Monday, October 27, 2008
Frustrations
Forever caught up in the review process, I have yet to start the research I came to Medellin to complete. While still involved at the university with some English classes, my beloved painting workshops, and participating in PAHO international health conferences (maybe they will offer me a future job?), I am getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of academic structure I have right now. Not sure if I should have signed up for more classes or projects from the start, I now am waiting until the start of the next semester in January (after a long Christmas vacation) to feed my mind. Even though the emphasis of the Ambassadorial Scholarship is to become involved in the community and Rotary activities more than academic life and studies, I feel like I am missing out on a key possibility for helping me understand the culture and field of public health here. Ready to unwind the red tape suffocating my research intentions, I am still just waiting.
Coveñas
For the much-needed 'puente' (three-day weekend) celebrating 'el dia de la raza': aka Columbus Day, I had many travel options. Wanting something relaxing and further away than I would normally be able to visit in a weekend, I chose to go to the Caribbean coast with the friends of a friends's boyfriends brother. Coveñas is a 10-hour drive from Medellin, which was an awesome road-trip to do in a car because I got to see the change in landscape from the Andes to the jungle to the marshy cattle-grazing prairies. Although I should have anticipated the intentions behind 15 friends migrating to the beach for a weekend, I was not able to keep up with their 24-hour partying gala. Instead, I played the true gringa and lay by myself on the beach, sober, with my book avoiding the sun and taking power swims for exercise. By excluding myself from some of the activities I unintentionally offended their group culture, and felt more strongly than ever the cultural differences between my US upbringing and paisa friends. The vallenatos were on full blast until 4 in the morning, the rum and aguardiente never stopped flowing, and the ceviche/shrimp coctail vendors walking up and down the beach had loyal customers for 3 days straight. It was like Spring break for hard-working 30 year olds. Awesome, yes, but not when I was needing to sleep in and recover from the accumulated sleep-deprivation of many grueling weeks. More than anything it made me realize I still have a long way to go before I adequately adapt to living in Colombia, and the entire weekend served as a wake-up call to remind me that after being here for 4 months I have lots of close friends whose company I always enjoy and with whom I should be focusing my rare spare time even if it means spending a week at a finca rather than lying on an idyllic Caribbean beach with desconocidos.
Rotary Activities
Not to worry, the reason why I haven't posted for over a month is because I have been managing an action-packed schedule filled mostly with Rotary events. Including:
--RYLA Seminar (Rotary Young Leader Awards): An international seminar offered by Rotary clubs to promote youth leadership in the communities. Last weekend I attended one held by the Club Rotario Envigado entitled "Democracy and Youth Participation." It involved two conferences given by government officials, a visit from the Envigado mayor who himself attended RYLA conferences as a teenager, 4 interactive workshops on human rights and the culture of democracy, lots food, and even a Rotary-sponsored party complete with DJ and beverages. Although most of the students who attended were from Interact (14-18 years old), and the level of the discussions and information presented was at a lower level than I had hoped, I still learned a lot about the different constitutional rights to which Colombian youngsters are entitled and what positions of leadership/representation within the schools and municipalities they can hold. My presence was important to inspire these aspiring youngsters to utilize the possibilities Rotary offers through international scholarships, emphasizing that they shouldn't get discouraged by their economic or national situation. As a highschooler I was very involved in committees and events supporting diversity and open discussion, but I don't remember ever hearing teenagers so impassioned about their rights with resolve to change the system. Perhaps it is a result of the general apathy that has overtaken the US, but it made me realize more than anything how lucky I was to grow up in a country, and more specifically a community, where the young population has the ability to participate in the system.
--Visiting Rotary clubs all over the city to make presentations: Club Rotario Medellin Nuevo, Club Rotario Medellin Occidente, Club Rotario Nutibara, Club Rotario Itagui Santamaria, Club Rotario Envigado, Club Rotario Sabaneta
--Become more involved in my host Club Rotario Medellin--the largest and second oldest club in the country. Many of the members are some of the most wealthy and powerful people within Colombia, but all are very friendly, tell hilarious jokes, and make a huge impact within the community. I now show up at meetings every Thursday and not only remember people's names but have ongoing conversations with them and am always greeted with big smiles. This week the governor of Antioquia came (with his very own secret service) to speak about development projects in the department including bettering education and safety, hydroelectic plants, reforestation, mining expansion, and increasing public participation among other things. The club also gives out an annual award of around $75,000 to people who have contributed immensely to the community; this year's cash prize went to environmentalists who established Medellin's famous botanical gardens and have created large natural reserves to protect the valuable flora and fauna found in the area.
--Attended a regional seminar for new and old Rotarians to inspire within them the spirit of Rotarism and review project and monetary goals for the year. Afterwards went to an "integration" party with members of my host club at the most gorgeous finca I have ever seen that reminded me of a house out of an old movie complete with famous art and full service.
--Become familiar with the 4280 District Governor by attending meetings at clubs throughout the city. Also took a day trip to Ciudad Bolivar where there is a small but strong club; stopping throughout the coffee region to take pictures, try local treats, avoid the massive landslides almost making the roads impassible, falling more in love with the gorgeous Colombian scenery, and learning about how a year ago the same region was dominated by guerrillas and too dangerous to visit.
--Started a new project at a house for HIV-positive children with the Rotaract Club Medellin; I will be teaching them art lessons and taking them on visits to museums throughout the city.
--Volunteering once a week at an amazing organization for children with Spinal Bifida, run by the district governor elect, where I also lead art projects and participate in music/stretching activities for babies and tottlers affected by the disease.
--Attended an induction ceremony for a community police program sponsored by the Club Rotario Nutibara; establishing an important relationship between the police forces and the Rotary clubs in the city to get logistical safety from them for projects carried out in dangerous communities or for transporting children. I was very impressed with the calibur of men and woman in the program since most of them speak at least one language, are well educated, extremely dedicated to the police force, and have undoubtable faith in the public institution.
--Helped run a massive eye-examination program also with the Club Rotario Nutibara offered at a clinic in a lower-income neighborhood; reviewing over 15o children in one Saturday morning for eye problems, referring around 30 of the worst cases to an optomologist (also the club president!), and then outfitting those in need with donated glasses.
I love my 'job'.
--RYLA Seminar (Rotary Young Leader Awards): An international seminar offered by Rotary clubs to promote youth leadership in the communities. Last weekend I attended one held by the Club Rotario Envigado entitled "Democracy and Youth Participation." It involved two conferences given by government officials, a visit from the Envigado mayor who himself attended RYLA conferences as a teenager, 4 interactive workshops on human rights and the culture of democracy, lots food, and even a Rotary-sponsored party complete with DJ and beverages. Although most of the students who attended were from Interact (14-18 years old), and the level of the discussions and information presented was at a lower level than I had hoped, I still learned a lot about the different constitutional rights to which Colombian youngsters are entitled and what positions of leadership/representation within the schools and municipalities they can hold. My presence was important to inspire these aspiring youngsters to utilize the possibilities Rotary offers through international scholarships, emphasizing that they shouldn't get discouraged by their economic or national situation. As a highschooler I was very involved in committees and events supporting diversity and open discussion, but I don't remember ever hearing teenagers so impassioned about their rights with resolve to change the system. Perhaps it is a result of the general apathy that has overtaken the US, but it made me realize more than anything how lucky I was to grow up in a country, and more specifically a community, where the young population has the ability to participate in the system.
--Visiting Rotary clubs all over the city to make presentations: Club Rotario Medellin Nuevo, Club Rotario Medellin Occidente, Club Rotario Nutibara, Club Rotario Itagui Santamaria, Club Rotario Envigado, Club Rotario Sabaneta
--Become more involved in my host Club Rotario Medellin--the largest and second oldest club in the country. Many of the members are some of the most wealthy and powerful people within Colombia, but all are very friendly, tell hilarious jokes, and make a huge impact within the community. I now show up at meetings every Thursday and not only remember people's names but have ongoing conversations with them and am always greeted with big smiles. This week the governor of Antioquia came (with his very own secret service) to speak about development projects in the department including bettering education and safety, hydroelectic plants, reforestation, mining expansion, and increasing public participation among other things. The club also gives out an annual award of around $75,000 to people who have contributed immensely to the community; this year's cash prize went to environmentalists who established Medellin's famous botanical gardens and have created large natural reserves to protect the valuable flora and fauna found in the area.
--Attended a regional seminar for new and old Rotarians to inspire within them the spirit of Rotarism and review project and monetary goals for the year. Afterwards went to an "integration" party with members of my host club at the most gorgeous finca I have ever seen that reminded me of a house out of an old movie complete with famous art and full service.
--Become familiar with the 4280 District Governor by attending meetings at clubs throughout the city. Also took a day trip to Ciudad Bolivar where there is a small but strong club; stopping throughout the coffee region to take pictures, try local treats, avoid the massive landslides almost making the roads impassible, falling more in love with the gorgeous Colombian scenery, and learning about how a year ago the same region was dominated by guerrillas and too dangerous to visit.
--Started a new project at a house for HIV-positive children with the Rotaract Club Medellin; I will be teaching them art lessons and taking them on visits to museums throughout the city.
--Volunteering once a week at an amazing organization for children with Spinal Bifida, run by the district governor elect, where I also lead art projects and participate in music/stretching activities for babies and tottlers affected by the disease.
--Attended an induction ceremony for a community police program sponsored by the Club Rotario Nutibara; establishing an important relationship between the police forces and the Rotary clubs in the city to get logistical safety from them for projects carried out in dangerous communities or for transporting children. I was very impressed with the calibur of men and woman in the program since most of them speak at least one language, are well educated, extremely dedicated to the police force, and have undoubtable faith in the public institution.
--Helped run a massive eye-examination program also with the Club Rotario Nutibara offered at a clinic in a lower-income neighborhood; reviewing over 15o children in one Saturday morning for eye problems, referring around 30 of the worst cases to an optomologist (also the club president!), and then outfitting those in need with donated glasses.
I love my 'job'.
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