Eli 21.6 in Country X
Country X? Have I lost my mind?Well, we can't really determine that conclusively, at least in this post.
I don't want anyone doing a Google search and somehow finding this post because of how interconnected the world is at exactly the wrong time. We all know where Eli 21.6 is, so let's just call his current location "Country X."
This is only for us.
I talked to Eli on the phone last night. He's back in the capital city (which is 20 times larger than any other) after an exhausting week.
Eli's career will be in peacebuilding, but his the field of study is DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration). One of the pervasive issues the world faces is how do you rebuild consensus and reintegrate ex-combatants into society after a civil war? If you're unsuccessful, then the groundwork for another civil is already in place.
What he's doing in Country X is interviewing ex-combatants in a civil war that lasted 13 years. It ended 20 years ago. It's research for his honors thesis (which is ambitious beyond my ability to describe). He's also participating in regional peacebuilding conferences happening in the capital of Country X. He's there with one of the world's leading DDR researchers
Here are some general impressions from our conversation. This will be spread out over multiple days, because we talked for over an hour (the first time I've spoken to him since he left).
He said doing anything in Country X is an adventure. Nothing is simple, because the country has so little in the way of resources. Colombia was a different country, but Country X is a different world (he didn't use those words, but I think it's accurate).
Country X was founded by freed American slaves, but they are looked upon with derision inside the country. They're called "The Settlers," and considered colonialists because of the indigenous people they displaced. They also managed to hold power for almost a century.
Country X is the width of Ohio, but it takes 15 hours by car to cross it because the roads are rutted so deeply it's like driving on the moon. He sent me a one-minute video from the car and I felt seasick.
The county he visited for his research was the most remote county in Country X. Once they passed a certain point on their outward drive, they would see a village consisting of a few huts every hour or so. It was very, very isolated.
That's all for today, but let me mention one more thing. He said the people in the village where he went to do research were wonderful. Even with so little, they were incredibly warm and treated him with respect.
Tomorrow, more about the research, and two stories that made me feel both sad and angry. Not for him, but for the people of Country X.
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