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Returning From Abroad: A Comparative Review
Get PDFReintegration into the once-familiar community after a sojourn abroad poses unique challenges to the undergraduate population and more could be done to help returnees process their experience. Seven institutions of varying size were surveyed using a qualitative data collection instrument to determine how this sample pool supports their undergraduate students emotionally once they have returned from a credit bearing semester abroad. This capstone examines how institutions are moving students toward the fourth stage of Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Cycle: Active Experimentation. Through this lens, a multitude of reentry approaches are explored with the aim being a comparison of the several support methods used to address the question of how to help students navigate the emotions associated with returning from an academic semester abroad. Education abroad professionals can adapt the variety of support tools presented herein to construct their own protocols best suited to their returnees
The Importance of Nature: An Investigation on How Geography Influences Well-being
Get PDFThe objective of this community service project (CSP) was to study how a community’s location, specifically within nature, influences their well-being. I hoped to see how the community’s location, within Chapada Diamantina national park, influences the many ways health is promoted, and how these ways are affected by their location within nature. This project was built upon a review of the literature, which found that there is a theoretical basis for the notion that contact with nature is beneficial, a term deemed Biophilia. There is a robust body of academic research that highlights the health benefits deriving from contact with nature. Yet as climate change diminishes the conditions of the environment, preservation of the natural environment becomes exceedingly important in order for humanity to continue to enjoy the health benefits resulting from contact with nature. The study was conducted over four weeks at Lothlorien in Vale do Capão, in the interior of Bahia, Brazil. I participated in a work exchange at Lothlorien, which is a center based around principles of spirituality, personal growth, and respect towards nature. I had the opportunity to paint a mural at the center, as a way to give back to the community that hosted me for four weeks. Participant observation was conducted over a three-week period in Lothlorien, in order to gain a greater insight into how Lothlorien’s principles influence well-being. In addition, I interviewed 10 individuals from the greater Vale do Capão community, 3 people born in Capão, and 8 others that moved to Capão within the past 30 years. In talking with people of varying professions and years spent in Capão, I was able to gain an understanding of the various ways in which people use aspects of nature to promote their well-being. The study found that the most common way the people of Capão use nature to promote their well-being is through gardening, as both a means of therapy and a source of nutrition. This study also shed light on the necessity of preserving our environment in order to preserve the wellness of the human population
The development of a reproductive population of chorongos: Intergroup interactions, dispersal, and sexual behavior of Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii in natural rehabilitation on the island of Sumak Allpa, Ecuador
Get PDFThe lowland woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) is vulnerable due to various human pressures, as they are especially sensitive to stress and habitat degradation. Due to their low rate of success in captivity, the few institutions that have tried to create and maintain breeding populations for conservation purposes are no longer able or willing to do so. Sumak Allpa, an NGO in the Orellana province of the Ecuadorian Amazon, currently has the only repopulation project in Ecuador with the long-term goal of maintaining a reproductive population and releasing groups of woolly monkeys back into the wild. In a 21-day study, we investigated intertroop interactions, territory distribution and overlap, and sexual behavior of 2 troops of lowland woolly monkeys on the island of Sumak Allpa to determine the progress towards a reproductive population. The troops consist of an adult troop, with one adult male, and a juvenile troop, with two juvenile males. In recent months, the troop territories have had significant more overlap, and dispersion of females between the troops has begun, possibly due to the sexual maturation of a juvenile male. This study confirmed that juvenile male is copulating with multiple females, whereas there is no evidence that the adult male has been reproductive. Results may suggest that the adult male is hindering success of the reproduction of the population, and consequentially, he may be removed from the island to further the goals of the project
Un nuevo fenómeno en un mundo de tradición: Percepciones del cambio climático en la isla de Taquile / 99/5000 A new phenomenon in a world of tradition: Perceptions of climate change on the island of Taquile
No full textEl cambio climático amenaza el estilo de vida tradicional de los agricultores de subsistencia de los Andes. Este trabajo resume y analiza las percepciones del cambio climático de los Taquileños, una comunidad de 2.500 campesinos indígenas de subsistencia que viven en la isla de Taquile en el Lago Titicaca. Esta comunidad no está aislada del mundo exterior, y hay una fuerte presencia de la iglesia cristiana y el turismo.
Los datos fueron recolectados a través de entrevistas y observación participante entre las fechas del 2 de noviembre al 15 de noviembre, 2016. Las veinte entrevistas contienen las perspectivas de siete mujeres y trece hombres. Una gama completa de ocupaciones y grupos de edad adulta están representados.
Este trabajo es una respuesta a las propuestas de Geremia Commetti y Susan A. Crate para más investigaciones etnográficas sobre los impactos culturales del cambio climático. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es mostrar los impactos locales del cambio climático global en las comunidades más pequeñas.
Este artículo argumenta que aunque Taquile ha adoptado terminología científica para explicar el cambio climático, no percibe el cambio climático en un contexto global. En cambio, Taquile percibe el cambio climático en un contexto local y, por lo tanto, responde a los retos del cambio climático a través de sus prácticas tradicionales. Sus soluciones son religiosas y se basan en su relación con la Pachamama, la madre tierra. Este artículo argumenta que esto demuestra la resistencia de su cultura tradicional y una alta supervivencia de sus tradiciones.
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Climate change threatens the traditional way of life of subsistence farmers in the Andes. This paper summarizes and analyzes the perceptions of the climate change of the Taquileños, a community of 2,500 indigenous subsistence farmers living on the island of Taquile in Lake Titicaca. This community is not isolated from the outside world, and there is a strong presence of the Christian church and tourism. The data were collected through interviews and participant observation between the dates of November 2 to November 15, 2016. The twenty interviews contain the perspectives of seven women and thirteen men. A full range of occupations and adult groups are represented. This work is a response to proposals by Geremia Commetti and Susan A. Crate for more ethnographic research on the cultural impacts of climate change. The main objective of this paper is to show the local impacts of global climate change on the smaller communities. This article argues that although Taquile has adopted scientific terminology to explain climate change, he does not perceive climate change in a global context. In contrast, Taquile perceives climate change in a local context and, therefore, responds to the challenges of climate change through its traditional practices. Their solutions are religious and are based on their relationship with the Pachamama, Mother Earth. This article argues that this shows the resistance of their traditional culture and a high survival of their traditions
Watch Chöd Self: An Examination of Chöd, Its Practitioners, and Its Music
No full textThe practice of Chöd is a form of Vajrayāna meditation that involves cutting one’s attachment to one’s self and compassionately offering one’s body as a feast for various deities and spirits. This study examines the practice of Chöd in the context of Boudha, Kathmandu, where there is a large community of Chödpas, Chöd practioners. This work aims to document the history of the practice, the experiences of some current Chöd practitioners, and the role that music plays in Chöd. This knowledge was acquired through observing Chödpas, speaking with them directly, and sitting in on various learning opportunities to gain firsthand knowledge of the intricacies of the practice. This study particularly focuses upon the use of instruments and music in the practice of Chöd. It examines how Chödpas think about the music used in their practice, how they learned to utilize the instruments involved, and the instruments themselves. It also briefly examines the history of the practice and some of the individual Chödpas who agreed to discuss their practice. Understanding the differences in practice and conception among various Chödpas allows a more nuanced view of Chöd to be formed, while an examination of the music focuses on a part of the practice that is often examined in less detail and adds to the body of information on ritual music in Tibetan Buddhism
Water Resource Change and Management: Implications of Climate Change and Water Resource Management for Pastoral Herders in Bayan Ulgii
Get PDFMongolia is the 8th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change. The water regime of Mongolia is therefore experiencing intensive change with significant effects in the availability, distribution, and security of water resources. The implications of this change are exacerbated when aligned with poor water resource management, an issue that is prevalent as water regime change challenges current water management systems. These implications specifically affect the vulnerable rural population of Mongolian herders who maintain the practice of nomadic pastoralism. In the western province of Bayan Ulgii, the change in the numerous glaciers and other water resources that are the foundation of the livelihood of nomadic herders is significant. Thus, this study explores the implications of climate change on water resources and nomadic herders in Bayan Ulgii. In addition, this study explores the current Mongolian water management system at a local level and herder perceptions and interactions with this management. In doing so, this study assesses the current water management system and its ability to address herder vulnerabilities to changing water resources. Through interviews and observations in Ulgii aimag center, Altai soum, Altansugts soum, and Ulaanbaatar with 16 herders and 8 specialists, the significant effect of climate change on water resources is understood. Moreover, these changes pose challenges to herders’ livelihoods in regards to water supply and livestock health, fodder and pastureland health, and flooding disasters. Due to a lack of local capacity in implementing and participating in water management activity decision-making, these current challenges and water resource changes will further exacerbate herder vulnerability to climate change
Balancing the Local and the Global: Understanding Alternative Education in Modern Ladakh
Get PDFFor nearly thirty years, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) has addressed the shortcomings of the education system in Ladakh (la dwags), a mountainous region under the rain-shadow of the Himalayan Range in Jammu and Kashmir State of Northern India, through education reform in government schools and the creation of alternative education programs. These programs attempt to support students who have failed in, and been failed by, the Ladakhi government education system and are designed to fill in gaps in the curricula of mainstream schools through supplemental academics and skill-based learning, while simultaneously building confidence and competence. This project explores the pedagogy of the programs at SECMOL’s Phey campus, on their own terms and through comparison with other institutions, and attempts to understand how students, volunteers, and staff experience and perceive alternative education. Furthermore, this project studies the ways in which SECMOL impacts its students both during their time at the Phey campus and afterwards. In doing so, this project analyzes both the value and shortcomings of SECMOL’s programs. Ultimately, this project aims to understand what alternative education means in modern Ladakh, where many youth are caught between the traditional, agricultural lifestyle and increasing urbanization and globalization.
This project is based on a month-long study in and around Leh, primarily at SECMOL’s Phey campus, where I resided and conducted fieldwork during the month of April 2016. The fieldwork included twenty-one formal interviews (see Appendix C) and many informal conversations with stakeholders in education in Ladakh. This paper also draws on sixty-three responses to two different questionnaires (see Appendix B) I created about education at SECMOL, fiftyfour of which were completed by SECMOL students and nine of which were completed by volunteers, and is further supported by my participation in various aspects of daily life at the Phey campus
Dynamic Media: A need for the dynamic use of media to meet organizational goals
Get PDFThis qualitative research study looks at how media can be used dynamically as a vehicle for study abroad students to create more meaningful engagements with the communities they visit. It takes a post-structural approach with an emphasis on how media supports participatory community-driven initiatives. It is the result of a 3-month participatory research process that looks at how media is emerging as a resource in some of the most remote communities in Nicaragua. The study was based on interviews with community stakeholders of the study abroad program, participatory observation, questionnaires, talks with community members, and the results of dynamic media tasks implemented by students. It found that media is reaching even the most rural of communities and has the potential to be an effective community resource. Media in itself does not benefit communities, but can be embraced as a tool that contributes to the success of community initiatives. By doing this it represents a dynamic way that students can participate and understand these initiatives more deeply
Neglect Amidst the Zika Epidemic: A Case Study on the Reach of Government Campaigns and Resources in Quilombo Community Praia Grande, Bahia
Get PDFIn response to the ongoing Zika epidemic in Brazil, a nationwide campaign has recently been launched targeting the eradication of mosquitoes, preventing the contraction of Zika, and deterring pregnancies. Many remote areas of Brazil, however, may not be being reached by these campaigns or resources to the same extent as more urban or affluent areas of Brazil—despite the existence of the universal healthcare system Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). My objective, therefore, is to assess which media and on-ground campaigns regarding Zika have reached the minute island town of Praia Grande—a rural fishing Quilombo community of approximately 2,000 occupants off the coast of the city Salvador—and which resources are available for women to take the preventative measures that they need against both pregnancy and contracting Zika, such as contraceptives, health education, insect repellent, and mosquito nets. I conducted this research through interviewing inhabitants of Praia Grande on their knowledge and perceptions of Zika, speaking with community leaders and health workers to gain their perspective on the support the community is receiving, as well as assessing the resources available in local health centers and community organizations. Because Praia Grande, a subsection of the island Ilha de Maré, is a part of the municipality of Salvador, I aimed to uncover the level of attention that this remote, lower-socioeconomic status community is receiving in wake of the ongoing Zika epidemic, particularly juxtaposed to the city center of Salvador.
What I found was that support for prevention of Zika and pregnancy exists and has even increased in some capacities: cycles of water treatment for the prevention of mosquito reproduction has increased from four to six cycles, the training books for community health agents emphasize greater education efforts on mosquito-borne illnesses and prevention, affective TV ads on Zika, and greater access to primary and prenatal healthcare due to the opening of a health post in the community in 2008. With this health post also comes access to additional preventative resources such as contraceptives; however, aside from these factors I found there has been little on-ground implementation of advocacy and interventions, exacerbated by a general lack of support of the community in other areas as well. Resources difficult to access or inaccessible on the island include repellent, mosquito nets, door-to-door advocacy conducted by Brazilian soldiers, and the constant availability of a doctor or nurse. Additionally, environmental conditions are still extremely poor, the amount of women becoming pregnant has not shifted, and the orienting efforts in the opinions of the community health agents, are not reaching and/or resonating with the entirety of the community. Praia Grande is a resilient community with a rich history and culture, yet community residents and workers are not being provided adequate support by the state amidst the Zika crisis in multiple areas; and based on community feedback it seems as though the lack of support within this circumstance is representative of a general neglect of the community rooted in its history.
Desde o primeiro detectado casos no Brasil no início de 2015, o vírus Zika tem se espalhado rapidamente e tem se tornado uma epidemia nacional, particularmente na região Nordeste do país. Embora que os efeitos do vírus no indivíduo é bastante leve, tem sido identificado a ser correlacionado com a condição médica Microcefalia que pára o desenvolvimento do cérebro do feto normal. Este fenómeno é ainda muito novo, e continua a ser o foco da pesquisa médica nacional e internacional e as prioridades do governo. Em uma resposta às pressões sobre a onda de Zika, provavelmente agravada pelos Jogos Olímpicos iminentes, o governo Brasilera recentemente tem se comecado uma campanha nacional de saúde pública em um esforço para reduzir o número de casos de Zika e microcefalia, que incluem porta-a-porta advocacia para a erradicação do mosquito e campanhas de mídia persistentes. As autoridades de saúde brasileiras também estão pedindo as mulheres a esperar para engravidar até que a epidemia já passou. A implicação aqui é que as mulheres precisam evitar relações sexuais por completo, ou utilizar contraceptivos. Porque muitas partes do Brasil são rural, no entanto, particularmente no Norte e Nordeste, algumas comunidades não pode ser alcançado pelas campanhas em curso, e mesmo assim, não ter o mesmo nível de acesso aos contraceptivos e outras medidas preventivas para Zika como ter comunidades mais urbanas e afluentes. Meu objetivo é para avaliar quais campanhas, ambos a mídia e no chão, sobre Zika ter atingido à pequena cidade de Praia Grande—uma comunidade de pescadores rural de aproximadamente 2.000 ocupantes largo da costa de Salvador e quais recursos estão disponíveis para as mulheres a tomar as medidas preventivas que eles precisam tanto contra a gravidez e contraindo Zika. Através de entrevistas com habitantes e avaliar os recursos de prevenção disponíveis, pretendo descobrir o nível de atenção que esta comunidade remota e mais pobre está recebendo durante a epidemia em curso de Zika, particularmente justaposta ao centro da cidade de Salvador.
O que descobri foi que o apoio ao preventino de Zika e existe a gravidez e até aumentou em alguns capacidades. Por exemplo, ciclos de tratamento de água para os mosquitos aumentou de quatro a seis ciclos, e os livros de formação para agentes comunitários de saúde enfatizar os esforços de educação maiores sobre doenças e prevenção transmitidas por mosquitos. No entanto, além destes fatores achei houve pouca aplicação no terreno da defesa e de intervenções, exacerbada por uma falta geral de apoio da comunidade em outras áreas também. Praia Grande é uma comunidade resiliente com uma rica história e cultura, mas moradores da comunidade e os trabalhadores não estão sendo fornecidos apoio adequado por parte do Estado em meio à crise Zika em várias áreas; e com base no feedback da comunidade, parece que a falta de apoio dentro desta circunstância é representante de uma negligência geral da comunidade enraizada na sua história
Exploration of the State of Mental Healthcare Services for Youth in Nairobi
Get PDFThis paper is formative research concerning the state of mental health care for youth in Nairobi, Kenya. Using a mixed methods design, the objectives of this study were to identify the most prevalent mental health concerns among youth in Kenya, to explore the availability and acceptability of youth friendly mental health care services, and to explore the quality of and challenges to providing youth friendly mental health care services. Results indicate that substance abuse, conduct disorder, and family conflict may be among the most pressing mental health concerns for young people. Furthermore, while young people may be willing to seek mental health care services, they may not feel these services are available. Additional some of the major challenges to providing mental health care services are lack of governmental policy, lack of family support, and the financial burden of treatment