Fair Trade, Responsible Travel and Appropriate Technology

     First, the term "fair trade" is well-known term for most of young populations worldwide, I guess. As the name denotes, fair trade generally aims to pay the workers and farmers to the money they deserve. It emerged against subordination of the third world by multinational corporations, such as Nestle, Nike, and so on. The typical example of this could be "Peace Coffee" led by YMCA in Korea. They pay reasonable price - which is enough for the farmers to maintain their basic human rights - to Brazilian farmers. Compared to the big corporations paying very little money to them, they are doing the right thing, I believe.
     At the same time, YMCA hires adolescents or young adults who ruined their life because of a small mistake. They are educated as baristas or CEOs who are responsible for their own coffee shop. They work in Peace Coffee Branches to make money. And later, if they have accumulated enough money to buy the branch they work in, they can be an owner of their shop.







     Second, "Responsible Travel" could be somewhat a new concept in Korea. The purpose of Responsible Travel is to pay the travelling expenses to local, not to big multinational corporations. For example, the money we pay goes to multinational corporations up to 90%, because we take AA airlines, stay in Hilton hotels, hire guides from well-known travel companies. The money promotes the gap between the poor and the rich. Although we are travelling developing countries, we are donating our money to the rich.
     Responsible Travel takes the opposite direction. Responsible travel aims to pay money to the people who deserve it. If you travel developing countries, your money should directly go to them, not multinational corporations. At the same time, you deserve enjoying local culture and distinctive features of the region, other than well-known tourism attractions and franchise restaurants. Pay to the local, not the corporations.
     This is how it works. The travel agency for responsible travel receives the same amount of money as other travel agencies do. It takes up to 10~20 percent of your overall travelling  expenses. However, you take local airlines and stay in local communities. Experience how the local people live by staying in local houses, not luxurious hotels. Watch the authentic culture by ticketing local performances, not national well-known troupes. By doing so, more than 70% of your travelling expenses go to local, not the rich.
     In Korea, '착한여행' travel agency provides responsible travel programs. Responsible travel not only guarantees the local people, but also your memorable travelling experience.


     Last but not the least, appropriate technology provides hands-on technology for developing countries. The pictures show how small changes in design affects them. The first picture shows a round bucket. The users do not have to carry water with their power, but just roll them on the ground. The second picture shows how to use sunlight to provide sufficient electricity for the house. The last picture is a famous example of appropriate technology, which is called 'life straw'. The straw has internal structure for purifying water, so the user can drink water with the life straw.

A self-reflective diary: a speech from the president of "English MouMou"

    To begin my diary, I think I can't help but admit that I am lost somewhere between my ideal and my reality. During my junior year in America, I believed that I had discovered my destined way to go, and what I can do is just run to the end of the way. I tried my best, while I was living in there. However, now I am getting to realize that even I am not at the entrance of the way. Still my belief is very firm - and it is also the reason why I named my blog as it is - no matter how many mixed feelings visited me without any notice. I was nothing but a drifting ship on deep blue sea, relying on shimmering light comes from far away.
    After listening to the speech, I felt at least some crucial parts of my agony was washed away. Unconsciously, I kept being afraid of failures and mistakes in front of me, even though I was self-hypnotizing that I am not afraid of such a thing. I have some selected ways to go; I don't know what is a detour or a shortcut. I was obsessed with running all the way to the shortcut with all my might. 
    From my freshmen year, I was always an earlier person than others. I was able to perform as others do despite of three years of age gap, sometimes outstanding, though I could not have mature thinking. Perhaps I did know the answer from the time: whether a way is a detour or shortcut, the ways have their unique strengths and weaknesses. If the way I chose turned out to be a detour, I can just keep walking on the road, without complaining, because it is all rewarding process. The detour would teach me meaningful life lessons a lot more than the shortcut does. I was worried being left behind, even though I knew that it is totally "okay" to be left behind. I just hated to admit the fact. The imaginary role model of "Miso" in my mind should be successful than anyone at all times.
    The speaker let me realize, sometimes it is okay to be left behind, because I have infinite opportunities in front of me. I heard similar statements times after times, but it is the first time for me to realize the real meaning of the statement. The examples he adopted were by all means truly meaningful, because it told me something about life experiences. Sometimes those life lessons are a lot more important than theoretical lectures. Generally, I thought that the speaker and me have very similar personality and value system. Perhaps this fact has moved my mind.
    I am still drifting this borderless sea only with shimmering light, but I think at least I've got a strength to keep looking for directions from his speech.