Baby Steps - 100 million at a time

I've been having a hard time picking up where I left off. I had a moment of inspiration recently, while watching the film, Rabbit Proof Fence, triggering me to write a blog about dialog. Only, I've been unfocused since, and haven't managed to complete that thought.
Last week I moved - into the San Franciscan home I'd been dreaming of: big, quiet, sunny, in an awesome neighborhood, with a sweet garden and interesting, forward-thinking roommates. The space is far more conducive to writing and research than my last. That's a step in the right direction. However, I also officially lost my partner in the project. Something I was expecting, but a bit heartbreaking, none-the-less. The enormity of the task weighs on me, and me alone, now. It's kind of overwhelming at times.
The hardest part, really, is being patient. And also, not having anyone to share the journey with. It's not easy to keep the spirits high, and the days focused when you're working alone. And yet, the incredible thing is, it's really not all that difficult to create your dreams. It's just little steps, everyday. It will gather momentum soon enough. Thanks, Richie, for reminding me of that.

It's amazing, too, just how many organisations there are out there working for global change. They're fight for human rights, social justice, youth empowerment, education, sustainability, world hunger, indigenous knowledge, responsible tourism, cultural exchange.....the list goes on and on. I recently signed up with Wiser Earth - a networking forum for NGOs and individuals around the world addressing current issues like the above. Such a beautiful thing, the internet. Finally, unrestricted global dialog is possible (unless you're living in China).

Something that strikes me particularly: Our main source for information on current events (newspapers, TV, radio) is chock full of all the horrendous things happening in our world. War, mass murders, starvation, disease, racism, corruption, environmental disasters..... As friend of mine used to say, "That's not news. There's nothing new about it." That's the history of humankind they're presenting.
What is new is this global movement. It's not a force directed by the few; the powerful; the rich. It's a movement guided by small groups of passionate people. Hundreds of thousands of them. WiserEarth - one, single directory - has over 107,000 organisations, and nearly 2,500 individuals registered. Paul Hawken talks about this grassroots movement in his new book Blessed Unrest. He estimates there are more than 1 million organisations working for ecological sustainability and social justice. (See article, A Global Democratic Movement Is About to Pop, http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/050107EC.shtml)

The amount of hope, compassion, and dedication manifest in the human race is astounding. To me, this speaks volumes more about the state of affairs than the last 20 years of worldwide headlines.

Indulgencia de vida

Sometimes I am daunted by this question: what in the hell would possess me to attempt to create this massive project from….nothing? I have no money. I don’t have a PhD. I’ve never written a grant, nor traveled across continents by motorbike.

When it comes to realizing our dreams, we all have two choices. We can look at what we lack and how far we are from accomplishing our goals, or we can look at all we already have and how much we want to quench these passions. For me, it is a daily struggle. Each morning I have to remind myself of all I’ve already done, and all I am capable of doing. Some days I’m on, and I move 1 step forward. Other days I’m off, and I move, seemingly, nowhere. Keep going. Every step opens new doors. As they say: poco a poco la vieja reja el coco.

So what moves me onward? What is it I search for? Passion, yes. A love for travel, for culture, for a road that unravels beneath two wheels…for connecting with people and hearing different perspectives, for expanding my capacity for understanding. But if that was all I wanted, I could continue to travel the way I have. There is something more going on here.

Travel is a self-indulgent act. And that’s ok. It is often necessary to indulge the spirit. It helps us to face the difficult times - to see the forest for the trees, so to speak. Hopefully though, we come to seek a balance. Can I indulge in my passions and give back at the same time? Hell! Why not? I say, have your cake and eat it too. Just share with your neighbors while you do.

And so I ask myself a different question: What am I hoping to accomplish? I mean, aside from world peace and the enlightenment of humankind. : )

The answer: dialog.

More on this soon.

New Beginnings

I’m 10 weeks into this new life. I moved to SF on Sept 2nd to dig myself into the TE KORU project, and burrow roots into one place for a while. For the past 4 years I’ve been on life’s fast track. Settling into a new place should, reasonably, take several months (maybe more?). I’d gotten used to it occurring in a few weeks. Friends were made quickly. Jobs came easily. And whatever the circumstances of my housing, I quickly adapted to. (Leaky boat? No flushing toilet? Roaches and giant spiders? No problem!). On the road, the vagabond is grateful for a roof (tent...ship’s overhead...), and a bed (sleeping bag...hammock...). I’m learning though, that when trying to pour energy into one place, one passion, a feeling of ‘home’ takes on much more importance.
So after nearly three months, I’m feeling frustrated with being still so unsettled. Life’s details (from apartment hunting [still] to computer problems) are sucking up so much of my time; I’ve been hard-pressed to focus on TE KORU. I have the feeling of still living out of a bag, being a stranger in this town, and stretching thin my financial existence. I’d imagine I could chalk all this up to the fact that, for the first time in my life, I am digging roots. I am no longer a traveler, pausing to explore for a few months. I’m not here to get to know San Francisco, explore the western terrain, or meet other world-wanderers (although these are all tempting distractions). I have one over-arching purpose to my life right now. I’ve been living in observation and reflection for years. Now I’m looking to balance that with action. I suppose it’s reasonable that anything that interferes with my daily reflection and action in this direction would be an annoyance. It triggers me to ask: why is “life” always getting in the way of LIVING??
And here comes that lesson again: patience. Having the world at your fingertips and not devouring it all at once is a tricky one.

So…..clearing aside all the unnecessary details, I’m now focusing on the following:
- putting together the budget
- finding organisations to work with in Latin America
- writing and applying for grants
- creating a website

I’m not overly concerned about the website. I think this blogsite will have to suffice for the time being. At least until I have a grant secured, and the immense amount of time necessary to put towards the site construction.

Again, as always, if anyone has any opinions to share or questions to ask, leave a comment please! Also, ideas and/or time to contribute to the above are equally appreciated. At the moment, I’m working alone to sow these seeds. Any kind of feedback makes for great fodder!

The Plan

The goal of TE KORU is to use adventure to stimulate interest in the world’s cultures, and inspire children to partake in a dialog with others to resolve global issues and create a future based on open communication, sustainability, and compassion. Eventually, TE KORU will incorporate equipment such as remote satellite technology for communication. Initially, however, we must build a foundation. For this reason, Mission I will act as a preliminary exchange.


MISSION I: Testing the waters

Goals:
- Explore the potentials and limitations of long-distance exchange
- Gain a deeper understanding of the social and cultural issues of our exchange sites
- Explore the educational needs and interests of kids

Proposal:

Connect 2 groups of US children with 2 groups of Latin American (“LA”) children:
- Inner-city group in US (referred to as “group A” or “GA”) connects to favela/slum community in Latin America (referred to as “community 1” or “C1”)
- Suburban group in US (“GB”) connects to indigenous community in Latin America (“C2”)

STEP 1:
- Research the 2 Latin American communities (society, culture, needs, environment)
- Obtain background information on the 2 US groups (organization/school group focus, dynamics, etc)

STEP 2:
- Present overview of Latin American community to respective US partner group
- Solicit questions, ideas, and interests from US kids
- Collect gift from US kids to present to LA partner group (ie, school supplies or appropriate gift)

STEP 3:
- Spend 1 month in C1
- Document community life (video, blogs, photos)
- Run workshop with children to create portfolio
- Volunteer with existing local project

STEP 4:
- Spend 1 month in C2
- Document community life (video, blogs, photos)
- Run workshop with children to create portfolio
- Volunteer with existing local project
- Volunteer with existing local project


STEP 5:
- Return to US
- Edit video, create cohesive presentation
- Give presentation and distribute portfolios
- US kids respond to LA portfolios and questions
- US kids create similar portfolio

STEP 6:
- Return to Latin America
- Spend 1 – 2 weeks in each of the 2 communities
- Present US kids’ responses and portfolios
- Solicit responses to US groups questions
- Open-table discussion: project feedback, ideas for improvement and/or expansion

STEP 7:
- Return to US
- Give LA kids’ responses to US groups
- Open-table discussion with US kids: project feedback, ideas for improvement and/or expansion

STEP 8:
- Write summation and conclusion
- Begin planning for Mission II

TE KORU GOALS

Starting with Latin America, TE KORU will create the following:
(1) A youth-oriented documentary series highlighting how our actions in the global west directly effect the lives of those in communities severely impacted by development and world trade

(2) Ethnological (i.e., ethnocation) lesson plans

(3) A cross-cultural dialog thru the exchange of artistic portfolios, a web forum, and an international youth convention with representatives from developed countries, and indigenous and slum communities (i.e., an ethnoforum)

(4) Apprenticeships to place high school graduates in volunteer programs in the communities they’ve been in dialog with.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Mission Statement
To connect children of different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, inspire them to partake in a dialog with each other, and work together to address global issues.

oals
- Create a youth-oriented documentary series highlighting how our actions in the global west directly affect the lives of those in struggling communities throughout Latin America
- Create a cross-cultural dialog through portfolios, an internet forum, and an ethnoforum
- Establish apprenticeships for high school graduates to work with existing NGO’s in the communities they’ve been learning about.

Background
The disconnect between Americans and the rest of the world is becoming increasingly apparent. What do we know about the lives of those who made our $80 jeans, grew the beans for our coffee, or whose native lands have been destroyed to provide oil for our energy-hungry culture? More importantly, how many opportunities do the residents of these communities have to partake in an open dialog - discussing their personal struggles and their ideas for change, with the rest of the world?

With the rise of global communication systems and commerce, terrorism, and climate change, we cannot pretend that the issues of one region do not affect the future of all humanity. The next generation of world leaders cannot be expected to have a true understanding of the issues they face when they are cut off from the lives of those who are most affected by their decisions. A child, living amidst the violence and abuse of the slums, has little hope of change when they’ve never even been given a voice. If it is a world of peace, compassion, and justice that we desire, we must first bridge these chasms of hope and understanding.



Vision
TE KORU seeks to bridge socio-economic and cultural divides by focusing on how we are all connected in a globalized world. By establishing a means for children to tell their stories, and listen to others’, we will empower them to create whole, sustainable communities, and inspire today’s youth to take an interest in the world and incorporate new perspectives into their problem-solving methods.


Approach
TE KORU will use adventure to ignite youth interest in world cultures, and help them to establish a forum for true democratic dialog that addresses global problems. Our explorers (2-3 adults) will travel through Latin America by motorcycle, creating a documentary series that highlights how our actions in the US directly affect these communities. Whilst en route, the explorers will encourage group discussions through a web forum, and answer questions submitted online. The explorers will also hold workshops in indigenous and slum communities where resident children will create portfolios, using art, photography, storytelling and music to reflect on their lives, current issues, and visions for future change. Upon return to the US, the portfolios and film will be presented to classrooms, and similar portfolio workshops conducted for exchange with the Latino youth.

Using adventure to excite and inspire, and both popular and traditional formats (web forum and film; art and music) to communicate with youth, TE KORU’s participants will gain a real-world education, discover how they personally fit into the global picture.