Challenges
So I am in a city called Nochixtlan today running a few errands. Things are going alright but the questions surrounding what I am doing here are really starting to set in. That is to say, what am I really doing here? Is what I am doing really worthwhile for me or the community I am in? I knew these questions would come up and hit me hard and they have started to. The slowness of the projects and the goals have frustrated me. For instance, we are going to be teaching English classes, but I really wonder why. The community is all for it, but I worry that is only for the reason of enabling people to immigrate to the US and end up work shit jobs and getting no governmental support. Then again, they might make more money than they are right now. I just want to find projects that I feel will empower people to stregthen their own lives, their own country, and their own culture. I don´t feel like I am doing that and only feel I am helping to continue the class system that has created all these problems in the first place. Unfourtunatly, I only have another 4 weeks here, and I feel that I am going to finish these classes and accomplish nothing. I think I will only prove that I am another gluttonous American "trying to do good" in the world, yet only helping to feed the system.
But this is the ultimate question, what do we do? What do I do? How do you do community service in a socially just way, in a way that does not help to promote the status quo. I don´t know if there is an answer and that scares me. I want to believe there is a better way, a better tomorrow but it is difficult. I talked with my partner the other day about economic systems, about "developement". He was making the arguement that economic investment is the only way to improve people´s lives. But I don´t see that working, I don´t see Mexicans lives improving by becoming more like the archetypal American consumer. And I don´t know if what I am doing is really helping to stop that from happening. That is the slippery slop I am walking right now.
posted by Jeff N @ 11:26 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
"That is the slippery slop I am walking right now."
Indeed, economic development is slippery slop.
It's tricky. On one hand, you are arguably the archetype of privilege: white, male, educated, with money (at least, you're not hungry and/or underemployed). And it's worthwhile to not only be aware of that but to work to mitigate privilege in this world, as you're doing.
On the other hand, the world currently operates under the premise that growth=good. This has worked well in America & other industrialized nations, and less-developed nations want in on it (understandably). Given that you're among the most priveleged, it seems hypocritical to deny less developed countries access to the miracle drug of economic development. I mean, hey, it worked for your ancestors, so why not help other people join in the fun?
That said, it sounds like what you really want to do is alter the fundamental structure of society (to locally-focused sustainable communities) and that, my friend, is a massive task that no one person or organization can do alone. Economics is a behemoth, and to try to change it is well night impossible.
In other words: be patient with yourself, and if you make someone smile, count yourself lucky. If you give someone tools to make a better life for him or herself, even if it's not clear what the ramifications are, count is as a good thing and just keep breathing.
We can never really know the impacts of what we do. Yes, teaching English clearly has lots of potential negative impacts. But, who knows? Maybe one of your English students will set up a fair-trade cooperative, trading locally-produced Oaxacan stuff to Americans for fair wages. You just never know the ripples our actions are going to make.
Hi Jeff,
I'm not sure when you will get to read this. I'm enoying reading the blog and request that you focus some of your blogging on the nutrition work.
Please make sure you seek out fellow vol, Apoorva Shah from Houston (Rice U.) as he is a great fellow.
We had the "hand wringing" party on Sunday and consumed some tasty Mojitos courtesy of Sam's dad.
Stay in touch,
Andy, El Presidente de su capitulo
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