If I have learned anything from this trip, it is that community, above all, will always be there to teach you, care for you, and work with you. I have seen so many different ways a community can impact people, the planet, and how we learn and understand one another. This trip has taught me more than I thought possible, and it was all because of the community I was part of and the communities I was able to learn from. I greatly appreciated all the experiences that I was scheduled during the trip, but I feel I learned the most from the conversations I had with my classmates during meals, on long bus rides, or exploring towns and the outdoors. The community that I was gifted with during this trip allowed me to understand things in new ways and unlearn so many of my preconceived ideas about how the world works around me. Not only this, but the activities we did during the program also illustrated to me how vital communities are especially as they relate to climate solutions.
Talking to the indigenous communities during this trip taught me more about the importance of community and how it relates to the environment and enhanced my understanding of what it really means to live with nature. I think in the United States, or at least my understanding of it, living with nature is not the primary way of living. Rather, it is natural living for us, for it to serve us and to meet our every demand and want. The Boruca people showed me the beauty of living with nature and how the community you are part of should not only involve people but also the environment around you. This was clear to me when the women illustrated how they make several different colors of dye using just leaves and water. They even showed how you can make different shades of the same color using different amounts of leaves. This was so interesting to me, and it really showed me how Earth provides us with such beautiful materials to make beautiful things, but capitalism has exploited, or just ignored, this and unsustainably makes clothing and textiles from synthetic dye at an outrageous rate. Seeing how much work Boruca women put into making the dye, the thread from the cotton, and weaving the thread to make the bags that were on display for purchase made it so clear to me how things are supposed to be made intentionally with love. This perfectly showed that if things are produced slowly and with purpose, the Earth will also be thankful. It was such an incredible experience and I am so thankful for their kindness and hospitality in showing us how they make their bags and traditional masks.
Watching the Boruca man carve and paint the mask was also such a transformative experience. The way he naturally carved the wood was so interesting to watch and when he began painting the mask, I was speechless. Watching him do it with such ease and precision, all with a smile on his face, was something I didn’t know I needed to see. He did it with such purpose and intention, and I just kept thinking of how I wanted to do something in my life with such purpose and intention as well. I couldn’t help relating this thought to the community I have built myself with the environment around me and how I can live more intentionally and purposefully with the Earth. I thought of possible changes I could make when I returned to the United States in order to better my relationship with the Earth. I plan on taking more walks in the mornings to begin my day connected with the Earth and to listen to what it’s saying in the morning. I also decided to keep my newly formed habit of coexisting with the bugs and insects around me, even though they still slightly freak me out. I think by being able to coexist with them, I’ll understand more about how to live with things that make me uncomfortable but are good for the Earth and its ecosystems. I used to exclusively take warm to hot showers, but I am going to begin taking cool showers because this trip has definitely taught me that it’s okay to be uncomfortable for a little while if it ultimately contributes to the greater good. In terms of my career goals, I also want to do something with such intent and purpose as the man carving and painting the wood. As I am beginning to prepare for my career in medicine, I want to unconditionally love my patients and be an advocate for them when it seems like all hope is lost. I want to care for them with such intent and purpose, just like the Boruca people do in all they do.
I am so grateful for all that has happened, both the good and the bad, on this trip. I have learned from my peers, from my professors from the grass, from the trees, from the insects, from the mammals, from the amphibians, from the reptiles, from the sky, from the food, from the long bus rides, from my fear, from my discomfort, and from myself. Most importantly, though, I’ve learned from the various communities in which I passed through and found myself. Thank you for teaching me to live with intent and purpose.
Leave a Reply