“I got two sticks and they make fire, gonna rubb em’ together and make some change……” Khalil’s words and song emanate from the lips, hearts and minds of us all and resonate in the hallways of MONCAR, the women’s owned and operated collectiva in Monte Carmelo where we stayed for 4 nights. From this one spot, where women have organized themselves to make canned goods and pasta sauce that has in turned allowed them to support the opening of a school above their collectiva, we are able to walk up the street to visit with a Cuban doctor who provides free dental and health care to campesinos through Mision Barrio Adentro, or to take a winding ride in the back of a truck through dusty roads winding through coffee farms with views of the surrounding hills to visit Alianza, a worker owned organic farm to meditatively pick weeds from cilantro. A true sense of community, examples of empowerment and change and a connection to meaning all live here, so much to learn from this small farming community in the Venezuelan hills. Inspiration is here, models for change are here, but the work needs to be done at home and there is much to be done. Reflecting on the trip what do I bring back, how do I use what I have learned to begin, to continue the same acts of empowerment designed around our community’s needs? I find myself looking around and picking up sticks…..
- Bremner
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Some Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip. Coming soon to our website: baygi.org - an entire array of photos spanning the entire 12 days of BAYGI's Venezuela 2008 expedition. From top to bottom: group photo in front of a waterfall at the Yacambu National Park; meeting with students at Mission Ribas, adult education and literacy program; Kaylon, Bremner and Navida filling bags to prepare for planting mango trees; BAYGI students leading a community builder with students from the Bolivarian High School of Sanare.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Kick Ass Trip
March 29, 2008
I never really cared about seeing other parts of the world..pRobabLy because I never knew what a great experience it would be..as soon as I got off the plain I was really undecided about being in another country and I didn’t really think that seeing another country would be an important factor or a part of my growth..Being here in the past 13 days has really changed my views and opinions on life..I guess as a child you don’t really understand that different parts of the world are actually different..sure..we are all people with the same organs body, parts, emotions, ideas, capabilities...but culture, government and who runs it can have a GREAT effect on the environment of the countries..this has been a really nice experience for me to be in venezuela...Something inside of me is telling me to run away from the staff before they try to take me back to that hell hole!..(a joke)..but anyway I really fell in love with being here and it has inspired me to go other places to see what else it out there..
- Jeanina
I never really cared about seeing other parts of the world..pRobabLy because I never knew what a great experience it would be..as soon as I got off the plain I was really undecided about being in another country and I didn’t really think that seeing another country would be an important factor or a part of my growth..Being here in the past 13 days has really changed my views and opinions on life..I guess as a child you don’t really understand that different parts of the world are actually different..sure..we are all people with the same organs body, parts, emotions, ideas, capabilities...but culture, government and who runs it can have a GREAT effect on the environment of the countries..this has been a really nice experience for me to be in venezuela...Something inside of me is telling me to run away from the staff before they try to take me back to that hell hole!..(a joke)..but anyway I really fell in love with being here and it has inspired me to go other places to see what else it out there..
- Jeanina
Bien!
March 27, 2008
Well so far this trip has had a lot of ups and downs. Overall its been a good trip. We have visited a few schools, from elementary to a place called Mission Ribas which is a school for people who didn't get a chance to go to school or that had to end school early. The people were welcoming us with open arms wiling to answer any questions we had honestly and coming from there heart. Everyone was excited to see us and have a chance to talk to us. All the people here are very welcoming and happy to see people from America. We have been hanging out with the people in the neighborhoods that we have staying at and they are extremely fun to hang out it and we have learned a lot from them and they have also learned a lot from us.It was really hard for everyone to adjust to the living style here and it took a long time. Once people started to get comfortable we began to have more fun. This trip has been a really interesting experience and i am happy that i came here.
- Reem
Well so far this trip has had a lot of ups and downs. Overall its been a good trip. We have visited a few schools, from elementary to a place called Mission Ribas which is a school for people who didn't get a chance to go to school or that had to end school early. The people were welcoming us with open arms wiling to answer any questions we had honestly and coming from there heart. Everyone was excited to see us and have a chance to talk to us. All the people here are very welcoming and happy to see people from America. We have been hanging out with the people in the neighborhoods that we have staying at and they are extremely fun to hang out it and we have learned a lot from them and they have also learned a lot from us.It was really hard for everyone to adjust to the living style here and it took a long time. Once people started to get comfortable we began to have more fun. This trip has been a really interesting experience and i am happy that i came here.
- Reem
Mi dia en la escuela
March 26, 2008
Yesterday was one of the funnest days I ever had in my life. The experience I had with the elementary students from Volcancito Elementary really opened my eyes to see how much our home is such a dream for them. From the moment we walked into the school all eyes were on us with the most innocent and curious eyes. At first I don’t think any of us had any idea of how eye opening this experience would be. The students in Venezuela are so welcoming to all and accepting. I was afraid to not know how to say things or how to speak to the kids because they were all young but
in fact I had nothing to worry about. They immediately walked up to all of us and just wanted to be around us and just try to take in any of the facts that we could give them from the united states. They really believe in a lot of the things that they see on television. When the fact that I’m mexican came up they immediately wanted to know how was it like there and many other things. In the time of their recess all the little kids came up to us asking us for our autographs and our phone numbers like if we were movie stars. At that moment i felt overwhelmed by all the kids around me but also i realized that we are more to them than just some white tourists but we were their link to the united states. At such a young age, from first grade to sixth, they were all trying to know what we thought of their president and what was it like to live in all those kind of places. i never in my life had ever been amazed by such a young group of people who know so much. Also my most favorite anecdote was when we were about to leave this one little girl whose class i got to be in, just walked up to me and gave me one of her color pencils that was super big. When she gave it to me she told me to remember venezuela. This memory will stay with me forever and I’m hoping that the rest of the trip will be as great as it has been so far.
- Lupe
Yesterday was one of the funnest days I ever had in my life. The experience I had with the elementary students from Volcancito Elementary really opened my eyes to see how much our home is such a dream for them. From the moment we walked into the school all eyes were on us with the most innocent and curious eyes. At first I don’t think any of us had any idea of how eye opening this experience would be. The students in Venezuela are so welcoming to all and accepting. I was afraid to not know how to say things or how to speak to the kids because they were all young but
in fact I had nothing to worry about. They immediately walked up to all of us and just wanted to be around us and just try to take in any of the facts that we could give them from the united states. They really believe in a lot of the things that they see on television. When the fact that I’m mexican came up they immediately wanted to know how was it like there and many other things. In the time of their recess all the little kids came up to us asking us for our autographs and our phone numbers like if we were movie stars. At that moment i felt overwhelmed by all the kids around me but also i realized that we are more to them than just some white tourists but we were their link to the united states. At such a young age, from first grade to sixth, they were all trying to know what we thought of their president and what was it like to live in all those kind of places. i never in my life had ever been amazed by such a young group of people who know so much. Also my most favorite anecdote was when we were about to leave this one little girl whose class i got to be in, just walked up to me and gave me one of her color pencils that was super big. When she gave it to me she told me to remember venezuela. This memory will stay with me forever and I’m hoping that the rest of the trip will be as great as it has been so far.
- Lupe
Different Is Not Always Worse
March 26, 2008
For our time here in Monte Carmelo we are staying in a women’s cooperative called MONCAR, today was the first time that we were told how this co-op came about and what part it plays in this community. Its signifacince in the community of Monte Carmelo surprised me. It surprised me that what started out as a few women producing pasta sauces from there homes could grow into one of the most influential parts of this community. MONCAR’ s pasta sauces are only a fraction of the things that this co-op represents to it’s community. Fro an example, MONCAR is striving to create equality between men and women in the town they have done this by showing the community that not only has a group of all women created a co-op but the co-op they have created is a very successful one. MONCAR is also housing the high school for Monte Carmelo in the second floor of their building. After hearing the things that MONCAR represents to the people in Monte Carmelo I realized that this co-op is a very good example of empowerment. Just as Winta felt empowered by seeing the thriving business that the women at Ocho de Marzo have created, women are empowered by the feeling of equality they get from the power MONCAR has, children are empowered by the things that they learn in the space MONCAR has provided and I felt empowered by hearing about a group of women who built a successful, thriving and powerful business from the ground up.
MONCAR’ s story reminded me that we as people from a very different place we have many things to learn from Venezuela. It is essential as a traveler to remind your self that difference is not always worse and that in every new place there is a lesson to grow from. For an example, a place my not have luxuries such as running water but that doesn’t mean that the place can’t teach you something of great importance.
- Natalie
For our time here in Monte Carmelo we are staying in a women’s cooperative called MONCAR, today was the first time that we were told how this co-op came about and what part it plays in this community. Its signifacince in the community of Monte Carmelo surprised me. It surprised me that what started out as a few women producing pasta sauces from there homes could grow into one of the most influential parts of this community. MONCAR’ s pasta sauces are only a fraction of the things that this co-op represents to it’s community. Fro an example, MONCAR is striving to create equality between men and women in the town they have done this by showing the community that not only has a group of all women created a co-op but the co-op they have created is a very successful one. MONCAR is also housing the high school for Monte Carmelo in the second floor of their building. After hearing the things that MONCAR represents to the people in Monte Carmelo I realized that this co-op is a very good example of empowerment. Just as Winta felt empowered by seeing the thriving business that the women at Ocho de Marzo have created, women are empowered by the feeling of equality they get from the power MONCAR has, children are empowered by the things that they learn in the space MONCAR has provided and I felt empowered by hearing about a group of women who built a successful, thriving and powerful business from the ground up.
MONCAR’ s story reminded me that we as people from a very different place we have many things to learn from Venezuela. It is essential as a traveler to remind your self that difference is not always worse and that in every new place there is a lesson to grow from. For an example, a place my not have luxuries such as running water but that doesn’t mean that the place can’t teach you something of great importance.
- Natalie
8 de Marzo
March 25, 2008
Yesterday was the first day of actually doing some real hands on work. I got to volunteer at the pasta factory that is ran by all women. I got to talk to the ladies that worked at the factory and they showed me what the factory looked like when they first started out which was 25 years ago. The name of the factory is “8 de Marzo” which is also international women’s day. What started out 25 years ago as a made by hand business has grown into a thriving local business. I thought it was amazing how far these women have gotten considering that this was all done in a developing country.
They showed us around the factory and showed us how and what all the machines where used for. Most of the work such as packaging and sorting out the pasta was all done by hand. As far has making the the pasta, which is made by using machines, most of the work is still done by hand.
I got a chance to speak with Santiaga and Gabriela who are sisters. I was shocked to learn that they had 16 brothers and sisters and they each had a big family of their own. This experience was powerful for me as a woman and i feel that both men and woman should have the opportunity to feel such empowerment.
- Winta
Yesterday was the first day of actually doing some real hands on work. I got to volunteer at the pasta factory that is ran by all women. I got to talk to the ladies that worked at the factory and they showed me what the factory looked like when they first started out which was 25 years ago. The name of the factory is “8 de Marzo” which is also international women’s day. What started out 25 years ago as a made by hand business has grown into a thriving local business. I thought it was amazing how far these women have gotten considering that this was all done in a developing country.
They showed us around the factory and showed us how and what all the machines where used for. Most of the work such as packaging and sorting out the pasta was all done by hand. As far has making the the pasta, which is made by using machines, most of the work is still done by hand.
I got a chance to speak with Santiaga and Gabriela who are sisters. I was shocked to learn that they had 16 brothers and sisters and they each had a big family of their own. This experience was powerful for me as a woman and i feel that both men and woman should have the opportunity to feel such empowerment.
- Winta
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