Perspective on Development

On Sunday our floor participated in the Los Angeles County Breast Cancer Race for the Cure 5K. As the RA's on our floor, my floor partner Meghan and I wanted to facilitate an event that had a purpose that was greater than ourselves. So we chose to lead our floor in running a 5K that supported Breast Cancer research. We later realized how much this gesture meant to people; that we cared enough about this cause to organize a floor event to support it.

So we created a team and signed up! I had very good intentions to be able to actually run the whole race. But let's be honest...that did not even come close to happening. The last time I ran it was racing a friend back to the dorm (darn competition gets me in trouble every time...) I beat her, but it felt like some took a cheese grater to my throat. I wanted to die on the spot. This pathetic example of my fitness is exhibit A in a whole museum of why I do water aerobics and not cross country ;)

All that to say, I walked the 5K. Meghan was gracious enough to walk with me while the rest of our group ran like track stars. Well, on our little walk, Meghan and I just chatted the whole time. Aside from Meghan's Greek flash cards, we had nothing else to do or anywhere else to go. So other than the time I nearly ran over a small child or when a dog tried to clothes-line us with his leash, I essentially had Meghan's undivided attention for 3.1 miles. Because we had so much time to enjoy each others' company, our conversation was able to progress past the usual "weekly update" and get into topics of greater significance and vulnerability. I am a quality time person, so I thoroughly enjoyed spending this time with my friend, but it got me thinking...

I am taking a class on International Development. It is taught from an intercultural/anthropological viewpoint. Therefore, they talk about the influence of culture in a development project more than any of my business classes even think about it. One example that keeps getting brought up is the implementation of a development project that would place a water well closer to a village so that the women who get the water don't have to walk 10 miles a day to the nearest well. The question that is raised is whether or not a closer well is really needed and/or wanted. It is part of their way of life to walk 10 miles to get water. Also, what the developers do not consider is what else is going on during those long walks; women talk to each other...hello! These walks are providing these women with more than just water; they are creating and maintaining dynamic community.

Have you ever had a friend that you don't talk to for a while? When you go visit, you spend many of the first moments updating each other on how life is going and you may not have time to go deeper. I guess my personality craves depth, so I sympathize with the walkers.

However, my business background understands the developers as well. They see the possibility of greater productivity if less time was spent getting water. There is a trend in the developed world to view underdeveloped nations as having cultures that are backwards because they are preventing them from developing in the Western sense of the word. Therefore, development projects are implemented for the purpose of equipping an underdeveloped nation to develop. Economically, this is true. There are many resources that poorer nations do have access to that could significantly improve their quality of life. However, socially, I think those nations are more advanced. They see the value of community, family, and conversation.

So after my 5K walk, the thought occurred to me: maybe we still have some developing to do as well.