Day 2 - Friends of Conservation and Development, BEST, and David Ruiz

11/28/12 – DAY 2

            Being around local students is always the best. I love getting to have a fun time and joke around with people that often seem so distantly removed from our lives. It really drives home the truth that we are all really so similar despite our different homes and daily activities. I wasn’t initially excited about the soccer, but as soon as I got on the field and started running it reminded me of how nice it is to enjoy something as simple as a game. It’s a bit sad that it can take removing oneself from home to remember how to relax and let go.

            Derek Chan with the Friends of Conservation and Development was kind of an inspiration. The grassroots nature of the organizations beginnings with him and his peers as teenagers is proof that the smallest positive actions can grow to be something very large and important. Along this same line of thought lies the importance of our earlier presentation from BEST. Doing a lot with a little was this mornings take away message, and the integration of economic and social sustainability separate from environmental sustainability was intriguing and important to the course overall. BEST really exemplifies the theme of economic restructuring found in our text The Sustainability Revolution. Other speakers have touched upon the need for new economic developments and opportunities for individuals currently utilizing un-sustainable means for income, but BEST has developed a useful model for helping individuals with a need and a vision to better their circumstances and contribute to the positive economic restructuring of Belize as a developing nation.

            The leadership concentrated lecture this afternoon from David Ruiz was also inspiring. He exuded a peaceful strength and was presented his confidence with humility. I felt that his contribution to the day through interacting with the group was essential to proving his point of inclusiveness as a key aspect of effective leadership. I really enjoyed his use of metaphor/analogy to explain the leadership qualities that he believed to be most important.