military Police that was equivalent to our RCMP. He was no one’s fool. As I sat in the jeep waiting for the Colonel, I was approached by several American male soldiers. They carried a dog much like our own and she was named Lady. They begged me to take her. She was their dog and they loved her but the same American Officer who was so rude to me and was now being told off by my Colonel was going to put their dog down. I felt bad for them because I could see their pain. As I write, I wonder why we were all trying to save animals in our care. Was it because a pet was a bit of home for us? Was it a part of something that made sense to us? We had some little creature that no one wanted in their country because it was a female, but for us we did not see a female or male. We saw a creature we could love and try to protect in a country so alien to our own. I told the American soldiers that I was so sorry, but that I was driving through the desert and could not bring their dog with me. They kept begging me as I drove away, the Colonel seated beside me once again. I told the Colonel that the officer was going to kill their dog, and I told him what I thought about this arrogant officer. It is not a uniform that makes a man. Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman. For your signed copy at 19.95 www.silvaredigonda.ca

Reflection Paper Two - Culture Sensitivity and Counseling by Silva Redigonda (post grad)

In the Ethics For the Practice of Psychology in Canada Truscott asks “What do you think of the relative importance of life experiences versus professional training in order for psychologists to be cross-culturally competent?” (p 126, para 3.) This is the question I will respond to as I reflect on my own cultural background, my travelling experience and being exposed to so many cultural backgrounds. I believed that Toronto was the centre of the universe until I was about twenty two years of age, began my career and travelled. I worked and lived in Europe for four years and spent six months in the Middle East. I also had extensive teaching about cultural diversity as well. I have a European background from two different cultures. I was raised to believe from my schooling and parents that we are all equal and one. What life has taught me though, is that we are different. Yes we do have similarities, and psychology focuses on those similarities. But we cannot fail to recognize our differences, as part of a culture and as individuals within that culture. To do so deprives us from providing the service our client expects from us. I was once taught a long time ago in an undergrad class that prejudice is a derivative of prejudging. As counselors we should not be prejudging. Truscott uses the term “cultural blindness” which prevents one from seeing the world as a person from a particular culture sees it (Truscott, p 113). A woman once told me that she did not want to report a serious incident to the police. “You don’t understand my culture. My father is a powerful man in my country….The police will tell him...” She anxiously told me. She was right. I was raised to trust the police. My father was not powerful. The police from this woman’s country could talk to Canadian police. It could cause harm because of our own culture of police depending and trusting each other, police may reveal information that would eventually be disclosed to this client’s father. Then what? We cannot assume or project our own prejudices. Truscott provides guidelines, “Respect, listen and learn from clients who are different from oneself in order to understand what is in their best interest” (Truscott, p 182). Truscott reveals that we may focus on the culture and miss the “individual characteristics of the person we are counseling” (p 114). I think of the expression of not seeing the trees because of the forest. This is my own spiritual reflection. Psychologists need to ensure that clients who come to them are to be treated justly by the system they are part of (Truscott, p 129). Truscott is depicting social justice and as a Pastoral Counseling student and being placed in various systems, I have already learned that at times our clients are further abused by the systems that are intended to protect them. This awareness has stemmed from my own ethical background experience. As a student, I voiced my concern and remained firm that a client did not “have to go to court” to testify against her abuser, contrary to the wishes of a centre. In another incident, I spoke with a manager from social assistance and wrote a letter regarding an immigrant being cut off from her food supply for not co-operating with her case worker. This action resulted in the procurement of immediate funds for my client to be able to feed herself and her child. These actions demonstrated the Principles of Respect for the Dignity of Persons and Responsible caring (Truscott, p 162). Truscott reveals “Psychologists have an ethical responsibility to try to draw attention to and correct the misuse” (Truscott, p 163). My actions and ethics have demonstrated this even though it may have caused discomfort to myself at the time. What has been enforced is also Principle 1V: Responsibility to Society, in Development of Society, IV 29, “Speak out and/or act,if the policies, practices, laws, or regulations of the social structure…seriously ignore or contradict any of the principles of this Code (Truscott, 167). I have a strong sense of ethics from my previous careers and training. I have a deep caring for the individual where ever he or she is from. Though I have continuously been educated to the changing sensitivities of a growing diverse culture here and abroad, it is the experience of my interactions and visiting various cultures which has provided me with the insight I need to grow and provide the services I do with the different people I counsel.

Thoughts of the Week www.silvaredigonda.ca

I really enjoyed Easter and still have to give my postman and garbage men their chocolate. You should always remember those who work so hard and are too often ignored or taken for granted. They make our lives easier. Yesterday I was mailing books at Shoppers Drug Mart and I noticed a woman as soon as I walked in because she was staring at me and told the Cosmetician I wanted to talk to her. I said no and continued to the post office. I had heard her call out to the Cosmetician as mama and I cringed. I have been called mama at times and found it rather insulting. I have been told that it is being respectful. The only one who can call me mama is Mr Attitude and he can't talk, for which I am grateful. Anyhow, the Cosmetician was about half her age and that made the bite deeper. On may way out, this unidentified woman was being stared at intensely by the women in the store (there were no men). One was a TTC operator and the rest employees. It was like a movie, where everyone turns, their eyes following a person, their faces stoic. It was actually creepy. My initial response was that they were prejudice. The woman of interest was black, with tight braids, under a cap and she walked with a lot of swagger. As she walked out, with me behind her, she grabbed a flower pot with a beautiful orchard in it and walked out of the store without paying for it. A store employee came out and called out to her which she ignored. That was as far as it went. It appears that everyone seemed to know her except me. It is getting harder to go out and not see trouble. I keep thinking of Chippawa and that house, which is asking too much for it, with no garage, nor backyard, but faces a Catholic Church which my decrepid body will be able to crawl into in my old age. I can walk along the empty street of Main Street and my brain is already visualizing a book, where people disappear and no one notices, as if they never existed. Yup, that is a good one. So, please do not use it. I will, when I go to a tiny town is Niagara Falls where nothing is as it seems. Anyhow, it seems that too much is happening in my town. I can't really blame employees for not arresting her. There has been so much violence that people just let the bad guys go in and out. Me thinks we have had about enough. As for myself, I am also caught up. I still have to do my income tax, which I usually have completed by now. I am working today so will try to complete the taxes tomorrow or next week at the latest. So for now, have a good week, stay out of trouble and let me know what you think of my books. I have strong shoulders. What do you think?

Ominous www.silvaredigonda.ca Happy Easter

It's been a week and as usual, I am behind

Give a reason to celebrate and I do. It is Easter season and I have been on an Easter hunt and will be delivering gifts like an Easter bunny. On the dark side, I am still contending with the results of being conned. I would like nothing more, than have the culprits charged and deported. I was reading an article, that cons are highly intelligent but lazy which prevents them from contributing to society in a meaningful way. I think people can change. I don't agree that they are all lazy. However, I enjoyed the article which I cannot share because they don't want it shared. I wonder why. So, having all your ID stolen, means you have to notify everyone and then have everything cancelled and then having everything sent to you new. It is a Royal Pain. Not only do you feel violated, but it is a lot of work. So, I have been playing more than usual to heal my wounds. I have been surrounding myself with the wonderful people I know and care about. I have sold some of my books, "Ominous" which I encourage you to buy, because it is my favourite to date. I was asked if I started writing my next book, but hey how can I quite now? I can barely keep up with my blogs to you? What I have to work on now is my taxes so I can get that out. I am still gathering info for my practice and then I shall start with my books. You know, I am pretty pleased with myself. Happy Easter everyone. I love this season more each year. My heart goes out to the States. I keep seeing that bridge falling which must be devestating for the families of the missing and those who have died. Russia - What can I say? I also feel sad for those killed and their families. Putin was warned but he didn't believe it because he is projecting. If you are a liar, than you think everyone else is as well. For example if one person is having an affair, he will blame his partner of having one. That is pretty routine. He is also blaming poor Ukraine as an excuse to continue his devestation on others rather than ISIS. I heard Robbie Kennedy on CNN and thought that if I was an American, I would vote for him, but I am not, so the jury is still out. There you are, all caught up. Now I have to load up some gift boxes, try to work on my taxes, work out, blah, blah, blah, Happy Easter world. Be nice to someone today. Mr Attitude is calling me.

For Love of Country - Military Policewoman - The Middle East Chapter continues www.silvaredigonda.ca

I was scheduled to travel from our camp to the other camp. I would be going with the Colonel as my jeep partner. There were several teams and we would meet up at certain points. At one point the Colonel and I found ourselves in the sand dunes. A truck holding numerous Egyptian soldiers began following us. As they were catching up, I sped up to get away from them. I didn’t even want to think what could happen if they caught us and I would not let that happen. I remember when we crossed the borders from Israel and Egypt, how the Egyptians would open our bags and go through our underwear, holding up our bras and panties for the other Egyptians. They disgusted me. At one point when I was walking on the beach, Egyptian soldiers were staring at me as if they had never seen a woman. At that moment I felt like taking every piece of clothing off me and tell them to take a real good look. Even while we were lying on our own beach, Egyptian helicopters would break the rules to came down low to look at the women. I told a fellow bather that war with these people would be successful if we were to bring in only the women soldiers. While they stared at us dumbfounded we could shoot them all. I said this as I was ingesting the flying sand blowing around due to the Egyptian helicopter hovering over us. That would be one way of winning a war. The truck was gaining speed and this was the Egyptians’ terrain, but I would have rather died than let them catch me. The Colonel never said a word until the distance between us grew further and they became a small stain on the horizon.

Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman.” www.silvaredigonda.ca

For Love of Country - Military Policewoman continues https://www.silvaredigonda.ca

I was working a nightshift. One of the Dutch policemen told me we had to set traps for cats so that they could be put to sleep. It was an order from the camp Colonel. I disagreed with the order and told him so. However, I accompanied him while he got some fish and set the trap. A cat was trapped and he left it in the cage. The cat tried to tear her way out, causing her to bleed. The Dutch policeman learned that the vet was not available to put the cat down until after the weekend. Dutch was upset at the screeching of the cat, while I drowned out the sounds by listening to music with headphones. I reminded Dutch of what I thought and he finally let the cat go. Before the weekend was over, Dutch once again went to get some fish to set the trap. I was with him and saw the same cat. She sat just outside the trap and stood firm. None of the other approaching cats would enter the cage. I was amazed. The smell of the fish alone must have been a real treat after just eating their regular diet of the large rats I heard so much about. Yet not one cat or kitten would enter the cage. There seemed to be some silent type of communication. That day I developed a newfound respect for cats. How could they know and rationalize?” Excerpt From: Silva Redigonda. “For love of country : military policewoman. https://www.silvaredigonda.ca For photo check out facebook or X Ominous is now listed in Crime Writers of Canada