CREER Forum #3 Synthesis
CREER Forum #3 Synthesis
Date of the session: Tuesday, June 6th, 2006. Duration: 5: 00 p.m. - 6: 30 p.m.
Number of participants: 8Main issue: Cultural differences
Introduction: It was a rainy afternoon and we ate before the meeting. I wondered if it would be better to scheduled meetings earlier. As the assistants showed up, the gathering start as a friendly meeting among neighbours. People eat together and chat. After everyone we were expecting to come was present and finished their plates, we started with the agenda. Felipe was the first one to talk. He welcomed everybody in representation of CREER Service Organization. Mauricio added some information about the purpose, mentioning the main issue agreed and the participation of Michelle and Andy during the setting up of the meeting. Recapitulation:As a link with previous meetings, after introducing the actual agenda, is becoming a part of every meeting dynamic to recap the previous encounter. Andy told the assistants about the topics that came up during the third CREER meeting. He mentioned Insurances for workers and Social Security. He also brought up the salaries and ethic considerations considering the tico employers. . Development of the meeting: Consumism is a topic that has came up in previous meetings as an issue to be discussed along the process. In this occasion it was brought in within the frame of Cultural Differences, which is one of the main areas that the participants of the CREER meetings are gathering to reflect about. We talk about the influence of television in the village. Fashion and objects that drag the attention of the ticos, like computers, keyboards and mp3 players lead us to discuss about social asymmetry (the “Have’s” and “Have-not’s”). People shared experiences related with economical status and differences between the tico side of the community and the group. The subject of material possessions and the desire to acquire was perceived as a cultural influence, not a personal one. The group talked about “cooperativismo” and the creation of a community pot. Felipe helped me to catch a good timing for the activity. It consisted in a representation of a concept, as an answer to the question of “What is poor”?The idea is to conceptualize terms that are being used in the discussion. I didn’t manage to well the space during the activity. The theatrical exercise was a positive element within the meeting, but it needs to be planned more systematically. I noticed several people (the women of the group) were taking notes during the meeting, unlike previous ones. I asked them to share them with me by email to include them in the general synthesis of the meeting. It was an open proposition. Nobody sent me the notes, but it may be a valuable resource to count on different perspectives about the previous meetings. I wonder if this implies a growing interest in the process <as a whole>. I’ve been offering back up to obtain info about the topics that we referred to during the meetings.We finishing reflecting about the sustainable bias to develop projects and brainstorming about ideas for projects.The assistants were informed about the Fundraising Event to take place at Los Angeles in October 22nd.Topics brought forth:The topics listed below intend to synthesize the main ideas that were extracted from the general discussion.
• Individualism and Community
• What is poor?
• Segregation
• Food, clothes, shelter
• No freedom, (a matter of choices)
• Transportation
• Ownership of land
• Poverty of spirit
• There are no victims
• Health
• Enabling vs. empowering
• Community oven + kitchen appliances
• New clothes vs. used (ropa Americana)
• Borrowing (assuming rules and expectations)
• Trees for babies (projects for the future)