California Agricultural Leadership Program

The cell phone alarms went off before the roosters even thought about stirring on Sunday morning so we could make our 3am departure from the hotel in Costa Rica’s capital city. Members of class 52 congregated in the lobby with tired eyes and a craving for extra large coffees before hopping on the bus for our last ride to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. A somber mood was in the air as we knew our experience was over. The warm humid air gave way to thoughts of the weather at home, cold and rainy for most, feelings of anxiety of tasks to come, work and much needed family time swirling around our heads.

As we all reflect on the past 16 days of experiences that elicited a wide range of emotions that have changed our mindsets on issues that we thought were linear. These issues are far from a single truth, much like the giant pulley from the cable car system for disadvantaged commuters in Medellin, one is pushing the other is pulling, it’s up to you to decide for yourself which is doing which, or both could be true.

We started this adventure in Panama; a country dominated by the United States by way of control of the Panama Canal zone. Since the return of control of these assets back to Panama in 1999, this country is finding a way to know itself, like a teenager, with mistakes and accomplishments along the way. This country’s progression, much like the flow of ships through the canal, never stops. Water oscillates up and down, lock gates open and close to facilitate passage, goods destined to and from far off lands. A progress made in fits and starts.

Medellín, Colombia stole our hearts. This was in no small part to the guides we had. Their personal knowledge, experience and vulnerability lead this class to a transformational experience. The people of this community have been brought to the brink of despair and have evolved into the embodiment of hope, care, and selfless dedication to creating a better life for all. Santiago was a shining example of a servant leader and the women in the community kitchen touched our souls with their grace and serenity. The natural beauty and character of this once troubled town left all of us wanting more.

Cartagena was deep in the history of Colombia. Catholic iconography, ancient military installations and a society torn by a history of human enslavement simmer just below the surface of this otherwise upbeat place. Oppression is felt in every corner of this community, yet the fight against systems that devalue people rages on. The women of DAMARTES are showing the community it is possible to break stereotypical roles, with unintentional benefits that are creating better communities and bonds that further change false traditions, creating support networks, and above all community cohesion. The sounds of this vibrant town are changing, one will never stop the sound of waves crashing and the sound of the town’s market, the vibrate music or traffic. It’s the pitch, the tone, cadence that is changing, a remix if you will, familiar yet different.

The capital of the country was not what we expected. Distance in Bogota is not measured in miles between origin and destination, it is time. Time, arguably the most valuable thing we have, is a teacher when it comes to Bogota. 1 mile can take 1 hour, or more. Or less, depending on the vagaries of fate. This booming metropolis is vast, with a landscape of wealth levels that seemingly change by the block. Time in these wealth levels has different meanings, and thus value, from the gleaming financial district to the poverty-stricken streets that hosted our coffee tasting at Vronx 60 Cafe del renacer. The art from Museo Nacional de Colombia told a story of pride and hidden controversy.

San Jose, Costa Rica gave us little chance to decompress and process our experiences in total. Costa Rica, a well-known vacation destination for US tourists, had hidden layers. Brushed to the side, just out of view of tourists and their dollars, are the same problems and inequity present in all the other countries including our own. They just don’t want us to see it or talk about it; you have to go looking for it in the shadows. Costa Rica has benefited from US investment; Earth University gave us a brief opportunity to reconnect with our agriculture roots and see the impact left by one of our very own admire leaders, Dr. Flores. Costa Rica, though it showed us much of its beauty, left us with a feeling of unfinished questions and feelings and a desire to dive deeper into the hidden facets of this country. These emotions have no doubt spread to the rest of our destinations demanding us to question further and wanting to learn more.

In summary, this experience has spoken plainly to us and taught us that life is not black and white, it’s often a mix of colors and a series of contradictions. Our journey down the path of spectral thinking on the influence of leaders, the complicated impact they make and the current issues they leave in their wake like migration, economic inequality, the legacy of enslavement and the subjugation of indigenous population, has opened our eyes to the complexities of life. We expect that this will temper our knee jerk reactions to these same issues we see in our country: inequality, poverty, differing life goals, safety, resilience and personal choices. We are becoming ok with feeling uncomfortable with non-closure; not everything needs an answer that makes sense to our existing schema and worldviews. We will work towards solutions that balance our own interests with the interests of others and strive for sustainable solutions that will work in this highly complex world. We would like to thank the Ed team, CALF staff, Foundation Board and all those instrumental in the experience that truly challenged us. These experiences will have a lasting effect on our leadership into the future. Mindsets are changing. We will be different in this world.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Dr. Wayne Dyer