A post-program message...
You've probably noticed that a few things about this program aren't quite as you would have imagined. We're working with two grassroots organizations. We plan our schedule in collaboration with them. We budget to pay their members as guides and work to reduce the money we spend at hotels and restaurants. We've arranged activities that support the work of these organizations, planning together to take part in activities where our presence may draw attention or add enthusiasm to work they're doing.
We learn… not because we gaze and gawk as tourists (although sometimes we can't hide our stares) or as "objective" observers (although we often struggle to see our connections to what we're learning about) or as extractive researchers (although we have thought long and hard about how to leave a positive footprint). Instead, we learn because we engage with grassroots organizers, tell our stories about where we are from back home, ask questions, try to build a bigger analysis of why the world is how it is, and try to apply lessons from their experiences here in the Dominican Republic to ours back in the States.
At the beginning of the program, I encouraged all of you to start with the idea that each of us is at the center of the group. I asked everyone to share how they usually feel around groups and to think about what the obstacles are. When don't you feel like you're at the center of the group? It seems like even those who were the most quiet and isolated at the beginning started to notice that someone in the group was thinking about them.
We've been pretty conscious about shifting many different kinds of relationships within our group and amongst ourselves, and shifting the relationships that have surrounded study abroad programs – the political, economic, epistemological, cultural relationships. Our logic is not a short-term, profit-making one that constitutes area-studies experts or intercultural professionals. The program is built on long-term relationships and ones in which we're constantly challenging ourselves, reflecting on our assumptions and mistakes. We're interested in sharing perspectives that might give us some collective leverage on the massive global social problems we're up against. We're going for a kind of global citizenship that's inclusive in ways that national citizenship isn't. We're working on building a sense of collective in these three weeks to shake loose the individualism that is so deeply engrained that most of say regularly in one way or another, "I need some time alone."
Most of you have been asking since about a week into the program what you can do about what you've learned when you get home. Typical study programs inspire a fairly typical range of activities: You give a slide show at your synagogue, church or at the Rotary Club about Dominican Culture. You make a photo album or scrap book and laugh and cry over it with all the friends that you can convince to look at it. Actually, probably these days you post all your photos on your Facebook or MySpace page and sit down with your laptop and your friends to look at it. Your family and friends gradually turn you into the Resident Expert in Dominican Culture and send you emails if ever the Dominican Republic is mentioned in the news, which is rare except in news about baseball, travel, merengue and bachata, or free trade zones.
Your final project for this program was to write a statement of commitment and intention. What do you plan to do to apply what you've learned in your own community? What are your vision and values? Who do you see as your community and who is your team or your support network as you work toward these goals? What challenges do you anticipate and how will you overcome them? What will be your first steps?
I look forward to hearing from all of you too about what goes well and what's challenging about putting your statement of commitment into action. What do you come up against… back in your home country, in your community, among your family and friends, within yourself… that makes it hard to do what you've said you want to do? And what can we do to support you?
We can decide to stay connected. On the web is easy. But call each other too. Check in. Check and see how you're applying what you've learned, and what you need from each other to keep these lessons more present in your lives.
Here in Santo Domingo, people at Justicia Global are reading the book you wrote and looking at photos from the program. You have left huellas (footprints). I look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Mike
Dear Alex,
You would say that, communist.
Love,
Mike
And now for my blog entry:
Since the first day that we arrived in Santo Domingo we have had the concept of collectivity hammered into our heads over and over again. On a trip that has a stated purpose of developing grassroots organizing techniques, this is not surprising, but I have had a hard time truly internalizing the concept of collectivity. I have also observed many other members of the group having trouble with this concept as well and I would like to start off this entry by sharing a revelation that I had about developing a collective mindset.
Prior to gathering at John F. Kennedy International Airport we were all assigned certain jobs to perform such as making announcements, coordinating transportation, and managing the finances of the program to establish a context for being responsible for certain aspects of the group (I was assigned to the Health and Safety Team). While in many ways this system has been successful it has also had some unfortunate results as well. This idea of being assigned tasks that we must think in ways that benefit the entire group in order to perform, I feel many people have lost sight of the deepest implications of being part of a collective effort.
What I am referring to is that in order to truly function effectively in a setting where individualism is not the norm or focus, we must realize that this is contrary to most participants' socialization and daily realities. Our lives in the United States are largely structured by/around institutions that are based in the capitalist power structure and thus promote the preoccupation of one with the self, with little to no regard for those around him/her. That is not to say that any of the people on this trip acted with such disregard towards others at home, but only to point out that our thought processes are shaped by these realities, and as such we must be cognizant of those times when push comes to shove and we unconsciously revert back to individualist thinking. The most important thing is that we remember how deeply rooted individualism is in our psyches and to be vigilant about identifying when those tendencies emerge in times when we are faced with a problem or are questioning the idea of collectivity.
In such times it will be easy to want to make sure that you as an individual are satisfied first, but in addressing this thought process I think of our experience at the convite a couple of days ago. If there is one thing that we can take from that trip into the mountains of San Cristobal, it is that in the times of hardest struggle, collectivity means life and selfishness and individualism mean death for everyone. The campesinos there told us of the origins of the convite were in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane that destroyed many homes and all of the crops on that area of the mountain. After quickly realizing that no government help was on its way, the farmers saw that if they worked together not only could they rebuild what had been swept away but do much more work in a much shorter amount of time then they could previously. During the question and answer session with the campesinos, one man remarked that in the mountains, the government does not exist, that the people alone are responsible for their own survival and the relationships that they have built. Out of this grew lasting friendships and a sense of empowerment that is unrivaled in most places. I would encourage everyone on this trip to reflect on this experience and use it as a starting point to start questioning our own dependencies on social and political institutions back in the United States. Perhaps we will all begin to truly realize that the existence of the state is predicated on our dependence on it, and that co-dependence on one another is all that is needed to lead a happy life in which everyone is provided for. We can either keep providing a mechanism for the power-holders to maintain their power through our selfishness, or transform our social relationships and give everyone the equal power that they deserve.
You would say that, communist.
Love,
Mike
And now for my blog entry:
Since the first day that we arrived in Santo Domingo we have had the concept of collectivity hammered into our heads over and over again. On a trip that has a stated purpose of developing grassroots organizing techniques, this is not surprising, but I have had a hard time truly internalizing the concept of collectivity. I have also observed many other members of the group having trouble with this concept as well and I would like to start off this entry by sharing a revelation that I had about developing a collective mindset.
Prior to gathering at John F. Kennedy International Airport we were all assigned certain jobs to perform such as making announcements, coordinating transportation, and managing the finances of the program to establish a context for being responsible for certain aspects of the group (I was assigned to the Health and Safety Team). While in many ways this system has been successful it has also had some unfortunate results as well. This idea of being assigned tasks that we must think in ways that benefit the entire group in order to perform, I feel many people have lost sight of the deepest implications of being part of a collective effort.
What I am referring to is that in order to truly function effectively in a setting where individualism is not the norm or focus, we must realize that this is contrary to most participants' socialization and daily realities. Our lives in the United States are largely structured by/around institutions that are based in the capitalist power structure and thus promote the preoccupation of one with the self, with little to no regard for those around him/her. That is not to say that any of the people on this trip acted with such disregard towards others at home, but only to point out that our thought processes are shaped by these realities, and as such we must be cognizant of those times when push comes to shove and we unconsciously revert back to individualist thinking. The most important thing is that we remember how deeply rooted individualism is in our psyches and to be vigilant about identifying when those tendencies emerge in times when we are faced with a problem or are questioning the idea of collectivity.
In such times it will be easy to want to make sure that you as an individual are satisfied first, but in addressing this thought process I think of our experience at the convite a couple of days ago. If there is one thing that we can take from that trip into the mountains of San Cristobal, it is that in the times of hardest struggle, collectivity means life and selfishness and individualism mean death for everyone. The campesinos there told us of the origins of the convite were in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane that destroyed many homes and all of the crops on that area of the mountain. After quickly realizing that no government help was on its way, the farmers saw that if they worked together not only could they rebuild what had been swept away but do much more work in a much shorter amount of time then they could previously. During the question and answer session with the campesinos, one man remarked that in the mountains, the government does not exist, that the people alone are responsible for their own survival and the relationships that they have built. Out of this grew lasting friendships and a sense of empowerment that is unrivaled in most places. I would encourage everyone on this trip to reflect on this experience and use it as a starting point to start questioning our own dependencies on social and political institutions back in the United States. Perhaps we will all begin to truly realize that the existence of the state is predicated on our dependence on it, and that co-dependence on one another is all that is needed to lead a happy life in which everyone is provided for. We can either keep providing a mechanism for the power-holders to maintain their power through our selfishness, or transform our social relationships and give everyone the equal power that they deserve.
Alex Rosenblattblatt
Before we arrived in the DR, we were advised to pack only long pants as men and, as women, avoid shirts that show off shoulders. In other words, we told to wear clothing that fit in with Dominican culture. Of course, in the stifling heat of the DR, it seemed counterintuitive but I was more than happy to oblige as I felt that it was important to not appear American and to attend to foreign cultural values. Easy enough.
As I spent time here, I began to realize that there were more subtle cultural differences. Some I noticed, and others were pointed out to me. For instance, in America we were cultivated in a culture of excess. Ordering two double cheeseburgers, swallowing down a liter of coke and completing that with a milkshake is almost normal. So when we are in a country where this culture of excess is not so prevalent, our consumption could be seen as a way of showing off our privilege. Sitting at the corner store or Collmado and relaxing, we may feel that it is normal to suck down an entire cigar. A $3.00 or so cigar means very little to many people in America. But in the DR, in some areas, a 100-peso cigar is more than a days wage. It took someone who has been here before and is experienced with Dominican culture to point out that our cigar consumption could be seen as a symbol of our excess.
It's difficult to navigate these situations. For me, I think it is very important to understand the implications of how we present ourselves. For instance, does smoking a whole cigar reify American stereotypes? And if so, what are we to do about that? An advisor pointed out that some people in the Dominican treat cigars as a delicacy and will smoke a 1/8th of a cigar a night. Would it be culturally considerate for us to do that? On the flipside, we decry the effects of hegemony. For instance, when someone moves to America and without being able to afford it, buys an Ipod. Granted, there are long histories of unequal power dynamics that come into play here.
There is much to learn from these situations and it has been stimulating to see the ways that people have been trying to adjust their presentation. Some, like myself, have really tried to be hypersensitive to these concerns but still questioning myself. For instance, I found myself telling a peer to stop taking flash pictures in the club because it was very American. I don't know if this is useful or necessary. On the other hand, other group members have thought it over and continued living, presenting, and consuming in the way that they always have
. But one member of the group proposed the question: "Is our very act of being in the DR, regardless of what are doing, an affront to Dominican culture and does it perpetuate and further the power dynamics between the two nations?" I can see how this question could come of out of the discourse that we have had around attempting to be culturally sensitive and avoiding appearing like a "fat" American. I can see how on the surface that this would make sense, that we are out of our place, and by using our privilege to come here, we may be perpetuating that privilege.
However, I believe that it is these feelings that paralyze people from caring and from action. To some point, if I am constantly worried and guilty about being culturally offensive, politically correct or of hiding my privilege, I am ignoring the differences in individuals and cultures. People are different, cultures are different, and it's over this that we can connect. I believe that finding the way of negotiating these differences is a constant process, and I may screw up one night but be successful another day. By attempting to blur cultural lines, I am submitting myself to the western American assimilistic paradigm.
The worst thing that I can do is paralyze myself in fear of appearing American or of showing off your privilege. To me, it is more important to understand how my actions represent myself and rather than trying to change my appearance because I feel guilty, change them because I feel the need to, because I am not satisfied with how I present myself. This can only come out of discussion with individuals from the Dominican republic or any other place that I am visiting. This change should not only occur while I am in the DR, but also while I am home. It would only be insincere and insulting if I were to go home and go back to my normal ways as if I was only changing my actions, in the DR, for the sake of other people. It should not be an act put on temporarily but rather, a sincere commitment.
As I spent time here, I began to realize that there were more subtle cultural differences. Some I noticed, and others were pointed out to me. For instance, in America we were cultivated in a culture of excess. Ordering two double cheeseburgers, swallowing down a liter of coke and completing that with a milkshake is almost normal. So when we are in a country where this culture of excess is not so prevalent, our consumption could be seen as a way of showing off our privilege. Sitting at the corner store or Collmado and relaxing, we may feel that it is normal to suck down an entire cigar. A $3.00 or so cigar means very little to many people in America. But in the DR, in some areas, a 100-peso cigar is more than a days wage. It took someone who has been here before and is experienced with Dominican culture to point out that our cigar consumption could be seen as a symbol of our excess.
It's difficult to navigate these situations. For me, I think it is very important to understand the implications of how we present ourselves. For instance, does smoking a whole cigar reify American stereotypes? And if so, what are we to do about that? An advisor pointed out that some people in the Dominican treat cigars as a delicacy and will smoke a 1/8th of a cigar a night. Would it be culturally considerate for us to do that? On the flipside, we decry the effects of hegemony. For instance, when someone moves to America and without being able to afford it, buys an Ipod. Granted, there are long histories of unequal power dynamics that come into play here.
There is much to learn from these situations and it has been stimulating to see the ways that people have been trying to adjust their presentation. Some, like myself, have really tried to be hypersensitive to these concerns but still questioning myself. For instance, I found myself telling a peer to stop taking flash pictures in the club because it was very American. I don't know if this is useful or necessary. On the other hand, other group members have thought it over and continued living, presenting, and consuming in the way that they always have
. But one member of the group proposed the question: "Is our very act of being in the DR, regardless of what are doing, an affront to Dominican culture and does it perpetuate and further the power dynamics between the two nations?" I can see how this question could come of out of the discourse that we have had around attempting to be culturally sensitive and avoiding appearing like a "fat" American. I can see how on the surface that this would make sense, that we are out of our place, and by using our privilege to come here, we may be perpetuating that privilege.
However, I believe that it is these feelings that paralyze people from caring and from action. To some point, if I am constantly worried and guilty about being culturally offensive, politically correct or of hiding my privilege, I am ignoring the differences in individuals and cultures. People are different, cultures are different, and it's over this that we can connect. I believe that finding the way of negotiating these differences is a constant process, and I may screw up one night but be successful another day. By attempting to blur cultural lines, I am submitting myself to the western American assimilistic paradigm.
The worst thing that I can do is paralyze myself in fear of appearing American or of showing off your privilege. To me, it is more important to understand how my actions represent myself and rather than trying to change my appearance because I feel guilty, change them because I feel the need to, because I am not satisfied with how I present myself. This can only come out of discussion with individuals from the Dominican republic or any other place that I am visiting. This change should not only occur while I am in the DR, but also while I am home. It would only be insincere and insulting if I were to go home and go back to my normal ways as if I was only changing my actions, in the DR, for the sake of other people. It should not be an act put on temporarily but rather, a sincere commitment.
Lauren: Bonao
On Saturday June 7th our group along with some members of Justicia Global visited mountain community in Bonao. We were welcomed warmly into their meeting center with fresh fruit and ice water. From the moment we arrived I could feel an intense connection between the residents. A leader of the campesino federation, Esteban, shared their story of organizing with our group as well as a group of high school students from the surrounding area.
The story begins in the early 1990's when the Dominican government declared bonao in una zona preservado or an area meant to be preserved for nature. Not long after this declaration in 1992 Falcon Bridge Mining Company entered the area and the construction of a hydroelectric dam began. At first, community members or campesinos didn't realize how detrimental this mining company would be. The federation came together to analyze this issue and found may contradictions in the values and policies of the government. Their land was being exploited and their people neglected and disrespected. Because the mining project needed electricity the hydroelectric dam was constructed. Meanwhile campo or mountain residents were not added to the grid.
The federation came together to mobilize communities and respond to the atrocities they faced. They wrote a letter to the company explaining that their ancestors had been displaced by Trujillo and they would not allow this to occur again. Falcon Bridge finally understood what the federation was about.
Negotiations began in 1996 and led to agreements solidifying the presence of the Federation, adding local communities to the power grid, creating new schools, allowing education past 3rd grade, and a new health clinic. These improvements in health and education were extremely necessary to the people. In 1993 four children died of measles, a virus that can easily be avoided with proper vaccinations. Education was also a difficult issue. Nearby schools only offered curriculum until the 3rd grade, beyond that students were required to travel.
Aside from the immediate concerns regarding the intrusion of Falcon Bridge, there are many issues stemming from it. Watersheds were becoming damaged inhibiting the survival of local wildlife. The environment is exceptionally important to those who live in Bonao as there neighborhood is made up of an agricultural mountain side. A contamination of the area would lead to an obvious decrease in harvest and income. In an area where relocation options are limited a sound income becomes ever more important.
Esteban described the concept of migratory agriculture a result of lacking educations. Farmers will often use the slash and burn technique burning damaged earth with hopes in later years it will become arable. This is not the case: slash and burn erodes soil, destroys biodiversity, and deforestation leads to less CO2 absorption. The Federation has taken on the issues of the environment and global climate change in their everyday mission.
Ecotourism is one source of income the federation has been working on recently. The idea is to attract tourists to a more genuine, true part of Dominican culture and lifestyle. Local people can work as tour guides offer to share their home with visitor while continuing to live and prosper in the mountains. The Federation stressed the importance of a community ownership of ecotourism business. In addition to the construction of hotel and rabbit farm, local young men have been learning the art of bamboo structures.
The story begins in the early 1990's when the Dominican government declared bonao in una zona preservado or an area meant to be preserved for nature. Not long after this declaration in 1992 Falcon Bridge Mining Company entered the area and the construction of a hydroelectric dam began. At first, community members or campesinos didn't realize how detrimental this mining company would be. The federation came together to analyze this issue and found may contradictions in the values and policies of the government. Their land was being exploited and their people neglected and disrespected. Because the mining project needed electricity the hydroelectric dam was constructed. Meanwhile campo or mountain residents were not added to the grid.
The federation came together to mobilize communities and respond to the atrocities they faced. They wrote a letter to the company explaining that their ancestors had been displaced by Trujillo and they would not allow this to occur again. Falcon Bridge finally understood what the federation was about.
Negotiations began in 1996 and led to agreements solidifying the presence of the Federation, adding local communities to the power grid, creating new schools, allowing education past 3rd grade, and a new health clinic. These improvements in health and education were extremely necessary to the people. In 1993 four children died of measles, a virus that can easily be avoided with proper vaccinations. Education was also a difficult issue. Nearby schools only offered curriculum until the 3rd grade, beyond that students were required to travel.
Aside from the immediate concerns regarding the intrusion of Falcon Bridge, there are many issues stemming from it. Watersheds were becoming damaged inhibiting the survival of local wildlife. The environment is exceptionally important to those who live in Bonao as there neighborhood is made up of an agricultural mountain side. A contamination of the area would lead to an obvious decrease in harvest and income. In an area where relocation options are limited a sound income becomes ever more important.
Esteban described the concept of migratory agriculture a result of lacking educations. Farmers will often use the slash and burn technique burning damaged earth with hopes in later years it will become arable. This is not the case: slash and burn erodes soil, destroys biodiversity, and deforestation leads to less CO2 absorption. The Federation has taken on the issues of the environment and global climate change in their everyday mission.
Ecotourism is one source of income the federation has been working on recently. The idea is to attract tourists to a more genuine, true part of Dominican culture and lifestyle. Local people can work as tour guides offer to share their home with visitor while continuing to live and prosper in the mountains. The Federation stressed the importance of a community ownership of ecotourism business. In addition to the construction of hotel and rabbit farm, local young men have been learning the art of bamboo structures.
Kim La Reau: "I Feel..."
Challenged. Confused. Thought provoked. Happy. Sad. Pleasant. Full (both my mind and my stomach…!). Encouraged. Apprehensive. American. Part of a group. Comfortable. Good.
All of the above. And then some, too.
There is no single word to describe all that I've been feeling on this trip. Every day is a new experience and the accompanying emotion just as varied. I'm not sure that I've ever felt such a vast array of emotions in such a short time span before. I go between feeling very foreign and sticking out like a sore thumb, to feeling incredibly welcomed and included by the people and organizations we've been working with. And then at times I can feel so happy to be here, meeting new people, learning, and having all these new experiences, but then also disconcerted about the issues we're facing and knowing that my presence here is a product of privilege.
The big question I'm confronting right now is that of, "What does this mean in my life and how will I use these lessons when I return home?" With this I feel challenged to embrace all that I'm learning. It's both difficult and confusing to make sense of everything and find a way to positively put knowledge into action when we return. However, this group has a great sense of camaraderie. Everyone is very supportive and I feel encouraged by those surrounding me. Things work themselves out and even my emotions find balance. All in all, I feel good.
All of the above. And then some, too.
There is no single word to describe all that I've been feeling on this trip. Every day is a new experience and the accompanying emotion just as varied. I'm not sure that I've ever felt such a vast array of emotions in such a short time span before. I go between feeling very foreign and sticking out like a sore thumb, to feeling incredibly welcomed and included by the people and organizations we've been working with. And then at times I can feel so happy to be here, meeting new people, learning, and having all these new experiences, but then also disconcerted about the issues we're facing and knowing that my presence here is a product of privilege.
The big question I'm confronting right now is that of, "What does this mean in my life and how will I use these lessons when I return home?" With this I feel challenged to embrace all that I'm learning. It's both difficult and confusing to make sense of everything and find a way to positively put knowledge into action when we return. However, this group has a great sense of camaraderie. Everyone is very supportive and I feel encouraged by those surrounding me. Things work themselves out and even my emotions find balance. All in all, I feel good.
One Respe Notes and Thoughts
Discuss what we have done, the work OR does, the space we lived in, the most impactful and least impactful events, and the food.
Nick:
-Community visits/ free trade = most impactful
- Seeing first hand abstract studies make sense of how people who work in free-trade zones really live.
Lauren:
- Got more from learning the story of the community than by touring it. Important to know history and what OR is doing
Logan:
- Know vision and mission of OR early on in the experience
Jennifer:
- Liked going to different schools on different days because we were able to discuss the experience of one before that of the other
- Hands on experience is better than discussions
- Haitian groups actually showed their tactics implemented
Billie Dawn:
- Discussion between the relationships between OR and the free trade zone or the museum.
- Museum supports events at times. Free trade fair where sell things to fund raise for programs – they sometimes donate.
- Relationships built little by little. With sona franco if we work in the rover community (most extremely poor community).
Anthony:
- the food was god because between it and what we had in Santo Domingo we had a god cultural combination of foods.
Merideth:
- Sefasa was very nice and I wish we had more information
- Also want to learn about other groups in the community with or without connections to OR
Sefasa was founded by Jesuits who founded a perish. They work with rural farm workers also have services for refugees and they work with human rights.
Alejandro:
- I liked central eon because it was interesting for the history f the DR. We saw the history there from a different perspective than we had seen before. We had an impactful discussion after we saw with our own eyes some of the conditions in Gurabo.
- We could compare that to what we learned in class and what was left out of the textbooks.
- We were also able to understand our reactions to the omittance of history.
Nicole:
- Lesson= crucial part of the organization is to make relationships to those you work with. Before I came I thought I had to inspire people to think the same things I do, and fix problems I saw. Now I see what they want, and help with resources to do what they need.
Camilla:
- Nice discussion/application balance
- Liked artisan workshop
Francesca:
- Free time was very nice.
- I loved getting the feel for the organization even in our down time.
Jennifer:
- Wanted to hear more about the organizing the organization does. How they got things together? People's roles in the community?
The group started with religion, then they visited community members, motivated them, and drank coffee with them. Then they began a literacy campaign with women and children. This was an organizing tool they used to answer the demands of the community, and to build trust. In organizing work people listen, but they don't always respond the way we want to hear. Patience and waiting is essential.
Alicia:
- Changes? In this community r in this type or organizing in general?
- - When started all the work was Chrisitan based. Schools and health were in response to spiritual reflection.
- More community organizations with eccumennial focus.
- Acupuncture different
- Visits before they were shorter. The second year there was more time for kids and getting to know eachother. This year: there were new things worth highlighting. Sefasa living conditions. Most similar to what we were seeing because it wasn't a very separate retreat like other places we stayed. This year we were also able to see different people in different areas of OR, do their job. This group grew a lot here. Reflected about deep issues.
Nick:
-Community visits/ free trade = most impactful
- Seeing first hand abstract studies make sense of how people who work in free-trade zones really live.
Lauren:
- Got more from learning the story of the community than by touring it. Important to know history and what OR is doing
Logan:
- Know vision and mission of OR early on in the experience
Jennifer:
- Liked going to different schools on different days because we were able to discuss the experience of one before that of the other
- Hands on experience is better than discussions
- Haitian groups actually showed their tactics implemented
Billie Dawn:
- Discussion between the relationships between OR and the free trade zone or the museum.
- Museum supports events at times. Free trade fair where sell things to fund raise for programs – they sometimes donate.
- Relationships built little by little. With sona franco if we work in the rover community (most extremely poor community).
Anthony:
- the food was god because between it and what we had in Santo Domingo we had a god cultural combination of foods.
Merideth:
- Sefasa was very nice and I wish we had more information
- Also want to learn about other groups in the community with or without connections to OR
Sefasa was founded by Jesuits who founded a perish. They work with rural farm workers also have services for refugees and they work with human rights.
Alejandro:
- I liked central eon because it was interesting for the history f the DR. We saw the history there from a different perspective than we had seen before. We had an impactful discussion after we saw with our own eyes some of the conditions in Gurabo.
- We could compare that to what we learned in class and what was left out of the textbooks.
- We were also able to understand our reactions to the omittance of history.
Nicole:
- Lesson= crucial part of the organization is to make relationships to those you work with. Before I came I thought I had to inspire people to think the same things I do, and fix problems I saw. Now I see what they want, and help with resources to do what they need.
Camilla:
- Nice discussion/application balance
- Liked artisan workshop
Francesca:
- Free time was very nice.
- I loved getting the feel for the organization even in our down time.
Jennifer:
- Wanted to hear more about the organizing the organization does. How they got things together? People's roles in the community?
The group started with religion, then they visited community members, motivated them, and drank coffee with them. Then they began a literacy campaign with women and children. This was an organizing tool they used to answer the demands of the community, and to build trust. In organizing work people listen, but they don't always respond the way we want to hear. Patience and waiting is essential.
Alicia:
- Changes? In this community r in this type or organizing in general?
- - When started all the work was Chrisitan based. Schools and health were in response to spiritual reflection.
- More community organizations with eccumennial focus.
- Acupuncture different
- Visits before they were shorter. The second year there was more time for kids and getting to know eachother. This year: there were new things worth highlighting. Sefasa living conditions. Most similar to what we were seeing because it wasn't a very separate retreat like other places we stayed. This year we were also able to see different people in different areas of OR, do their job. This group grew a lot here. Reflected about deep issues.
Nicole: Closing Thoughts
I have a strong sense that I'll have a better understanding of how this experience in the Dominican Republic has changed me after resuming my life in the United States. My learning here has consisted of experiential lessons on the way life works in Republica Dominicana and how the lifestyle I've been born and raised into compares. I've been spending a lot of time these last few days developing a solid answer to the question I know is waiting for me back home: "How was your trip? What'd you do?" Basic changes with in my own person that I'm aware of for now and that I know I can use to tell others about these experiences.
I will never start my day enjoying a cup of coffee without remembering the hard labor of the men I watched harvesting the beans, the women who brought the men food to eat, the songs they sang to keep them working and the model they served of solidarity in action.
I will never look at a pair of cargo pants again without wondering the number of people on an assembly line it took to make them ready for purchase.
I have a new respect for the role religion plays and desire to better understand the value of having a faith. I've witnessed its incredible power to keep people moving and united through tough times. I have also becomes aware of how easy it is to become soft and complacent in a place where all your basic needs are met without struggle and services for making life comfortable are expected. I'm more cognizant of the luxuries I have (electricity, paved roads, wegmans, an education, waste management) and even though I've complained about their quality, I realize it took a lot of organizing to happen.
I also have a newly realized love for mangos. One last thought to them out there- a peer n this trip threw out a quote from one of the first days here and I've been considering it ever since.
"I believe in the power of people to change the spaces around them." – Meredith
At the time I thought it was a beautiful idea, but now I have witnessed the truth in this belief.
I will never start my day enjoying a cup of coffee without remembering the hard labor of the men I watched harvesting the beans, the women who brought the men food to eat, the songs they sang to keep them working and the model they served of solidarity in action.
I will never look at a pair of cargo pants again without wondering the number of people on an assembly line it took to make them ready for purchase.
I have a new respect for the role religion plays and desire to better understand the value of having a faith. I've witnessed its incredible power to keep people moving and united through tough times. I have also becomes aware of how easy it is to become soft and complacent in a place where all your basic needs are met without struggle and services for making life comfortable are expected. I'm more cognizant of the luxuries I have (electricity, paved roads, wegmans, an education, waste management) and even though I've complained about their quality, I realize it took a lot of organizing to happen.
I also have a newly realized love for mangos. One last thought to them out there- a peer n this trip threw out a quote from one of the first days here and I've been considering it ever since.
"I believe in the power of people to change the spaces around them." – Meredith
At the time I thought it was a beautiful idea, but now I have witnessed the truth in this belief.
14,000 (or slightly fewer) Things To be Happy About in The DR
By Jill and Kim
Fresh Mangos
Witnessing solidarity
Sunshine nearly every day
"Hola" from a stranger
Folding seats on the buses
Hikes to watch the convite
The convite
Equality within the convite
Morning walks to Justicia Global
The colmado
Bon
Ÿogen fruz
Pedros impressive driving skills
Learning
The foyer at Casa Montesinos
Casa Montesinos
Friends
Bilingualism
Trying not to get lost in translation
Happy Dominican kids
Dune
Workshops, workshops, workshops
Dominican culture
Mas mas
Squeaky cheese
Making sense of life
Donña Luisa
Donña Luisa's cooking
One, best dog ever
Public transportation
La Zona Colonial
Beach day
Plantains
Yuca
Dominican music
Dancing
Dancing in supermarkets
Not being dependent on technology
Sharing clothes to go out
Friendly discussion
Self discovery
Hearing each other's stories
Figuring out what your story is
Rice and beans
Justicia Global graffiti
Everything turning into an intellectual discussion
Justicia Global
JG "no es un ONG"
Bon
Esteban
The crinkle game on the bus
Going "Down to the Rich Man's house"
Learning from each other
One Respe
Consciousness
Guitar jam sessions
Late night head scratches
Hearts
Massages
Elders in communities
Feeling welcomed
Translators
Wagging fingers
"Muchas Gracias"
cold showers
TP in the trash
Huge spiders
Funny sunburns
Reflection
Jill's watch
Alejandro always forgetting his Nalgene
Medicinal plants
Aloe
Glass Cola bottles
Bon
Walking as a means of transportation
Talent shows
Greeting everyone when you arrive
Leaving a positive footprint/ huella
Fresh Mangos
Witnessing solidarity
Sunshine nearly every day
"Hola" from a stranger
Folding seats on the buses
Hikes to watch the convite
The convite
Equality within the convite
Morning walks to Justicia Global
The colmado
Bon
Ÿogen fruz
Pedros impressive driving skills
Learning
The foyer at Casa Montesinos
Casa Montesinos
Friends
Bilingualism
Trying not to get lost in translation
Happy Dominican kids
Dune
Workshops, workshops, workshops
Dominican culture
Mas mas
Squeaky cheese
Making sense of life
Donña Luisa
Donña Luisa's cooking
One, best dog ever
Public transportation
La Zona Colonial
Beach day
Plantains
Yuca
Dominican music
Dancing
Dancing in supermarkets
Not being dependent on technology
Sharing clothes to go out
Friendly discussion
Self discovery
Hearing each other's stories
Figuring out what your story is
Rice and beans
Justicia Global graffiti
Everything turning into an intellectual discussion
Justicia Global
JG "no es un ONG"
Bon
Esteban
The crinkle game on the bus
Going "Down to the Rich Man's house"
Learning from each other
One Respe
Consciousness
Guitar jam sessions
Late night head scratches
Hearts
Massages
Elders in communities
Feeling welcomed
Translators
Wagging fingers
"Muchas Gracias"
cold showers
TP in the trash
Huge spiders
Funny sunburns
Reflection
Jill's watch
Alejandro always forgetting his Nalgene
Medicinal plants
Aloe
Glass Cola bottles
Bon
Walking as a means of transportation
Talent shows
Greeting everyone when you arrive
Leaving a positive footprint/ huella
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Haitian Men-Women Groups
Place: Gurabo
Organization: One Respe
Event: Haitian Migrants (Men & Women) Afternoon Meetings
Topic: Human Rights & Spanish Class
While in Gurabo, and while working with One Respe, a few members of our traveling troupe had the opportunity to attend some of the Haitian migrant meetings the organization holds every weeknight. On Monday, the group Nuevo Masculinidad met and spoke about Human Rights. What started off as a conversation about human rights, however, quickly turned into a conversation concerning the importance of documentation for Haitians, especially the working men, while in the Dominican Republic. Out of the entire group, only two men had some sort of Dominican documentation. However, it seems as though it is very difficult to obtain documentation for Haitians working in the DR. The facilitator, one of the members of the health promotion team at One Respe, emphasized the importance of documentation. Without it, their children born on Dominican soil, will not be able to claim their Dominican citizenship, and without citizenship there is no documentation, and without documentation, there are no rights. Towards the end, one man asked us if things were the same in the United States for Haitians. We stated that racism in the US has no national specificity—in American we are all Black. But both Dan and Anthony said we still fight the same struggle and that in the end, we are all in solidarity for the same causes.
It seems, however, that Haitians are in no rush to get documentation from the DR. In fact, the men in the group seemed put off by the idea of being Dominican. If it was their choice, they would be in Haiti, but because they and their families need money, a lot of them saw in the DR opportunities they would not be able to find in Haiti. By the end of the meeting, the facilitator had taken a step back while the men talked more about the injustice that was being done to them in the Dominican Republic.
The animosity towards Dominicans could be seen more so during the Haitian women's Health meeting. During this meeting, Yvranz or Yvonne, headed a Spanish class. It was an effort on the part of One Respe to teach these women some basic Spanish in the case that they need to communicate with others, whether it be in the hospital (a few of them were pregnant and almost all, if not all had children), at the mercado or for transportation services. We listened to a Spanish song and the objective of the exercise was to extract any words they heard that they already knew in Spanish. Yvonne stressed that the women in the group who knew Spanish should help others who knew none at all. However, the conversation turned for the worst when many of the women stood up and exclaimed that it was nearly disrespectful to have to learn the Spanish language, for whatever reason. One woman commented that their children who also attend some of the community schools would come home and speak to them in Spanish. As a result, their parents, especially the fathers, would get angry and punish the child for bringing that language into their household. There seemed to be an underlying current of resentment towards the Dominicans, as evidenced by both these reasons. The conversation soon turned towards the differences between men and women. All of the references were sexual: men have penises, women have menstrual cycles; men don’t have breasts, women get pregnant. One woman even mentioned that without a man, women get no respect, which started up yet another fiery conversation.
Still, these men and women come to these meetings, and so there must be something that continues their interest in attending.
Organization: One Respe
Event: Haitian Migrants (Men & Women) Afternoon Meetings
Topic: Human Rights & Spanish Class
While in Gurabo, and while working with One Respe, a few members of our traveling troupe had the opportunity to attend some of the Haitian migrant meetings the organization holds every weeknight. On Monday, the group Nuevo Masculinidad met and spoke about Human Rights. What started off as a conversation about human rights, however, quickly turned into a conversation concerning the importance of documentation for Haitians, especially the working men, while in the Dominican Republic. Out of the entire group, only two men had some sort of Dominican documentation. However, it seems as though it is very difficult to obtain documentation for Haitians working in the DR. The facilitator, one of the members of the health promotion team at One Respe, emphasized the importance of documentation. Without it, their children born on Dominican soil, will not be able to claim their Dominican citizenship, and without citizenship there is no documentation, and without documentation, there are no rights. Towards the end, one man asked us if things were the same in the United States for Haitians. We stated that racism in the US has no national specificity—in American we are all Black. But both Dan and Anthony said we still fight the same struggle and that in the end, we are all in solidarity for the same causes.
It seems, however, that Haitians are in no rush to get documentation from the DR. In fact, the men in the group seemed put off by the idea of being Dominican. If it was their choice, they would be in Haiti, but because they and their families need money, a lot of them saw in the DR opportunities they would not be able to find in Haiti. By the end of the meeting, the facilitator had taken a step back while the men talked more about the injustice that was being done to them in the Dominican Republic.
The animosity towards Dominicans could be seen more so during the Haitian women's Health meeting. During this meeting, Yvranz or Yvonne, headed a Spanish class. It was an effort on the part of One Respe to teach these women some basic Spanish in the case that they need to communicate with others, whether it be in the hospital (a few of them were pregnant and almost all, if not all had children), at the mercado or for transportation services. We listened to a Spanish song and the objective of the exercise was to extract any words they heard that they already knew in Spanish. Yvonne stressed that the women in the group who knew Spanish should help others who knew none at all. However, the conversation turned for the worst when many of the women stood up and exclaimed that it was nearly disrespectful to have to learn the Spanish language, for whatever reason. One woman commented that their children who also attend some of the community schools would come home and speak to them in Spanish. As a result, their parents, especially the fathers, would get angry and punish the child for bringing that language into their household. There seemed to be an underlying current of resentment towards the Dominicans, as evidenced by both these reasons. The conversation soon turned towards the differences between men and women. All of the references were sexual: men have penises, women have menstrual cycles; men don’t have breasts, women get pregnant. One woman even mentioned that without a man, women get no respect, which started up yet another fiery conversation.
Still, these men and women come to these meetings, and so there must be something that continues their interest in attending.
The Free Trade Zone
Place: Gurabo, Dominican Republic
Organization: Oné Respe
Event: Visit to the Free Trade Zone (la Zona Franca)
Topic: University T-Shirts and Exploitation
Author: Meredith Palmer
We, as a group of US students studying 'community and economic development' were allowed into the Free Trade Zone in Gurabo, called la Zona Franca in Spanish,area and given a half-day guided tour of the compound. We arrived in the growing heat of the morning, 9am at the gates, where we were greeted by a stoic-faced - yet agreeable in nature - older woman of slender build. We would learn that she was a daughter of the original owner, who had received a special loan from the government to fund the construction of the factories and buildings, but who had passed away the previous year. Their motto was proudly posted near the entrance – 'Imagen en la Perfeción', or Image of Perfection translated into English. Our guide quickly informed us that they had recently had huge cut-backs, and had to cut their employee force back from 8,000 to 4,000 people. Half of the people previously employed by la Zona Franca, which is the largest employer of Gurabo, are now out of a job.
We began our tour visiting the areas designated for the worker's lunch break. First we were shown an open-air cafeteria that had only about 150 seats set at tables, and an equal amount of chairs and tables stacked in the back corner. After visiting another small restaurant and garden lounge that could have seated about 30 to 50 people which was filled with well-dressed employees, we moved into the first space that held actual workers. On the North side of the walled-in compound, in a brightly-lit, well-ventilated and air-conditioned building, we were handed over to a young English-speaking tour guide. He would show us around the communications area which held many different projects with companies such as Aegon, Blue Hippo, Viva, and Paragon. Here English-speaking Dominican representatives take both domestic and international customer calls. We were informed that to work in this area you must have at least a high-school degree and a sufficient level of fluency in English, or if you work in the technology sector, then you must have a university degree. Signs around the office were in English, posters of Hollywood films hung in rows on walls and in cubicles. Sales incentive reminders popped up in all corners. After this short and rather bland part of the tour, we moved into spaces of clothing production.
We were shown two floors of the first warehouse, the top one where the shirts were cut into the proper shapes and stacked into colorful piles wrapped tightly in plastic ready to be sewn. Downstairs the shirts arrived pieced and stitched together and ready to be printed upon. Just over thirty workers occupied this space on the first floor, tending the circular machines that layered colors of ink onto shirts four at a time. Michigan State, Illinois, Donna Karen, Calvin Klein. The smell of the ink hung heavily in the hot air. There was no air conditioning, the room was cement walls, ceilings and floors, and employees wore street clothes. In a small back room the pre-determined designs and logos were translated into layers by color on silk screens. Our guide called this the "Art Room" – on one of the walls was written in black ink "life is long when you are lonely."
We moved next into a warehouse where clothing is pieced together in an assembly-line fashion. Walking into this space one is hit immediately with a shock to the senses. The din of hundreds of sewing, pressing, and binding machines fills the large industrial space. Sparse ventilation fans loudly pump out stale air to replace it with that scorched by the mid-day sun from outside. Each row of workers assembles a specific color and piece of a sweat-suit for various companies – Fruit of the Loom, Soffe. Orange, yellow, white, grey, blue, green, purple. Chest and back, pockets, shoulders, sleeves, to cuffs, hoods, drawstrings, and finally inspection. Brightly colored dust from cloth and thread clogs machines, noses, and lungs, as we move between the rows, the process meticulously explained to us by the tour guide. A woman stops to un-clog the small delicate pieces of the machine she works on, attempting to do so with a pencil. We are shown quota lists, and it is explained to us that production is expected to go up significantly from the beginning of a contract to the end, since the workers learn to do things better and more quickly with practice.
Fingers fly, heads look up for a brief moment, to return a smile, or stare ambiguously at this group of US American youth walking through their work spaces. A tour guide let it slip that he estimates that 90% of the workers there do not like it and would rather be doing something else. I feel as if I am invading a private space. We move upstairs. Here many machines lie abandoned, cold, not enough work under the contracts, cheaper labor in China and other parts of Asia. Here Docker's dress pants are being made – navy blue, classic cut. Conflicting labor practice rights signs hang in different parts of the factory. Bathrooms are located in one far corner, near a line of factory overseers. The workers are said to arrive at 8:45 in the morning, and go home at 5:30, with time from 11:45 to 12:45 for an hour long lunch break. The workers in this area alone would not have fit into the dining area we were shown earlier. We do not make conversation with them here in their space of employment for fear of getting them in trouble. We leave this space to conclude the tour with sodas and a question and answer session with our original tour guide, the owner's daughter.
In an air-conditioned conference room we had our sodas served to us by another woman who must have worked for the owner's daughter. The walls were lined with dark blue denim, and the tables were draped with white table-clothes. We brought out our prepared questions, and our professor Alicia asked them and translated back to us. We learned about the effects of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) which had been modeled after the failed and floundering North American Free Trade Agreement and was instated last year in 2007. Our guide informed us that when the agreement was initiated that the administration had parties to celebrate. Today, however, DR-CAFTA is viewed by them as a disaster that has not brought in the business it promised, and has served only to further impoverish the area. It was modeled to attract more foreign investment into Free Trade Zones in the Dominican Republic, therefore allowing more jobs for the people. It would do so by lowering and/or reducing taxes and tariffs on goods shipped in and out of the area, specifically in trade between the Dominican Republic and the United States. It also may serve to encourage lowered labor and environmental standards in the area, which are common incentives for foreign and domestic investors looking for the cheapest method of production. Our guide also admitted to us that the la Zona Franca in general had not brought any kind of prosperity to the area. Her explanation for this was the influx of migrant workers from other poorer areas, which has increased the population of Gurabo with people of a lower socio-economic status, therefore lowering the average status of a citizen of Gurabo.
This is just the middle of the story of our clothing - between cotton production, to US American university students proudly donning their school's logo exists this stage. A stage of monotonous, alienating, low-paid, unreliable, physically trying labor practice. After seeing a few of the communities that many of the assembly-line workers live in, and knowing that this Zona Franca is under a certain amount of vigilance from the various universities which have clothing contracts with them, one must wonder of the circumstances of other workers in Free Trade Zones throughout this and other countries. There must be another way where these people may work with dignity.
Organization: Oné Respe
Event: Visit to the Free Trade Zone (la Zona Franca)
Topic: University T-Shirts and Exploitation
Author: Meredith Palmer
We, as a group of US students studying 'community and economic development' were allowed into the Free Trade Zone in Gurabo, called la Zona Franca in Spanish,area and given a half-day guided tour of the compound. We arrived in the growing heat of the morning, 9am at the gates, where we were greeted by a stoic-faced - yet agreeable in nature - older woman of slender build. We would learn that she was a daughter of the original owner, who had received a special loan from the government to fund the construction of the factories and buildings, but who had passed away the previous year. Their motto was proudly posted near the entrance – 'Imagen en la Perfeción', or Image of Perfection translated into English. Our guide quickly informed us that they had recently had huge cut-backs, and had to cut their employee force back from 8,000 to 4,000 people. Half of the people previously employed by la Zona Franca, which is the largest employer of Gurabo, are now out of a job.
We began our tour visiting the areas designated for the worker's lunch break. First we were shown an open-air cafeteria that had only about 150 seats set at tables, and an equal amount of chairs and tables stacked in the back corner. After visiting another small restaurant and garden lounge that could have seated about 30 to 50 people which was filled with well-dressed employees, we moved into the first space that held actual workers. On the North side of the walled-in compound, in a brightly-lit, well-ventilated and air-conditioned building, we were handed over to a young English-speaking tour guide. He would show us around the communications area which held many different projects with companies such as Aegon, Blue Hippo, Viva, and Paragon. Here English-speaking Dominican representatives take both domestic and international customer calls. We were informed that to work in this area you must have at least a high-school degree and a sufficient level of fluency in English, or if you work in the technology sector, then you must have a university degree. Signs around the office were in English, posters of Hollywood films hung in rows on walls and in cubicles. Sales incentive reminders popped up in all corners. After this short and rather bland part of the tour, we moved into spaces of clothing production.
We were shown two floors of the first warehouse, the top one where the shirts were cut into the proper shapes and stacked into colorful piles wrapped tightly in plastic ready to be sewn. Downstairs the shirts arrived pieced and stitched together and ready to be printed upon. Just over thirty workers occupied this space on the first floor, tending the circular machines that layered colors of ink onto shirts four at a time. Michigan State, Illinois, Donna Karen, Calvin Klein. The smell of the ink hung heavily in the hot air. There was no air conditioning, the room was cement walls, ceilings and floors, and employees wore street clothes. In a small back room the pre-determined designs and logos were translated into layers by color on silk screens. Our guide called this the "Art Room" – on one of the walls was written in black ink "life is long when you are lonely."
We moved next into a warehouse where clothing is pieced together in an assembly-line fashion. Walking into this space one is hit immediately with a shock to the senses. The din of hundreds of sewing, pressing, and binding machines fills the large industrial space. Sparse ventilation fans loudly pump out stale air to replace it with that scorched by the mid-day sun from outside. Each row of workers assembles a specific color and piece of a sweat-suit for various companies – Fruit of the Loom, Soffe. Orange, yellow, white, grey, blue, green, purple. Chest and back, pockets, shoulders, sleeves, to cuffs, hoods, drawstrings, and finally inspection. Brightly colored dust from cloth and thread clogs machines, noses, and lungs, as we move between the rows, the process meticulously explained to us by the tour guide. A woman stops to un-clog the small delicate pieces of the machine she works on, attempting to do so with a pencil. We are shown quota lists, and it is explained to us that production is expected to go up significantly from the beginning of a contract to the end, since the workers learn to do things better and more quickly with practice.
Fingers fly, heads look up for a brief moment, to return a smile, or stare ambiguously at this group of US American youth walking through their work spaces. A tour guide let it slip that he estimates that 90% of the workers there do not like it and would rather be doing something else. I feel as if I am invading a private space. We move upstairs. Here many machines lie abandoned, cold, not enough work under the contracts, cheaper labor in China and other parts of Asia. Here Docker's dress pants are being made – navy blue, classic cut. Conflicting labor practice rights signs hang in different parts of the factory. Bathrooms are located in one far corner, near a line of factory overseers. The workers are said to arrive at 8:45 in the morning, and go home at 5:30, with time from 11:45 to 12:45 for an hour long lunch break. The workers in this area alone would not have fit into the dining area we were shown earlier. We do not make conversation with them here in their space of employment for fear of getting them in trouble. We leave this space to conclude the tour with sodas and a question and answer session with our original tour guide, the owner's daughter.
In an air-conditioned conference room we had our sodas served to us by another woman who must have worked for the owner's daughter. The walls were lined with dark blue denim, and the tables were draped with white table-clothes. We brought out our prepared questions, and our professor Alicia asked them and translated back to us. We learned about the effects of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) which had been modeled after the failed and floundering North American Free Trade Agreement and was instated last year in 2007. Our guide informed us that when the agreement was initiated that the administration had parties to celebrate. Today, however, DR-CAFTA is viewed by them as a disaster that has not brought in the business it promised, and has served only to further impoverish the area. It was modeled to attract more foreign investment into Free Trade Zones in the Dominican Republic, therefore allowing more jobs for the people. It would do so by lowering and/or reducing taxes and tariffs on goods shipped in and out of the area, specifically in trade between the Dominican Republic and the United States. It also may serve to encourage lowered labor and environmental standards in the area, which are common incentives for foreign and domestic investors looking for the cheapest method of production. Our guide also admitted to us that the la Zona Franca in general had not brought any kind of prosperity to the area. Her explanation for this was the influx of migrant workers from other poorer areas, which has increased the population of Gurabo with people of a lower socio-economic status, therefore lowering the average status of a citizen of Gurabo.
This is just the middle of the story of our clothing - between cotton production, to US American university students proudly donning their school's logo exists this stage. A stage of monotonous, alienating, low-paid, unreliable, physically trying labor practice. After seeing a few of the communities that many of the assembly-line workers live in, and knowing that this Zona Franca is under a certain amount of vigilance from the various universities which have clothing contracts with them, one must wonder of the circumstances of other workers in Free Trade Zones throughout this and other countries. There must be another way where these people may work with dignity.
Free Blog
Blog 10:
Want to say more but ran out of space? Here's a chance to write until your tanned little fingers (or not) fall off!
Want to say more but ran out of space? Here's a chance to write until your tanned little fingers (or not) fall off!
I Can See Clearly Now the Rain is Gone
Blog 9:
How have you changed since the beginning of this trip?
Example: "When I came here I was ready to observe the differences between a 1st world country like the U.S. and a 3rd World country like the Dominican Republic. Now I see that there are a lot more similarities than differences between the two. So now I ask myself, what made it this way?"
How have you changed since the beginning of this trip?
Example: "When I came here I was ready to observe the differences between a 1st world country like the U.S. and a 3rd World country like the Dominican Republic. Now I see that there are a lot more similarities than differences between the two. So now I ask myself, what made it this way?"
Famous Quotes
Blog 8:
Hear something that you thought was profound? Or just really funny?
Example: "In the DR, there is no race. In the morning we wake up as Spaniards as we recite our Hail Marys. In the afternoon, we become Native American when we come home and talk with our families. And at night, we turn African, dancing the night away."
"Those who close the doors to lies, do the same for truth." –Chinese philosopher
"Quanto tu calsa?" –common catcall said by women to men in the DR
Hear something that you thought was profound? Or just really funny?
Example: "In the DR, there is no race. In the morning we wake up as Spaniards as we recite our Hail Marys. In the afternoon, we become Native American when we come home and talk with our families. And at night, we turn African, dancing the night away."
"Those who close the doors to lies, do the same for truth." –Chinese philosopher
"Quanto tu calsa?" –common catcall said by women to men in the DR
Deep Thoughts
Blog 7:
Thinking something, but scared to ask the question because you think you'll feel stupid? Don't worry; you're not the only one. Share!
Example: "Has anyone ever fallen out of these buses?"
Thinking something, but scared to ask the question because you think you'll feel stupid? Don't worry; you're not the only one. Share!
Example: "Has anyone ever fallen out of these buses?"
I Feel...
Blog 6:
Take this time out to do some self-reflection.
Example: "In the Dominican Republic, revolt and public protest is an essential aspect of the political atmosphere. Everyone here is kept abreast of the political situation here and is aware of where the authority lies. Yet, look at the conditions many Dominicans live in. In the United States, conditions are relatively tolerable, but the idea of revolt and protest in the U.S. is looked upon as treason. I consider myself free and well off in the United States. But at what cost?"
Take this time out to do some self-reflection.
Example: "In the Dominican Republic, revolt and public protest is an essential aspect of the political atmosphere. Everyone here is kept abreast of the political situation here and is aware of where the authority lies. Yet, look at the conditions many Dominicans live in. In the United States, conditions are relatively tolerable, but the idea of revolt and protest in the U.S. is looked upon as treason. I consider myself free and well off in the United States. But at what cost?"
There´s No Place Like Home!
Blog 5:
Miss home? What do you miss most? What don't you miss?
Example: "I miss having instant Internet access and text messaging. At the same time, I'm glad to be away from my family."
Miss home? What do you miss most? What don't you miss?
Example: "I miss having instant Internet access and text messaging. At the same time, I'm glad to be away from my family."
You Are What You See...and Hear
Blog 4:
Describe an interesting site or sound that interested you. This can include a mural, something said during a workshop, or an observation.
Example: "It would be interesting to learn more about how the Dominican Republic is portrayed within its architecture. In one plaza, there is a statue that commemorates Christopher Columbus and a much celebrated Taino leader, an old cathedral, a building from the Trujillo era, and A Hard Rock Café."
I noticed that, from the two Haitian workshops that I attended, the Haitians really don't want to be here, and if anything, despise the Dominican culture. Some of the women in the workshop seemed loath to have to learn the language even if it meant being able to communicate at the mercado or at the public hospital. The sentiment seemed to be, however, that the Dominicans weren't going to serve them, so why bother?
Describe an interesting site or sound that interested you. This can include a mural, something said during a workshop, or an observation.
Example: "It would be interesting to learn more about how the Dominican Republic is portrayed within its architecture. In one plaza, there is a statue that commemorates Christopher Columbus and a much celebrated Taino leader, an old cathedral, a building from the Trujillo era, and A Hard Rock Café."
I noticed that, from the two Haitian workshops that I attended, the Haitians really don't want to be here, and if anything, despise the Dominican culture. Some of the women in the workshop seemed loath to have to learn the language even if it meant being able to communicate at the mercado or at the public hospital. The sentiment seemed to be, however, that the Dominicans weren't going to serve them, so why bother?
Revel in the Unknown
Blog 3:
Learn something new? Hear something that made you think? Hear something you didn't know? Didn't want to know?
Example: "A cup of espresso in Spanish translates directly into "half a chicken.""
Learn something new? Hear something that made you think? Hear something you didn't know? Didn't want to know?
Example: "A cup of espresso in Spanish translates directly into "half a chicken.""
What´s So Different?
Blog 2:
What differences or similarities have you noticed between your culture, U.S. culture, Global North culture and Dominican Republic, if any?
Example: "While sitting at the Internet café waiting for a computer, I noticed that some of the young people would communicate easily with their elders; while I didn't understand a word they were saying, I noticed that they were very comfortable with each other. This is similar to the general Hispanic culture in the United States in various ethnic enclaves. Loyalty to ones family and closeness is an extremely valued cultural trait."
What differences or similarities have you noticed between your culture, U.S. culture, Global North culture and Dominican Republic, if any?
Example: "While sitting at the Internet café waiting for a computer, I noticed that some of the young people would communicate easily with their elders; while I didn't understand a word they were saying, I noticed that they were very comfortable with each other. This is similar to the general Hispanic culture in the United States in various ethnic enclaves. Loyalty to ones family and closeness is an extremely valued cultural trait."
First Impressions
The Blog Team Presents:
Dominican Republic Theme Prompts:
Blog 1:
First Impressions: Comment on your first thoughts for the first three days in the Dominican Republic. Did you unfold any assumptions?
Example: "I didn't really know what to expect when I got here. I guess I expected worn down buildings and I thought that the people here wouldn't be that nice towards me. Instead, I saw really old cars, really new cars, nice buildings and torn down buildings and the people were really nice!"
Dominican Republic Theme Prompts:
Blog 1:
First Impressions: Comment on your first thoughts for the first three days in the Dominican Republic. Did you unfold any assumptions?
Example: "I didn't really know what to expect when I got here. I guess I expected worn down buildings and I thought that the people here wouldn't be that nice towards me. Instead, I saw really old cars, really new cars, nice buildings and torn down buildings and the people were really nice!"
Monday, February 4, 2008
FUNDRAISER: Latin Dance at the Big Red Barn
Here is a fundraising opportunity!
This evening I spoke with Michael Ristorucci, who as some of you may know is a local salsa instructor who throws many events at places such as the Big Red Barn (a grad student venue on Cornell's Campus) Castaway's, and The Haunt, as well as teaching Salsa classes at Cornell.
He has offered to provide FREE DJ SERVICES AND HELP US ORGANIZE an event to fund our trip! It would take place on April 4th at the Big Red Barn on the Cornell Campus.
He estimates with the proper advertising we can raise about $1000 in the evening...and have a lot of fun doing it!
We can also offer culturally-relevant food, and ask for $5-$10 on a sliding-scale for the cause.
If anyone wants to be part of this fundraising event with me, let me know!
See you all soon!
-Meredith
This evening I spoke with Michael Ristorucci, who as some of you may know is a local salsa instructor who throws many events at places such as the Big Red Barn (a grad student venue on Cornell's Campus) Castaway's, and The Haunt, as well as teaching Salsa classes at Cornell.
He has offered to provide FREE DJ SERVICES AND HELP US ORGANIZE an event to fund our trip! It would take place on April 4th at the Big Red Barn on the Cornell Campus.
He estimates with the proper advertising we can raise about $1000 in the evening...and have a lot of fun doing it!
We can also offer culturally-relevant food, and ask for $5-$10 on a sliding-scale for the cause.
If anyone wants to be part of this fundraising event with me, let me know!
See you all soon!
-Meredith
Welcome to the Blog! What do you think?
Hello Group!
I hope that people feel comfortable with the idea of using this blog.
I like it more than e-mails, because it is more transparent (all people have equal access to exchanges of information) and you can access information related to this class quickly and easily!
I have made it so all people in the class will have equal access to the blog, once you sign up, and only 'authors' of the site can read it.
I hope you all enjoy! I will see you tomorrow!
-Meredith
I hope that people feel comfortable with the idea of using this blog.
I like it more than e-mails, because it is more transparent (all people have equal access to exchanges of information) and you can access information related to this class quickly and easily!
I have made it so all people in the class will have equal access to the blog, once you sign up, and only 'authors' of the site can read it.
I hope you all enjoy! I will see you tomorrow!
-Meredith
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