There comes a time in everyone’s life in which we ask ourselves the purpose and what lies ahead. In this way, we question the strength of our convictions, if it really is worth what I may say, “fighting the good fight.”
As we go through the numerous adventures throughout our life, episodes occur in which our existence or ideals are validated. In this way, I am speaking on more of an intellectual level. As humans, it is innate to believe in a life worth living based on the sheer love received from our families and close friends, but I question, why lies beyond this? Is it expected to live day to day accepting the capitalist consumerist lifestyle, the way the government runs, that poverty exists on a worldwide scale, exploitation is to be accepted, or climate change is not induced by humans along with other widescale environmental change?
I think that everytime people, or my parents especially, read a blog excerpt of mine, they enjoy reading it, but also question how it is I am so politically and socially motivated to write about such things when maybe, I should just be writing about my day to day tasks and cultural predicaments that differ in relation to U.S. society. Wait, I think that is goal #3 of Peace Corps, “Create a better understanding of your host country to people of the United States.” Woops. I guess I analyze and question too much...but here is the run down of my life the past few months as I continue to dive into the depths of what my life holds in the future, what meaning I can make of it, and how can I as one person create the change that I wish to see in the world as Gandhi so brilliantly stated.
As I have mentioned the many ups and downs of my Peace Corps experience, they are due to cultural norms that differ from my own usually, but most recently in a sense of work. The valorization of the skills I bring can at times become hidden in a place where education is of a low value, a place where just because I do not understand the culture 100% or speak spanish perfectly without an accent, I am apparently not smart enough to understand the greater scheme of things...Who knows, it probably is because I am a girl, and we have known since early history that men are scientifically proven to be smarter than women....nonetheless to be a 23 year old educated women...anyways...I suppose I can stick to being a secretary or acting like I know nothing....
As I began to question my place in society, my work, and gaining a better understanding of Paraguayan and world culture, a good friend of mine, Bor, another Peace Corps Volunteer who was placed only a 30 minute bus ride away from me in another barrio, opened up my world to some people based on his contacts through the Harvard Alumni Association. This is when my world changed, for better and worse.
For the better, through Bor, I had the opportunity to meet and spend time traveling with Doctor Benjamin Fernandez Bogado, renowned Paraguayan leader fighting for valorization and higher education for all and expert in media and communication. He Studied at universities all over the world including Syracuse, Harvard, Oxford, UNAM, among many others and is the founder of Radio Libre. Needless to say, he took his opportunities and passions to learn more about the world, further his studies, and returned to create positive change in Paraguay. Hearing him speak to crowds at universities, on the radio, on tv, or in front of any audience is a breath of fresh air. The wisdom he has is unlike what I have found in Paraguay up until this point. Beyond this, to spend time with a scholar like this and to witness his pure generosity and how humble he is is beyond explanation. Doctor Benjamin has opened new doors to me in which I am witnessing people committed to socially just change in Paraguay, something that is sometimes hidden beyond the depths of Paraguayan society. Beyond this, his wife, Lizza Bogado is a renowned singer worldwide, and I had the pleasure to watch her perform; a performance to remembered for my lifetime. Needless to say, this family is extraordinary and I am beyond lucky to have met them and to establish further connections among other educated Paraguayan elites who are enthused by Bor and my work, and wish to support and help us.
After meeting these individuals who have inspired me and my work to go and do greater things, Bor and I also came to a greater conclusion...being overwhelmed by too many powerful contacts and frustration of Peace Corps for not establishing great contacts for us or supporting us in our ideas outside of just working to give presentations a few times a week in the schools. This is something complicated that I can not particularly explain in a blog post as far as my frustration goes, but it has been said to me before, the government is about media perceptions and not what actually is going on...
With all this said, big plans are brewing up as I work with Bor and we plan these things with or without the help of Peace Corps, but are looking more into the connections of people we have gotten to know over the past month. On a brighter not as well, the Zero Waste Campaign that I spoke of before is doing well. I have been giving leadership trainings at each of the 11 participating schools. My contacts and I also presented our project to the state governor and he has agreed to fund the entire project for the rest of my time here, with about $8,000, AND he thinks that this project has so much potential, he wants to find a way to put this project in every school throughout my state. My contacts and I are also creating Paraguayan Leadership Day to honor youth and adults contributing to a better society on October 26th. More to discuss in the next blog when I speak of the projects being developed currently, when more is to be described.
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