pbernal's blog

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

-Nelson Mandela

There are two definitions to language, one is for lenguaje and the other is for idioma. One is the branch of communication, whether it is verbal, visual, or gestural. The other branch stretches out to dialect, tongue, accents, and our way of oral speech. Regardless of each definition, we ultimately use it all for the same objective, to communicate. We use language as means of connection, to convey and diffuse our experiences as close as we can get to sharing and describing without the other person actually being there. We give language the power of translating our experiences into words.

Regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or ecosysytem, children play in similar ways when they have safe free time in nature.

-Children and Nature Design Principles (Ch.3) Sobel

Knowledge, in my opinion, is perpetual when gained through experience. We learn not to play with fire because our bodies endure pain at first encounter. We know which foods we like best because we eat them and develop a sense of taste. We have the ability to know through our use of senses; sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. We can only gain true knowledge when we encounter and expose ourselves to an environment.

Instructors, guides, and even teachers can profess and stress the importance of the environment, but ultimately it means nothing if all they do is talk about it. Students will only have an idea, an imagination in their mind, never knowing the impact of the full ability of their senses. The environment will mean nothing if students never have an experience with it. As environmentalists, we can’t force the importance and value nature has for us upon others because we don’t all share the same values. We can’t assume that everyone has the same opportunities as others to experience the environment a certain way because we don’t all have the same access. We can’t teach the importance of environmental education if we can’t allow our students to dance with the universe.

In The Hungry Tide, I kept seeing the constant theme of nature's strength intertwining with humanity. I found the writing to be beautifully detailed and Ghosh made it possible for me to track Piya's, Fokir's, Kanai's travels in my own world created with his writing. Nature is constantly being intertwined with the events, and adventures the characters go through, inevitable. The value of human life and the value of nature seemed tied to me, unable to be one without the other. Life's constant attacks and misfortunes happen through nature's wildlife, like the attack sof the tigers and the tidal waves that drown several individuals. 

The value of death and life are constant with the value of nature. Without nature, without wildlife, without it's cycle, we wouldn't be able to survive, to exist. It's all a routine, just like our lives. We are alive and walk among nature and nature is a part of our existence, but also a part of our death, the end of our existence. It's that powerful, I believe. A routine, a cycle not so obvious to aknowledge but a true one at that. What keeps us alive, can also end us. 

How much latitude can you allow?

In my own words, latitude, the ability to allow yourself to immerse and dance around as far into the open field as much as you allow. Latitude, a force field as strong as your beliefs, your morals, and your drive. Latitude- as expandable and malleable as you want it to be. Latitude- what I have total control over. Throughout our experiences, there will be individuals sailing through several waves, facing different tides, and walking into different territories. As individuals, we can’t all be compatible and we see that with the character Lloyd Fuller in All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki and Elizabeth Costello in The Lives of Animals by J.M. Coetzee. They expand their latitude as far as they allow themselves to share their beliefs, but never bursting their force field by the harmful words of people who are against them. Latitude, unlike the scientific use, which gives an ideal measurement of a geographic coordinate, is the stretchy floating hula-hoop I as well as Costello and Fuller walk in.

Latitude can’t be measured. It’s like trying to measure how many tears you have cried- ridiculous. It’s not something that takes a form and turns into stone; forever keeping it’s shape until it is broken. The latitude an individual creates for one self is strong like rubber, to keep all its beliefs from being attacked, but also stretchy to allow yourself to stretch as far as you’re comfortable with in sharing what you believe in. Latitude is controlled by the tolerance one allows.

Environmentalists. According to merriam webster dictionary, it's a person who to protects the natural world from pollution and other threats. One who is concerned with the environment quality. The term environment seems to have no connection to something else like society, the human interaction or behavior. It leaves no space for different environmentalists, for those who emcompass different qualities different opinions to grow from. 

To be an environmentalist...what doesn that even mean? White priviledge? Am I, a latina, low income individual not allowed or better yet said not qualified to be known as an environmentalist? 

We didn't have quite enough time for me to bring this up in class, but I'm really interested to know what you guys think of the following situation...

Most schools if not all tell teach their students to stand and walk in perfect lines, to sit straight in their desks, to put their hands behind their backs, to not speak unless given permission. Authoritive and controlling we apppear to children when shouldn't we be embracing their innocense and let their energy flow not strain?

Teachers complain to parents about their kids having too much energy, but why do schools make it seem like such a bad thing? 

Has anyone else thought about this?

I'm walking through the trails- conversations in the background fading away in the distance as my lense focuses more and more on what my eyes lock on to. It fascinates me how perspectives can differ so much on where you stand, everything dependent on an angle. As I walked through the Wissahickon Valley, I'd take several pictures from different angles. Some were standing up, others squatting, and even making weird neck movements. Every picture captured something different. We take for granted light and air, the simple things in life yet they're what makes us exist. They're what made every scene uplifting...every picture different...every experience worth breathing. 

I'm walking through the trails- conversations in the background fading away in the distance as my lense focuses more and more on what my eyes lock on to. It fascinates me how perspectives can differ so much on where you stand, everything dependent on an angle. As I walked through the Wissahickon Valley, I'd take several pictures from different angles. Some were standing up, others squatting, and even making weird neck movements. Every picture captured something different. We take for granted light and air, the simple things in life yet they're what makes us exist. They're what made every scene uplifting...every picture different...every experience worth breathing. 

I'm walking through the trails- conversations in the background fading away in the distance as my lense focuses more and more on what my eyes lock on to. It fascinates me how perspectives can differ so much on where you stand, everything dependent on an angle. As I walked through the Wissahickon Valley, I'd take several pictures from different angles. Some were standing up, others squatting, and even making weird neck movements. Every picture captured something different. We take for granted light and air, the simple things in life yet they're what makes us exist. They're what made every scene uplifting...every picture different...every experience worth breathing. 

Well, at least this time we weren't fighting against the weather!

We seem to be challenged constantly and fighting against all these scenarios, yet as the 360 warriors that we are, we flow loosely through possible adventures. I've never been to the Harrington House and I'm kind of thankful our public safety communications skills were lacking because the weather was working in our favor! Our trip was a reflection of how porous we've become and responsive to our environments- flexible to bendable as a group. And if anything our bond with David grew thicker. Not only was it an opportunity for him to spend with us, but also to get to know us as we danced in the sun.