Water. I remember 5 years ago at the Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership, I watched a documentary about Water. Why in the world would we watch a documentary on water? Clearly there is a lot of water in the world and in Canada it is abundant. We are home to some of the greatest sources of fresh water, the Great Lakes, and use water for everything in our life. It wasnt so much about whether or not there was water but rather the privatization of water. Who owns water and who determines the cost of water? What happens when people must pay for the most basic necessity of life? Here in Cabrera, however, Water seems to have a love-hate relationship with locals and myself.
I wake up in the morning and go to the washroom. I wash my hands and go eat breakfast. However, I do not drink water from out of a cup. Instead, I drink from the water bottle that I had filled up from the night before.
I go to the pre-school and work with the kids. At around 10:30, the kids line up to wash their hands so they can eat their snacks. One by one, they go into the bathroom and scoop water from a bucket the teachers saved earlier in the morning.
At the Esperanza Project, I go to use the washroom. The toilet smells bad because many people have went previously and havent flushed the toilet. Its not because they didnt want to but because there is no running water.
After a long, hot day in the sun, I go to shower. Water comes pouring out and it feels so good. Hot water? No. I get used to showering in cold water. To my amazement, once there was no water when I turned the water on to take a shower.
From my day to day activities, water seems to be lacking. Though there is often water to wash our hands with, yet there are times during the day we must live without it. We dont drink water from the tap, not even locals do. So we brush our teeth with water from the big 20L jugs of water. Filling one of those up costs between 20 - 40 pesos, a mere dollar. Why is it that we waste water in Canada when some people live without running water to do basic chores? Washing the dishes requires saving water from earlier in the day...
It seems, then, that water is a valued resource in Cabrera. Before we got here, it was said that there hasnt been a single drop of rain in 2 months. In fact, it has barely rained since January. Recently, however, it has rained almost daily. What is the reaction we see? Not what we would think.
Although water is a much needed resource, it seems to also be a detriment. When it rains, it is as though the whole town freezes. People stay in, dont go to school and life seems to become a waiting game. So as much as water is needed, people seem to not like the rain as much as they need it. Rumour also has it that rain is seen to be a big problem. Dominicans seem to think they can get deathly sick from being out in the rain. I dont exactly know why this love-hate relationship with water exists but it seems to be vitally needed yet also not too welcome sometimes.
From all this, though, I learn about the importance of living with what we have. Sure, not having running water all day makes life difficult but people get by and manage to live. Yet in North America, when something goes wrong we whine and complain because we are deprived of what we have become accustomed to. What is our relationship with our resources and how do we use them to our advantage? Clearly, the consumption of resources here is carefully managed. It makes me think about lent and giving up sweets, Facebook or TV for 40 days. What are those comforts really when it gets down to it? Those are things we can live without because they are our wants. What happens when what is taken away is a necessity? I think we need to look carefully at our realities and challenge ourselves to reduce our individual environmental impacts. What does water mean to you?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Comfort and the Black Pearl
This one is a long one...
To feel at home is to feel safe and to be comfortable enough to be yourself. I think I have found this in Cabrera in a little less than two weeks. In town, I still get stared at sometimes but it has not become a big deal. I simply say Hola and often am greeted with a smile in return. I can walk into any colmado and know exactly what I can get, basically everything. I am comfortable communicating with the locals, for the most part, despite minor bumps and bruises along the way in Spanish. I know where to go if I want to use the internet. I have a place to go if I want a bottle of gatorade. Surprisingly, I am also comfortable sharing a beer with friends on the park bench in the town square people watching like most of the locals here. I also walk the streets at night without light. Sure, it is a little scary from time to time walking in the dark but I know I am safe--people here seem to look out for one another. I was also graced with the pleasure of going for a walk with my host mother the other night. She invited me on a walk with her towards the ocean and I thought it would be just that. We ended up driving to the walk, which was interesting to begin with, but also visiting a few of her friends along the way. The network of communities that I came to notice that night was incredible. I was greeted with smiles and great conversation (as much as we could have in Spanish, haha) and tons of food, desserts and soups alike. I saw life not as a priviledged tourist but in real terms, I got to see what happens everyday. Cabrera may be small, but it already feels like home.
At school, I am also becoming very comfortable. Another week with the kids has been amazing. From a place where I was called ´China Man´at the pre-school, I now go to school and high-five one of the kids almost daily. For a bit, I played games such as -Con Helado- and -Tiki Tahinki-, which I might have previously mentioned, with the kids. They would call me invincible because I literally had a part of my body crossed ALL THE TIME, even when I was walking around. On a different note, kids ask me to help them with their music poster and ask for my opinion on how a dance looks for the talent show. I must say, reading with the kids and just hanging out with them has allowed me to appreciate Cabrera´s diversity more. Connections like those make me feel like I am a part of the larger picture, no longer an outsider looking into a school system.
From a more academic standpoint, Winston the donkey was getting his testicles removed this week so Anthony had to be away for some of the mornings. It was from this that I had been given the opportunity to lead a session with the morning kids. I worked with them, with the help of Miss Holly, in an activity called Sound Detectives where they were to listen for similar sounding parts of a word. I also led a lesson teaching them about rhyming words and how they have the same sounding end combination in a word. But all this learning is not one sided, haha. When helping kids write in their diary, I was reminded that my concept of the sound A was not accurate. I take that seriously and with humility that although I have a good grasp of the English language, I am still faced with the reality of tricking myself into thinking I know something, sometimes. I feel comfortable at school, both academically and socially--it has become a place of learning for both me and others. I have come to love Cabrera inside and out.
Yet I know I do not want to stay in a place of complacency and become TOO comfortable with my surroundings and I want to challenge myself throughout the experience. I guess a lot of it will happen when the rest of my host family returns from the states on May 29th and between the two sessions of summer camp that have yet to begin.
Truth be told, however, I was smacked hard in the face with the reality a few days ago. I came home from lunch, sat down and started eating. I don´t know what came over me but I just started crying. It was inexplicable, and I couldn´t stop. In retrospect, I think I know how it started but am still not sure. I´ve talked about my mosquito bites briefly and as little as they are, they have become a big part of my life. In a crowd of people, I am one of the few that get bitten, and many many times. I have to wear long sleeves at night and I am constantly hitting my legs or moving somehow in order to avoid them. It has consumed a lot of my energy and simply it has gotten annoying and a bit overwhelming. I guess my crying stemmed from a sense of helplessness and the fact that there really is NOTHING I could do. I put on insect repellent 3 times a day and now probably have over 100 bites total. Others who do not put any repellent on are unscathed. This overwhelmed me and I became vulnerable to all the other missing comforts. It was like an avalanche of emotions, one that I did not think I would ever have. I thought I would be fine having lived alone in Quebec last summer for 3 months. The culture shock of it all really hit me.
-- The Incident with the Black Pearl --
I don´t think I was originally going to blog about this but mentioned it a few times as a joke along the way. After the events of last night, however, I think it is important to write about it.
Last night, we went and stayed over at the beach to celebrate Holly´s birthday, another volunteer at the school. It was a big event that was planned all week long, 15-20 people were going, we had great food, many drinks, music, tents, the whole sha-bang. We were all really excited to go and Carissa, Brittany and I were making a cake for Holly at Brittany´s house. However, school ended at 4 and we wanted to leave at around 6. After all the prep and getting ready, last minute purchases and whatnot, we didn´t think there would be enough time for the cake to bake, cool and to finally ice it. We seemed rushed a bit with everyone else wanting to go and ended up getting a ride with Dan, who was leaving a bit later. The cake incident was a semi-disaster: temperatures here do not really let a cake cool fast enough to ice and it stuck to the pan, and was pretty much impossible to ice... we ended up pouring the icing over top.
Brittany ended up going to the beach first with her host family and Carissa and I stayed back and headed to the beach with Dan in the Black Pearl. Now, let me tell you about the Black Pearl. It is a truck made in 1987 that has been sitting in the field for a bit because it wouldn´t really start. Somehow, it started the other day and we got to borrow it to transport us and a lot of the equipment to the beach. It doesn´t accelerate very well, probably going 20-30ish mph max, which was fast enough, I guess. On the way, however, it was extremely difficult to see through a mixture of the blinding sun right in our eyes and the dirty windshield from both inside and outside. There was about 9 km left till we got to the beach, I remember commenting on the road sign when the car seemed to stop working--we were out of gas. I also remember joking at this point about blogging about this--only in the Dominican would we actually run out of gas. Fortunately, we had brought some gas to help start the fire and also for this very purpose. Dan hopped out of the car, filled the tank a bit and we were off... 30 seconds or so in, we hit a mound of sand and rocks on the side of the road on the right side, go over it and head off the side of the road and into a ditch. We were stuck and I guess the car was angled into the ditch. Fortunately, we were all okay except for a few nerves. There was no way any of us could have seen the mound in the conditions, and to be honest, none of the 3 of us did. We are fortunate, in a way, that the car had stopped working or the speed at which we would have hit this random pile of dirt would have made everything a lot worse. We all climbed out of the car from the driver´s door and were unsure of what to do.
Nearly everyone who passed by stopped their cars to help, trying to find rope, a suitable truck and enough people to comfort us and help push the truck back onto the road and out of the ditch. Probably 10-15 minutes later, the car was out of the ditch with the help of many people.
One of our friends saw us on the road and stopped by as well and she offered to drive the rest of the way. The night continued, and everyone had a great time. It was a surreal night to enjoy great company, food and music on the beach and to actually sleep on the beach, tents and all. I am glad it all happened and that everyone was safe. This morning, however, I must have had the scariest ride back. I don´t think I have ever felt so unsure in a car before simply because we didn´t know what would happen with the car, and whether it would make it. We made sure to clean the windshield thoroughly from both sides before driving. The car wouldn´t start for a bit too when we wanted to leave.
We made it most of the way before the car ran out of gas, again. We were literally 10 m away from the turn we had to make back into Cabrera and could even see our friends´ house. This time, we were out of gas because the rest of it had been used to help with the fire. Fortunately, again, the same friend that drove us the rest of the way to the beach was driving by on her pasola and offered to take me to the gas station to get gas. It was the first time I sat on a pasola with 3 people, and let me tell you, it was thrilling and a bit scary. We ended up making it back safe and sound.
--
I tell that story sort of to let you know about events of my life and the realities of life. Most of all, however, I think I wanted to tell that story because of what had happened. The capacity for human compassion in the DR has been amazing. Sure, one or two people may have stopped to help in North America when our car went into the ditch but I think we would have waited to call CAA to help us get out. Here, nearly EVERYONE stopped to help us, not expecting anything in return and genuinely concerned with our wellbeing. I think this speaks wonders about the community that exists here and how everyone does in fact look out for one another. I was blessed to have been helped out and am grateful for all those kind men and women who stopped by to make sure we were alright. There is not always a lot here, but here in the Dominican, people have each other. I think my last week, both from this event and from my visits to people´s houses have showed me that people are truly hospitable and are willing to give of themselves, without asking for anything in return.
This place gives me hope. This place opens my eyes. This place is home.
To feel at home is to feel safe and to be comfortable enough to be yourself. I think I have found this in Cabrera in a little less than two weeks. In town, I still get stared at sometimes but it has not become a big deal. I simply say Hola and often am greeted with a smile in return. I can walk into any colmado and know exactly what I can get, basically everything. I am comfortable communicating with the locals, for the most part, despite minor bumps and bruises along the way in Spanish. I know where to go if I want to use the internet. I have a place to go if I want a bottle of gatorade. Surprisingly, I am also comfortable sharing a beer with friends on the park bench in the town square people watching like most of the locals here. I also walk the streets at night without light. Sure, it is a little scary from time to time walking in the dark but I know I am safe--people here seem to look out for one another. I was also graced with the pleasure of going for a walk with my host mother the other night. She invited me on a walk with her towards the ocean and I thought it would be just that. We ended up driving to the walk, which was interesting to begin with, but also visiting a few of her friends along the way. The network of communities that I came to notice that night was incredible. I was greeted with smiles and great conversation (as much as we could have in Spanish, haha) and tons of food, desserts and soups alike. I saw life not as a priviledged tourist but in real terms, I got to see what happens everyday. Cabrera may be small, but it already feels like home.
At school, I am also becoming very comfortable. Another week with the kids has been amazing. From a place where I was called ´China Man´at the pre-school, I now go to school and high-five one of the kids almost daily. For a bit, I played games such as -Con Helado- and -Tiki Tahinki-, which I might have previously mentioned, with the kids. They would call me invincible because I literally had a part of my body crossed ALL THE TIME, even when I was walking around. On a different note, kids ask me to help them with their music poster and ask for my opinion on how a dance looks for the talent show. I must say, reading with the kids and just hanging out with them has allowed me to appreciate Cabrera´s diversity more. Connections like those make me feel like I am a part of the larger picture, no longer an outsider looking into a school system.
From a more academic standpoint, Winston the donkey was getting his testicles removed this week so Anthony had to be away for some of the mornings. It was from this that I had been given the opportunity to lead a session with the morning kids. I worked with them, with the help of Miss Holly, in an activity called Sound Detectives where they were to listen for similar sounding parts of a word. I also led a lesson teaching them about rhyming words and how they have the same sounding end combination in a word. But all this learning is not one sided, haha. When helping kids write in their diary, I was reminded that my concept of the sound A was not accurate. I take that seriously and with humility that although I have a good grasp of the English language, I am still faced with the reality of tricking myself into thinking I know something, sometimes. I feel comfortable at school, both academically and socially--it has become a place of learning for both me and others. I have come to love Cabrera inside and out.
Yet I know I do not want to stay in a place of complacency and become TOO comfortable with my surroundings and I want to challenge myself throughout the experience. I guess a lot of it will happen when the rest of my host family returns from the states on May 29th and between the two sessions of summer camp that have yet to begin.
Truth be told, however, I was smacked hard in the face with the reality a few days ago. I came home from lunch, sat down and started eating. I don´t know what came over me but I just started crying. It was inexplicable, and I couldn´t stop. In retrospect, I think I know how it started but am still not sure. I´ve talked about my mosquito bites briefly and as little as they are, they have become a big part of my life. In a crowd of people, I am one of the few that get bitten, and many many times. I have to wear long sleeves at night and I am constantly hitting my legs or moving somehow in order to avoid them. It has consumed a lot of my energy and simply it has gotten annoying and a bit overwhelming. I guess my crying stemmed from a sense of helplessness and the fact that there really is NOTHING I could do. I put on insect repellent 3 times a day and now probably have over 100 bites total. Others who do not put any repellent on are unscathed. This overwhelmed me and I became vulnerable to all the other missing comforts. It was like an avalanche of emotions, one that I did not think I would ever have. I thought I would be fine having lived alone in Quebec last summer for 3 months. The culture shock of it all really hit me.
-- The Incident with the Black Pearl --
I don´t think I was originally going to blog about this but mentioned it a few times as a joke along the way. After the events of last night, however, I think it is important to write about it.
Last night, we went and stayed over at the beach to celebrate Holly´s birthday, another volunteer at the school. It was a big event that was planned all week long, 15-20 people were going, we had great food, many drinks, music, tents, the whole sha-bang. We were all really excited to go and Carissa, Brittany and I were making a cake for Holly at Brittany´s house. However, school ended at 4 and we wanted to leave at around 6. After all the prep and getting ready, last minute purchases and whatnot, we didn´t think there would be enough time for the cake to bake, cool and to finally ice it. We seemed rushed a bit with everyone else wanting to go and ended up getting a ride with Dan, who was leaving a bit later. The cake incident was a semi-disaster: temperatures here do not really let a cake cool fast enough to ice and it stuck to the pan, and was pretty much impossible to ice... we ended up pouring the icing over top.
Brittany ended up going to the beach first with her host family and Carissa and I stayed back and headed to the beach with Dan in the Black Pearl. Now, let me tell you about the Black Pearl. It is a truck made in 1987 that has been sitting in the field for a bit because it wouldn´t really start. Somehow, it started the other day and we got to borrow it to transport us and a lot of the equipment to the beach. It doesn´t accelerate very well, probably going 20-30ish mph max, which was fast enough, I guess. On the way, however, it was extremely difficult to see through a mixture of the blinding sun right in our eyes and the dirty windshield from both inside and outside. There was about 9 km left till we got to the beach, I remember commenting on the road sign when the car seemed to stop working--we were out of gas. I also remember joking at this point about blogging about this--only in the Dominican would we actually run out of gas. Fortunately, we had brought some gas to help start the fire and also for this very purpose. Dan hopped out of the car, filled the tank a bit and we were off... 30 seconds or so in, we hit a mound of sand and rocks on the side of the road on the right side, go over it and head off the side of the road and into a ditch. We were stuck and I guess the car was angled into the ditch. Fortunately, we were all okay except for a few nerves. There was no way any of us could have seen the mound in the conditions, and to be honest, none of the 3 of us did. We are fortunate, in a way, that the car had stopped working or the speed at which we would have hit this random pile of dirt would have made everything a lot worse. We all climbed out of the car from the driver´s door and were unsure of what to do.
Nearly everyone who passed by stopped their cars to help, trying to find rope, a suitable truck and enough people to comfort us and help push the truck back onto the road and out of the ditch. Probably 10-15 minutes later, the car was out of the ditch with the help of many people.
One of our friends saw us on the road and stopped by as well and she offered to drive the rest of the way. The night continued, and everyone had a great time. It was a surreal night to enjoy great company, food and music on the beach and to actually sleep on the beach, tents and all. I am glad it all happened and that everyone was safe. This morning, however, I must have had the scariest ride back. I don´t think I have ever felt so unsure in a car before simply because we didn´t know what would happen with the car, and whether it would make it. We made sure to clean the windshield thoroughly from both sides before driving. The car wouldn´t start for a bit too when we wanted to leave.
We made it most of the way before the car ran out of gas, again. We were literally 10 m away from the turn we had to make back into Cabrera and could even see our friends´ house. This time, we were out of gas because the rest of it had been used to help with the fire. Fortunately, again, the same friend that drove us the rest of the way to the beach was driving by on her pasola and offered to take me to the gas station to get gas. It was the first time I sat on a pasola with 3 people, and let me tell you, it was thrilling and a bit scary. We ended up making it back safe and sound.
--
I tell that story sort of to let you know about events of my life and the realities of life. Most of all, however, I think I wanted to tell that story because of what had happened. The capacity for human compassion in the DR has been amazing. Sure, one or two people may have stopped to help in North America when our car went into the ditch but I think we would have waited to call CAA to help us get out. Here, nearly EVERYONE stopped to help us, not expecting anything in return and genuinely concerned with our wellbeing. I think this speaks wonders about the community that exists here and how everyone does in fact look out for one another. I was blessed to have been helped out and am grateful for all those kind men and women who stopped by to make sure we were alright. There is not always a lot here, but here in the Dominican, people have each other. I think my last week, both from this event and from my visits to people´s houses have showed me that people are truly hospitable and are willing to give of themselves, without asking for anything in return.
This place gives me hope. This place opens my eyes. This place is home.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Living in Cabrera--for real.
6 days. 50 + mosquito bites. Many great friends.
So it has already been 6 days since I first arrived in the Dominican and it´s definitely been a mixture of good times and hot times. At first glance, the small town of Cabrera is what I imagined: chicken running around, random fields with donkeys and horses, stray dogs walking around and some broken down houses. But I have already come to love what is going to be my home for anot her 14 weeks. Sure, I miss the comforts of having the internet, air conditioning and constant run ning water and electricity but the culture and vibrant lifestyle of the locals here never cceases to amaze me.
Join me on one of my t ypical days:
I wake up at aro und 8:00 in the morning and head to breakfast that Yaniris has so generously prepared for myself and Dan. We talk for a bit while enjoying a high-carb breakfast of eggs, toast and whatever else. Come 8:40 or so, Dan and I head towards the school which is just a short 5 minutes away. Along the way, we say Hola to the locals who are either working away or just sitting along the side of the road. Yes, there is a LOT of sitting around. I arrive at school where I am greet ed by lovely smiles and enthusiastic kids wanting to learn. Throughout the morning, I take a few kids out to practice reading out loud a nd help them sound out words. A lot of the times, I have to remind them to think of the letter and the sound that the letter ma kes. A little while later, the kids are reading. Through that and helping out wherever I am needed, playing board games or helping the kids throuigh Math bingo, I find myself quickly at lunch time, 12:00, where I head home for lunch. Yaniris has prepared lunch for me again and this time it is probably rice, habeuchuellas, a salad, some type of meat and a nice cold glass of mango juice. Nice and refreshing. I return to school for 1:30 where the older kids have their session. Wednesday was Club day and the kids got to join whatever club they wanted, I helped out with board games and played monopoly with some kids. On a regular day, the kids are often given a pick-and-mix session where they can choose to work on an assignment, practice for the talent show, do some reading with us or sometimes even cook with one of the teachers! This goes to about 3:30, and at that time there is either a show-and-tell about asinger, a group, an actor or something of that nature by one of the kids. This week, we saw a great one about Angelina Jolie. Other times we would sing some songs. School ends at 4:00 pm and that is prettty much the school day.
I walk home with Carissa, Brittany and some of the ot her volunteers and are greeted by some of the students w ho are picking mangos off trees. The other day, some of the students offered us some and it melted my heart right away. The mangos are fresh, delicious and picked with love, haha.
At night, we do a variety of things. Sometimes we go out for drinks right after at the Manny ´s, a seaside bar type thin g. Ot her times we go play some pool and relax on a few Presidente beers. Orange juice , alittle bit of shopping and interacting with some locals fills most of the day. I´ve been a bit under the weather here so some days I just stay in. But most of the time, there is always something going on and Dan, my housemate, is kind enough to show me around to the tiny little beach, to the internet cafe and other little gems in town. Fiona and Anthony also have been working with us and trying to get us accustomed to the local lifestyle and invite us to do things with them whenever they get a chance. I am really grateful for their openness in receiving our company.
Dinner is served at around 7-8 and consists generally of a meat, more eggs and some typè of carb. We may or may not go out in the evening again and then I generally head to bed in and around 10 on a weekday. That´s life so far.
On Monday and Friday, I head to a pre-school instead of the school with the Esperanza Project. There, I work with another group of excited children just starting out to learn to read in English. I worked with some of them individually to pronounce letters and I even read the book The Three Billy-Goats Gruff to them. It is a change of pace working with younger ones but it is refreshing and it keeps me on my toes. I love it.
However, there have been a couple of highlights with my time here so far. Upon arrival, Fiona and Anthony took us out to the -Blue Roof aka Mira Mar- on Monday night just to talk a bit and get to meet the other volunteers over some drinks. We went to Manny´s and enjoyed some great company and nice views. There have a few good walks with Carissa to random places and to the centre square just to hang out a bit. On Friday on baseball day, all the kids went to the camp grounds and played baseball. We got to play and Carissa, Brittany and I happened to be on the same team and won our first Dominican Baseball game 17-16, a true nail-bitter. I also got to enjoy a nice German meal at d inner last night wihen we went out with a bunch of the other local gringos. Today, Car issa and I headed to the local waterfall which we learned was a saltedero and rode on Yaniris motorcycle thing. There, some locals were jumping off for us and helped us down to the bottom where we got to jump into the nice pool of fresh water as well . Later on, we enjoyed a nice afternoon on the beach, Playa Grande, where we relaxed, swam in the Atlantic ocean and played a bit of Bocce Ball --of which I have never played before and ended up winning the second game, yay!
But here I am. 6 days in and as I said over 50 mosquito bites. A little bit sick but I bought some local medication and I hope it will be fine. Life so far has been incredible to say the least. It is interesting to note the difference between the rich and the poor even within this town itself. There can be really nice houses with what seems to be two floors, nice furniture and cars all around and then right across the street there is a broken down structure where some people may live. A bottle of Dasani water of bottled juice is 20 pesos, a mere 50 cents. Internet? Last time, we used 3 computers at the internet cafe for 20 minutes each and paid only 45 pesos, just over a dollar. It is incredible to think of money in these terms but there is obviously a difference in the standard of living here with that of Canada. Like I said, there is a lot of sitting around, in the dark and whatnot. There is electricity 60% of the time and if you do not have a generator in your house, you simply do not get electricity. There is a slight drought here in Cabrera (maybe all of the DR, I´m not sure) and during parts of the day you don ´t get running water. Sometimes we have to save up water in a bucket so we have some for later. That is the reality that some people face not for 6 days, not for 15 weeks but for their lives. I can only be an advocate for what I live and I´m glad the locals have embraced me with open arms.
Life is not as I expected it though. I think I came super prepared thinking that all water must be purified and that there are a lot of don´ts that I should be worried about. Sure, we take care of ourselves and take precautio ns but for the most part we´ve been experiencing life as a local would. Although we would not drink out of the tap water, not even Dominicans do, there is a good system of clean bottled water that we use to refill our bottles with. Speaking of which, I lost my water bottle again (the same one I lost on Dan´s grandparents´farm... just not alucky bottle for me, heh). I will keep safe, especially when Im not in Cabrera bu t f or now, life is good.
I can´t wait to dive into the adventures that behold me in the next 14 weeks. Tomorrow, we are going to a bigger town for the day, we are headi ng to Caberete.
So it has already been 6 days since I first arrived in the Dominican and it´s definitely been a mixture of good times and hot times. At first glance, the small town of Cabrera is what I imagined: chicken running around, random fields with donkeys and horses, stray dogs walking around and some broken down houses. But I have already come to love what is going to be my home for anot her 14 weeks. Sure, I miss the comforts of having the internet, air conditioning and constant run ning water and electricity but the culture and vibrant lifestyle of the locals here never cceases to amaze me.
Join me on one of my t ypical days:
I wake up at aro und 8:00 in the morning and head to breakfast that Yaniris has so generously prepared for myself and Dan. We talk for a bit while enjoying a high-carb breakfast of eggs, toast and whatever else. Come 8:40 or so, Dan and I head towards the school which is just a short 5 minutes away. Along the way, we say Hola to the locals who are either working away or just sitting along the side of the road. Yes, there is a LOT of sitting around. I arrive at school where I am greet ed by lovely smiles and enthusiastic kids wanting to learn. Throughout the morning, I take a few kids out to practice reading out loud a nd help them sound out words. A lot of the times, I have to remind them to think of the letter and the sound that the letter ma kes. A little while later, the kids are reading. Through that and helping out wherever I am needed, playing board games or helping the kids throuigh Math bingo, I find myself quickly at lunch time, 12:00, where I head home for lunch. Yaniris has prepared lunch for me again and this time it is probably rice, habeuchuellas, a salad, some type of meat and a nice cold glass of mango juice. Nice and refreshing. I return to school for 1:30 where the older kids have their session. Wednesday was Club day and the kids got to join whatever club they wanted, I helped out with board games and played monopoly with some kids. On a regular day, the kids are often given a pick-and-mix session where they can choose to work on an assignment, practice for the talent show, do some reading with us or sometimes even cook with one of the teachers! This goes to about 3:30, and at that time there is either a show-and-tell about asinger, a group, an actor or something of that nature by one of the kids. This week, we saw a great one about Angelina Jolie. Other times we would sing some songs. School ends at 4:00 pm and that is prettty much the school day.
I walk home with Carissa, Brittany and some of the ot her volunteers and are greeted by some of the students w ho are picking mangos off trees. The other day, some of the students offered us some and it melted my heart right away. The mangos are fresh, delicious and picked with love, haha.
At night, we do a variety of things. Sometimes we go out for drinks right after at the Manny ´s, a seaside bar type thin g. Ot her times we go play some pool and relax on a few Presidente beers. Orange juice , alittle bit of shopping and interacting with some locals fills most of the day. I´ve been a bit under the weather here so some days I just stay in. But most of the time, there is always something going on and Dan, my housemate, is kind enough to show me around to the tiny little beach, to the internet cafe and other little gems in town. Fiona and Anthony also have been working with us and trying to get us accustomed to the local lifestyle and invite us to do things with them whenever they get a chance. I am really grateful for their openness in receiving our company.
Dinner is served at around 7-8 and consists generally of a meat, more eggs and some typè of carb. We may or may not go out in the evening again and then I generally head to bed in and around 10 on a weekday. That´s life so far.
On Monday and Friday, I head to a pre-school instead of the school with the Esperanza Project. There, I work with another group of excited children just starting out to learn to read in English. I worked with some of them individually to pronounce letters and I even read the book The Three Billy-Goats Gruff to them. It is a change of pace working with younger ones but it is refreshing and it keeps me on my toes. I love it.
However, there have been a couple of highlights with my time here so far. Upon arrival, Fiona and Anthony took us out to the -Blue Roof aka Mira Mar- on Monday night just to talk a bit and get to meet the other volunteers over some drinks. We went to Manny´s and enjoyed some great company and nice views. There have a few good walks with Carissa to random places and to the centre square just to hang out a bit. On Friday on baseball day, all the kids went to the camp grounds and played baseball. We got to play and Carissa, Brittany and I happened to be on the same team and won our first Dominican Baseball game 17-16, a true nail-bitter. I also got to enjoy a nice German meal at d inner last night wihen we went out with a bunch of the other local gringos. Today, Car issa and I headed to the local waterfall which we learned was a saltedero and rode on Yaniris motorcycle thing. There, some locals were jumping off for us and helped us down to the bottom where we got to jump into the nice pool of fresh water as well . Later on, we enjoyed a nice afternoon on the beach, Playa Grande, where we relaxed, swam in the Atlantic ocean and played a bit of Bocce Ball --of which I have never played before and ended up winning the second game, yay!
But here I am. 6 days in and as I said over 50 mosquito bites. A little bit sick but I bought some local medication and I hope it will be fine. Life so far has been incredible to say the least. It is interesting to note the difference between the rich and the poor even within this town itself. There can be really nice houses with what seems to be two floors, nice furniture and cars all around and then right across the street there is a broken down structure where some people may live. A bottle of Dasani water of bottled juice is 20 pesos, a mere 50 cents. Internet? Last time, we used 3 computers at the internet cafe for 20 minutes each and paid only 45 pesos, just over a dollar. It is incredible to think of money in these terms but there is obviously a difference in the standard of living here with that of Canada. Like I said, there is a lot of sitting around, in the dark and whatnot. There is electricity 60% of the time and if you do not have a generator in your house, you simply do not get electricity. There is a slight drought here in Cabrera (maybe all of the DR, I´m not sure) and during parts of the day you don ´t get running water. Sometimes we have to save up water in a bucket so we have some for later. That is the reality that some people face not for 6 days, not for 15 weeks but for their lives. I can only be an advocate for what I live and I´m glad the locals have embraced me with open arms.
Life is not as I expected it though. I think I came super prepared thinking that all water must be purified and that there are a lot of don´ts that I should be worried about. Sure, we take care of ourselves and take precautio ns but for the most part we´ve been experiencing life as a local would. Although we would not drink out of the tap water, not even Dominicans do, there is a good system of clean bottled water that we use to refill our bottles with. Speaking of which, I lost my water bottle again (the same one I lost on Dan´s grandparents´farm... just not alucky bottle for me, heh). I will keep safe, especially when Im not in Cabrera bu t f or now, life is good.
I can´t wait to dive into the adventures that behold me in the next 14 weeks. Tomorrow, we are going to a bigger town for the day, we are headi ng to Caberete.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Scared?
I can't help but sit here and think tonight. I'm currently trying to fix my sleeping habits--it's been an ongoing battle of 5 am - 2 pm for the last little bit. I only have a week left to adjust and I think with going to Waterloo tomorrow that will be the start. I have to wake up early to catch a bus. But what keeps me awake right now is thinking. Thinking about the future and my time in the Dominican. I spent my day at Starbucks with my friend studying Spanish. Literally, I sat in Starbucks and for the most part studied over 100 pages of my Spanish 101/102 textbook. A lot of it was familiar and I think it's good to refresh my memory but I have a lot left to accomplish. I want to finish that textbook, read through my 201A/B textbook and glance through my Spanish phrasebook, haha. I hope I can do it! But I cannot help but check my Facebook and whatnot. Slowly but surely, I am faced with the reality that a lot of my friends are heading out:
Natalia posts that her ville actuelle is Mbuya, Mukono, Uganda.
Sebastien posts that his ville actuelle is Kariobangi South, Nairobi Area, Kenya.
At the same time, Nicole posts "So I just completed 1/3 plane rides before I arrive at my final destination and a little five year old boy has already made me cry from the statement: "Why are you going alone? Doesn't anyone love you?" - haha"
It's exciting and it's new. I have planned for over 8 months for this adventure; this adventure that I have been thinking about since starting university--I knew I wanted to do a Field Studies! But when I'm not busy shopping for last minute deodorant that will fit carry-on standards, I am hit with the reality that I will not have electricity 40% of the time in the DR, let alone internet. My network of support will disappear and although I will want to check my emails and see what is happening in the world, a part of me does not want to. I want to take in the experience as much as I can, learn Spanish, learn the culture and interact with locals and tourists alike--see what brings each person to Cabrera! All these things float through my mind and I begin to get nervous. I took my last dose of Dukoral tonight and it sucked. Tomorrow I will take my malaria pills again. My next week now seems so short--there isn't enough time.
I guess I don't really know what to expect in the last few days. I will enjoy each and every moment of it to the fullest and I guess when next week rolls around I will have to be ready. Next week at this exact time I will be sitting in the airport probably--my flight leaves in an hour and 55 minutes. I only hope my worries will have dissipated. But I guess that's also the fun of it--to be shocked and to be wowed.
To all my friends who are travelling this week, Buena Suerte and safe travels!
Natalia posts that her ville actuelle is Mbuya, Mukono, Uganda.
Sebastien posts that his ville actuelle is Kariobangi South, Nairobi Area, Kenya.
At the same time, Nicole posts "So I just completed 1/3 plane rides before I arrive at my final destination and a little five year old boy has already made me cry from the statement: "Why are you going alone? Doesn't anyone love you?" - haha"
It's exciting and it's new. I have planned for over 8 months for this adventure; this adventure that I have been thinking about since starting university--I knew I wanted to do a Field Studies! But when I'm not busy shopping for last minute deodorant that will fit carry-on standards, I am hit with the reality that I will not have electricity 40% of the time in the DR, let alone internet. My network of support will disappear and although I will want to check my emails and see what is happening in the world, a part of me does not want to. I want to take in the experience as much as I can, learn Spanish, learn the culture and interact with locals and tourists alike--see what brings each person to Cabrera! All these things float through my mind and I begin to get nervous. I took my last dose of Dukoral tonight and it sucked. Tomorrow I will take my malaria pills again. My next week now seems so short--there isn't enough time.
I guess I don't really know what to expect in the last few days. I will enjoy each and every moment of it to the fullest and I guess when next week rolls around I will have to be ready. Next week at this exact time I will be sitting in the airport probably--my flight leaves in an hour and 55 minutes. I only hope my worries will have dissipated. But I guess that's also the fun of it--to be shocked and to be wowed.
To all my friends who are travelling this week, Buena Suerte and safe travels!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Living with Anticipation.
Applying to Beyond Borders last year meant that I was ready to go on an experiential learning adventure: to volunteer. Despite having mentally prepared myself for the trip, it was not until today that the reality kind of sank in. Today was the last day of classes. The everyday comfort of living in a routine has suddenly ended and I am faced with the eventuality of actually going to the Dominican. In fact, depending on when my flight is, I may leave in one month's time. I am beginning to live with anticipation.
With every adventure though, it is important to reflect on the journey that has brought us to where we are today. In harmony with Tim's video, I will explore the challenges, triumphs and teachings from the two terms that has brought me to where I am today. Here's to Beyond Borders!
On the first day to class, I was definitely apprehensive. What did Beyond Borders mean? Everyone accepted into the program is a leader in some way. Many have formal leadership roles and all have a reason as to why they were in the program. To be honest, I thought everyone was amazing and had a lot more experience than me--I was intimidated. Yet throughout the past two terms, I have grown to love my new found group of friends. The connections which started off as awkward hellos on the street soon became a linkage of meaningful texts, messages and group bonding sessions. Whether we were working on a fundraising idea, making cards or just hanging out, we were committed to making the experience a good one. Truly, I do believe that what you put in is what you get out of an experience and in this group, everyone put in 110%. I honestly feel that, although cliché, individuals in our Beyond Borders cohort will do anything in their power to ensure everyone is successful.
This group has truly taught me the power of selflessness, what it means to work in a group environment and has reminded me of the importance to relate to one another. I have always been a pretty independent worker. Although I did not mind working in groups, my preference was always to be in control and to do things myself. Working with my cohort, however, I have learned both to trust and to accept spontaneity: life doesn't always turn out the way we think it will, and that's okay.
Throughout the term, I have also learned a lot about development. As Brilé noted, the Beyond Borders program is counterintuitive. It truly challenges the traditional methods of pedagogy and the ways in which we view the world. What is the role of experiential learning? How is eco-tourism different from what we are trying to do? I definitely thought I had the answers to many of life's problems. Corruption is bad; we are going to help the poor. Yet the lessons and discussions amongst my peers and in class have showed me that corruption isn't always black and development work isn't always white.
Beyond Borders takes our knowledge of development a step further and asks whether or not organisations actually want the volunteer's help or do they just want the economic resources the volunteer brings. The program has challenged me immensely throughout the last two terms; I begin to look at the world, not necessarily cynically, but with an analytical frame of mind. I have come to understand the reasons behind the action.
Whether Rigoberta Menchu meant to paint a particular picture of her life in her testimony or not, her mission remained the same. There is much controversy behind the truthfulness of her work, I, Rigoberta Menchu, yet perhaps her living conditions are less important than the message she is trying to portray. The fact is, she was an advocate for the lives for all indigenous Guatemalans and she sought to expose the injustices inherent in the system. Beyond Borders taught me to look behind the apparent.
I hope that, as a result of my experiences, I will be able to understand the complexities of life within the Dominican Republic and its neighbour, Haiti. I have found a passion in understanding the implications of being stateless as a child of a migrant worker. I have begun to care so much more about the Dominican Republic than I had ever thought I would. The xenophobia and racism within the Dominican Republic stems from the colonial roots of the two nations. The deep-rooted conflict is not necessarily one that can be solved but will ultimately stay with the groups. The truth is, Beyond Borders has taught me to become passionately involved. Instead of "helping out," I have learned to work with others and understand what matters most to them. My classmates have shown me how to put 110% in everything I do.
So I currently live with anticipation. I am excited and nervous about the 3 months ahead of me. My comforts will be taken away and my classmates will not always be there to support me in my efforts. However, they have prepared me to trust in myself, trust in others and to live passionately. Our learning doesn't stop here, Sebastien did a good job and reminded us that the world is our classroom.
With every adventure though, it is important to reflect on the journey that has brought us to where we are today. In harmony with Tim's video, I will explore the challenges, triumphs and teachings from the two terms that has brought me to where I am today. Here's to Beyond Borders!
On the first day to class, I was definitely apprehensive. What did Beyond Borders mean? Everyone accepted into the program is a leader in some way. Many have formal leadership roles and all have a reason as to why they were in the program. To be honest, I thought everyone was amazing and had a lot more experience than me--I was intimidated. Yet throughout the past two terms, I have grown to love my new found group of friends. The connections which started off as awkward hellos on the street soon became a linkage of meaningful texts, messages and group bonding sessions. Whether we were working on a fundraising idea, making cards or just hanging out, we were committed to making the experience a good one. Truly, I do believe that what you put in is what you get out of an experience and in this group, everyone put in 110%. I honestly feel that, although cliché, individuals in our Beyond Borders cohort will do anything in their power to ensure everyone is successful.
This group has truly taught me the power of selflessness, what it means to work in a group environment and has reminded me of the importance to relate to one another. I have always been a pretty independent worker. Although I did not mind working in groups, my preference was always to be in control and to do things myself. Working with my cohort, however, I have learned both to trust and to accept spontaneity: life doesn't always turn out the way we think it will, and that's okay.
Throughout the term, I have also learned a lot about development. As Brilé noted, the Beyond Borders program is counterintuitive. It truly challenges the traditional methods of pedagogy and the ways in which we view the world. What is the role of experiential learning? How is eco-tourism different from what we are trying to do? I definitely thought I had the answers to many of life's problems. Corruption is bad; we are going to help the poor. Yet the lessons and discussions amongst my peers and in class have showed me that corruption isn't always black and development work isn't always white.
Beyond Borders takes our knowledge of development a step further and asks whether or not organisations actually want the volunteer's help or do they just want the economic resources the volunteer brings. The program has challenged me immensely throughout the last two terms; I begin to look at the world, not necessarily cynically, but with an analytical frame of mind. I have come to understand the reasons behind the action.
Whether Rigoberta Menchu meant to paint a particular picture of her life in her testimony or not, her mission remained the same. There is much controversy behind the truthfulness of her work, I, Rigoberta Menchu, yet perhaps her living conditions are less important than the message she is trying to portray. The fact is, she was an advocate for the lives for all indigenous Guatemalans and she sought to expose the injustices inherent in the system. Beyond Borders taught me to look behind the apparent.
I hope that, as a result of my experiences, I will be able to understand the complexities of life within the Dominican Republic and its neighbour, Haiti. I have found a passion in understanding the implications of being stateless as a child of a migrant worker. I have begun to care so much more about the Dominican Republic than I had ever thought I would. The xenophobia and racism within the Dominican Republic stems from the colonial roots of the two nations. The deep-rooted conflict is not necessarily one that can be solved but will ultimately stay with the groups. The truth is, Beyond Borders has taught me to become passionately involved. Instead of "helping out," I have learned to work with others and understand what matters most to them. My classmates have shown me how to put 110% in everything I do.
So I currently live with anticipation. I am excited and nervous about the 3 months ahead of me. My comforts will be taken away and my classmates will not always be there to support me in my efforts. However, they have prepared me to trust in myself, trust in others and to live passionately. Our learning doesn't stop here, Sebastien did a good job and reminded us that the world is our classroom.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Living in the Dominican Republic
Up to this point, my blog has mostly been about my general thoughts: how I will fit in, norms by which I live my life and ways in which I envision myself to (re)act appropriately to new experiences. I have briefly touched on the culture of the Dominican Republic but have yet to talk about its geography, the climate and other physical conditions in which I will encounter during my 3-month stay. So, here's to the Dominican Republic:
When asked to think about The Dominican, most people think of a tropical climate and a vacation spot full of resorts. They travel to the country and although they have been there, they do not truly get to interact with its culture. This summer, I get the rare opportunity to live in a host family and understand life as a local, 130 km away from the capital Santa Domingo, in a town called Cabrera. Although the region is still undeniably beautiful, my trip there will not be a trip in the park.
The People
As mentioned in my previous blog post, the people of the Dominican Republic come from a varied background. 73% of its citizens are of mixed background while its next highest population being white, accounting for about 16% of the population. What unites the country most, however, is probably its shared religion: 95% of its people are of Roman Catholic descent. Interestingly enough, though, Cabrera does not share in this faith tradition—its 39, 000 population shares in a mainstream religion of the Christian Evangelic Church.
Economy
The Dominican has mostly been known as an exporter of coffee, sugar and tobacco. However, there has been a shift in recent years and now the service sector and tourism now account for 65% of its GDP. However, despite its attraction to tourists, the nation is not as glamorous as it looks. Over 40% of the population lives below the absolute poverty line and this makes for a huge gap between the rich and the poor. In fact, the top 10% of the population enjoys over 40% of the GDP, whereas the poorest half of the population share less 1/5 of the nation’s GDP.
Although Cabrera is located on the coast and is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, La Playa Grande, it is not dependent on tourism as a main source of income. In fact, the economy in Cabrera is driven by cattle, its milk and meat, mixed with a bit of agriculture.
Climate
While thinking about the Dominican and when I am going to be there (May-August), I was afraid of its climate. Although I whine and complain about the cold weather now, I think it is harder for me to be active in the summer months. At least when I’m cold, I can wear more clothes and react accordingly. In the scorching hot heat, however, sometimes you are paralyzed and just cannot continue to work. It was to my delight, then, to find out that the Dominican’s temperature does not vary that much throughout the year! It’s temperature during the hottest season, May – October, ranges between 22-30 degrees Celsius. The main difference is that it is more humid during these months. Furthermore, the first month when I will be there, the Dominican sees the most rainfall. Fortunately, it is expected to be in short bursts followed by sunshine.
Despite the weather being ideal during the summer season, it is actually the low season for tourism. Most tourists often visit the Dominican to seek refuge from the cold North American winters.
------------
Now what am I doing in the Dominican? Throughout my blog, I have mentioned briefly the name of the project with which I will be work, The Esperanza Project. A literal translation of its name would mean The Project of Hope. The Esperanza Project is a non-profit organization, run and founded by a Canadian/British couple, that was “born out of a perceived need to provide a much needed supplementary education and extra-curricular program, giving individual students an opportunity to explore, create, and inspire, whilst empowering them to grow academically and socially, in a safe, supportive, hands-on learning environment” (Esperanza Project, n.d.).
I will be running an individual sports section at the camp with another student from the University of Victoria! I’m not 100% sure what we’ll be doing yet but we have the months ahead to plan and prepare a program that can be reused: obstacle courses, relays, team building exercises and the like. If you have any ideas, send me a message and I’ll be happy to bring a piece of you to the Dominican with me!
There is no doubt that the experience will be hard and challenging. Living in the Dominican Republic will not be a walk on the beach. I will live the life of a local, away from tourist infrastructure: very few comforts of my normal life will be present. The Spanish language, although I have studied it, will be a barrier to both my host family and myself. Yet despite all these challenges, I am hopeful. I am hopeful that I can learn and become an advocate for what happens in the Dominican. I am hopeful that I will become a trusted member of the local community and I am hopeful that my presence will be well received.
I invite you to take a look into the town I will be in—I hope this blog gives you an understanding of my excitement and an appreciation that I will not be going as a tourist! Here is a link to a video that some women took passing through Cabrera in 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZzC_L2HBs8&feature=player_embedded#at=515
Works Used
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dr.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dominican-republic
http://www.esperanzaproject.ca/index.php/about/
When asked to think about The Dominican, most people think of a tropical climate and a vacation spot full of resorts. They travel to the country and although they have been there, they do not truly get to interact with its culture. This summer, I get the rare opportunity to live in a host family and understand life as a local, 130 km away from the capital Santa Domingo, in a town called Cabrera. Although the region is still undeniably beautiful, my trip there will not be a trip in the park.
The People
As mentioned in my previous blog post, the people of the Dominican Republic come from a varied background. 73% of its citizens are of mixed background while its next highest population being white, accounting for about 16% of the population. What unites the country most, however, is probably its shared religion: 95% of its people are of Roman Catholic descent. Interestingly enough, though, Cabrera does not share in this faith tradition—its 39, 000 population shares in a mainstream religion of the Christian Evangelic Church.
Economy
The Dominican has mostly been known as an exporter of coffee, sugar and tobacco. However, there has been a shift in recent years and now the service sector and tourism now account for 65% of its GDP. However, despite its attraction to tourists, the nation is not as glamorous as it looks. Over 40% of the population lives below the absolute poverty line and this makes for a huge gap between the rich and the poor. In fact, the top 10% of the population enjoys over 40% of the GDP, whereas the poorest half of the population share less 1/5 of the nation’s GDP.
Although Cabrera is located on the coast and is home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, La Playa Grande, it is not dependent on tourism as a main source of income. In fact, the economy in Cabrera is driven by cattle, its milk and meat, mixed with a bit of agriculture.
Climate
While thinking about the Dominican and when I am going to be there (May-August), I was afraid of its climate. Although I whine and complain about the cold weather now, I think it is harder for me to be active in the summer months. At least when I’m cold, I can wear more clothes and react accordingly. In the scorching hot heat, however, sometimes you are paralyzed and just cannot continue to work. It was to my delight, then, to find out that the Dominican’s temperature does not vary that much throughout the year! It’s temperature during the hottest season, May – October, ranges between 22-30 degrees Celsius. The main difference is that it is more humid during these months. Furthermore, the first month when I will be there, the Dominican sees the most rainfall. Fortunately, it is expected to be in short bursts followed by sunshine.
Despite the weather being ideal during the summer season, it is actually the low season for tourism. Most tourists often visit the Dominican to seek refuge from the cold North American winters.
------------
Now what am I doing in the Dominican? Throughout my blog, I have mentioned briefly the name of the project with which I will be work, The Esperanza Project. A literal translation of its name would mean The Project of Hope. The Esperanza Project is a non-profit organization, run and founded by a Canadian/British couple, that was “born out of a perceived need to provide a much needed supplementary education and extra-curricular program, giving individual students an opportunity to explore, create, and inspire, whilst empowering them to grow academically and socially, in a safe, supportive, hands-on learning environment” (Esperanza Project, n.d.).
I will be running an individual sports section at the camp with another student from the University of Victoria! I’m not 100% sure what we’ll be doing yet but we have the months ahead to plan and prepare a program that can be reused: obstacle courses, relays, team building exercises and the like. If you have any ideas, send me a message and I’ll be happy to bring a piece of you to the Dominican with me!
There is no doubt that the experience will be hard and challenging. Living in the Dominican Republic will not be a walk on the beach. I will live the life of a local, away from tourist infrastructure: very few comforts of my normal life will be present. The Spanish language, although I have studied it, will be a barrier to both my host family and myself. Yet despite all these challenges, I am hopeful. I am hopeful that I can learn and become an advocate for what happens in the Dominican. I am hopeful that I will become a trusted member of the local community and I am hopeful that my presence will be well received.
I invite you to take a look into the town I will be in—I hope this blog gives you an understanding of my excitement and an appreciation that I will not be going as a tourist! Here is a link to a video that some women took passing through Cabrera in 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZzC_L2HBs8&feature=player_embedded#at=515
Works Used
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/dr.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dominican-republic
http://www.esperanzaproject.ca/index.php/about/
Monday, March 21, 2011
Living.
On Friday, March 18th, I had the pleasure of hearing Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire deliver a keynote address for the Art's Student Union at the University of Waterloo. Dallaire, most known for his refusal to pull UN troops out of Rwanda during the genocide in 1994, talked mostly about the international community's responsibility to protect when a national government fails to provide security for its citizens. What struck me most, however, was his question "Are some humans more human than others?"
He understood conflict and a nation's willingness to intervene politically in terms of gain. When "personal" interests are not met, one's desire to intervene dramatically decreases. Such was the situation, as he explained, in the summer of 1994. The international community was hesitant to label the atrocities within Rwanda as genocide. Terms including "tribal civil war" and "acts of genocide" were used to describe the massacres, yet these terms did not necessitate an immediate reaction from the UN to intervene. In fact, when several Belgium UN Peacekeepers were killed, the UN urged Dallaire to pull his troops out because their lives were at risk. Yet despite this sense of urgency for peacekeepers, there was no similar response in fear for the lives of Rwandans. Why is this so? Can it be, then, that some humans are more “human” than others and deserve better treatment? Fortunately, the UN General Assembly has, since 2005, adopted the Responsibility to Protect, calling on the international community to intervene “where the state is unable or unwilling to meet its own responsibility” (Evans, 2008). As a result, there is now a mechanism of response that puts an emphasis on all human life, and not only those “worth saving.”
Despite the progress towards the equality of human life, however, there are still regions of the world where someone’s life is worth less than that of their peers. Such discrimination effectively denies thousands of individuals the “right to a range of economic, civil and political rights, including their right to acquire a nationality, to education, to security of the person and to freedom from discrimination (Amnesty International, 2007). Yet as a Canadian citizen, this reality of life is foreign and is at times disheartening.
Although such discrimination is not apparent in my daily life, it may very well be this summer. The Dominican Republic has had problems with illegal migrant workers coming from their neighbouring country, Haiti. In fact, estimates say there are approximately 800, 000 – 1, 000, 000 Haitians working in the Dominican Republic, accounting for approximately 10% of its population (Dominican Today, 2010). As a result, government officials have been increasing checkpoints for identification and deporting Haitians, who may have spent the last 10 or more years in the Dominican when the cane sugar industry needed help. The result? Many children born in the Dominican Republic with Haitian parents are denied their right to a nationality, and are considered stateless (Amnesty International, 2007). The lack of proper documentation and witnesses at the time of their birth make it hard for these children to gain Haitian citizenship as well. The children are, then, destined to a life of poverty: they cannot receive education and are denied many basic services.
This is what we should have to worry about: living. It is the reality of many people in the world that they stress about their next meal and where they will find work. On the other hand, last week’s newest Youtube sensation Rebecca Black reminds us that our biggest concern is sometimes determining which seat we can take in our friend’s convertible. So perhaps it is time to pick up a book, learn about an issue and fight for something that matters. We need to start looking beyond ourselves and start seeing the human in others.
Tim notes in his blog that Canada’s 18-30 year old population represents 35% of its demographic. This is enough to make a significant change in the politics of Canada, if we take a stand and vote for the issues that matter to us. In fact, Roméo Dallaire, as a current Canadian senator, noted that our generation has the ability to form a new political party if we truly wanted to and theoretically “take over parliament”. Yet the apathy and complacency in our lives focus our attention on the immediate and what is close to home.
In a way, it is ironic that my Beyond Borders placement is in the Dominican Republic, a country where the rigidity of its borders is constantly being fortified.
I do not know how this will affect my experiences in Cabrera. Fortunately Roméo Dallaire reminds us that life is valuable and, as such, I will try my best to value life in each person I meet.
Work Cited
Amnesty International. (2007). Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the United States: protect rights, reduce statelessness. Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20070422232810/http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAMR270012007
Dominican Today. (2010, June 29). Dominican immigration: number of illegal Haitians jumps 15% to 1.0M after quake. Retrieved from http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/poverty/2010/6/29/36162/Dominica n-Immigration-Number-of-illegal-Haitians-jumps-15-to-10M-after
Evans, Gareth. (2008). The Responsibility to Protect: ending mass atrocity crimes once and for all. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
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