It was only a matter of time before members of my Climate Lab cohort would be asked to produce something as a result of our learning, instead of just cramming information into our heads. In a time when my country feels more divided than ever, I wanted to find a way to work toward equitable, sustainable solutions that addressed concerns of conflicting parties.
Good, challenging travel teaches you about yourself, and I seem to have learned more about myself in Fiji than I did about Fiji. My introspective blog series does not begin to do justice to this beautiful country, but I am grateful that I had the opportunity to explore some of my growth edges against such an amazing backdrop.
Since I was 19 on an anthropology study abroad trip to Ecuador, I have searched for authentic intercultural experiences. It’s difficult, to be sure, and not everyone wants their travels to be difficult. My vacation in Fiji after the Climate Lab week came to an end raised some important questions: what is the value in striving for authenticity and is it even achievable?
I try to avoid touristy places when I travel, conveniently ignoring the fact that I am a tourist myself. In this post I wrestle with some external judgment related to how people “should” travel, including whether they should even travel in the first place. Seeking comfort (in addition to challenge) when I was in Fiji helped me realize there’s no clear black-and-white answer here.
The questions guiding our work in the Climate Lab focus on how to make climate action effective and inclusive, scalable and just – but the desire to craft the perfect approach can come at the expense of moving forward with a good approach. During our week in Fiji, we saw some inspiring examples of people making a difference by simply doing their best.
I knew that my year in the Climate Lab would be a challenge, but it has been challenging in ways I didn’t expect. Our work in and out of the classroom has challenged us to think differently and confront difficult feelings – things I only thought I had done before. It’s also forced me to grapple with my impostor syndrome, a tough and lifelong opponent.
Good travel, just like good education, puts you outside your comfort zone and challenges your assumptions. To that extent, this journey to several Fijian villages with my Climate Lab cohort was very good travel. After two days, I left with more questions than I brought – largely about who “should” be making decisions related to climate change adaptation and how “should” outside organizations be helping.
During our time in Fiji, we were fortunate enough to be welcomed by Daku Village, where we were fed, entertained, housed, and educated by this generous community during a brief 24 hour visit. That short time did more for me and my perspectives than I got from months of pre-reading assignments, and I hope I can do them justice by putting that learning to good use.
Traveling to Fiji in April for my Climate Lab, it seemed like an extravagant excursion, but it was with the explicit purpose of learning from the people there and then giving something back to the global effort on climate change. During our in-class sessions that week, we heard from representatives across sectors with different messages but one clear theme: we’ve got to work together.