Monday, September 28, 2009

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Harassing Congress (aka: our time on Capitol Hill)

The days here continue to be insane and insightful and delightful. This week, our focus has been on the U.S. government, the World Bank, and NGOs (non-government organizations). On Tuesday, I went to Representative Chellie Pingree's office with a few other Mainers and chatted with a staff member about environmental issues. After our chat, we visited the Senate gallery to watch the machine of electoral democracy at work... John McCain was rambling about some issue; we (the spectators) weren't even allowed to take notes; it was hard to hear because of the faulty microphones; and no one seemed to be listening to each other. It was disappointing to say the least. Between Wednesday and Thursday, we visited the World Bank, the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), and Population Connection (an NGO). What struck me about all of these institutions was the distance between the decisions "up top" and the actual implementation of those decisions "down below." These organizations all seem to have good intentions, but their huge (sometimes global) scope means that something gets lost in translation. The voice of the communities they impact is often unheard or overlooked. But who knows? I'm no expert. My impressions and knowledge are limited. (And then again, so are theirs...)

Of course, we've had classes too. And homework. Wednesday night, I got precisely one hour of sleep. My first paper was due, and I was having some sort of quarter-life crisis. This program is already making me question everything I know (or think I know). During one of our group reflections, we all joked that "Rethinking Globalization" should be renamed "Rethinking Everything." At times, it's great to feel so vulnerable and confused, but at other times, it's fairly overwhelming. My moral and logical foundations are crumbling away. Fortunately, all of the students here are in the same boat. And they are wonderful company to feel confused with. Whether we're playing harmonica on the metro or singing in the stairwell or studying at 2am, we manage to have fun. We have an inside joke that we all suffer from "FOMA" (Fear Of Missing Anything), and it's true. It can be hard to go to bed when the conversations are so lively and there are so many wonderful opportunities. (And we haven't even left the States!)

Ah! There is so much more to say about IHP, so many wonderful moments, and I feel like what I've already written is somewhat vague and inadequate to capture the energy of this program. I'll write again soon.

With love and well wishes,
Maranda

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Thriving in D.C.

These past seven days have been enthralling, exhausting, and generally incredible. Last Sunday, I met my lovely IHP companions for the first time, and we set off for a campground in West Virginia. It was absolutely beautiful there. During our stay, I played drums around a campfire, laughed until my stomach hurt, bathed in a creek, shared countless stories, received and gave a full body massage, prepared meals, and, of course, learned a great deal. (And it's only been seven days!) There's a fair amount of homework (aka: 3 papers due this week), but the emphasis has been on transformative learning that teaches us not only about our academic subjects, but about each other and about ourselves. Both in class and out, I'm engaging with real world problems, wrestling with slippery concepts, and savoring every moment of it.

Now I'm back in D.C. and trying to find a balance between experiencing, relaxing, and recording. I've quickly realized that although I can write academically, I have a hard time articulating my own experiences. With so many thoughts surging inside, it can be a daunting task to untangle them into coherent sentences. I'll do my best to keep you updated!

With love,
Maranda