os: cultural exchanges and homestays

[john engle]

Dear Colleagues,

Seems like all of us are on this journey of learning to integrate OS
principles and law into different aspects of our lives and work. During the
last 12 years, I have participated in an initiative called Transformational
Travel which has people from rich industrialized countries (N. America,
Europe and Australia) come to Haiti to stay with Haitians in rural villages.
The purpose is to foster mutual learning and understanding.

This past week—Tuesday through Friday afternoon--8 people from the US along
with three of my American colleagues who live here in Haiti and speak
creole, moved in with three Haitian families who live a 20 minute walk from
my house. These families are good friends of mine. The visitors adapt to
their host’s life in rural Haiti which means no running water, no
electricity, lots of people around, minimal privacy, 
lots of things that
are new to visitors.

For the last couple of years, when I am the lead person for these groups, I
do everything in Open Space, putting the principles in letter form both in
English for the visitors and for the Haitians. And it works great!
Absolutely great.

People learn to cook over a fire and go to village market and buy things and
carry water and grind peanuts into peanut butter and plant corn
they meet
with local grassroots groups and observe literacy classes and visit local
schools and play with kids, you get the picture.
They have a blast, Haitians and Americans. And, they wrestle with tough
realities too, regarding the fact that they come from two very different
worlds.

Here is the simple letter that I gave to people involved this particular
exchange (the English is below the creole).

Chè zanmi m yo,

M ap bay tout moun k ap patisipe nan echanj ant Ameriken ak Ayisyen yo yon
gwo kout chapo.

Echanj sa yo ede yonn konnen lòt epi konprann lòt pi byen. Tout moun se frè
ak sè devan Bondye. Semèn sa a pral fè l posib pou nou rekonèt lot frè ak sè
nou yo. Nou kwè echanj ant  moun ki sòti nan diferan kilti ak nasyon anrichi
nou anpil. Nou kwè sa favorize lape ak yon monn ki gen plis renmen.

M ap envite nou kite prensip sa yo gide nou pandan echanj n ap fè ansanm :
1. Moun ki parèt nan aktivite w ap fè se moun ki dwe la.
2. Lè aktivite/rankont n ap fè yo kòmanse epi fini se lè yo dwe kòmanse e
fini.
3. Kenben yon lespri fleksib...prepare w pou sipriz.

Nou gen yon lwa ki rele : lwa de (2). Sa vle de nenpòt moman ou twouve w ap
nan yon aktivite kote ou pa santi w ka aprann oubyen kontribye, al jwenn yon
lòt aktivite ki pi enterese w.
(prensip ak lwa nan Espas Ouvri)

Sa vle di, balon an nan pye nou ! Nou chak responsab pou asire echanj sa
pral anriche w.

Avek anpil respè ak apresyasyon pou w,

John

Dear friends,

Hats off to the Americans (from United States) and Haitians who are
participating in this exchange.

These exchanges make it possible for us to get to know one another and to
better understand one another. All people are brothers and sisters as
children of God. This week provides us the opportunity to get to know
brothers and sisters from another land. We believe that exchanges such as
these with people from other countries and cultures enrich us and help us to
realize a more loving and peaceful world.

I invite us to allow these principles to guide us throughout our exchange:
1. Whoever come are the right people.
2. Whenever it starts and finishes is the right time.
3. Whatever happens, is the only thing that could've happened.

The one law is called the law of two feet which means: if you are ever in a
situation where you feel like you are not learning or contributing, you need
to use your two feet and go to another place where you are.
(principles and law of Open Space)

This means the ball is in your court! It is up to you to ensure that this
experience is enriching for you.

With respect and appreciation for you,

John

http://www.beyondborders.net/experiment.htm

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