An Experience Like No Other...

Welcome to week 4. My, has February fallen upon us ever so quickly! You know what this means? It’s almost CRUNCH TIME, and I have to put everything in “super-mode”.

This past week, our group finally touched base via Facebook, and it was good to hear
from everyone. It seems as though we are all very excited to work on a group fundraising project, and we’ve unanimously decided to host another Band Night at the Bomber Shelter on campus. Last semester’s Band Night, although it wasn’t a huge success and we did not raise that much money, was a lot fun, despite me having to sit in the back and type an essay while loud music was blaring in my ears! But I’d do anything to support the team :)

Speaking of support, I met up with another Beyond Borders member who I haven’t seen in quite some time, and who also happens to be my roommate, and over Starbucks and a shared red velvet cupcake (which was very delicious by the way), we were exchanging stories about our family’s responses to this entire BB experience. Well, let me just preface this by saying, our family’s are on two extremely different spectrums! My roommate informed me that her mother praises her with encouragement and tells her, everyday, how proud she is that her daughter is doing this program. My mother, on the other hand, not to say she isn’t proud, but she definitely doesn’t like telling me so. When people ask about my trip to India her comments are usually along the lines of: “I don’t want to talk about India. Raquel and this trip are giving me nerves!” Now don’t get me wrong, I understand her concern. And with me being her first born, she gets a little, okay, a little is an understatement; she gets very over-protective, despite me being 22 years of age.

As for our sisters; my roommate has an older sister, while I have a younger teenage sister, who is graduating from grade 12 this upcoming summer. After reading her blog, my roommate’s sister was brought to tears, which was followed by her mother being moved to tears, and it seemed like a really genuine family moment. My case is a bit different. You see, my sister has yet to read my blog. I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t like to read in general, or if she is boycotting my blog because I have to miss her grade 12 graduation this summer while I’m in India. Either way, you can definitely see the differences family responses. I am upset that I will not get to watch my sister graduate because she has been to all of mine, and graduation is a big celebration in our family. I told her, however, that she can Skype me while the ceremony is taking place, and it will be as if I’m right there with the family! Needless to say, she did not like that idea, but she did promise to read my blog while I was away. As for now, there will be no waterworks in the Mignott family, but I’m sure they will come around. I know they do not fully understand why I’m endeavoring this, because no one in my family has done anything remotely similar to BB, but they do see how important this is to me, which is why they are supporting me, even though they don’t get it!

To my fellow Beyond Bord-ians, how are your family members dealing with this experience?

So another week has passed, and I must admit that I have not done anything Beyond Borders related. Sad I know, but it just seems like during the week, I focus on school related matters, like the economics midterm I had this week, instead of BB matters. I tend to do this because I feel as though there is still a lot of time before my trip, but I know that May is going to creep up behind me and bite me in the you-know-what! To avoid this I have written down in my trusty agenda all the things that need to be done. Here's a little preview of what I still have to do:

-Get/ Apply or VISA
-Schedule appointments at a Travel Clinic so I can get poked with countless needles (Thanks Cat for the reminder that appointments are booking up ever so quickly)
-Bother people for more money! (Thank you to my wonderful family members and friends that have donated to my cause, but it won't be the last time you hear from me >:-) )
-Find another volunteer position because, unfortunately, the organizer of the last placement has fallen ill
-Last, but not least, think of better blog topics, because this is not my idea of an interestingly stimulating post!

On that note, I want to switch it up (and try to make this a little more exciting) and pose a question to you readers. A friend of mine said this quote to me earlier this week, and at the time, I sort of played along and acted as if I understood it. When we got off of the phone,however, I starting thinking about it, and I really had no idea how to interpret the quote. The quote is nothing spectacular or amazing really, and when you first hear it, the meaning seems pretty obvious. So perhaps I was just over analyzing it, like I do with everything, but I would like to see how you guys interpret this quote from Albert Einstein.


“You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it”

See, nothing extremely mind boggling about it, right? Well at first I thought, well that's not true. I create many problems for myself, but I am able to find ways to solve them. And if I have solved the problem myself, am I not using the same mind/brain that put myself in that situation in the first place? Unless my mind somehow transformed into Albert Einstein's mind at the moment I discovered the solution, then I would say I was able to solve the problem with the same mind; my mind.

Then I figured, let's think about this a little bit deeper. After all, I am a fourth year undergrad student, here (which honestly means nothing lol). So then I thought about bigger problems, created by humans, like oppression. Oppression is obviously a large problem that started from colonialism, and is used as a tool to keep the powerful elite in power, while other races and minorities suffer and are subjected to poverty, racism etc. (Side note: As I type this, I am beginning to understand the quote a lot better, but I will continue on with my thought process because some of you may interpret it differently). Throughout time, there have been many nations that have overcome this oppression, and have been able to gain their independence from colonies, which obviously was NOT done with the same mind; it was done by the people who could realize and see that oppression, in itself, was a problem. Oppressors would not want to solve the problem of oppression because it is in their best interest to remain in power, and therefore, they continue to have the same mindset, and do not look for solutions to the problem.

In my situations, however, continuing to have the same mindset would only prolong the problem and worsen my situation, should I have chosen not to solve it. However, what I am beginning to realize is, as I look for the solutions and seek ways to solve my problems, that is, in fact, changing my mind from its original thought process that got me in that predicament. Looking for solutions, stepping outside of the box, and looking at the problem from a different perspective, is actually changing your mind, and your overall way of thinking. Your mind, or my mind, is actually growing by exploring different options in order to come up with better solutions to any problems that you, or I, may have. Now if only the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, and other oppressors in this world, had the same thought process as me!

I guess then, the questions become: HOW do we change the minds of those who create these problem? How do we get dictators, communists, and oppressors, to see that what they are doing is a problem that needs to be solved?

I, unfortunately, don't have the answer to that yet, but I am willing to rack my brain to find a solution.

This post is dedicated to the people of Haiti, and to all those who have lost loved ones, or who have family members in the country.

This past Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a devastating earthquake, measuring 7.0 on the richter scale, hit one of the world's poorest and disadvantaged countries in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti. The country's capital, Port Au Prince, was nearly destroyed, ruining the Presidential palace, major hotels, hospitals, and other infrastructure; resulting in a serious loss of life, exceeding as many as 100 000 people and counting(CNN).

The magnitude of this natural disaster is still incomprehensible to me. The images of people trapped under piles of concrete and debris, or the numerous amounts of wounded Haitians laying in the streets awaiting medical attention, or the piles of dead people at every corner, being disposed of in mass graves sites by the hundreds, is truly upsetting. It is nothing short of tragic. And the question remains, why Haiti?

An earthquake of this caliber has not affected the country in over 200 years, but many natural disasters have plagued the country and its citizens in recent years. Deforestation has led to many devastating floods from tropical storms and hurricanes. Hurricane Jeanne hit the country in 2004, and resulted in a death toll of 3000+. However, if some of you can recall, the 2008 hurricane season brought a total of four hurricanes (Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike) which affected over 800 000 people, destroyed well over 100 000 homes, and wiped out 70% of crops (Jeffery Masters, Weather Underground, 2010). It seems cruel and unfair for an event like this to take place when the country is still trying to recover from these past events.

As mentioned before, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living beneath the poverty line, and 54% living in abject poverty (CIA). Along with relentless natural disasters, Haiti has had a history of political upheaval, unstable governments, corruption, and even worse economic conditions. The lack of resources has left Haitian government officials and authorities discombobulated, and unable to respond efficiently to the citizens needs during this time of desperation. As time passes, and the people living in the streets and parks become more hungry, more dehydrated, and less tolerable to the circumstances, an explosion of lawlessness may be imminent.

This continues to be my worst fear. As the days go by and I watch the updated reports on television, I am continually asking myself, “What is going to happen to all of these displaced people?” There is literally no where for them to go, they have little to no belongings, and chaos will ensue if they do not receive food and water. Looting has already become a problem, as well as tricks to lure people away from their belongings so others can take them. Let's not forget, the state prison was also destroyed by the earthquake, allowing the convicts to escape. If order is not established immediately, and the people of Haiti do not stick together during this time, then riots and civil unrest will destroy what's left of the country, resulting in a situation similar to “Lord of the Flies”.

This is where global citizenship plays an imperative role. The response from countries, governments, and citizens around the world has been tremendous. The ability for people from various parts of the world to come together and raise money to help the country is great to see. Millions of dollars has been raised by Canada alone, which the government promises to match, and there has been promises from president Obama to send 100 million in relief funds. It is important to remember that aid money must be donated to the right people, and given to charitable organizations, and not corrupt government officials who may squander the funds and not use it towards helping the citizens. It is also important for this money to be managed appropriately, so that it can be invested in the future reconstruction of the country's infrastructure and homes.

In my opinion, everything seems to be going at a slow pace. I don't know if it's me, or if the response seems slower because it is Haiti and not the United States, or if this is actually how things should be progressing. I just want everyone to be taken care of right now, so this nightmare can end. Sending vaccines and medication, food and water, shelter and blankets - those things, in my opinion, need to be the main focus. The money is obviously critical for reestablishing the country, but basic human necessities need to addressed first, in order to maintain the peace.

As an outsider looking in, it is very easy for me to say these things. The truth of the matter is, I have no idea what these people are going through. I have not gone more than 24 hours without food, never mind almost 3 days. Living in a park, sleeping on the streets with next to nothing, living with wounds and not being able to get medical attention immediately, is simply unknown to me. I cannot imagine having to live through such a catastrophe, and the courage the people in Haiti have shown is admirable.

Tragedies like this really make you aware of how interconnected we are as a human race. This earthquake could have occurred anywhere, and affected people who have family in Jamaica, Trinidad, Cambodia, India, Serbia; the list is endless. Unfortunately, it is when disaster strikes that we begin to truly acknowledge the people living in developing nations. But again, as global citizens, we have a duty to respond to these unpredictable events, and to help out in whatever way we can, because you never know when, or if, you will be in need of that same help.

First off, I would like to start by saying Happy 2010 to everyone! I hope you celebrated well :) For me, I already have so many things to look forward too, and I can tell this is going to be a very exciting year.

For the new comers – my name is Raquel and I am a fourth year Legal Studies undergrad at the University of Waterloo. This year, I am also a part of an international program called Beyond Borders (BB), offered by St. Jerome's University. The program gives undergrads, like myself, an opportunity to go beyond our Canadian borders and experience a lifestyle and culture completely foreign to us for three months; which sounds like a very long time to someone who hasn't been away from home for more than 3 weeks at a time! During the course of 3 months, we live with a family and we volunteer in different areas such as HIV/AIDS clinics, teaching, agriculture, and the list goes on. My description doesn't really do the program much justice because on the surface, it sounds as though we (the BB group) simply get to go to a developing country, volunteer, and come back home to our more privileged lives. However, it's so much more than that, and that's what I hope all the readers get out of this blog. I don't even know what's in store for me while I'm away, but at the very least, I can foresee the establishment of new friendships, and the discovery of some pretty harsh realities.

My placement, which took a long time to decide because I simply wanted to go EVERYWHERE, finally ended up being India! And let me tell you, I could not be more thrilled! I think I've watched “Slumdog Millionaire” a total of 3 times over my week and a half holiday, and I predict that the number will increase. While in India, I will be working at a YWCA orphanage with children who have lost their parent's to leprosy. I'm not sure of my duties and responsibilities as of yet, but I adore children, so working with them this summer should be wonderful, or exasperating, or perhaps a combination of both. You'll just have to stay tuned and find out how I hold up!

The great thing about the BB program are the prerequisite courses we take prior to our departure. Yes, the courses obviously don't sound as exciting as three months in India, but nonetheless, their value is priceless.

3 Things I've Learned from the Courses So Far

1.Have a colourful friendship: I have made 11 great new friends, and I must say, our group has become closer than ever, and we haven't even been through the hard part yet! I couldn't ask for a better group of “Organizational Golds”, “Friendly (touchy feely) Blues” and “Inquiring Greens”. We are missing a “Active Free-Spirited Orange” in our colour spectrum, but I feel Nevena might be the one to fill that void! Everyone's individual colour type, I've learned, is an asset, and not a burden or annoyance. For example, a wild orange might drive a systematic gold, like myself, a little crazy; but together, we actually balance one another and provide each other with skills that the other tends to lack.

2.Fundraising is a Drag: I've been, as well as the group, challenged by fundraising initiatives. I am very hesitant to ask people for money, because it's just something I do not feel comfortable doing (that should make my future husband happy). However, over the break I wrote a letter to my coworkers explaining the program and what I would be doing, and I got a great response. Everyone was very supportive and it was great to see that they were so willing to help. I will definitely be getting in touch with bigger companies to see if they will support my cause, as well as filling out a plethora of grant and bursary applications. I have a long way to go, but I'm working on it!

3.Don't forget about your local community: I love that before we leave on our journeys, volunteering in our local community is a mandatory part of the course. I think because the idea of going across the world and volunteering in a less developed country is so grand, it can make local volunteer initiatives seem less important in a way. The great thing about BB is that it does recognize the value and importance of being a contributing local and global citizen. Whether you're in Hamilton or Haiti, you should never underestimate the power of giving back to that community. This term, although I'm still awaiting confirmation, I hope to work as a Girl Space Leader for the Kitchener-Waterloo YWCA. If accepted, I will be working with girls ages 10-15, and organizing activities meetings and events for them throughout the term. I'm hoping this will prepare me a little for the type of work I may do in India, because I would hate to go there and be a disorganized gold!

I hope you enjoyed my first blog post and continue to check in. Feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, credit card number for donations – just joking. There's a safer way to do that, so let me know if you're interested :)

Bye for now!