Todos son buenos ballarinos
Esta mañana hice una polenta con salt, maple syrup, oregano, queso, whisky, y chocolate. A oir, horrible, pero a comer, bastante rico. Creo que no voy a estar enfermo mas!
Fwd: valuing my work and going after what I want
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/8/26
Subject: Re: valuing my work and going after what I want
To: Sara Mosenkis <
I am in Buenos Aires right now on an open-ended trip with my friend Max who I've know for 20 years (since elementary school). This year, before coming to this city, we spent 5 months working very hard for no money as volunteers on organic farms in Patagonia (in Chile and later in Argentina). I found this work very rewarding and meaningful because of the skills it required me to develop, the physically healthy lifestyle it dictated, the beautiful locations where it occurred, and the opportunities it provided to know people outside of the rushed context of standard tourism/travel. We did not start the trip with much money and our volunteerism was financially possible because these farms provided free lodging and food for us in exchange for our work.
This is only the most recent of many activities/jobs that I've done under the rubric of 'Volunteerism.' During 2003-2004 I was a corps member in an AmeriCorps program in Boston, USA and my work was primarily focused on teaching environmental science in third-grade classrooms (students aged 7-8). The corps members were frequently called 'volunteers,' which is interesting given that we were being paid for our work, albeit far less than the federal minimum wage.
More recently in Boston I drove a truck and loaded and sold produce for a food-salvage non-profit; for compensation I only took as much food as I could carry even though I was frequently offered small amounts of cash. In this case, I very much valued my identity as a volunteer because I found that it improved the quality of my relationship with the founder and manager of the program.
Then last year, my brother and I volunteered doing reconstruction work in New Orleans for four months, during which time we lived in a tiny dorm in a volunteer center in the lower ninth ward and had most of our meals provided for us by the organization. This was a very similar financial arrangement to the organic farms I've stayed at this year, full-time, live-in volunteerism.
So, even though my resume has far more volunteerism listed than 'real work,' it is not as though I've been engaged in leisure-type, something-for-nothing activities. And in each case, what I got for my work was not just 'a good experience' but rather tangible financial compensation: the Americorps stipend (and health insurance and paltry scholarship), room and board (not cheap to buy on the open market), or even just (all my) food.
In each of these volunteer positions I was doing work that I enjoy and believe in; I was not soley exhanging my time and effort for the financial compensation provided. However the compensation I recieved made it financially possible for me to commit myself to fulfilling the requirements of the positions. Reciprocally, none of these positions could feasably have been compensated with a standard or minimum wage, given the financial constraints of the organizations and individuals for whom I was working. Thus I was able to provide services that would otherwise have been prohibitively expensive: for the recipients under a private corporate model, or for the government under a subsidized public model.
Volunteerism in this sense can fill in the gaps in the work opportunities, social services, and organizational structures available through our current economic system of heavilly regulated capitalism/socialism. If a houshold is required to purchase all its requisite goods and services on the market, the minimum wage is usually woefully inadequate. But for many positions in public service, independent agriculture, and other fields, this same minumum wage (plus taxes and benefits and all the other regulated necessities) is already prohibitively expensive for the employer. While of course, these regulations were put in place to protect workers from exploitation, I have appreciated the opportunity to arrange my own, more flexible compensation, to decide for myself what is an amazing opportunity and what is an unacceptable exploitation. Could I support a family living in an apartment by volunteering? of course not! But I have neither a dependent family nor an apartment.
And while I do have a network of family and friends on whom I can rely in a pinch, and while this is surely partly due to the privilege of growing up middle-class, I do not think that volunteerism in principle is limited in scope to only the privileged. Financially, everyone needs some money and some belongings, alot of food and a place to live. But this does not all have to come though the standard channels (empoyment, vendors, landlords, etc.) recongnized in regulated capitalism/socialism. Volunteerism, work-trade, barter, and other subversive economies have always been irreplacable and should be celebrated and promoted as a medium for more rational exchange.
Matthew Holland, 24, Buenos Aires, Argentina
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/8/26
Subject: Re: valuing my work and going after what I want
To: Sara Mosenkis <
I am in Buenos Aires right now on an open-ended trip with my friend Max who I've know for 20 years (since elementary school). This year, before coming to this city, we spent 5 months working very hard for no money as volunteers on organic farms in Patagonia (in Chile and later in Argentina). I found this work very rewarding and meaningful because of the skills it required me to develop, the physically healthy lifestyle it dictated, the beautiful locations where it occurred, and the opportunities it provided to know people outside of the rushed context of standard tourism/travel. We did not start the trip with much money and our volunteerism was financially possible because these farms provided free lodging and food for us in exchange for our work.
This is only the most recent of many activities/jobs that I've done under the rubric of 'Volunteerism.' During 2003-2004 I was a corps member in an AmeriCorps program in Boston, USA and my work was primarily focused on teaching environmental science in third-grade classrooms (students aged 7-8). The corps members were frequently called 'volunteers,' which is interesting given that we were being paid for our work, albeit far less than the federal minimum wage.
More recently in Boston I drove a truck and loaded and sold produce for a food-salvage non-profit; for compensation I only took as much food as I could carry even though I was frequently offered small amounts of cash. In this case, I very much valued my identity as a volunteer because I found that it improved the quality of my relationship with the founder and manager of the program.
Then last year, my brother and I volunteered doing reconstruction work in New Orleans for four months, during which time we lived in a tiny dorm in a volunteer center in the lower ninth ward and had most of our meals provided for us by the organization. This was a very similar financial arrangement to the organic farms I've stayed at this year, full-time, live-in volunteerism.
So, even though my resume has far more volunteerism listed than 'real work,' it is not as though I've been engaged in leisure-type, something-for-nothing activities. And in each case, what I got for my work was not just 'a good experience' but rather tangible financial compensation: the Americorps stipend (and health insurance and paltry scholarship), room and board (not cheap to buy on the open market), or even just (all my) food.
In each of these volunteer positions I was doing work that I enjoy and believe in; I was not soley exhanging my time and effort for the financial compensation provided. However the compensation I recieved made it financially possible for me to commit myself to fulfilling the requirements of the positions. Reciprocally, none of these positions could feasably have been compensated with a standard or minimum wage, given the financial constraints of the organizations and individuals for whom I was working. Thus I was able to provide services that would otherwise have been prohibitively expensive: for the recipients under a private corporate model, or for the government under a subsidized public model.
Volunteerism in this sense can fill in the gaps in the work opportunities, social services, and organizational structures available through our current economic system of heavilly regulated capitalism/socialism. If a houshold is required to purchase all its requisite goods and services on the market, the minimum wage is usually woefully inadequate. But for many positions in public service, independent agriculture, and other fields, this same minumum wage (plus taxes and benefits and all the other regulated necessities) is already prohibitively expensive for the employer. While of course, these regulations were put in place to protect workers from exploitation, I have appreciated the opportunity to arrange my own, more flexible compensation, to decide for myself what is an amazing opportunity and what is an unacceptable exploitation. Could I support a family living in an apartment by volunteering? of course not! But I have neither a dependent family nor an apartment.
And while I do have a network of family and friends on whom I can rely in a pinch, and while this is surely partly due to the privilege of growing up middle-class, I do not think that volunteerism in principle is limited in scope to only the privileged. Financially, everyone needs some money and some belongings, alot of food and a place to live. But this does not all have to come though the standard channels (empoyment, vendors, landlords, etc.) recongnized in regulated capitalism/socialism. Volunteerism, work-trade, barter, and other subversive economies have always been irreplacable and should be celebrated and promoted as a medium for more rational exchange.
Matthew Holland, 24, Buenos Aires, Argentina
hors
Yesterday I made bullseyes (egg fried in hole in bread) but nobody would sit and eat. I had already melted cheese on top and fried tomatoes, which I also put on top. Then I mashed up some avocado with balsamic vinegar and put that on top too, then I cut them into little pieces (the eggs were firmish) and put a toothpick in each one and voila, people ate when I brought the plate. People can be so difficult sometimes.
Will Work For US$
I can do stuff on the internet... anyone know anyone who needs some data coded or something written or edited? Here is my CV:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgdv56p5_117nb3txrcc
Getting work in Buenos Aires is turning out to be a harder than I thought because I don't have a work visa for Argentina. I could really use some positive cashflow; I have a US address and checking account and also PayPal so it shouldn't be hard to pay me whatever paltry sums (to you) that I am just dreaming about down here. Also keep in mind that I am like this:
http://twitter.com/tomatoinsurgent/statuses/3449096202
It sometimes happens that somebody knows someone.
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgdv56p5_117nb3txrcc
Getting work in Buenos Aires is turning out to be a harder than I thought because I don't have a work visa for Argentina. I could really use some positive cashflow; I have a US address and checking account and also PayPal so it shouldn't be hard to pay me whatever paltry sums (to you) that I am just dreaming about down here. Also keep in mind that I am like this:
http://twitter.com/tomatoinsurgent/statuses/3449096202
It sometimes happens that somebody knows someone.
I delay things: when necessary, and also when unnecessary
It was less than a year ago that I finally returned to the 9/11 videos, by way of the Internets. Even as I did it, and let myself cry for the human tragedy in news coverage (which I so systematically deny), I had to wonder how late I was. How many had held out so long, knowing that at any minute they could replay the collapsing towers. Seven years may be an unthinkably long time in the 21s century, but I think it was about the minimum for me to recover passively from the shock and subsequent disgust with its symbolic exploitation by the US government.
And a passive recovery it had to be, because any active attempt felt like complicity with the ridiculous (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28148) and irredeemably excessive (http://www.politicus.us/wp-content/uploads/abu_ghraib_abuse_hood.jpg) attempts of my entire society to recover actively. How many people are still waiting? I say wait as long as you want.
And a passive recovery it had to be, because any active attempt felt like complicity with the ridiculous (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28148) and irredeemably excessive (http://www.politicus.us/wp-content/uploads/abu_ghraib_abuse_hood.jpg) attempts of my entire society to recover actively. How many people are still waiting? I say wait as long as you want.
Some Thoughts on Fathering Children
Had an epiphany while making bread for dinner back in April about my hypothetical children. I think that maybe I don't need to raise my own biologically fathered children. In fact, though it would be totally fascinating to see my genes expressed in another person, it might be too intense to raise that person as my child. Too intense because I would be so invested, overjoyed, and heartbroken in the expressions of my own biology in them that it would be much harder for me to let them be their own person, which being the only parenting strategy for producing undamaged adults, would be my first choice. Of course, it would probably be surreal, amazing, exhilarating to meet my biological child as an adult and get to know them well. I wonder if sperm banks would reject me for diabetes? ....most probably
I lost a notebook with some stuff I wrote; I'm trying to let go of some things
Surfing a cloud of sugar and pheromones. Heading out by finger next week with Max. Here is a list of things to do before we can leave:
+get yellow fever vax.
+ditch unnecessary stuff
+build functional stove out of beer cans
+get backup medications
+plan to meet entry requirements in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico
+cry with attention as much as possible
+get yellow fever vax.
+ditch unnecessary stuff
+build functional stove out of beer cans
+get backup medications
+plan to meet entry requirements in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico
+cry with attention as much as possible
My plane leaves today
but I sure as hell won't be there. Also happy birthday to Max. Also Max, you should call your mom.
for: Lili
Another bad address sidlined one of my first attempts at corrospondence in Spanish (here unedited). Lili worked in Parque Laguna de Laja in Chile and was perhaps the most welcoming, warm person we met in that country; no big suprise that she's actually from Argentina.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/4/9
Subject: Hola de Matthew
To: liliche_112@hotmail.com
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/4/9
Subject: Hola de Matthew
To: liliche_112@hotmail.com
Lily:
Como estas? Estoy super bien. La semana pasada Max y yo estabamos en Chiloé en la playa cerca de Cucau. Hace un poco frio, y un dia estaba lluviendo, pero un dia hace sol y sol y sol tambien. Nadé en el Océano Pacífico por la primera vez y ahora estoy feliz.
Muchas gracias una vez mas por el almuerzo de los cinco hombres Chilenos. Hace dos semanas que no comimos carne porque en esta granja no hay. Pero no estoy preoccupado, aveces soy practicamente vegetariano porque mi novia de tres años pasado es.
Intendabamos de encontrar a su amiga Paulina, pero el hombre del parque dice que no la conoce. Possiblimente volverimos al Chiloé otro vez y encontraramos a ella. Tienes otros amigos en los parques? Porque vamos a verlos.
Espero que estas bien. Como esta la puma?
Matthew
P.S.
Escribe de tu en mi blog, pero es en Ingles: http://tomatoinsurgent.blogspot.com/2009/04/encouraging-series-of-experiences.html
for: Kati
The relationships I get to form while traveling are mutually aknowleged to be essentially temporary. Still, I sometimes try to follow up, only to find that the email is wrong, my aquaintance unresponsive, or myself too lethargic. This one never got to a live inbox because of a transcription error I made in April.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/7/11
Subject: Ahora Estoy en El Bolson
To: kikokati@yahoo.com
Kati:
Aqui esta Matthew, nos conocemos de Casa Amarilla en Chile. Esta semana Max y yo estamos haciendo un invernadero grande (se llama Moby Dick) en la chacra de Alex aqui en Bolson. El otro dia yo vi tu cosa de hilo en la concina y estaba pensando, "yo conozco esta chica." Alex dio si, es de Kati; y Pastor dio es Muy Galactico. Me gusta tu estyla.
Espero que todo es bien en cualquier lugar donde estas:
Matthew
From: Tomato Insurgent <tomato.insurgent@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/7/11
Subject: Ahora Estoy en El Bolson
To: kikokati@yahoo.com
Kati:
Aqui esta Matthew, nos conocemos de Casa Amarilla en Chile. Esta semana Max y yo estamos haciendo un invernadero grande (se llama Moby Dick) en la chacra de Alex aqui en Bolson. El otro dia yo vi tu cosa de hilo en la concina y estaba pensando, "yo conozco esta chica." Alex dio si, es de Kati; y Pastor dio es Muy Galactico. Me gusta tu estyla.
Espero que todo es bien en cualquier lugar donde estas:
Matthew
Today's Epistimology
We could fly back to Boston in two days;
I don't think we're going.
We thought about plans for differing ways;
but I don't think we're going.
If I miss you than I miss you too much,
and I don't mind showing:
that if I really don't know
then there's no way of knowing.
I don't think we're going.
We thought about plans for differing ways;
but I don't think we're going.
If I miss you than I miss you too much,
and I don't mind showing:
that if I really don't know
then there's no way of knowing.
Tell me I needn't fear
Tonight's the third night of our first ever couchsurf and I have been super relaxed and happy since arriving. It's Johanna's first time hosting as well, so we're all figuring this out together. There have been some privacy issues around me using her computer but mostly we've been getting along famously. We've been sharing food too, which is nice, though not necessarily a part of couchsurfing arrangements in general as far as I know (not very far). Tonight I made a purple pizza with eggplant sauce and beets on top and blueberry hot sauce. It tasted good and the crust worked, in that it was stiff enough, which for me was the most exciting part because it made it truely finger food. There have been various transactions in film and other visual media.
One time I carried 4 cans of dearly purchased paint from downtown out to the lower 9th
My friend Jenna is (was ?( working down in NOLA for the summer:
http://toneworleans.blogspot.com/2009/07/weekend-with-my-favorite-people-son.html?showComment=1249549027965#c6889451135200661167
This part about the can of paint brings tears for me. This is just how it was when I was down there: so many good people working so hard with so few resources apart from the volunteers themselves. The world is full of people of amazing generosity and love but it's sometimes so hard to see. I really believe we need to propagate volunteerism the world over: people are helping other people so much more efficiently and effectively without the impossible cargo of governmental bureaucracy.
http://toneworleans.blogspot.com/2009/07/weekend-with-my-favorite-people-son.html?showComment=1249549027965#c6889451135200661167
This part about the can of paint brings tears for me. This is just how it was when I was down there: so many good people working so hard with so few resources apart from the volunteers themselves. The world is full of people of amazing generosity and love but it's sometimes so hard to see. I really believe we need to propagate volunteerism the world over: people are helping other people so much more efficiently and effectively without the impossible cargo of governmental bureaucracy.
Some Volunteers are more Voluntary than Others
My friend Dan is doing a different sort of South American Volunteerism:
http://exceptionalamerican.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/how-to-slaughter-a-cow-with-kitchen-knives-and-a-machete/
http://exceptionalamerican.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/how-to-slaughter-a-cow-with-kitchen-knives-and-a-machete/
A conversation in which I explain what I did last night.
dad: Where are you?
On the way to Montevideo?
me: er...
If we were going, then we'd be on the way
but we don't know where we're going
last night we were going to party
I got into a club for free with a birthday party of about 20 20-yr-old argentine women
dad: Sounds like an exciting start for the evening
me: yeah
the evening was not really proportionally exciting
but once I got bored 4 hours later, I just walked outside and was asking directions when this silly couple just gave me a ride home to the hostel
they were jokingly telling me they were a remis, and would I pay for the ride
so I gave them a couple pesos when we got here
dad: remis?
me: um, it's a car you pay for a ride in
but it's less official than a taxi, though still perfectly legal
dad: Got it.
me: anyhoo, taking rides with strangers because, saftey is very important
A conversation in which I explain volunteering
me: although
real chocolate would be nice
all the stuff down here is shitty, mostly milk and sugar
k: mmm not so good for the diabetes
me: whateves
k: hahaha
me: I eat everything that's put in front of me
getting an autoimmune disease can't change me that quickly
k: well maybe i'll add some dark chocolate to the volcanic rock when i know where to send it to
although that might get too expensive if i'm in france by then
me: although, the social regulations on eating in volunteer situations did what no consideration of my own health ever could
k: oh explain!
oh boy your adventures sound so wonderful
me: well
um
I was arranging delivery of a photo
um
well sometimes we kind of get paid for work with food
that's how volunteering can be economically sustainable for both parties
k: right
me: but that makes sharing a meal with your host a whole interesting transaction
because sometimes we've done more or less work preceeding the meal
depending on schedules and stuff
in Bolson
we worked for a bunch of different people
hopping around alot
and different hosts are different too
some watch you eating
which is real uncomfortable
k: yes i would think so
me: but sometimes I feel I am offered more than they can really afford for me to eat regularly
which is also awkward
Winners for all your transport needs.
Well we made finger like maniacs and arrived in Buenos Aires a mere 36 hours after setting out from The Cabbages. Four short rides got us situated in Dina Huapi, the last locality of Bariloche and about 100km towards our goal. Then three long rides took us 1700km to Buenos Aires in 24 hours. We arrived in the back of a pickup, freezing our asses off and watching a full-sky, pink and orange sunset. Needless to say, we went to sleep quickly upon checking in, missing out entirely on Friday night partying with millions of strangers. Haven't been to a city in three months, this is nuts. It's still cold here though, maybe we're going to Mexico.
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