CESP Blog

As I told everyone at the RAP session, I have never done any comunity work in the global south or even ever been. I learned a lot from other people's experiences in knowing that it really is hard to "blend in" so maybe for some places, embracing the fact that I'm an "outsider" will make my stay more productive and beneficial. I am aware of how people view an "outsider" from my own experiences with it: different, scary, and unknown territory. Those are hard things to overcome even for the simplest communication to occur. I feel that in the global south, as someone else stated,Americans are given the benefit of the doubt and everyone treats them much better than they often deserve. This is something I don't necessarily want to see happen while in Kenya, but I feel I don't truly have a choice in that. One of the problems from coming in from the outside- often, choices are limited.

Forgot this-
Jessica Hornby
hornb019@umn.edu

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else who read "To Hell With Good Intentions" after attending the session last Friday. I feel like this address articulates exactly what it is I fear the most about doing service work in the global South in the future. Honestly, I wish that we would have had a chance to go over and discuss this address during the RAP session; although it was immensely informative to hear from those that have actually gone abroad and done community work, I feel as though I've been thrown back into complete ignorance/oblivion after reading this. Does anyone else feel this discouraged after reading Monsignor Ivan Illich's speech? Of course, such a feeling of discouragement isn't entirely negative--it forces rather than just presents the opportunity for reflection, primarily on the real reasons behind our decisions. It has catalyzed (if that's really a word) me to think much more critically about just what it is that I want to get out of my future study abroad program in India, especially the service element of that program. I can honestly say that I hope to gain personally for the experience and that I have no false notions of what my capabilities to "help" are. But now, with Illich's scathing words on my conscience, it's harder to be so sure...am I really fooling myself?

Hearing the stories of others within our group opened my eyes to the different experiences and different bonds that others have formed through volunteering. Although I have volunteered abroad in Guatemala, I didn't experience as much personal interaction as other people who studied in both India and Kenya. Unlike them, I traveled in a group. I wasn't thrown into another country by myself, and felf like an outsider. Feeling like a minority was surreal. Looking around and feeling out of place is both scary and intriguing. It gave me a new perspective and a new outlook on the world. Coming from a small town in which society was predominantly white, volunteering abroad was the best thing I could have done.

The main thing I was able to take from this RAP session is perspective. I participated in the MSID-Kenya program, so it was interesting for me to hear stories from people who participated in the MSID-India program. I picked up quite a few similarities and also a few things that weren't the same at all.

I enjoyed people's stories from service work that they were doing in America just as much. There were plenty of insights offered in those stories that made me think as well.

I thought it was interesting when Amelia said something along the lines of 'Even though I didn't really do anything too important while in India..." Because that was how I felt after my Micro-Finance internship experience in Kenya. Our power to actually "change" things, by ourselves, and in such a limited amount of time is very small. So along with whatever small improvements/changes one does make doing a service project, the learning the comes from it, and the relationships that are built with other humans in other parts of the world prove to be just as valuable.

For myself, this means that the next time I attempt to change something, I will be more knowledgeable, more skilled, more connected, and therefore more able to make concrete improvements on a given situation.

As for the format of the RAP session, I enjoyed the conversation in the first half, and although I wasn't really sure how relevant our second-half activities were at first, I ended up enjoying that too. Everyone did a good job at making thought-provoking & fun 'human sculptures.'

I really enjoyed hearing everyone experiences and feelings while volunteering abroad. It was helpful to hear that many people felt similar in respect to being an outsider and how being an outsider effected how others viewed them, their experience/ability to change things.
In response Mary's concern with the message portrayed in the article "To Hell with Good Intentions" obviously Mr. Ivan is extremely opinionated and although he does bring up some interesting points. I found in my experience in Kenya that people that I worked with seemed happy that I was there, and appreciative of the help I was providing. (Even though I didn't think I was really making that big of an impact or change) I think it is important when going into a different culture to learn about it ahead of time, so you're not completely ignorant and to just go with the flow of the culture, be open minded and willing to try the food, customs, etc. Even though you'll still be seen as an outsider, it's helpful to try to find in as much as possible by learning and following the cultural customs.
I enjoyed the RAP session and thought that it was facilitated effectively. It was beneficial to hear others' experiences and I enjoy sharing my experiences as well.

I found the Global South RAP session discussion really interesting; each person's input was enlightening in different ways. I liked hearing everybody's experiences and perspectives articulated and then acted out. I feel a little more prepared for Ecuador because of it.
Issues of identity and privilege definitely play a role in my volunteer work. I've found that my identity as a white female can be advantageous or an obstacle, depending on the situation. My privilege as a white person, and the disadvantage, in certain situations, of being a woman combine for sometimes unexpected results. I think that when I work in the Global South this fall, my identity will be sharply apparent and I'm not sure what situations that will create. This was a thought-provoking RAP session.

This reflection really helped me understand what it feels like to be an outsider. Getting other people's perspectives about their experiences made me realize I wasn't alone in what I was experiencing. I think it also really helped me realize how my actions could be affecting those who are considered to be in my "group."

I think this session also really helped me put a name to certain feelings and emotions I go through when doing community service for cultures or groups that are much different from my own. Acting out those thoughts and getting other people's input about how to handle situations or tips about dealing with different situations is useful now and I know it will be very helpful in the future. I'm glad I went to this RAP Session! I liked the activities and it helped work through some of my thoughts and prompted reflection!

Although I do not have much (or any) experience working in the global south, this reflection session will help me prepare for study abroad in South America. In addition, I recently read the article "To Hell With Good Intentions" and that made me think a lot about why I volunteer and for what purpose. It especially made me think about volunteering in the global south and what it means to the people I can help. It even related to my work in the inner city of Minneapolis, tutoring elementary students. The article seemed to have a general perspective that we should not be volunteering in places that we do not know; that we can actually harm the people we want to help. The article, along with the reflection session, reminded me that no matter what country you are in, not many people want to by your "charity case." From Minneapolis to Mexico (where the article was from) it is important to understand the people we want to volunteer with.