I should have thought ahead and realized that I would be the one learning the most in this experience, rather then my students. For some reason I wasn't as prepared as I thought for the intense realizations I've been having. The past three weeks have been challenging to say the least, in both professional and personal aspects. During our two weeks in Mindo I went from enchanted and ecstatic to frustrated and confused - and back and forth. I made some perspective shattering realizations; first, that you cannot invest trust even in old friends, second (I knew this one already) all of your preplanning doesn't insure that others will follow through in theirs, and hardest of all was to realize that good intentions do not always produce good outcomes.
Upon arrival we were informed that the garbage project we had been planning on working on currently is at standstill due to loss of public funding. We ended up helping reconstruct paths that had been washed out by a flood instead. What conspired throughout the week prior was what lead to the second realization above. I attempted to hold a meeting with members of the foundation and our group every night for the first week without success. The first time it was postponed, the second time communication wasn't relayed from the president to the director, the third time the information wasn't relayed from the director to the president, and so on. Finally I spoke to the director and made sure that we would be at the foundation's site to help construct composting toilets. In the end even that information wasn't communicated and we reconstructed paths instead. For some one of the students it was a less than satisfactory Service Learning Experience. I believe that the difficulties lie in a lack of organization within the partner foundation and a basic cultural difference in timelines and priorities. Our California time clock was forced to work at Mindo speed.
The town itself had a strange energy about it that I hadn't felt previously. The air was tense and filled with distrust and animosity. Our group discussed many times the feeling of resistance towards foreigners as well as the rampant bad mouthing of the towns people regarding all the foundations. Someone was always talking bad about someone else in town, even about their own friends and family members. After I noticed this phenomena I began asking people about it and many expressed that the community had changed since tourism had entered. They said the people in town used to share a lot more and that now a days that feeling is replaced by one of competition. While people I talked to were less likely to comment on their opinion regarding foreigners I felt more hostile vibes than during previous trips. The girls in our group definitely felt targeted by the men in the community. It felt as though there is some sort of sport among the local men catching Gringas. The women in town are known to comment on the slutty foreign girls that come into town for a weekend, sleep around and leave. There is probably some validity in this stereotype but it is quite obvious that foreign women are targeted as sex objects, definitely by the men but also by the women. This was a frustration for me as I felt I was not granted the respect due to a program administrator bringing volunteers into the community; on the basis of my femininity and age. We talked a lot about what was going on and tried to analyze the situation. The conclusion I came to is that good intentions do not always produce good outcomes as related to globalization in the context of tourism in rural communities. The stereotypes and subsequent manners of relating are created by the sharing of cultures without full perspective or understanding of the other culture. For example the men interpreted our friendly demeanor and intent to create friendship as flirting and responded with their cultural tools, which we interpreted as extreme machismo that feels like flagrant disrespect for women. I found my self saying over and over that the town would benefit from workshops on cultural interaction and intercultural communication not to mention intracultural communication.
The divisions within the community began with the creation of the forest reserve and development of ecotourism as the economic alternative to harvesting from the forest. There is a sense of competition; while many community members do not have the resources to enter the ecotourism business and feel that the foundations exclude them from reaping its benefits. Others from outside the community have entered with the resources to invest into the business but then the profits leave the community. It seems that negative feelings are developing against tourists and tourism because not everyone is benefiting from it yet everyone feels the intrusion. The intrusion being other people with "things" that would be nice to have but are way to expensive, and displaying different cultural freedoms and perspectives that are effecting the ideals of the community. The older generation comments on the degrading morals of the younger generations the younger generation talks about traveling and getting jobs in the U.S. or Europe. The younger generation wears Nike and Adidas, they listen to American pop music, and drugs have entered into the community. These changes have occurred mostly within the last three years; these youth are the first of the "globalization generation" of Mindo, the first who have grown up with direct contact to the rest of the world through foreign tourists and volunteers in their community.
It hurts me to see the change and to watch the community struggle with it. It is even worse to realize I am at fault and I'm working to brings more influence to the community. I have had to really consider my intentions and more than that the possible outcomes of continuing to work within the community. The following is an excerpt from my journal.
"Culture clash and I'm at fault. Dreamy picture of perfect community shattered in necessary lessons. I am a product of the "globalization generation", the very culture that I despise, that I am a product of manufactured to ravage the place I love and want to belong to. The place I've been envisioning helping for five years. I understand now why giving is the most selfish thing."
I encountered an ethical dilemma regarding what influence more students would bring to the community. I labeled two possible influences:
1. Contra-globalization - Influence that creates more negative affects on the community than positive affects.
2. Pro-globalization - Influence that creates more positive affects than negative affects.
If globalization of this community is inevitable one of the above will surely happen. If we recognize that one of the above will happen is it possible to make sure that we influence more positive than negative effects? And if not, is it worth attempting anyhow knowing that other influences could be worse?
You may be able to relate to a feeling I get when in places with history. Such places are power spots on the planet's surface where a lot has gone down. The feeling when I enter or stumble upon such a place is a tingle that rises up the back of my neck and stimulates my imagination. Pictures of past people and events, important and mundane, form as I try and gain perspective of where I am and the location that I'm in. It's a comforting and solid feeling to be where hundreds of generations before have lived and died. Where cultures and societies have developed, thrived, and then fallen to the rise of others. It gives me hope that our species will survive and thrive when the next power shift is complete.
The feeling of experiencing what you believe is a significant event that will one day be a historical marker is a similar sensation. It rises from my stomach into my chest creating reservoirs of energy to be used by my planning and action mind, my mouth and hands. Ready to be put to use on a project, protest, action, or understanding. Many of us who follow a path of activism would agree that our efforts, their fruits, and the feelings of empowerment wrought from a job well done can be addicting. Sometimes to the point of driving us to quit our day jobs to volunteer. There are probably a lot of Americans who could afford to stop working for a time to devote themselves to a cause. In fact I know a lot of people who have and many who are even paid for their efforts. I wish more people would see what a lucky opportunity they have to be able to do so. If so maybe more people would choose to take that path.
In Ecuador right now people would do anything to afford that possibility. They are literally, suffering an economic crisis and want only for conditions to improve. An elite, corrupt and thickly bureaucratic government with the help of the IMF has opted to get out of debt by taking another loan, and to put and end to the devaluation of the Sucre (the national currency) by dollarizing the economy. They are creating space in the national budget to pay back loans by privatizing public entities, from electricity to education. The government hopes to raise money to rise out of debt by encouraging foreign investment. To do this they are practically giving away natural resource concessions including selling oil drilling rights at bottom of the barrel prices.
The people do not understand or trust the quickly thrown together plan for dollarization. What they do know is that prices continue to rise and the risk of accepting a counterfeit dollar from Colombia is one they don't want to take. People would like to protest but they are afraid that another attempt to overthrow the president will only put the country into further ruin. Most can't make ends meet as it is and taking time off to strike or protest means even less money for food, school, or medicine. Then of course there are the floods, volcanoes, oil spills and such that flavor the dish of human suffering and environmental catastrophe.
Despite it all the people are able to survive. It seems to me that the harsher the hardships the sweeter the celebration. The people seem to enjoy more, the joys in life; food, family, friends, music, dancing, and drink. People here fully embrace their lives for the good and the bad, something I really admire.
In a class I took called Environmental Justice we had a discussion regarding the appropriateness of influence from the US on policy and programs in other countries when the problem being addressed still exists in our own country. For example should we support save the rainforest initiatives when the last of our own trees are being cut, or should we donate money to feed hungry kids in Africa when there are children going without food in the States. One extreme felt that we should take care to fix our own problems before concentrating on issues elsewhere, otherwise it is hypocritical to present a solution. The other extreme felt that in comparison to many other places we have it so good that not helping other countries (whose problems we contribute to) is selfish and protectionist. I say those that have the awareness and ability to work for issues that don't always directly effect their daily lives have the responsibility to do so, being as they have the resources to, when so many of those that are directly affected do not.
We live in an age of globalization, communication, and interdependence. The connectedness that is growing is in direct conflict with the competition inherent in the system. Increasing economic interaction and dependence while maintaining the special interests, power and autonomy of individual nation states. Interaction, communication, and travel like never before offers a window into more understanding and equality between diverse people, yet threatens cultural integrity. Life in the 21st century is complicated and confusing. We have to consider all of our options and make every decision with awareness of the possible impacts they will create, from decisions regarding what products we purchase to what causes to donate to and which way we should vote. To take the opportunity to enrich our lives by living with less, working for better, and seeking understanding through other perspectives.
We are living in a critical time in history; we are fortunate if we are able to understand that. We are even luckier if we are able to create change and effect the future. Congratulations to all those who protested in DC! Whether they knew it or not they where fighting for the rights of the Ecuadorian people as well as the myriad of other issues they were there representing. The energy continues to rise. It is time to stop waiting for the perfect opportunity to take this revolution to the next level. There is no better time than now to act up and act out. If we do not take this window of opportunity and step up who else can and will?
(The Cloud Forest Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit scientific and educational organization. It has affiliated with the MEC to assist with research and outreach in the areas of cultural and economic sustainability.)
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2000
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited