Daniela Papi's Blog

How do we define "change"? Is change good? Should we pat those catalytic change agents out there on the back and tell them to keep cutting down trees to make new trails, or is change bad, and we should make sure everyone follows the worn path as we realign the pebbles which have gone astray?

Development workers warn you "Watch out, your work might change the power structure, or the community fabric, or...." and voluntour operators advertise "We are improving (aka changing) lives!"

To the development worker, I want to say "CHANGE IS NOT ALWAYS BAD! You came here to change, you want to 'change people's dietary habits to ensure the children get enough vitamines' or 'improve education to help ensure a brighter future for the next generation.' so you can't condem change!"

To the voluntour operator, I want to say "But are you sure the change is GOOD? Have you followed up? Does the program last once you drive away? Have you promoted positive change or have you fed negative outcomes? Change CAN be bad!"

I think defining our impact as having CHANGED something is not enough. We need to reflect and ensure that our changes are good and ideally sustainable. We also can't assume changing something is bad, as change is inevitable, and keeping something as we found it can sometimes mean inhibiting its natural growth. Just some thoughts...

I got some reactions to my last few posts, and I want to thank those who shared their thoughts.

I feel like I am finally coming over the top of a mountain on this. When i got here, I was rolling full speed down the first part of the PEPY ride, so excited about what we could do and our potential in Cambodia. Then, this year was all uphill. Some much questioning and reflection and confusion and wondering why sometimes doing good is so much harder than doing nothing at all. When I got to the top of all that, i nearly stopped. I was questioning myself into inaction and nearly didn't make it over the top, thinking it would be better to stop than keep struggling and worrying. Through it i realized how we should be questioning SO much more of what we do, not just when we try to "do good" but our daily actions as well, but also realized that at a point you just need to do and try and then FOLLOW UP and reflect and change. I think the follow up part is where the biggest problems happen - those not willing to follow up never know when they have made a mistake. So, I'm coming back down the hill now I think, but I think this hill will have a more level slope with small hills and time for reflection, but less backbreaking pedaling needed, as now I have realized that the answers will never be right. And as long as they are not wrong, and as long as we are looking back and stopping and listening, we will be able to get on the right path when we loose the way.

Thanks David and to others who sent me their thoughts.

Tonight is the first night in weeks that I'm up late because of something other than work. It's 12:15am, not so late really as I regularly can be found at my computer at this time (much easier to get work done when I'm the only one in the office), but tonight I went out for a bit for the first time in ages, and thank goodness I did. One of my best friends here is married to the author of one of the major guidebooks to Cambodia. He was out tonight with the CEO of a larger travel company, offering tours to over 35 countries, and the group of us got into some really great discussions. The travel company CEO was saying how he came into tourism for the sake of offering great experiences to those around him and started by offering 1 or 2 trips per year for the first few years. He now serves over 1000 clients per year (still a small company, but compared with PEPY's 100 clients, it's very large!). Since starting the company, he has also gotten into the "aid" side out tourism, and he's trying to find the best way to positively impact the areas they travel to.

It was SO great to speak with him, hear his thoughts and concerns and challenges, and be comforted to know that others running similar business are fighting the same battles, asking themselves daily if they are really doing "good" and if that good is not only for those travelling with them but those they meet along the way. When is doing something better than doing nothing? It isn't always, we both agreed.

In other news, Daniela Kon, our amazing videographer, is coming out with her documentary soon, and the trailer was just completed (I'll link to it soon once it's online). It's amazing, even just the trailer... in 16 minutes she asks all of the questions I have come to ask in the last year. When is "voluntourism" good? How do you KNOW it's good, and when are you selling a western idea or product or thought without even meaning too? How do you balance the good and the bad that comes with all travel?

I can't wait to see the full movie (though I cringe at all the parts with me in them, because a) who wants to see themselves on tape especially in the heat and sweat which comes with Cambodia and b) because I know that so much of what I said in the founding stages of PEPY I no longer agree with and c) because I see so many of the things we did wrong along the way and don't want to watch us repeat them) and I know it is going to make so many people question this "voluntourism" kick which is spreading like wildfire. Don't get me wrong, voluntourism can be so good. But we all - you the travelers and we the operators - need to make sure to look, listen, reflect, and follow up and make SURE we are doing our best to make what we do as good for all involved as possible.

So yep, a good evening. Look out for Daniela Kon's film, "Changing the World on Vacation" when it comes out. She did two Cross Cultural Solutions trips, a PEPY trip, and perhaps a few more, to discuss the impacts of volunteering, volunteers, and development. Looking forward to seeing it!

Goodnight!

Hello reader.... I need some advice. I made a commitment to making PEPY a carbon-free organization, ideally maximizing our use of bicycles and public transportation, and committing to offsetting the remainder of the carbon emitted by our trips in Cambodia. But, the question now, is HOW best to do that? We have donated through carbonfund.org, which is a good tool, but I am looking for something better. What is the BEST way for PEPY to offset carbon (besides reducing our emissions in the first place which needs to be a priority)? I wanted to find a replanting organization here in Cambodia, as I would like to replant in the same area we are harming, but I have not been able to find a group doing so (some who want to, some who did, but none so far who are). Rather than donate to a big "offsetting" organization, I would rather fund a small local NGO working in environmental protection and replanting. Who do YOU suggest? It can be anywhere in the world - I just want it to be some group that is DOING something with the money which will directly lead to carbon offsetting.

Email me or write a comment if you have any ideas! Thanks for your advice!

Oh, and Happy Khmer New Year!

Last week marked the opening of the PEPY Friend's School. This picture taken by Adie, one of the team leaders, shows a mural designed by the school students. PEPY is lucky enough to have a Japanese artist named Yukiko working with us, and she facilitated the development of this mural from the ideas and sketches of the students. The school is in Steung Treng, which is near the Mekong, and one of the main environmental themes the children wanted to highlight was the decrease in the number of "pink" dolphins, some of the worlds only fresh water dolphins.