The "Cost" of Overhead

This TED talk moves me.  I get a feeling of real possibility.  A possibility to truly change the way our societal system works.  We are truly in need of a paradigm shift toward addressing "who benefits?" from the way capitalist economies are set up.  These statements feel to me like the on-ramp to building up enough energy and attention to make a shift.

This presenter is talking about raising money for charity.  Though, the charity model is outdated and looking toward rights-based activism affecting legislation or inclusivity models (empowerment) might be more effective in creating systemic change to eradicate human suffering.  These projects still need funding.  They still need overhead to raise money on a scale beyond the bake sale or car wash.

Though, corruption is still a reality: mismanagement of funds, misappropriation of funds, and just plain stealing happens often.  We've got to start somewhere.  It just seems like such a huge hill to climb.

Poor and Land-locked...

Or Resource-rich and Land-linked?

It seems as if the focus of creating a better future for Nepal in terms of economic development and peace is blurred by misunderstanding of cooperation and connection between nation states.  From this article in the Hindustan Times, the leader of the recently created Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M)), Mohan Baidya, is unable to face the reality that his country is inextricably linked to the Indian (and Chinese) economies.  It may be in the nation's best interest to play the political game rather than shut the door in India's face - For example, the entire country relies every single day upon cooking gas and other resources brought directly from India and carried up into the hills.

Nepal need not forcibly assert its independence from bordering nations, but realize the reality of interconnectedness. 

But, that's not what's happening, unfortunately. 

Sulak Sivaraksha on 'Engaged Buddhism"

"In America and Europe, everyone is very active. But if you become too active, you lose the essence of Buddhism. You only have the Buddhist labels. One must cultivate peace to be compassionate. Without this, what you do, even as an 'engaged Buddhist' is just a lot of activity with no good purpose."

- Sulak Sivaraksa, “In Exile from Siam”

Dialogue and Diplomacy

Why Dialogue is an essential part of listening to interest groups' positions.  Coming to the table to have our own perspective heard but remaining genuinely open to the perspectives of the "other" is the most important part of dialogue - a deeper understanding from which we can make clearer decisions about moving forward in personal conflicts and international conflicts.
See what Jonas Gahr Store has to say:
TED talk on the importance of Dialogue in diplomacy

You have to do it yourself

"Others’ words can’t measure your practice, and you don’t realize the dharma because of what others say. I mean the real dharma. The teachings others can give you are to show you the path, but that isn’t real knowledge. When people genuinely meet the dharma, they realize it directly within themselves. So the Buddha said that he is merely the one who shows the way. In teaching us, he is not accomplishing the way for us. It is not so easy as that. It’s like someone who sells us a plow to till the fields. He isn’t going to do the plowing for us. We have to do that ourselves. Don’t wait for the salesman to do it. Once he’s made the sale, he takes the money and splits. That’s his part.That’s how it is in practice. The Buddha shows the way. He’s not the one who does it for us. Don’t expect the salesman to till your field. If we understand the path in this way, it’s a little more comfortable for us, and we will do it ourselves. Then there will be fruition."

- Ajahn Chah, "Meeting the Dharma Alone"

Today I learned...

that Gandhi and Nehru could have agitated the British further during the beginning of WWII potentially executing their campaign for home-rule while attentions were distracted with fascist regimes in Europe.  Not the case - They decided, along with the Bengali intellectual contingent (Tagore, Coomaraswamy and Nandalal Bose) that the fight against fascist regeimes was more important at the time than independence. 

Others such as Subhas Chandra Bose did not agree.  He wanted to take advantage of the weakened British state to gain independence.  He spent time with Hitler looking to connect on the "aryan" thing - meaning the Aryans origninated in the Indus river valley civilization, thus Bose saw himself as an Aryan, yet, Hitler didn't know what to do with him - he had dark skin and didn't fit the bill.  Hitler sent him to Japan.  Japanese didn't know what to do with him, so they sent him in to Burma to fight the Brits.  That lasted for a bit and then he was killed (more info needed).  There are some that think he is still out there in a cave somewhere waiting until the time is right when he will emerge as a messianic figure to lead India on to global domination.

The dangers of developing a national identity - seems Gandhi and the Bengalis had their feet on the ground and were able to balance their inspiration from the Russian and European idealist identity writers (Hegel, Tolstoy...) with the understanding of human empathy and Truth.  Bose missed the boat on that one. 

One can draw an argument here from looking at the development of the nation-state theology in the late 18th c. and take Hitler's third reich as an example of how destructive (yet mesmerizing) developing national identity can be.  The other example are the Indian nationalists in the middle of the 20th c. 

hm.

Learning Styles

Having 24 students makes it difficult to meet everyone's needs in a cross-cultural environment.  Some get it, some don't.  Some voraciously take notes, some fall asleep in the back of a lecture. 

Here's Wikipedia Learning Styles
Thus, research on what people think about how people learn.

David Kolb (my hero) introduced a really conplicated learning model that, even after 10 years of studying it, I still don't truly understand the difference between all of the quadrants. 

I've taught the DISC method, and "What color are you?" things.
None of it really sticks, and it all seems like a cheap 'soul-searching' workshop marketed toward the same folks that fall into the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People world - that we actually have control over our environment by knowing something about it.

Makes me think of that story of the guy that gets shot with the poisoned arrow and rather than pulling it out of his chest, he starts thinking, "Who shot that arrow? What kind of duck feather is on the end of it? What type of poison was on the tip?  How big is the arrowhead?"  Like that. 

waste of time? 

Obstacle, Inspiration

“If being a woman is an inspiration, use it.  If it is an obstacle, try not to be bothered.” – Khandro Rinpoche. 

“If being a woman is an inspiration, use it.  If it is an obstacle, try not to be bothered.” – Khandro Rinpoche. 

"I would rather be ashes than dust!  I would rather my sparks should burn out in a blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.  I would rather be as a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than asleep and permanent as a planet.

The proper function of a person is to live, not to exist.  I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.  I shall use my time."

-Jack London

A good one.

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it." 

 
- Amelia Earhart

UN Allocates $6M to food crisis in Nepal

Short UN posting about allocations to the World Food Program in Nepal here.

One does wonder about the effectiveness of its programs in Nepal and how the money will be allocated to address needs.

Who's making hunger worse?

“It’s the role of the state and not the level of wealth, that determines progress on hunger,” said Anne Jellema.

Findings from an ActionAid study say that Brazil, China, and India (in that order) score the highest in the study.  US scores 8 out of 100 for eradicating poverty within its borders. Pretty crappy compared to other developed countries.

Economist article commenting on the study and comparing growth rates of the world's three largest developing countries here.

Chills... It gives me Chills

Michael Moore's Message to Barack Obama and Blue Dog Democrats

This is interesting - I'm fascinated that Michael Moore creates so much controversy with his work.

The "Capitalism: A Love Story" Trailer gives me chills. I really would like to see it. Anyone want to bring me a copy?

Facilitation Skillz

Just finished facilitating an ISP Debrief - 11 students talking about their experiences conducting fieldwork in the last month.  I realized I haven't been in a discussion the entire semester.

I can still do it.

In fact, I kept pretty quiet after presenting some context about why we would want to do some debriefing as a group, and planted a general start up question, "What were some significant moments for you in the past month?"  The students talked for just over two hours - speaking to each other, commenting, commiserating, sharing moments that they felt were significant.  They talked about gaining trust (what methods were helpful, and were they ethical i.e. language learning, helping in the kitchen, spending time with their families and newly made friends), talked about how it felt to encounter other 'tourists' and feel much more culturally appropriate, concepts of home, identity, whether or not the US has a culture and if so, what is it?

I directed them a bit when they were getting away from focusing on the what, so what, now what of the actual experience, but rather drifting off into metaphorical analysis of whether or not experience dictates reality.

I also stepped back in to ask them, "What was the most challenging piece of the last month."   The conversation got a little negative.  I said something clever about how part of the skill developing has to do with putting all the experiences (individually and collectively) in the middle and taking a step back to look at everything from an 'objective' angle.  Not taking things too personally.  Then we finished up with talking about how they see this experience as relevant to the remainder of their school career, and their lives.  They gushed about how it wasn't the 'research' but the life experience which made all the difference.  The space helped them identify confidence and passion to continue their work. 

They thanked me at the end - first for creating the space for them to process about their experience, and then for listening.  For planting open-ended questions and expecting honest responses.  For being a good facilitator.

It's not about me, it's about them processing their experience to get to the next place in their journey with new knowledge.  But it felt wonderful to be in that role again.  I had lost my own confidence and passion in the fact that I am okay at interacting with people and students.  That there's not something wrong with me and therefore I should stay far away from them.  Maybe some of that has been restored this afternoon.

Though, the processing of MY learning experience this semester would dictate that it's important to function from a place of humility.  There's no right way to do something.  Sometimes when someone projects that there indeed IS a right way, or if someone perceives that someone else thinks there is a right way to do something and there is no agreement, it creates lots of conflict.   I finish this afternoon gratefully, and humbly.

I can be a teacher, I think.  I can guide others to finding their truths. maybe.

PhD You Say???

What would these possible topics of study for a phd look like:

ecology and conflict

international diplomacy and systems thinking

political science and community building

an ecological approach to conflict transformation

I'm thinking that if I do, indeed want to pursue a phd somewhere I need to understand first what my motivation for doing so is.  Do I want to be AD of SIT Nepal?  Do I want to teach in the US? Do I want to work as a practitioner in some field of study here in the Himalayan region?  and of course, where can my skill set be of most benefit and relevance to others?

Most importantly - what would a phd give me that I don't have right now?  credibility?  The insistance that I am 'not just a kid' trying to fumble her way through the professional world.  Would some time spent studying and focusing on one topic really do that for me?  or am I approaching this issue from the wrong angle?

What kind of life experience do I need between now and potentially starting a phd in, say, Fall 2011 or Fall 2012?  More work with an NGO?  Management?  Field work?

Climate Change on Mt. Everest

Nepal Government meets near Everest Base Camp in order to bring attention to issues of climate change and its affect on the Himalayan Region.  AP article Here.

An effective form of political activism on the part of government officials prior to Copenhaggen?
OR
A waste of precious resources to fly the entire cabinet up to 18,000 ft for a meeting?

Elinor Ostrom

The first woman to win the Nobel Prize - CNN Article

Elinor Ostrom's research on how humans interact with ecosystems, unpacking the concept of the "commons," seems to prove that local communities managing resources from the inside seems to work more efficiently than when an outside authority tries to manage resources for the community. 

I can think of so many examples of the truth to this statement - anyone who is living, working, interacting, engaging with one's own community will not only have knowledge, but experience, of how things will work to serve one's own community.  Someone outside of that dynamic will NOT.  Thus, (logical conclusion) the people who are living, working, struggling, rejoicing, in that community are the most well-informed decisionmakers about that particular community. 

Particular relevance: Her work in western Nepal looking at conflict and resource management. 

Resources:
Governing the Commons (book)
Rules, Games, and common-pool resources (book)
Polycentric Games and Institutions: Chapter 16

There's much more, but I need some online research training.  (I just don't get these online databases, yet.  Back in my day.....        we went to the card catologue.  I don't feel that old :/)

It's ISP Draft Reading Time!

One of my students writes in their introduction,

"Education is a vehicle for development. It is very important to understand the value of education because educating the future generation can help solve the problems the public faces today."

agreed in one sense - this sentence made me think that understanding complex human and environmental dynamics in this day and age, and then "teaching" what we think about that is important for creating a context for future generations to take the reigns.

I see my role, or any teachers' role, in a new light - or the same light as always.  Now just able to articulate.  Contextualize contextualize contextualize.  Learning cycle, right?  what, so what, now what.  a teacher's job is present lots of whats from lots of perspectives.  next piece is to faciltate activity, conversation, process around figuring out the so whats.  and finally, once the students have some new ideas about the so whats the unit ends with the now what discussion.  okay. good.

this student's following sentence is:

"The way the people are educated and reasons they attend certain schools must be understood in order to understand how to develop Nepal."