Peeved

I was out of the office yesterday attending a one-day conference by Robert Chambers, the man who invented participatory rapid appraisals - a large part of my job. Not only is this man pushing 90 (yes, 90!), he was one of the most engaging and energetic speakers I've ever had the privilege of being in the company of. He was running around the lecture hall, jumping up and down, laughing hysterically, lying on the floor! Sure, he coughed out a lung into the microphone a few hundred times, but still.

One of the most poignant and notable parts of yesterday's talk was his advice to development practitioners in the field: Shut up. Maybe he could have been more eloquent about it, but he was spot on. If only the people with the running commentary throughout the day had heeded his advice. I came to listen to the oldie, not have you run your mouth in my ear for six hours.

Unrelated: After watching a film on sex in Egypt at work today, one of my female coworker's comments was:

"Wow, I had no idea that girls were circumcised at such an old age. I thought this was something that happened at birth."

SERIOUSLY?! Roughly 90% of the female population of your country has been genitally mutilated and you have no idea how or when it happens? Pick up a book for God's sake. Ask questions. Be!