Growing Global Citizens

The walk to my home stay

Increasingly we as a global society have become more interconnected and mobile. Globalization has enabled the cheap and efficient transfer of people, products, and information around the globe in ways that none of could have imagined a few decades ago.  It is because of globalization that I found myself amongst a group of interns, volunteers, and students from all over the world in a town not big enough to be named on any Costa Rican map or tourist guidebook.  In fact the town's first and only public pay phone is barely 5 years old.

The town, while quite small, is home to a handful of educational and family-run farms that host volunteers, interns, and university classes learning about tropical agriculture and environmental sustainability.  As you can imagine this transient, affluent, and international presence has impacted the community, both positively and negatively, causing some farmers to re-think their volunteer and internship programs.

You may be wondering what could be wrong with bringing in tourism and therefore money into a small, rural community - especially at a time when many small, rural communities are disappearing.  It's really quite simple.  Many of the volunteers and students who come through town are short-term stays.  One week to one month.  They want a different and meaningful experience...but they are on vacation and still want to party.  Late-night partying impacts the community through noise, drunken trysts between locals and foreigners, and the perpetuation of a drinking culture, which sometimes results in cases of alcoholism and domestic violence among the local population.

On the other hand, the money that comes through these farms is dispersed quite far throughout the community.  University classes, although staying at one farm, will gather and eat at the local restaurant, they will pay for tours to visit the other farms in the area, and even treat the students to a "cultural experience" by sending them to a home stay for one night - giving local women a source of income.  Interns and volunteers also support the local store, restaurant, and bar.  The fees paid to the farms for their stay are dispersed in the community through the procurement of food items and other goods and services needed to keep the farms and volunteer programs running.  These farms are part of the existing community, they are not trying to create their own.

The ever-changing menu and quote of the day

1 of 8 sustainable cooking methods on the farm

Communal Eating Area

And yet, as I volunteered and spent time at this last farm on my itinerary, I couldn't help but ask the owner if it was his initial goal to create an intentional community.  On this particular farm, I could feel and see the community spirit that so many farms I had visited over the past weeks were seeking.  But it was not his goal.  His concern was the original community that he and his family had moved into.  He talked about how their program had evolved over the years in order to counteract the negative impacts associated with the volunteer program.  The internship commitment has increased over the years, from any length of time, to 3 months, and now to 6 months.  This time frame gives people a chance to take ownership of their temporary home and therefore responsibility over their actions - both on and off the farm.  It also gives the farm a chance to teach about global citizenship.

Awesome Cobb Creativity

So what does it mean to be a global citizen?  Surely, the sheer act of travel alone does not qualify one to become a global citizen.  Instead it means understanding that we are all connected and that our actions impact those around us.  A global citizen takes the initiative to educate themselves about the world, especially the places they visit, appreciating the diversity found in humanity.  A global citizen works towards environmental sustainability and social justice, taking responsibility for their actions and those of society.  A global citizen participates in community, both locally and internationally.   

The long-term internships and conversations have made a difference.  

Projects are not abandoned by the departure of a volunteer, instead they are documented and maintained.  Interns play football with the locals at the community field.  Everyone knows where things go and takes initiative to make sure things get done.  A library has been built for the local residents by the farm over the last three years.  People have fun and the bar is frequented, but with discretion.  Interns are keenly aware of global issues, building practical skills to sustainably affect change at the local level.  Despite their temporary residence, interns are thinking long-term, designing and planting food forests for a future harvest they most likely won't taste.

The library just opened 2 weeks ago

The exterior of the library

The library will be dedicated to Spanish books

Or maybe they will, since at this farm people seem to come back year after year, becoming part-time (and in some cases full-time) residents of the farm and community.  I don't blame them.