I’m sitting in a van, mind wandering around while I solemnly gaze at the rainforest flying by my window. Occasional bumps and potholes keep me awake. Housing projects start to come into view, unfinished and brightly colored. I’m feeling tired, I hope we’re there soon. I’m leaning against a wooden gate, mostly surrounded by rainforest...
One of the 10 essential principles of a shoulder-to-shoulder experience is “whenever possible, we work shoulder-to-shoulder with locals…because the relationships we develop and the learning that occurs through them are as important as the project itself.” This is the principle that resonates the most with me. Relationships are truly an important aspect of both our...