The goal of my project in Tonga is to envelop myself in a culture other than my own. I want to learn to cook and speak and celebrate the way Tongans do in order to open my mind and heart to people I may not understand at first. This idea will serve as the main goal of my trip, but an adequate compliment comes in the form of studying the medicinal plants used in Tonga. I want to learn about which plants treat which maladies, as well as observe and understand the habits of traditional healers on the islands.
The personal growth I hope to experience will take place through contact with the natives. I have never traveled anywhere before, and in my opinion, the most important aspect of traveling is interaction with the locals. With an experience abroad, I will be closer to understanding human nature in a way that is not constrained to American culture. The opportunity to be abroad for a solid three months will likely be unparalleled by any other experience I have in my lifetime. Conveniently enough, one of my two majors is Environmental Science and because Tonga is a tropical island, the chance to explore the native botany is hard to resist. Immersing myself in a place that relies heavily on plants for survival will add a unique dimension to my major and allow the option of publishing an article and pursuing the same research in a different setting.
To answer my research questions, I plan on interviewing several traditional healers. I’ll ask them which plants are used most, what are they used for, and how are they used. If there is a botanical garden, I plan on visiting it. I also hope to talk to the patients of traditional healers in order to discern what kinds of plants they grow at home and what kinds they have to go to healers for. Hopefully after talked to Melinda Ostraff my project approach will be altered in a more efficient way.
No comments:
Post a Comment