Hello Glimpser family and friends!
This is Jonathan Zepeda and Micah Tam, the leaders of the day for “Global Business and Deconstructing Poverty Day.” Today we were able to expand our horizons about the relationship between local communities and global businesses.
We started the day by waking up bright and early at 6:15. A handful of us were able to see the sunrise in the Dominican Republic. We left the hostel an hour later and started our two hour bus ride to Consorcio Barahona, the Barahona Sugar Company. We met Pablo, a representative from the Foundation of Consorcio Barahona. He walked us through the process of making sugar by showing us the fields, machinery, and factory for processing and crystallizing the sugar out of juice. Alongside sugar manufacturing, Pablo showed us one of the many side projects the foundation funds to help the 45 surrounding communities. We were able to see a man-made lake that the foundation endorsed which hosted a tilapia farm. All the profit from the tilapia farm goes to the community in which it resides.
After, we arrived at Batey 6 (A batey is a small community) to have some lunch. Following the lunch we had a panel of locals speak about their experience living in a batey in such close proximity to a sugar cane field. We had three speakers from Plataforma Vida and five from Jovenes en Accion (Youth in Action). They told us the story of their respective organizations and how the sugar cane company affected the community, such as how the foundation’s inhumane practices negatively affected the communities health. For example, the burning of the crops forced families to evacuate their houses to escape the smoke.
Today we were able to learn both perspectives of the impacts of global businesses such as the Barahona Sugar Company on surrounding communities. On one hand, Pablo from the FCB strongly believed that the sugar cane company was benefitting the locals, while the organizations from Batey 6 claimed that most of the reasons for their poor living conditions rooted from the sugar cane company’s actions. Conflicting stories helped open our eyes to the fact that there are multiple perspectives to a story that should all be explored and heard.
To Micah’s family: I miss you guys so much! I’m having an amazing time here and I feel like I’m learning so much about the world. I can’t wait to share all my experiences with you! Tell Oliver I miss him!
To Jonathan’s family: I miss you guys and hope I didn’t miss too much. Tell Korra I love her! I have tons of stories that I’ll tell you all when I get home.
Hi Ate Alexa! Its me, Wesley! I hope you’re having tons of fun where ever you go on this trip! LOVE YOU SO MUCH SEE YOU ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!! <3 ^o^ < I love you! Bye!!
What an amazing day Lulu! Noni, papa, and I are having breakfast and thinking about you. Can’t wait to see you on Friday!!
Hey Karryssa!! I’ve loved keeping up with your adventures and it has made me miss my own trip like crazy! I’m super excited that you’re having fun and learning a lot. Keep living in the moment and take it all in. Can’t wait to hear more about your trip when you get back!
Lots of love,
Katherine and your Tino Ambassadors
Dear Isabelle,
We are so happy you are having a good trip – sounds like
you are very busy. What a good experience.
Looking forward to seeing you Friday.
Miss you a lot.
Love,
Noni and Papa
Hi Emi!!! Saludos desde Hayward !!! 🙂 I’m sure the Batey’s were a mind opening experience for you. I hope you are enjoying your trip. Appreciate every last second of it it’s gonna go fast trust me. Get plenty of souvenirs. Best, Andrea 🙂
Hi Kaylyn,
Your face looks quite somber. Another emotionally wrenching day when you witness the grim realities of the bateys and they speak about the oppression of its people. This journey all you Glimpsers are partaking in will only make you more aware, more thoughtful, and more importantly stronger leaders for the future.
Changing subject- Dad was SO happy to hear from you. Best Father’s Day present! Wish I could have spoken with you as well but was working at Bart? We will be going to Modesto to have dinner with Goong Goong (Grandfather in Chinese). Going to be hot there-around 100 degrees? Goong Goong said he has donut peaches from his fruit trees for you!
Love Mom and Dad♥️
Hi guys!
What a great day– and a big coincidence that you got to write about business and global issues. You probably opened your eyes to an array of factors that influence commerce and SES. I can’t wait to hear your pitch on how to change the world… =)
Thank you for the call! We have all really missed you. Today- you kept breaking up on the phone but I was happy knowing you tried to check in with us. Grandma sends you a big hug. We had Father’s Day brunch and celebrates ourselves haha.
I will be taking Korra to the store to get her some treats on your behalf. It is really hot here so she has been a little fussy and can’t take her walks until night time. She will be really excited to see you on Friday!
Love you lots!
Carol and Korra
hi Rahul
Happy to know you are having a great time. love reading the blog every night.
take care. cant wait to see you soon.
love,
Mom
Hey Johnny and Alexa!
It’s Lila, one of your ambassadors at Logan!
I’m super glad to see all the sorts of experiences you guys are having on this trip.
One thing my leader always told us is to remember why you are on this trip, and what you want to get out of it? you definitely want to treasure what you learn, it’s special!
I hope you have a way to look back of this trip, like a journal or a camera!
Anyways have fun and…
HAVE MORE FUN!!!
bye ^U^
Hello Ari – Hope you are well and that you are enjoying the trip! Nana gives her love. It is really hot here but probably not as hot as the DR! We love you and can’t wait to see you,
Mom, Dad and Callum
Hi Sydney,
I think that was you in the photo. I wish the images were a little bigger.
Sugar, your favorite. What an unfortunate predicament. I hope the issue
can be resolved.
We miss you:( Love, Mom, Dad, Cole & Max