Each new journey begins with a single step, and I think begins with a single purpose in mind - in my case, to find a place where my skills are needed, where I can feel I am doing some good for people who could use some good, a place where I am working with a community of like-minded people - toward the goal of "making a difference" to some children and families.
Another purpose is to challenge myself; can I do this in an new environment where I don't carry any "reputation" or old relationships to support me, AND in another language?
And of course the lure of a beautiful environment, a chance to explore a new culture, and to see how the effects of the American economic system (and European) are impacting this other culture and it's people.
That's the "single step" but reading some material from the website The Cassiopaean Experiment this morning, I realize that's just the starting point.
I am open to being led to where I need to go. Who knows where that will be or what it will entail.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Friday, May 12, 2006
violence, gay rights, and other considerations
So I bought my tickets for Jamaica-Guatemala- and return in 6 weeks about 8 pm. Wed. night.
At 9 pm an email arrived from my son describing horrific murders of two gay rights activists in Jamaica and an on-going attitude there. http://planetout.com/news/feature.html?sernum=1382 I can't imagine that my cancelling my flight and planned stay in a tiny project there is going to impact that situation, and my son isn't pressuring me, but my feeling about Jamaica is sullied by this news, and I want to express my solidarity with my son and gay rights, generally.
Then I go to my Spanish class and the teacher tells me of the assault and robbery of two of her relatives in Guatemala. Native Guatemaltecos!
So..........what do I think about this? (Besides a regressive urge to take back my resignation at work and stay home.) There is more crime in those countries and more ugly attitudes in general in part due to the stronger influence of the church, but primarily due to the poverty and lack of hope. Evidently (another article this morning) the US recent deportation of tens of thousands of immigrants who had been affiliated with gangs, here, has brought about a crime wave in Central America. Nicaragua is evidently responding with more programs and economic incentives, Guatemala is responding with a "no tolerance" attitude.
It is the economic disparity between the "developed" countries and the "undeveloped" countries (read: colonized, treated inequitably by our policies) continues, of COURSE immigrants will keep pouring in to the developed countries (US, Europe.) As they do, and our goverments allow business to take advantage of the cheap labor here (and there) not only will they continue to come, but our own citizens will be pushed out of jobs, thus creating resentment and backlash, and possibly a sort of civil war here.
When we reject them, they turn their resentment and sense of hopelessness on tourists in their own countries as well as, evidently, their own - more affluent - citizens.
The only answer is for the economic disparity to devolve. Some countries, I think Honduras is one, are now requiring foreign investors to pay reasonable taxes and to hire a high percentage of locals. That's a step in the right direction. For "us" to want to invest there, there has to be closeness to resources and some economic advantage, but it shouldn't be such that our businesses LEAVE the US, or exploit the people of the country invested in (while lining the pockets of the government officials who design policies.)
What does all this mean for my "JOURNEY"?? No sé at the moment. I am considering cancelling my tickets and trip to Jamaica (and I see the faces of those sweet kids looking up at me from their tacky school) and sending the project a little money, and taking my trip straight to Guatemala.
As far as the violence there, the question is whether "putting my life on the line" is worthwhile if I am not doing so in some really effective way with a big cause. Going to Colombia to be in solidarity with peace activists would be something like that (which would scare me to death.) I don't know that putting myself in harm's way to increase the mental health component of some small school project is quite the same. But of course if a few more children in Guatemala feel good about themselves and are more able to be successful, that's something.
No sé.....realmente no sé.
At 9 pm an email arrived from my son describing horrific murders of two gay rights activists in Jamaica and an on-going attitude there. http://planetout.com/news/feature.html?sernum=1382 I can't imagine that my cancelling my flight and planned stay in a tiny project there is going to impact that situation, and my son isn't pressuring me, but my feeling about Jamaica is sullied by this news, and I want to express my solidarity with my son and gay rights, generally.
Then I go to my Spanish class and the teacher tells me of the assault and robbery of two of her relatives in Guatemala. Native Guatemaltecos!
So..........what do I think about this? (Besides a regressive urge to take back my resignation at work and stay home.) There is more crime in those countries and more ugly attitudes in general in part due to the stronger influence of the church, but primarily due to the poverty and lack of hope. Evidently (another article this morning) the US recent deportation of tens of thousands of immigrants who had been affiliated with gangs, here, has brought about a crime wave in Central America. Nicaragua is evidently responding with more programs and economic incentives, Guatemala is responding with a "no tolerance" attitude.
It is the economic disparity between the "developed" countries and the "undeveloped" countries (read: colonized, treated inequitably by our policies) continues, of COURSE immigrants will keep pouring in to the developed countries (US, Europe.) As they do, and our goverments allow business to take advantage of the cheap labor here (and there) not only will they continue to come, but our own citizens will be pushed out of jobs, thus creating resentment and backlash, and possibly a sort of civil war here.
When we reject them, they turn their resentment and sense of hopelessness on tourists in their own countries as well as, evidently, their own - more affluent - citizens.
The only answer is for the economic disparity to devolve. Some countries, I think Honduras is one, are now requiring foreign investors to pay reasonable taxes and to hire a high percentage of locals. That's a step in the right direction. For "us" to want to invest there, there has to be closeness to resources and some economic advantage, but it shouldn't be such that our businesses LEAVE the US, or exploit the people of the country invested in (while lining the pockets of the government officials who design policies.)
What does all this mean for my "JOURNEY"?? No sé at the moment. I am considering cancelling my tickets and trip to Jamaica (and I see the faces of those sweet kids looking up at me from their tacky school) and sending the project a little money, and taking my trip straight to Guatemala.
As far as the violence there, the question is whether "putting my life on the line" is worthwhile if I am not doing so in some really effective way with a big cause. Going to Colombia to be in solidarity with peace activists would be something like that (which would scare me to death.) I don't know that putting myself in harm's way to increase the mental health component of some small school project is quite the same. But of course if a few more children in Guatemala feel good about themselves and are more able to be successful, that's something.
No sé.....realmente no sé.
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