tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-323564022024-03-12T19:00:42.385-04:00LaurasiaLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-39926611653624089152012-10-01T00:52:00.001-04:002012-10-01T00:53:04.524-04:00Chuseok Long Weekend I love looking around my table and realizing that no two people are from the same country. Different languages, traditions, cultures, and different melodies in our laughs. Yet, we all share something much deeper in common, and we’ve all ended up in the same place somehow. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHU1aBH7EhWAGcMOeGwq0nc1_OBWBjgpkRyxZ0wxl_BZe35EM8diKH4tCi2oJc4jVBTxeXQtj6e9zJqRKRXNxAkzCj0K6iyC8bCM1dmxyryMBLy781k4Ryioi_APfU9urtC7TG6g/s1600/DSC03252+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHU1aBH7EhWAGcMOeGwq0nc1_OBWBjgpkRyxZ0wxl_BZe35EM8diKH4tCi2oJc4jVBTxeXQtj6e9zJqRKRXNxAkzCj0K6iyC8bCM1dmxyryMBLy781k4Ryioi_APfU9urtC7TG6g/s320/DSC03252+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top of Namsan, people chain their love to its gates: promises, hopes, and dreams.</td></tr>
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"But now I been thinkin' what he said, an' I can remember - all of it. Says one time he went out in the wilderness to find his own soul, an' he foun' he didn' have no soul that was his'n. Says he foun' he jus' got a little piece of a great big soul. Says a wilderness ain't no good, 'cause his little piece of a soul wasn't no good 'less it was with the rest, an' was whole." (John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath) Although he was writing within a different context, Steinbeck sort of perfectly captures how I feel: there’s some kind of wholeness about living in harmony with the global community. And that comes through our personal connections with one another.<br />
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Today (Monday), is the last of three days of the autumn harvest festival, Chuseok (추석). It is celebrated annually on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, around the Autumn Equinox. It’s sort of like a Korean Thanksgiving. Everyone travels to their hometown (usually their ancestral hometown) to pray to their ancestors, spend time with family, and, of course, feast. They also exchange gifts – usually pretty practical ones like food or toiletries, it seems. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional Korean dresses. </td></tr>
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In the absence of my biological family, I spent a lot of time with my friends here. Some of the highlights included eating delicious food, hiking with friends up a mountain in the middle of Seoul called Namsan, and singing in a karaoke bar. Korean karaoke bars, or Noraebang (노래방), are rooms that you rent out by the hour and are equipped with usually two microphones, tambourines, and a karaoke machine. Since no one has much vocal talent, it’s a non-humiliating way to belt out your favorite tunes with your favorite people. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the top of Namsan with friends.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Noraebang with friends.</td></tr>
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In terms of classes, things are starting to ramp up with presentations, papers, and exams. I’m also facing the daunting task of writing two theses this year more head on. I’ll be writing about vocational training and technical education programs for women in post-conflict societies and how that shapes post-conflict peacebuilding efforts (and maybe sustainable development?); in one, I’ll focus on the population of war widows, and the other on female ex-combatants. I’m in the process of trying to identify organizations in Sri Lanka and/or Nepal that I might be able to join for about two months this winter to collect primary field data. If any of my dear readers have any leads in these areas, please send them my way!<br />
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Peace,<br />
Laura <br />
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-38617065708480241662012-09-19T09:51:00.001-04:002012-09-19T09:52:37.017-04:00The First Month of SchoolAs I sit here sipping on Theraflu to alleviate my cold symptoms, I realize that I haven’t updated this blog in a month. Which means that I’ve been in Seoul for a month! It’s hard to believe that it’s been so long. The beginning of the school year has kept me occupied with some interesting Korea University events.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends from Korea, Lebanon, United States, China, France...yep, just a normal Sunday :)</td></tr>
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All first semester students are strongly encouraged to attend MT, or Membership Training, to be initiated into their program. At Korea University, this basically consists of renting a cabin out in the country and drinking a lot of makgeolli, or traditional Korean rice wine. In small groups, attendees have to drink makgeolli out of bowls before everyone stops singing a KU song. In my case, this meant that the team leader had to jump in and finish my makgeolli to avoid penalization. After doing this, in a show of bravado, everyone has to stand and individually shout out a set introduction…in Korean. Luckily, my enthusiasm helped me to pass this test, because my Korean language abilities are surely subpar. <br />
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The rest of the night is spent eating, drinking, and listening to music with other students from the same program, in my case, about 50 or so of my classmates. It was really cool to be a part of this tradition, which apparently goes back for generations. I was told that my group leader helping me out with my makgeolli is meant to signify that people in your program have your back – obviously an important point in a highly collectivist society. Also, introductions reflect what I perceive as the militarization of culture. All Korean men have to serve in the military, and it has definitely had an impact on modern Korean society. The introductions made it sound like we were all off to fight a battle. <br />
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This past weekend was the traditional rivalry between Korea University and Yonsei University, which rank 2nd and 3rd in the country. (Seoul National University knocks them both out of the ballpark, so to speak.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vicious rivalry indeed.</td></tr>
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I attended the largest game of the weekend, the soccer game. This was another interesting cultural experience. No one really watches the game, so to speak. Led by a uniformed dance team, everyone sings and dances in the stands to music…that EVERYONE knows. So, in unison, people belt out lively music while busting out the choreographed dance moves. It was quite entertaining, to say the least. Korea University won, of course. The rest of the night was spent in the streets near KU mingling with students from both schools.<br />
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Other than that, classes have been going well. Taking six classes has kept me really busy, but living quite close to campus has been conducive to getting to know my classmates really well. I’ve definitely been enjoying my time here. <br />
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-77603915652214527432012-08-18T09:54:00.002-04:002012-08-18T09:55:15.519-04:00Goodbye, Dominican Republic! Hello, South Korea!Hello there. I went radio silent for a while, and for that, I apologize to my faithful readers. (Hi, Mom!)<br />
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Simply, the last couple weeks in the Dominican Republic flew by. My mom came to visit, I went to a staff retreat at a resort in Puerto Plata, and then Laura N. and Eleni came out to visit me. Mixed in with the fun, I struggled with an internet connection that left something to be desired to finish writing the peace education curriculum. With a great amount of focus and at least some amount of luck, I was able to finish writing it, assist in its translation into Spanish, and present both versions to the directors before I left the country. Wow, what a monumental task.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OAfHld_lMZejBnf-VlGyo8rKG-cbz1_ytbJCa5YTdjdrvOmks8C6ckueYQoXvaPU4hONmqGzi0XyBnQMd4jG7TC0TP2AC1AVyyHWgYJ9zj7dAFR4kE8fjRN2SI19X5ONoahJdw/s1600/DSC02431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OAfHld_lMZejBnf-VlGyo8rKG-cbz1_ytbJCa5YTdjdrvOmks8C6ckueYQoXvaPU4hONmqGzi0XyBnQMd4jG7TC0TP2AC1AVyyHWgYJ9zj7dAFR4kE8fjRN2SI19X5ONoahJdw/s400/DSC02431.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why are we all wearing pink?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Eleni, and Laura N. on Calle las Damas in la Zona Colonial in Santo Domingo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was literally dragged on stage to participate in a game show of sorts. This led to countless individuals approaching me throughout the evening and following day and addressing me by name. Also, note my Dominican clothing that Gladys helped me pick out! Unfortunately, it did not persuade the host into believing that I was Dominican...:(</td></tr>
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I also cried - a lot - with my Dominican family in the days leading up to my departure. They threw me a party the night before I left, and the children threw me a party in the afternoon. They were the best and most heartfelt parties I've ever attended. They were filled with promises of return and invitations to stay in any number of houses (but of course I will stay with my Dominican family when I come back to visit). I feel like I discovered that I truly am a dominicana pura...I really identified with parts of the culture. And my community saw it too, and they accepted and valued me for the person that I am - even the non-Dominican parts. How incredibly blessed I am to have had this marvelous summer experience. It is something that has shaped me deeply and tremendously. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the party that the children threw for me on their own. It was complete with refreshments, balloons, and a song and dance they prepared. The girls also prepared the finger food: a cheeto, a ritz cracker, and a piece of cheese held together with a toothpick. Scrumptious!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the evening party guests.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No age restrictions!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7sgNx06Nz7MRZrX0cZlmWfAKPt5yNW4Ksupigh12-Q_lb56-82RdqhBsPp1j_vMlPVVOKXdSebHfiESliTPNZ7-jCdS8581TZQj62f5EDhk-FN3zIuFkHXQZg5NUHSX4PmdwNw/s1600/DSC02907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7sgNx06Nz7MRZrX0cZlmWfAKPt5yNW4Ksupigh12-Q_lb56-82RdqhBsPp1j_vMlPVVOKXdSebHfiESliTPNZ7-jCdS8581TZQj62f5EDhk-FN3zIuFkHXQZg5NUHSX4PmdwNw/s400/DSC02907.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My last morning :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I flew into DC and stayed there for a week at my old group house (thanks, Euclid!), and then I continued my journey to Chicago, where I stayed for a week with my parents. I kept meaning to update my blog, but then I kept connecting with people and doing things. So....<br />
<br />
I am writing to you from Seoul! I arrived here just a few days ago, and I'm settling into my new apartment. I have had the most wonderful experience so far. I made a friend with a nice young man on the plane, and then a fellow student, Jamie, met me at the airport and helped me find my way to my apartment. I've been exploring around the city and learning a few key words and phrases in Korean. I absolutely love the city, the food, but most of all, the people: everyone is so kind and patient. There are mountains (or big hills, rather) in the city, and I'm lucky enough to live by one. Today, I adventured through some of the trails; the heavily wooded trail peeks out at times to provide a stunning view of the city skyline. <br />
<br />
I will post more later, and I will also probably go back to describe more of the details of the peace education project! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1yXgG4rCa6boJgTjp6g6lncatjgShcPC_690AAckoDj7Tte4twL5Qj8fLY45kwBQ72zQuDspvlKbaLAvaklZeFtGPoYtjhpIExxeofAv_nW22NQaaf01yNvWzgJsbOSFIDGDbw/s1600/DSC02968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1yXgG4rCa6boJgTjp6g6lncatjgShcPC_690AAckoDj7Tte4twL5Qj8fLY45kwBQ72zQuDspvlKbaLAvaklZeFtGPoYtjhpIExxeofAv_nW22NQaaf01yNvWzgJsbOSFIDGDbw/s400/DSC02968.JPG" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So far, I have surmised that Korean children are adorable.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-36780651166100247092012-07-06T15:07:00.000-04:002012-07-06T15:07:03.768-04:00Fighting Cocks in the Campo<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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As I mentioned in a previous post, my Dominican family
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with them, I mustered up my courage and went to see a fight. When focusing on peace, violence cannot be avoided. I want to understand how this culture experiences, understands, and interacts with the concepts of peace and violence, transformation and destruction.</div>
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we arrived, a crowd of men were already bustling around outside the ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both humans and roosters contributed to the
rising din in the Sunday afternoon heat.</div>
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Gladys and I entered the fighting ring, a circle of concrete benches surrounding a green pit; we were the only women
present for this spectacle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gladys’s
boyfriend Aldonis was fighting one of his roosters that day, but he stayed just
outside peering in. </div>
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Hands gathered two roosters from the holding area and
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</span>They plunged the roosters into the light and spritzed them with water to
shake their senses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Handlers roused the
roosters into a fighting mood by jabbing at them and thrusting them toward their
would-be opponent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The roosters have 15 minutes to fight to the death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or 15 minutes for them both to just barely
survive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The fight was on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
roosters circled and flew into each other and fought with their beaks and their
talons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An aggressive dance for
survival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cock fight seemed to
embody some key element of Dominican culture, some need for male violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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The enthralled men circled the fight, shouting bets to one
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Both roosters were tinted red with blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One fell and pelted out a heart-wrenching
cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other dove in and pecked the
last of its life away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is
experienced as a fight until death, for roosters and humans alike here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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After a valiant fight, our rooster died that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked to Aldonis, searching for any hint
of sadness, but I could neither find it then nor in the evening when he ate his
fallen rooster for dinner.</div>
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Although from my count the family has another four fighting
roosters, it’ll be a few more weeks before they'll fight one again. Will this female
gringa vegetarian peer into this male Dominican ritual again?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Likely not. But it certainly wasn't an experience I regret having either. I feel like I experienced Dominican culture on a whole new level. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-72040322041094420382012-07-02T09:31:00.003-04:002012-07-02T09:38:51.741-04:00Patience and PerseveranceLast week took off with positive momentum from the week before. (I was going to post this blog last Friday, but my internet connection wasn’t fast enough to load something as advanced as a blog much less make a post.) I also wanted to take this opportunity to announce to those of you who might not already know that I was officially accepted into Korea University for this upcoming school year to complete my dual degree in international peace and conflict resolution/international development and cooperation! Very excited. I move to Seoul in mid-August. Also, my blog name, Laurasia, might make a bit more sense now. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEflO9TrJYXzoPi_EPen77MBX1HfRIxWrzgDo966tpuUo7t7ZUyt3_3jYhjP4l7m9SPSUBwJp2YnAzojaKCaasr5i1srrwGDSw6uKt5Lp6CyNMj2iI_TPBaSnZEIwnjDZf7ES2JA/s1600/DSC01916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEflO9TrJYXzoPi_EPen77MBX1HfRIxWrzgDo966tpuUo7t7ZUyt3_3jYhjP4l7m9SPSUBwJp2YnAzojaKCaasr5i1srrwGDSw6uKt5Lp6CyNMj2iI_TPBaSnZEIwnjDZf7ES2JA/s400/DSC01916.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On Friday, I was <i>persuaded</i> (read: coerced) into riding with the ten or so girls who were named queens of the festival of the town's patron saint. Laura, the foreign queen, la reina extranjera. We all got a good laugh out of that one, including the queens, who periodically showered me with confetti during the parade.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I’ve been working on the first draft of the peace curriculum, and through raw determination, it’s been moving forward. At this point, I’m writing out flexible lessons with an introduction, key focus areas, learning objectives, and suggested activities, amounting to about one or two pages per lesson. From what the teachers communicated, they would put best to use open and flexible plans, and this works perfectly with my vision as well. The idea is that the lesson plan should be used as a guide, and the class dynamics should carry the class to create shared meanings. If the end goal is to empower youth to be peacebuilders in their homes, their communities, their country, and the world, the learning process must take the shape of participative, active learning.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV0vrECnVqG8kh8F2uklYyKoVceYiSvXJCr6esHGjkhFe8V22HNGznkp9JnaBygcYJ1PHbYODCXyUn-Sj-uQ8C2WTInbW5JZA_7d0Z7MFpkolZcYIw1nO5Me55pziIWgm1qRaFg/s1600/DSC01800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSV0vrECnVqG8kh8F2uklYyKoVceYiSvXJCr6esHGjkhFe8V22HNGznkp9JnaBygcYJ1PHbYODCXyUn-Sj-uQ8C2WTInbW5JZA_7d0Z7MFpkolZcYIw1nO5Me55pziIWgm1qRaFg/s400/DSC01800.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children from a nearby community, my friend Nelson from Santo Domingo, and me. Behind us are featured the homes where these children live. Together with a group of visiting volunteers, we forged a river and hiked up many a hill to reach the community to administer eye exams and distribute glasses and food items. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I’ve also been able to connect more with some of the teachers who have particular interest in peace education, and they’ve been really enthusiastic about the draft materials I’ve shown them. Even though they are just beginning their month break for vacation, some of them are even giving me their home addresses and phone numbers and telling me to drop by whenever I want for feedback or help translating. What a shift from my first week here! (The first week when no one even bothered to tell me where I could work and so I worked in a field under the shade of a tree; it was actually surprisingly pleasant. Now I work in a room where occasionally herds of goats run by the window. Also quite pleasant.)<br />
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Although I’ve doubted my approach here at times, I’ve been committed to growing relationships and my work here organically, which is to say that I’ve battled against the urge to plow ahead and create this thing on my own. This past week has been a great reminder that loving patience and persistence separates those who reap the harvest from those who abandon the crop before it ripens. (My internet connection, coincidentally, also reinforces the lesson of patience every single day.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hQFDFV3PSUVOWjuJ0vDjIeIXPONDMuKHCB2yByCuFfFsG0jgn-l9qLDi9mwFIIAbIhrL_ZrvoN5KdRF37WSi7yuky2RkTdAj9CywaqFTKMpCA3CNmk1gz5BHdy654Wyd6QJmdA/s1600/DSC01963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hQFDFV3PSUVOWjuJ0vDjIeIXPONDMuKHCB2yByCuFfFsG0jgn-l9qLDi9mwFIIAbIhrL_ZrvoN5KdRF37WSi7yuky2RkTdAj9CywaqFTKMpCA3CNmk1gz5BHdy654Wyd6QJmdA/s400/DSC01963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to my community.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Also, my project has taken another unexpected turn. During my time in Santo Domingo, I developed an interactive community charla, or chat, about conflict transformation. Charlas are a pretty popular way of transmitting information here, and they take the shape of informal town hall meetings with participants from the community. However, I sort of abandoned the charla as I shifted gears into the peace curriculum…that is, until this past week. <br />
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One day, the kids around the house were fighting as kids do, and the matriarch of the family was yelling at them to stop to no avail. So, I told them that if they didn’t stop, they would have to attend my peace charla as a sort of punishment. <br />
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They paused. Then they erupted into elated cheers. “A charla! A charla! Yayyyy!” They told their friends about it, and on Saturday, 10 kids showed up for the charla, ages 4-24. Wilneidys, age 9, was so enthusiastic that she even prepared her own component of the charla by looking up information about “what is peace” in an encyclopedia and writing it out on papers. The others drew “peace pictures,” and just about everyone participated.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9F7YT74YrBdwS3oVJb3bUa0r0rfln_TL1zbZDvtOUN7RhhgpRDRfIqApKI0eOuFS8KGI0RKplD26c84MXhaRACWrrpiMdS3-ZZN7zFjXwct1CbviB5Fb9cWk6X08aMOWqaQetsQ/s1600/DSC01988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9F7YT74YrBdwS3oVJb3bUa0r0rfln_TL1zbZDvtOUN7RhhgpRDRfIqApKI0eOuFS8KGI0RKplD26c84MXhaRACWrrpiMdS3-ZZN7zFjXwct1CbviB5Fb9cWk6X08aMOWqaQetsQ/s400/DSC01988.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A depiction of the charla, the tortoise of tranquility, and the peace rooster. They tried to draw a peace dove, but it came out as a rooster, so we just went with it. The irony is that the family raises fighting roosters.</td></tr>
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Their reaction to the charla? “When’s the next one?” Pretty amazing where things can go if you let go of an agenda and let things develop where they may. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I_9BXhLh98x2ArpTEyMsrPEW-CZDOEDKgp1ZdKI8mQ_gljM7K7tAOcxRb22mPCOCYgMHHJHUjbP50DQqNFwCgTTfdGaZJMh61LN2gic2jmP7_q4wQkvbg8teToeIjd3YjvUBUg/s1600/DSC01985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I_9BXhLh98x2ArpTEyMsrPEW-CZDOEDKgp1ZdKI8mQ_gljM7K7tAOcxRb22mPCOCYgMHHJHUjbP50DQqNFwCgTTfdGaZJMh61LN2gic2jmP7_q4wQkvbg8teToeIjd3YjvUBUg/s400/DSC01985.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During the peace charla. Here you can see evidence that they were at least partly paying attention.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-70591589403067429712012-06-22T09:29:00.000-04:002012-06-22T09:29:08.966-04:00Gaining Some Traction<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Success!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
several failed attempts, I was able to convene the teachers and directors of
the school, about 25 in total, to discuss the peace curriculum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The participation of teachers, students, and
community members in the development of this project is crucial both to make the
curriculum work in this context and to develop a sense of local ownership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will be here for only just over a month
more, which makes the issue of collaboration even more pressing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I walked into the room where we were to have the
meeting, I saw that they set it up like a formal classroom - teacher at the
front of the room and pupils sitting in rows - so I asked people to help me to
rearrange the room in a circle to facilitate a more participative
dialogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started off the meeting by
reiterating that it was meant to be an informal discussion about ideas, perspectives, and personal experiences, but when I
started asking questions to get the meeting going, people looked at me with a mixture of blankness and confusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, I was concerned that what I was trying to say was unintelligible, so I apologized and thanked them for their
patience with my Spanish, to which people replied that they could understand me perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
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<br /></div>
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I realized that people were
expecting me to tell them what I would be doing and then dismiss them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, after a half hour of pulling responses out of people, they started to get more into it. At some point, the interest level rose to
such a point that every teacher wanted to incorporate peace into their
subjects, including mathematics and foreign language, and when I indicated that
the pilot curriculum would be focused on high school students, primary school
teachers argued fervently about how we needed to start with the younger
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a middle ground, I
suggested that the older students could lead activities that would integrate
the younger students as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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At any rate, after talking for a surprising two hours, we broke for
lunch, and several teachers indicated again their sincere interest in this
project and offered their individual help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he level of enthusiasm and
interest in a peace curriculum definitely took me by surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span>At this point, I'm working to adapt the United States Institute of Peace's online peace curriculum toolkit with the school mission and national curriculum. I've also </span>been considering how to design a
mechanism to measure potential attitude or behavior change as a result of the
curriculum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone has any ideas,
definitely send them my way.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_KK2auF-88-dIqFpT-BxxpzOVhZNZqbFRVjcQ-83y4ILgaC0zNisRE_u-3GG9t2U008atrVBRY7xWKOXTAdjpyJidp-8EUu44CCitLpYQkZoI7U_wC04RkJm_86Dc5lluBdYeg/s1600/DSC01338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_KK2auF-88-dIqFpT-BxxpzOVhZNZqbFRVjcQ-83y4ILgaC0zNisRE_u-3GG9t2U008atrVBRY7xWKOXTAdjpyJidp-8EUu44CCitLpYQkZoI7U_wC04RkJm_86Dc5lluBdYeg/s320/DSC01338.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the school campus. The school is powered on 100% solar energy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In terms of personal experiences, I won't lie: adjusting to the campo way of life has had its hiccups. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The heat, the bugs, and the poverty in its many iterations have been a challenge. However, the people are so kind and wonderful, and I'm surrounded by beautiful mountains and rivers. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyJMQ4ztChBhnv3nzVMqmhGHkgfO3og_tqjaMTJKD6JMJWm5wvnXxcBu_QpikX4Y0MswIlgWkP947Z5_5JbaUu2ub7NNpY8H-Ep02haCLmyYywXRuq7kYxVJw6tT7lVztL1Nd2A/s1600/DSC01699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyJMQ4ztChBhnv3nzVMqmhGHkgfO3og_tqjaMTJKD6JMJWm5wvnXxcBu_QpikX4Y0MswIlgWkP947Z5_5JbaUu2ub7NNpY8H-Ep02haCLmyYywXRuq7kYxVJw6tT7lVztL1Nd2A/s320/DSC01699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When it's hot, all you need is a coconut and a machete. It hovers around 100 degrees, inside as well; things are melting that I didn't know could melt. For example, part of my hairbrush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhC6HqnTtNItXfAjTIzsm6LX9FI-HeRioeGa19y6kvan-XgDhdF0aH5zRMgL0-uYUa6-nr_CiBAdoH_h5gz9rIT1iJMxTCxaeYAlIy0qSIMYFLeq070Gh25YYKDUTucGooGweH1g/s1600/DSC01364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhC6HqnTtNItXfAjTIzsm6LX9FI-HeRioeGa19y6kvan-XgDhdF0aH5zRMgL0-uYUa6-nr_CiBAdoH_h5gz9rIT1iJMxTCxaeYAlIy0qSIMYFLeq070Gh25YYKDUTucGooGweH1g/s320/DSC01364.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cacatas...tarantulas. These are real, and I look for them everywhere. They look terrifying.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span></span>I’m starting to establish my identity in the
community, which is grand entertainment for both me and everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started running in the evenings when the
temperature cools to 90 degrees or so, hah, which got everyone’s
attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are absolutely
astonished by my speed and endurance, and word traveled even faster…within a
day or so, it seemed that everyone in the community heard tales of my running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My ultimate test was when a group of athletic
15-year old boys then asked me to run with them (I passed), and now I workout with a former
international baseball player who is now a trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Hilarious. </span>And, of
course, children are always waiting for me when I near the house, and they race
the last bit home with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This has turned out to be a great way to gain exposure, and... </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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...when
people tell me I need to eat meat to be strong, which is often, I challenge them to a race…and
then they retract their statement and concede that vegetarians too can be
strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I also started challenging
people when they call me rubia. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I point
out the obvious, that I’m not blonde, and then they invariably say something
like, “but you’re not brown either,” because that carries a skin tone
connotation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After I let them go
back and forth between the two for a few moments, I suggest that since I don’t
fit into these categories, they should just call me what I am – Laura.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yes, my identity is being established as
the tall white girl who’s not blonde or brown, does something with peace, who runs, and races
with the neighborhood children. I'll take it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoJbwZgtilYrTRkDqM1rVGyOJsHQGFBcB1fw3jn0sH3WhIopEOtq_mRPMFn1sMFFQgpqD9ywhL7qOOfU1Uh6gq_aYrImmPRnagleQWOPgCfqVW99RyxtWOowIVadBq3ZAccLeqg/s1600/DSC01683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoJbwZgtilYrTRkDqM1rVGyOJsHQGFBcB1fw3jn0sH3WhIopEOtq_mRPMFn1sMFFQgpqD9ywhL7qOOfU1Uh6gq_aYrImmPRnagleQWOPgCfqVW99RyxtWOowIVadBq3ZAccLeqg/s320/DSC01683.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical farmlands. This is where I live.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKuyL9Ilt7_i3-WJmcg2sxA_C_zyBQUpl7rNDe0rKxMS56Z-78laD0NuIHefLB94jvIAa2xAE5FlUMZgGT2KIBcsu9iTw2f08w6lzxis8pAkeh5q1ItEBfFItE0cgS7ZBoGlitw/s1600/DSC01718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKuyL9Ilt7_i3-WJmcg2sxA_C_zyBQUpl7rNDe0rKxMS56Z-78laD0NuIHefLB94jvIAa2xAE5FlUMZgGT2KIBcsu9iTw2f08w6lzxis8pAkeh5q1ItEBfFItE0cgS7ZBoGlitw/s320/DSC01718.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterfalled hikes. Also where I live.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-60048167069137415242012-06-13T08:59:00.001-04:002012-06-13T09:35:02.154-04:00Fighting Cocks, Fierce Bugs, and Classism in the DRI bat away a melange of insects as I write this on the lawn of a school, the only place where I have internet access. On Monday, I moved to Caribe, a small rural village near the small town of Bonao; it’s about an hour and a half northwest of Santo Domingo. I live with a single family, but across the path is where her parents and sister’s family live, which makes it a very social living environment. Also, there are a lot of gregarious young children, each of which wants to show me everything they know, haha. The family’s most, shall we say, unexpected hobby is that they breed fighting cocks, and I accepted (perhaps foolishly) an invitation to observe a fight on Sunday.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMssgnpnfc0r-VHsNsZ_9WrO7oi-_Mqf8Q-_9LnIPr9uWlRpRwkQOf4Xr0hUbCg1I4GCRdHgEQa73ylPhMPe1wkBm3mS_nHt-JoNorGDUlMsN0pUXgjMHr0-Mz-_Iu4fAllXdPQ/s1600/DSC01611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMssgnpnfc0r-VHsNsZ_9WrO7oi-_Mqf8Q-_9LnIPr9uWlRpRwkQOf4Xr0hUbCg1I4GCRdHgEQa73ylPhMPe1wkBm3mS_nHt-JoNorGDUlMsN0pUXgjMHr0-Mz-_Iu4fAllXdPQ/s320/DSC01611.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one on the left is alive, which means that he won his last fight. The one on the right doesn't fight...yet.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKy12pasKvKKOdZV3_AsZnOzZZAqn7N1LfZgdC5QbtJsXjaln6SoyxsG_31-MRMPfIzZHqHlbjPcBCVH3Qk6rYrsZKUekZKwiCf8bcDRC6cZDLerZQomL2khQiJMAMYwnHErBW2g/s1600/DSC01630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKy12pasKvKKOdZV3_AsZnOzZZAqn7N1LfZgdC5QbtJsXjaln6SoyxsG_31-MRMPfIzZHqHlbjPcBCVH3Qk6rYrsZKUekZKwiCf8bcDRC6cZDLerZQomL2khQiJMAMYwnHErBW2g/s320/DSC01630.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pied Piper of Caribe. Only I'm the one being led.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It’s been my personal quest to accept all invitations that come my way. Because of this mantra, I have had some pretty awesome experiences throughout the three weeks I’ve been here, and I have met loads of people from different extremes of society and everything in between. Because I’m here to work in a social sciences capacity, I’ve also used this as an opportunity to ask and listen; because of a range of factors (i.e., my age, my occupation, my gender, my ethnicity, my approach - I'm not viewed as very threatening) people are generally very open to sharing their thoughts and feelings. The disparate perspectives are starting to come together to paint a bigger picture of the social landscape of the Dominican Republic.<br />
<br />
One thing that’s been very noticeable is the general lack of trust in others. Government and police are generally very corrupt, and social services are largely dysfunctional, from water and electricity to public schools. I think that this, in addition to a history of authoritarian rule, has contributed to a sense of competitive self dependency, which has spilled over into intergroup relationships as well. For example, Dominicans are very quick to stereotype people from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, imagining each group to be a homogenous and threatening entity. The “Other” seems to loom formidably in every conversation about social issues. What’s more is that there’s an unveiled hatred for the “Other:” stereotyping is typically pared with verbal dehumanization. When I softly challenge people’s assumptions, sometimes they rephrase, sometimes they don’t…it’s just an interesting manifestation of deeply ingrained classism that moves in all directions. People are very proud to be Dominican, but many don’t like to imagine that they share this country with other Dominicans unlike them in some way.<br />
<br />
I’m definitely going to try to incorporate some of this observation into the peace curriculum I’m creating for the school out here. Although the levels of direct violence outside of the family are not extremely high, structural violence (i.e., inequality and inequity built into the structure of society) is a big issue here. I’m taking more of a transformational approach in both the curriculum and the workshops I'm designing, so this could work itself into the programming relatively easily. This week, I’ve been meeting with some directors and students, and I’m hoping to also meet with teachers. I’d like to progress the project with as much collaboration as possible, which I’m hoping will make the program contextually appropriate and increase its chances of sticking when I leave in eight weeks. There's a lot to do but not a lot of time to do it!<br />
<br />
Switching gears, a couple weekends ago I traveled with some friends I made here to Isla Saona. It’s a beautiful island off the southeast coast of the Hispaniola near Bayahibe. It was a little bit of a ride to get there, but definitely worth it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvhpeMIyKSqSEnI_-_s6EkqZoDNKBSz-m-1IUj2zbHQOY16K3jpcnsZLOH-2Kw_QXKfWKavAXVwyi83GVNf7uOMMvEmqB7NbsaMGZoLHVVt35owtSuHhyphenhyphenoIw_uZN3fGpJ-L0vvg/s1600/DSC01459.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvhpeMIyKSqSEnI_-_s6EkqZoDNKBSz-m-1IUj2zbHQOY16K3jpcnsZLOH-2Kw_QXKfWKavAXVwyi83GVNf7uOMMvEmqB7NbsaMGZoLHVVt35owtSuHhyphenhyphenoIw_uZN3fGpJ-L0vvg/s320/DSC01459.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isla Saona.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This past weekend, I went to Parque de los Tres Ojos (Park of Three Eyes) located near Santo Domingo; it’s a park with cenotes (or cave pools fed by underground rivers).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9H_gJNUH8shM2L3AhZx-esWVyj5ACsJQWwdF-2P9QzMHbqg1Du9H5INcLIe1J0PA1GdS6UypxRfVS0DGE8P_W4rCBML34qb99SyNa5YQ-1StwaCBeEbf9XybsFXEWE7_xX4vlEg/s1600/DSC01572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9H_gJNUH8shM2L3AhZx-esWVyj5ACsJQWwdF-2P9QzMHbqg1Du9H5INcLIe1J0PA1GdS6UypxRfVS0DGE8P_W4rCBML34qb99SyNa5YQ-1StwaCBeEbf9XybsFXEWE7_xX4vlEg/s320/DSC01572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the cenotes with Catherine, my Chilean friend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-4479293555516284082012-05-31T13:44:00.000-04:002012-05-31T14:08:03.071-04:00La Rubia!With all of the first impressions I've recorded, what are people saying about me? Well, primarily, la rubia! Yes, in the Dominican Republic, I am blonde. Also, the general consensus is that I'm 20 years old, although people have guessed as young as 17. After I've been talking to someone for a little while about my project development and my background, people always interrupt to ask how this can be if I'm only 20 years old. After getting over the shock - yes, genuine shock - that I'm 26, the follow-up question is typically concerning my children and their whereabouts, and when they learn that I have no children, a look of vague confusion sets in. And no, no one asks if I am married.<br />
<br />
The frequency of this conversation reveals a bit about Dominican society. In 2011, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP) revealed that the Dominican Republic takes the lead in both Latin America and the Caribbean in the number of pregnant adolescents. A common topic of conversation here among the socially concerned is about the issue of reducing the number of pregnant 13-year old girls. It's very common for unmarried young people to live together, which isn't necessarily negative in and of itself, but in a machista society, the girls/women are discarded after they no longer please the men. In an effort to increase the commitment level of their men, women often try to get pregnant, but when this strategy fails repeatedly, they are left with children from different men. In a country with no safety net, this spells a lifetime of struggle. <br />
<br />
While we're playing the number game, this week the Dominican Republic celebrated coming in second place (first place was held by Venezuela) in terms of alcohol consumption by men in Latin American countries in a study completed by the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Costa Rica. (It should be noted, however, that the amount of pure alcohol consumed
per year - 5.5 liters - pales in comparison to the quantity consumed in
Europe, Canada, and the United States, respectively.) The Dominicans' response? "We need to work harder to get to first place!"<br />
<br />
At any rate, I've learned an incredible amount in the last week and a half through extensive conversations with community leaders and people working in health clinics, schools, and other NGOs. I'm still in Santo Domingo for the time being, although I did end up visiting Bonao last week, and I will be having another series of meetings there tomorrow. It looks like I'll be moving there on the 11th at the very latest, which I'm definitely looking forward to.<br />
<br />
The school in Bonao is really incredible. It's 100% powered by solar panels, it has spacious and clean classrooms, and there are even sports fields for the children. Although something like this would be relatively normal in the US, it's a tremendous departure from the reality of public schools in Santo Domingo. Additionally, what's particularly exciting to me is that peace is one of the cornerstones of the school; the ethic of peace has been informally integrated into all parts of the school, from monthly values to universal community service. I was able to spend last Friday afternoon with four youth (Youth for a Culture of Peace) who attended a workshop in Santo Domingo some months ago, and I'm working to build a capacity-building workshop for them. After they're trained and feeling comfortable, the goal is to have them facilitate workshops following the same format in their communities. They're pretty awesome kids, and they're really excited to be given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and lead peace activities.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrUyBBsAM510fALcooI57BzJ2jD2IP2rEJCdRNBHaICWfssMrHjotzJCs-DG6dqaUOV9cE4-f5TMStCPsP0WmSDl4sof1Als2KeaLrIKZ_lVJduo5Ip-H4ie8WqgV8vE8NEA8Kg/s1600/DSC01279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrUyBBsAM510fALcooI57BzJ2jD2IP2rEJCdRNBHaICWfssMrHjotzJCs-DG6dqaUOV9cE4-f5TMStCPsP0WmSDl4sof1Als2KeaLrIKZ_lVJduo5Ip-H4ie8WqgV8vE8NEA8Kg/s400/DSC01279.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Youth for Peace and Me in the library getting to know each other and discussing the project.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The idea is to create a flexible framework that can be replicated in IDDI's other areas of operation throughout the country and also Haiti. This also means that I'll be able to travel to these areas and talk with the people there! Everyone wins. <br />
<br />
In other exciting news, the director of IDDI has asked me to develop a formal peace education curriculum for the school to be implemented in August when classes resume, something they've wanted for a very long time. I'm extremely excited to be given this opportunity; it's going to be a challenge for sure, but it's one that I'm ready to take. If anyone has expertise or experience in this area, please point me to any resources you think might be helpful. <br />
<br />
And, just for kicks, a peak at my Sunday, which happened to be Mother's Day in the Dominican Republic, at Playa Guayacanes: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBUpMC1ZEPv_eGKM84Lgh4jUEgN-KMwpzwH2rdxGxe0QD0Pdo3tekALTVwj3F5WQ9L2XyuGnDq3gLMaaKDhFklwucaWz9y2-kFNMxDpshV_eFVNQyiZLgu7M16Frnpre_AvCnog/s1600/DSC01292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBUpMC1ZEPv_eGKM84Lgh4jUEgN-KMwpzwH2rdxGxe0QD0Pdo3tekALTVwj3F5WQ9L2XyuGnDq3gLMaaKDhFklwucaWz9y2-kFNMxDpshV_eFVNQyiZLgu7M16Frnpre_AvCnog/s400/DSC01292.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJOKQPsah-tr6dIgj4Wi8yiwxo_GPgGX7iwhxLpq9tYKyfrq9bRMtm3Gg-hiel8tUunX03G56ZViyx9i1ylUpRHgmM01waQKfUBAJE3xQR-zIxyw8hd8VbEW08afcbLaDyo2jVw/s1600/DSC01303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJOKQPsah-tr6dIgj4Wi8yiwxo_GPgGX7iwhxLpq9tYKyfrq9bRMtm3Gg-hiel8tUunX03G56ZViyx9i1ylUpRHgmM01waQKfUBAJE3xQR-zIxyw8hd8VbEW08afcbLaDyo2jVw/s400/DSC01303.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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</script>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-52765202830042069222012-05-23T16:38:00.002-04:002012-05-31T14:08:26.486-04:00First Impressions of Santo DomingoI made it to Santo Domingo! I arrived on Sunday night, right in the middle of presidential elections. Danilo Medina, from a conservative party, and Margarita Cedeño, <strike>his wife</strike> the wife of the current president, as vice-president won the elections, and although his opponents accused Danilo of vote-buying and fraud, nobody seems to care very much about it one way or the other. The only reminder of the elections are the ubiquitous purple Danilo billboards throughout the city. Today, the city shut off the water, which I'm told happens frequently, so everyone who has them are using their water reserves. No problem, because everyone just drinks beer! El Presidente, very fittingly, is the local beer.<br />
<br />
I've been staying with a very gracious Spanish host near IDDI's office in the central part of the city, and everyone at IDDI has been very welcoming and kind. Several people I've had the opportunity to get to know a bit better have been pretty astounded by the americana with a Caribbean attitude; I'm just going with the flow and flying by the seat of my pants at the moment, and I'm very happy to do so. I'd say that this mentality has been serving me well here - nothing is very planned out. I only have a vague idea of what I will be doing from one given point in time to another; for example, I'm pretty sure they're sending me to the campo near Bonao on Friday, but I'm not sure if I'm staying for a day, a week, a month, or the whole time. Or even if this will actually occur on Friday at all. <br />
<br />
Another interesting shift is in entering into a more collectivist society. The only alone time I have is when I am asleep, which is obviously very different from my lifestyle stateside. And while I've consciously decided to embrace this, collectivism certainly has its upsides. I feel very well taken care of, and I have been left to fend for myself in literally no situations thus far. Dominicanos are very open and easy to talk to, and I've already made a few friends I feel close with.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I am not sure yet what I will do for my project. IDDI has a network of youth mediators (ages 18-24) in Santo Domingo (about 30) who work with low levels of conflict and conflict prevention in their communities. I met with one of them today to ask him about the process, what he does, and his general impressions. I'm still waiting to look at training materials to get a better idea of their capacity, but it seems really interesting. Of course, they can't work in some of the poorer barrios, because their priorities are in preventing/treating cholera, improving sanitation and health, and dealing with youth delinquency and lack of education. I will get into it more later, but we drove through a few barrios today, and to say the least, they were pretty astoundingly bad. The Ozama river that flows through Santo Domingo is one of the most contaminated in Latin America, I'm told, and some of the worst barrios are right next to it. Here's a preview:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfl9mz0q8DI/T71Ic9hBsWI/AAAAAAAAAEg/cO2Qi1lYT_g/s1600/contaminacion-rio-ozama-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfl9mz0q8DI/T71Ic9hBsWI/AAAAAAAAAEg/cO2Qi1lYT_g/s320/contaminacion-rio-ozama-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(Not my photo - I haven't taken any since I've been here - and the photo does not show the worst of it.) <br />
<br />
Anyway, Bonao does not have the same types of problems as in the city, and from what I've been told, the level of conflict is somewhat lower. Nonetheless, it might be interesting to develop a youth mediator capacity in the campo. Or to spread their network in some other way. I'm also going to have the opportunity to travel to Haiti with IDDI with someone who heads up their projects over there, which I am really excited about. Another idea we discussed is that with going to a few places, I could write up a flexible framework that they could use on the island, Hispaniola, to deal with a low level of conflict. (Anything that becomes violent goes to relevant authorities, like police and courts.)<br />
<br />
We shall see how my project begins to shape up! I'm hoping for the internet to be connected in my house so that I can read up a bit and access resources. They keep saying tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes.<span class="st"><i></i></span><span class="st"><i></i></span>
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</script>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-47822269582983027692012-05-04T12:31:00.001-04:002012-05-31T14:08:41.263-04:00The semester is over and summer begins!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am thrilled to report that I submitted my final paper for
my culture, peace, and conflict class last night! That was *hopefully* the last class I’ll take
at American University. I wrote about cultural
violence in post-conflict Sri Lanka, and I highlighted the Sarvodaya movement,
which is working toward sustainable development and peace in the country. (On a side note, if anyone’s dying to know more
about this topic, I can definitely hook you up.) Anyway, the course was one of the best I’ve
taken at AU – the professor did a great job of connecting theory with practice. It’s awesome to leave a class with a clear
understanding of how the materials covered in class will help me along
my professional path. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Now to switch gears into my adventure-filled summer. My very thoughtful employer is hosting a happy
hour for me tonight after work. With class being over and this party tonight, the horizon feels much closer. Only two more weeks left in DC!
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Earlier this week, I met with a board member of the
organization I’ll be joining for the summer.
Tito gave me a background of IDDI and Bonao in addition to some great
insights and guidance. I ended up
chatting with him about my final paper and Sarvodaya, whose programs remind me
a bit of IDDI’s. He suggested that while
writing my paper, I look more closely at Sarvodaya’s programs to see if I could
adapt some of their ideas into something to do this summer in the Dominican
Republic. I never liked the phrase “to
kill two birds with one stone,” so maybe “to release two birds with one hand”
could describe it better? Yeah? In any case, a wise man Tito turned out to be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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This simple yet clever idea led me to look into Sarvodaya’s
Shanthi Sena Peace Brigade. The program
focuses on youth leadership development, and its goals include creating a
peaceful society. Part of the program
includes 4-day amity camps for youth over the age of 15 who come from diverse
backgrounds. They open up space for cross-cultural dialogue and peacebuilding, as participants begin to build relationships across societal divides. Some of the areas of training include:</div>
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<li>Leadership training </li>
<li>Conflict transformation training</li>
<li>Emergency disaster management training & service</li>
<li>First aid & primary health care</li>
<li>Environmental conservation</li>
<li>Cultural & sports programs</li>
<li>Community development activities</li>
<li>Promotion of literary pursuits</li>
</ul>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C1hdh7v7RjA/T6P_qcqEYPI/AAAAAAAAAEE/0cfVNCW3suM/s1600/Shanthi+Sena+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C1hdh7v7RjA/T6P_qcqEYPI/AAAAAAAAAEE/0cfVNCW3suM/s320/Shanthi+Sena+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Shanthi Sena program in action.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-soG9peWd_-M/T6P_ppf04jI/AAAAAAAAAD8/x6XbYVkewXQ/s1600/Shanthi+Sena+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-soG9peWd_-M/T6P_ppf04jI/AAAAAAAAAD8/x6XbYVkewXQ/s320/Shanthi+Sena+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cross-cultural relationship building pictured right here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>More information can be found at <a href="http://www.shanthisena.org/">http://www.shanthisena.org/</a>. Very cool stuff.</div>
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I'm feeling really enthusiastic about adapting this idea
into a proposal to present to IDDI after the weekend. During the summer, youngsters will be out of
school, and who doesn’t want to spend a few days at an awesome peace camp? I’ll interpret any lack of response as an
awed silence. </div>
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On a side note, another part-time international peace and
conflict resolution student who is a dear friend of mine is moving to Ecuador
this summer for an internship. You
should check out his far more entertaining blog here: <a href="http://mainerstrangeland.blogspot.com/">http://mainerstrangeland.blogspot.com</a>/.
</div>
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</script>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-84637083579612212072012-04-25T12:16:00.001-04:002012-05-31T14:09:16.410-04:00A Cultural PrimerI'll admit that I haven't done much to develop my internship program yet. Finishing up the semester has taken priority as I work on my final paper on culture and conflict (specifically the militarization of culture in Sri Lanka). I'm probably in a super culture mode due to my current class, as I inevitably find myself thinking more and more about what I'll be doing this summer. <br />
<br />
I've been thinking a lot about the cultural profile of the DR to start me off in my planning a culturally sensitive program. Dutch cultural researcher Geert Hofstede identified five universally present dimensions of culture: power distance (PDI), collectivism vs. individualism (IDV), masculinity vs. femininity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance (UAI), and short vs. long-term orientation (LTO) (data wasn't available for this dimension in the DR). (Of course, individuals reflect a melange of different cultures, so a country's scores in these dimensions only reveal dominant cultural trends in society.) Hofstede's website (<a href="http://geert-hofstede.com/">geert-hofstede.com/</a>) has a pretty cool tool that enables the visitor to compare countries in terms of his cultural dimensions. <br />
<br />
Here's the Dominican Republic compared to the United States: <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FnMkJzfLOy4/T5gd4oiUWLI/AAAAAAAAADw/gSGwP5B5Gjo/s1600/Dominican+Republic+Culture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FnMkJzfLOy4/T5gd4oiUWLI/AAAAAAAAADw/gSGwP5B5Gjo/s320/Dominican+Republic+Culture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(Yes, I made a graph.) This data shows that both the DR and the USA are pretty similar in terms of being masculine cultures (assertive, competitive cultures with fairly rigid gender roles) that aren't too bothered by uncertainty (generally more accepting of unorthodox ideas and the unknown). However, the DR is far more collectivist and has a higher degree of power distance (accepting of hierarchy and the unequal distribution of power). Very good things to keep in mind. I'm really looking forward to learning more about the local culture of Bonao in particular to help me craft an appropriate program. This is going to be such a great learning experience! Exactly what I want to get out of my summer. <br />
<br />
In other awesome news, I just finished getting caught up on vaccinations (hepatitis A, tetanus, and typhoid), and I'm now well-stocked with malaria pills. <br />
<br />
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</script>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14493568781924082279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32356402.post-86714625340124600772012-04-20T22:34:00.000-04:002012-05-31T14:09:25.819-04:00Inaugural PostAhh, the inaugural blog post. The spring air is full of changes, and tonight is as good as any to begin chronicling it all.<br />
<br />
I will soon be embarking on a new and exciting life adventure. In mid-May, I will be moving to the Dominican Republic to gain experience in the field of peace and conflict mediation; I was offered an internship with el Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral (the Dominican Institute of Integral Development) (IDDI -- <a href="http://www.iddi.org/">www.iddi.org</a>) to develop a project dealing with peace programming/conflict mediation and then implement it during the three months I will be living there. I am certain that this experience will challenge me professionally - even with four years of post-BA job experience in Washington, DC - as I am being granted complete freedom and responsibility for what I decide to do.<br />
<br />
I'll be living near Bonao, a small city in the middle of the DR half of Hispaniola. From what I can tell, it's a bit remote and absolutely gorgeous, nestled in green mountains. How to prepare beyond vaccinations and malaria pills for a summer in a rural Caribbean village, I'm not quite sure, but I have a feeling that it will require shifting toward an attitude that celebrates the unknown. Of course, this attitude will be balanced with adequate project preparation prior to my departure.<br />
<br />
All in all, in the upcoming month, I intend to document my project-planning process and then after that, the cultural and professional adventure that follows.<br />
<br />
And now, back to working on finals...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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