Linda's ECE World

This week we are thinking about perspective and culture specifically cultures other than our own.  Here is the scenario that was given for us to think about and respond to:

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture. 

1) A description of the three items you would choose

2) How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you

3) Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

4) Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise,

I know this is a social experiment but lets look at things realistically.  September eleventh has just passed and I think of all the responders that ran to help that day in New York City.  

          This scenario is something that I actually have trained for on a local level with Civil Air Patrol and most likely I would not be one of the first to evacuate.  I would be helping other survivors or looking for survivors.  As a rescue worker I would be one of the last to leave the area when every one else is safe.  

           This brings up a second question.  If the infrastructure is completely destroyed how will anyone be able to move about or evacuate?  No air planes could land and roads would be impassible and the communications would be wiped out.  The closest water way are the Maumee and Auglaize rivers and they lead to Lake Erie.  So water route may be our best bet for transportation out of the area.  Since all communication is down how would the authorities get the word out to gather a departure points?  That is where CAP and other organizations would come in.  We would be going house to house looking for survivors and injured people.   In a pinch horses we could use horses to carry the survivors to the departure points for transport to Lake Erie and from there on to a bigger port along the East Coast.   If the lake freighters were not damaged they could be utilized to transport people and their belongings.  Food and water of course would be a great concern; how to find those things and how to get enough to everyone departing as well as those waiting back in their homes to be rescued and transported. 

         So after all the other people in the area it is time for the rescue teams and first responders to leave.   Time for me to decide what matters in my culture that I would want to take with me.  Well family matters so i would hope my flash drives survived and I could take pictures of my family. Several members of my family are also trained in rescue and emergency services so they most likely would be there beside me the whole time. Pictures have been the way we keep our memories alive and tell our story to others so that is why I would want to take pictures of my family. 

  Identity matters so I would want to take my passport with me. I am proud and grateful for America I am not always proud of how we as a nation have handled diversity but I am proud to have been born in this country.

 Lastly my four legged friends matter so I would take Winky my Chihuahua.  When I brought him home seven years ago I made  commitment to take care of him through thick and thin.  So I would not be leaving him behind.   

          In the event that I could only keep one of these things I would keep Winky.  As a living being he has priority and is a link with my past.  As long as I have memory and words I can share the story of my life orally and perhaps write it down in this new country I am a refugee in.   However unless I am stripped searched I would find a way to hide the flash drives so I could also keep them.  My passport I would hate to lose but if the United States is as bad as this scenario I most likely would not live long enough to be able to return.  I would hate to lose the connection with my home country but that would be something I could accept. Thinking realistically my feelings about all this would be either buried to be dealt with later after the crisis was over or would be so raw I would be in meltdown mode.  Considering the choices I have made about what to bring I believe my priorities are in order and I could accept the new normal in my life.  I have always been an adventurer and wondered what was over the next hill so I think life in a new country would be interesting and challenging.  

I know this scenario has played out in many ways for many people on the planet.  I hope it does not play out here in the U.S.  I do want to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to get trained in some form of emergency preparedness and to make a disaster plan for your family.  Tornadoes and floods do occur and there is a great deal of security in knowing what to do when they happen.    

Once again thanks for dropping by. 

Namaste