FFLAmilia

To my surprise, my co-workers cornered me in a room and asked me to be part of the office party planning committee. I thought of the creepy character Angela on the TV show The Office, who led this committee. I found her distasteful not only because of her coldness, but also because she obsessed over kittens dressed up as historical figures. Unlike Angela, the leader of the Party Planning Committee at FFLA (Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano) is the amiable Ecuadorian Magui. Magui is as sweet as a sugar covered beignet, but she gains an edge by rocking a two-toned red infused bouffant, and playing in a death metal band.

Magui asked me what game we should play for the wedding shower of our co-worker, Jackie. I thought for a while and suddenly our trip to Mindo popped into my head. In Mindo, the students and Professor Clark gestured boisterously and laughed for hours while playing charades, so I suggested we add this game to the wedding shower. At the party, we played charades by acting out activities that single folks do more while the other team acted out things that are more common among married folks. It was a hit (most of the activities we chose were relatively PG because Jackie is a Mormon but not all of the guesses were PG)!

Magui organized other games too, including one where every man in the office had to ask for Jackie’s “hand in marriage” to her “parents” (an older couple in the office played her “parents”). One co-worker said he was a plumber, but Jackie should marry him because he could offer her “parents” a few pigs. Another colleague said that he had four previous wives and seven kids and therefore experience made him the most eligible suitor. I picked up a fake flower and said that the flower symbolized my love for the “parent’s” “daughter” because the flower would never die (it was after all dead). I also said they should choose me because I was a gringo prince. I won the contest and people called me príncipe as I ate my dulce de leche prize.

The FFLA has a very nice atmosphere and many call their co-workers FFLA-milia (familia) -(although one co-worker with a good sense of humor says FFLA-tulencia (flatulencia)). Most of the FLLA-milia seem very proud of their work, which promotes constructive dialogue, educates citizens regarding relevant institutions and articulates process for sustainable development in Latin America. I am working on the Rio+20 convention, which is the new world sustainable development summit in 2012. My boss and I have had multiple meetings with high-ranking government officials and large international NGO’s in order to educate civil society about the new summit. It is challenging because the government is skeptical of working with civil society for fear of criticism, but it is extremely important because it often takes pressure from below for significant change to occur. I have learned a great deal about the challenges of environmentalism, negotiation and met several interesting people in my internship.