Re-Writing Relationships

Reimagining and rewriting relationships is fundamental to our work. In its essence, the work of decolonizing education, of decolonizing study abroad, is the work of deconstructing and recreating the relationships that form these institutions-- relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us. It requires us to question the power dynamics that underlie them and their origins, in order to then form relationships that are more just and reciprocal.  As an organization that strongly believes in the power of art to explore conflicts and spark change, we often turn to stories in this process of de- and re-construction. What are the myths we need to challenge? What new myths can we create, or old myths can we turn to, in search of these relationships centered on justice and cooperation? We have recently been engaging with these questions in our classes and excursions, and wanted to share some of our thoughts. Enjoy & happy Leap Day!

Image: Local counterparts & international students taking part in a ceremony of recognition and gratitude for the Earth upon arrival to the Amazon (Tiputini Biodiversity Station, February 2020).

Oil & Water in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Last week, we went on an excursion to the Amazon Rainforest with our Rehearsing Change international students as well as local community counterparts from Pintag and La Mariscal. This excursion included two powerful, but extremely contrasting, experiences: spending a few days in Yasuni National Park-- surrounded by pure wilderness deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon-- and a “Toxic Tour”-- a tour, led by our friends at UDAPT, of sites and communities in the Amazon with devastating oil pollution left over 40 years ago by U.S. oil company Chevron Texaco. These juxtaposed experiences forced us to reckon with some of our most complex relationships: our relationships with nature, with fossil fuels, and with extraction. How do we fight for the elimination of fossil fuels as we move from site to site in a bus powered by gas? How do we cry for the injustices committed against the rainforest and the indigenous communities that call it home, as we constantly consume plastics and other products made possible by the oil industry? 

These questions are complex, but it is important to be able to hold and accept that complexity in order to spark change. The reflections we have had during and following this experience have been full of feelings of powerlessness, guilt, and anger, but also of hope and inspiration to make change on individual & community levels. We hope you will join us in our commitments to consume less and advocate for change. To learn more about the pollution left by Chevron, and the legal case against them, please visit UDAPT’s website (Spanish) or watch the documentary “Crude”/”Crudo” (Bilingual). Bringing awareness is often the first step in bringing change. 

Left Image: A group of students with a 500 year old Ceibo tree in Yasuni National Park (Tiputini Biodiversity Station, February 2020). 
Right Image: Exploring a week-old oil spill in the Ecuadorian Amazon as part of a tour led by UDAPT (Toxic Tour, February 2020). 

From Individual to Collective 

In our Design & Evaluation of Sustainable Projects course, we have been exploring our relationship with the Earth in order to create projects that aim to heal that relationship. We question the widely-accepted definition of “development” as the economic growth of a nation or community, and reimagine it as improving our collective wellbeing through the revival of healthier and more reciprocal relationships with the Earth.

This course also challenges us to rethink the relationships between us. In a society and economy that often teaches us to be competitive, how do we learn to let go of our egos and benchmarks for individual success to work for the collective wellbeing and the successful creation of a collective project? How do we create an intentional community, not rooted in place or brought together by similar identities, but by our desire to enact change? As we reach the midway point in the course, we’re very proud of the work that’s been done so far. We’re excited to continue to explore these questions throughout the semester as we grow alongside our projects. 

Image: Members of Spring 2019's Projects course working together to brainstorm for their project (Tzawata, April 2019).

Apply to Study Abroad with Rehearsing Change in Fall 2020!

If you are a student who is looking to rewrite their relationship with education, with the wider global community, and with social justice (or you know one who does), our early application deadline for the Fall 2020 semester of Rehearsing Change is just two weeks away! Come be part of this unique opportunity to experience a more liberating, just education & grow and learn among local Ecuadorian counterparts. 

Our early application deadline is March 15th, but we will be receiving applications until April 15th or until spots run out. If you are interested in studying with us in upcoming semesters, please feel free to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and to keep up with our work. Please email us at info@rehearsingchange.org with any questions.  

Image: Cruising down the Tiputini River on our Amazon excursion (Tiputini Biodiversity Station, February 2020).