Gulabi Gang

Friday morning our class was welcomed by Victoria Fontan, a professor at UPEACE who teaches courses in peace and conflict studies. After a brief introduction of peace-buiding strategies, she presented us with a case study. 

Sampat and her Gulabi Gang

On paper, the government of India presents its nation as a paradise of equality. But in actuality it is a place filled with corruption and immense social inequalities. Luckily in the province of Uttar Pradesh in Northern India, someone took a stand.

Sampat Devi Pal was a unique woman from the start. She was educated, a rarity in the area, and was vocal about her rights. Sampat fought for equality within her family and on a larger scale. Soon everyone in Uttar Pradesh was murmuring about the "rebellious" Sampat Devi Pal. Funny how a woman simply striving for equal rights and opportunities is deemed radical...

In an effort to help local women become economically autonomous, Sampat began the Gulabi Gang. This "gang of pink saris" started to push the walls of morality and tradition. Now with over 20,000 members, the Gulabi Gang continues to denounce oppressive government and cultural practices -- like child marriages and the lack of female educational opportunities, assert their rights, and investigate corruption throughout Indian black markets. 

For a long time the Gulabi Gang has faced backlash from the media. The group has been portrayed as vicious vigilantes and were only seen in a positive light recently. The influence of the media as an institution is enormous. Misrepresentations of positive female leaders like Sampat is not what this world needs. Role models who fight for equal opportunities should be portrayed rather than privileged celebrities making poor life decisions for all the world to see. The media's massive expanse of powerful influence can make this necessary shift in the right direction. Hold them accountable for their damaging perceptions of women!

For more information on the Gulabi Gang, check out their website here.

Mercado Central

After a discussion of microfinance and entrepreneurship on Thursday, we headed out to explore San Jose. In typical Costa Rican rainy season fashion, a downpour ensued mid afternoon. But that did not stop us nor the locals of San Jose. Our assignment was to explore Mercado Central in relation to our discussion of small business. The task was an ethnography, a research method based on observation that posed difficult for us non-Spanish speakers like myself.

I did not let these limitations stop my immediate fears of the cultural barrier. My group set out into the hustle and bustle of the market, letting the aromas of gallo pinto and the shouts of bartering salesmen (and women) seep into our souls. Although this was an assignment, I intended to enjoy this immersion into Costa Rican culture as much as possible.

Mercado Central was filled lively ticos gathering to catch up and share a meal after a long day at work. The market aligned with all of my other interactions with Costa Rican culture thus far; they place a heavy emphasis on family and strive to keep these bonds strong over time through family businesses, educational opportunities, and, most importantly, through food!

Visiting the market was reminiscent of New York in so many ways. The lively commotion of Mercado Central with its loud street vendors and fast-paced interactions brought upon nostalgia of good 'ole NYC. Waking up to the beautiful mountainside each morning is amazing, but I will always be a city girl at heart.

Holy Smokes Batman!

The excursion to Monteverde must come to an end, but not without some last minute tourist attractions. Our last dinner was at a Restaurant called Trio and probably one of the best meals of my life. It's fresh menu, I had a sea bass ceviche and a chicken, mango, and avocado sandwich, and modern atmosphere reminded me greatly of New York. Adding to my growing epiphany that the jungle is not my style and city life is for me.

Our morning commenced with a visit to a quirky bat exhibition. I never knew there were so many variations of bats! Some live in different areas, others eat distinct foods, and some are even structured similar to humans. There are over a a hundred types of bats in Costa Rica, and around sixty different kinds in Monteverde alone!

After some boom! pow! it's batman jokes and a brief glimpse of everyone's favorite children's story Stellaluna, we finally faced the bats live. Don't get me wrong there were some quick jumps and freak-outs by yours truly, but I quickly developed a slight (and I mean slight) inclination towards them. They were actually kind of cute -- if you find hairy, blood sucking rodents to be adorable...

The Children's Eternal Rainforest was our last stop. Thankfully, we were able to explore some of Monteverde's world renowned Cloud Forest Reserve before our return back to Ciudad Colon. This excursion to Monteverde has revealed to me the the crucial steps Costa Rica has taken towards its path of effective conservation. I believe powerful nations like the United States should look to states like Costa Rica to follow their commitment to stay green (cliche I know).