Our San Diego Trip
As some of you may know, a couple weeks ago I started a new job, serving full time as a Regional Institute Coordinator for the Baha’i Faith, and wanted to write this blog entry to share some thoughts as I learn about this new role, as it is quite different from previous jobs I’ve had.
Baha’is around the world are involved in many initiatives to bring about a better world, and my focus will be on one initiative called The Ruhi Institute. The institute is an educational program aiming to transform people to be less focused on themselves, and instead become more altruistic in their actions. Beyond the scope of just helping transform a few individuals, the institute also gives a framework for helping transform communities. You might be able to imagine what it is like to have one loving, altruistic neighbor who genuinely cares about you and your family, but it is harder to imagine most of your neighbors being that way. What if you lived in an area where it was the norm not just to know your neighbors, but to show love to your neighbors? How does the culture of a neighborhood change when it is full of people better able to show forth virtues like love, truthfulness and justice? [If you still have more questions, The Ruhi Institute’s website explains things more comprehensively].
Since I’m new to this role, one of the first things they invited Alyssa and myself to do is head to San Diego to learn from their Baha’i community for 3-4 weeks (as a community, they are further along in building up this institute process than any area of Oregon or Washington). During our time in San Diego, we will be attending a variety of events in their community to experience the culture of their community, and will work alongside them shoulder-to-shoulder to get practical examples, and be able to ask them questions. This process of learning really reminds me of a form of research called ethnographic research, where you immerse yourself into a culture to understand the beliefs, behaviors and interactions of the group you're studying. So if I write additional blog posts about this trip, it’ll probably be related to the experiences we’re having and what we are learning from such experiences.
While we are down here, we will be staying in a studio in the backyard of a Baha’i couple. The yard also includes the initial stages of a community garden (a service project that a group of middle schoolers in the neighborhood are taking on), a gathering space for any meetings or social events, and an outdoor washer and dryer (which feels like a very southern California thing). After two long days on the road driving down, we are so excited to be here and see what we can learn! A strong desire for both Alyssa and myself is to have our child grow up in a better world than what we have currently, so no time to waste in working towards that brighter future!
