The Psychology of Sitting

October 12, 2010

"... people in Western civilization no longer have time for each other, they have no time together, they do not share the experience of time. This explains why Westerners are incapable of understanding the psychology of sitting. In villages all over the world, sitting is an important social activity. Sitting is not a 'wast of time' nor is it an manifestation of laziness. Sitting is having time together, time to cultivate social relation"
                                                                          - Andreas Fuglesang

Before I found this passage among my many Peace Corps issued reading material  my biggest complain is "I have nothing to do" and "I am always board." But this is because i defined sitting as doing nothing. I found that I would get myself all geared up to leave my house to visit my Host family, the mayors office, the schools teachers or my homologue and once I reached my destination I would sit and do nothing! After reading this and pondering the passage I realized how true it is; sitting is in fact not a waste of time but rather an integral part of my job as a capacity builder. I am here to integrate to learn of the needs of the people and then to help them help themselves. Central to this is to come to know the people and the best way to do this is my sitting.

Central to Peace Corps mission and definition of development is "Development is a process, not a project" it is during these sitting times that conversations, can be had and the process of learning of needs and desires takes places; so, here's to sitting for two years!