“To those bred under an elaborate social order few such moments of exhilaration can come as that which stands at the threshold of wild travel. The gates of the enclosed garden are thrown open, the chain at the entrance of the sanctuary is lowered…and like the man in the fairy story, you feel the bands break that were riveted about your heart.”
~Gertrude Bell, as quoted in Desert Queen by Janet Wallach
For the last 6 months, we’ve been organizing, re-organizing, and starting from scratch; we’ve been detailing and problem solving and calling in reinforcements. It’s quite powerful how conditioned we are, as students of Tufts University, to strive for results and tangible successes. We yearn for something that in and of itself makes what we do worthwhile and effective.
We set off for the Dominican Republic with that notion in mind, and, for better or for worse, we left with something much different. Through unforeseen technical difficulties, language barriers, and time constraints, we fought fiercely to “stick to our plan” to be, in a word, successful. We struggled with feelings of helplessness and the thought that our work would not and could not truly make any difference or bring about any change.
And, in the midst of a scientifically and technically questionable trip, we learned what it means to be facilitators; we learned how to find our once-needed success in the success of others that we support. We found it in ourselves to let go of tangible achievements and think of the potential that motivation and self-assurance bring to an individual and, more so, to a community at large. We were inspired by the power of cultural interaction and its significance in the progression of community health. Perhaps, most importantly, we were challenged to understand that being seemingly successful ourselves meant little compared to the opportunity we had to inspire and be inspired.
Gertrude Bell, quoted above, was a queen of travel, born in England and at the forefront of the search into the unknown at a time when most of those born into the English “empire” focused only on their own country’s political and cultural power. Throughout her travels, she acted outside of her social restrictions, yet held on to her English roots in her attitudes, traditions and, of course, clothing choices. Yet, as she describes, her travels allowed her to open up her understanding, to comprehend herself in the midst of a world she never had known before. This trip has allowed me to do the same; perhaps all travels do. As travelers, upon our returns, we throw open the doors of our lives with new understanding and new outlook. And, the greatest challenge of all is to bolt the doors open, in the midst of a life that often keeps them shut tight.
To the people I had the honor of meeting in the communities of the Dominican Republic, you have taught me many things –most of which, surprisingly, fell outside of the scope of our research facilitation- and you have opened my eyes to many realities of my world and the world at large; you have challenged me and enlightened me; you have demonstrated what it means to show sincere love and affection to so-called strangers. And, most of all, over one week’s time, you have secured a place in my heart. We will not stop thinking of you, we will not stop talking about you, and we will not stop fighting for your cause; for, as friends, your cause is our cause. Here’s to selling a thousand more Club Tisch stickers…let the fundraising begin!
I will be back… Just look for a blonde woman, laughing about her long gone days of broken Spanish through the lively streets of Pancho Mateo.
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