Under-rated of the month: That teacher in high school that was so inspiring and challenging that you still keep your essays and the class readings in your room back home.

     That person for me was my AP World History and Honors Comparative Literature teacher. In comparative literature class, he had us watch the movie "The Mission," which was a big hit when it premiered. I talked to other teachers about the movie and they all loved it, especially since some of them lead mission trips to other countries. They found it inspiring.

     My comp. lit. teacher, on the other hand, had us analyze it more deeply. We all came to a similar analysis: the main character (a Western man) isn't truly helping these indigenous people.
     In the movie, the Christian men were presented in a way that made them seem like they were living in native villages and relating to the native people. The nuances of the movie showed the true discourses that the writers/directors thought of when making the movie. The natives were never fully dressed. They always seemed to laugh, smile and make primate-type sounds. The natives who did speak, spoke perfect english because they were educated at the newly erected mission. The white men ate with silverware and on shiny plates. The natives learned how to play Western music on a flute.
     It seemed to me and my classmates that these missionaries were held up as greater beings. They were the classic saviors-of-a-primitive-culture disguised at good guys. Sure, they suffered in their pasts but did they suffer with the people that they came into contact with? I argue not.
     A justified summary of this message comes in the form of Paulo Freire's Dedication Page from his book "Pedagogy of the Oppressed": To the oppressed, and to those who suffer with them and fight at their side. 
     If we are to truly impact the situation when we work domestically or abroad, I argue that we must step into the situations of the oppressed. We may never feel the true pain of a homeless person seeking health care or a 40 year old Bolivian who never received the proper education to read or write. But we must at least make wholehearted attempts to enter their world and suffer. Nonetheless, I have no idea what this may look like in practice when I travel to Bolivia.
     One thing that always struck me during comp. lit. was the fact that my teacher never stood up in class. He sat down with the rest of us and acted as a facilitator of discussion. Instead of standing on a stage and speaking with power, as most teachers do, he gave that power to us. It was the best class I ever took.

I Will Travel to Bolivia at a Historic Time this Summer

     I will be entering Bolivia at a very interesting time. For the first time since the establishment of the country, an indigenous president was elected democratically. Bolivia has seen much progress since it revolution in 1952. Evo Morales is a fascinating president who has given cocaleros, coca leaf growers, a great deal of autonomy despite pleas from the United States and the Drug Enforcement Agency.
     The coca industry is not only illegal, but it is also larger than any legal industry in the country. At one point, a jailed coca baron offered all of his profits to pay off the country's debt for his release. Although this never happened, it clearly illustrates the billions of dollars that flow through this black market. Here is a long video that discusses Morales's political party and his plans for the future. Skip to 18:00 to watch what has happened as of recent to the cocalero movement.
     As I enter Cochabamba, Bolivia, I will be experiencing blockades and tear gas on a regular basis. I can't be more excited!