Reflection Paper:
Looking
back at my Peru experience, three distinctly different phases emerge, each with
its own challenges and enjoyable moments. The first phase was my time in Peru
before the SOFE class-portion started. The second had a Christian theme as we
visited churches in Lima, the nun-run camp of Cruz Blanca and our time in Ayaviri
with the brothers from the Prelature. The last portion of our trip focused more
on ancient indigenous culture and the community that has been built up around
that. Each phase brought light to different issues faced by that particular
community and shows what a richly diverse but conflicted country Peru is.
During
my first week in Peru I had an opportunity to be a tourist on my own in Cusco
and figure things out myself. I also had an incredible experience on my 4-day
trek, one that was difficult in other ways. My friend, Katie, and I joined two
solo travelers and were guided through the Ausangate mountains for 4 days,
crossing three mountain passes, going from dramatic peaks to massive glaciers
and finally ending at the stunning Rainbow Mountain, at 16,500 ft. The altitude
was a struggle for all of us but the rest of the trek was invigorating. Having
done a bit of international travelling and having lived abroad a couple times,
I always enjoy exploring on my own, so there were times during the rest of the
SOFE that I struggled being lead around in a big group. I was incredibly
grateful to have this time on my own to explore, get outdoors, and do something
new. It was tough to transition from vacation mode to school mode, especially
with my friend Katie off to another trek before travelling South America for
the next 6 months. Researching each of the nonprofit organizations got me
excited for next 10 days, even though it would not be as exhilarating as the
first week.
I
think the Christian theme that went along with the first part of the SOFE was
because of location. Since Lima is the capital of modern-day Peru, ever since
the Spanish conquest, churches dominate the city and the majority of people we
talked with were Catholic. We saw this while touring Lima as we visited several
churches and the Plaza Mayor with the main cathedral right next to the Palacio Gobierno.
The Christian theme continued at the Cruz Blanca camp. The nuns who ran Cruz
Blanca seamlessly integrated themselves into the community that the camp
served. They understood the community’s needs, assets, and desires. It was neat
to see the way the shantytown community reacted when Susana entered the room.
She was a role model and an inspiration to everyone we met with.
While
the brothers at the prelature had similarly good intentions, their efforts to
revive the Ayaviri community seemed out of touch with the wants and desires of
the residents of the community. I greatly appreciated the brothers’ hospitality
during our trip but we struggled to have a productive conversation with them.
In looking back at our two days in Ayaviri, there were many factors that
contributed to the frustrating experience. The first, which cannot go
unmentioned during the trip, was the effect the presidential election had on
each of us. The disappointment knowing we would be returning to a country
different than one we had left was a concern on everyone’s mind. Most people
also struggled with the high altitude of Ayaviri, which made it harder to focus
on the organization. Lastly, the conversation we had with the brothers seemed
to frustrate both the brothers and most people in our group. For me, the fact
that the brothers were unable to answer what the community wanted was a red
flag. They had some potential projects but everything seemed disjointed without
an overarching goal or mission. The projects were ideas that had come from the
brothers, none of whom where originally from Ayaviri, rather than ideas coming
from the community. Projects within the prelature focused around the church as
the solution, which could have been what the community wanted, but it seemed
like no one had bothered to ask.
The
last part of the trip was in stark contrast to the second part. Several of the
key ideas at Kusi Kawsay and Kusi Nan really resonated with both my view of how
to run an organization and my personal values and morals. I wrote in my journal
that “Pisac was literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air from Ayaviri.
The way Kusi Kawsay and Kusi Nan approach their mission is to use the culture
and strengths within the community. We visited the farm and the school, which
were very authentic and a nice change from the Prelature. I found myself
inspired by so many of the concepts Roman spoke about and wrote several of them
down.”
·
Kusi
Kawsay means “happy life”
·
We
are not better than anything or anyone else, we exist in parallel
·
Inee
– giving and receiving, you must give first in order to receive, you do not
take
·
Their
mascot is the hummingbird because it is always moving but still in the center
·
The
motto for learning at the school “you learn, you feel, you do”
·
They
are in inclusive culture; not replacing but reaching in.
·
You
are sacred when you give
·
Time
does not pass. We pass, time is there.
·
There
is no good or bad. Everything in its place.
I really enjoyed
having Roman and his family/colleagues as our guides not just in Pisac and
Amaru but through Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu and Cusco. I felt like we got a
genuine experience, different than any other guides would have given.
I
would like to work on the Kusi Kawsay/Kusi Nan project to develop some program
evaluation to help improve their communications to donors, volunteers and
prospective donors. I look forward to working with an organization that has
helped me readjust to life back in the states. Remembering some of the ideals
at Kusi Kawsay and Kusi Nan has helped me find a new perspective and peace
through the current political unrest.
I
think my background in Community Development could be helpful to both groups in
Ayaviri; the Prelature and the women’s group. I also know it takes a long time
and significant involvement to build trust and relationships with a community,
and I worry that any suggestions I make would not be met favorably. I worry I
would just end up frustrated and I don’t want to be frustrated with the
capstone of my masters coursework. If there is no one else working with the
Prelature I would be interested in helping them develop a logic model, in
addition to work I’d like to do with Kusi Kawsay/Kusi Nan.
I'll post some pictures on Facebook later. There are too many to sift through right now.
