What I Learned
I learned that it is difficult to remain truthful to one's research. While talking to people in the field, a researcher will be pulled into many directions by the participants. Everyone seems to have a different version of the facts, and casting blame is the rule of the game. I think that my training at ICLAD offered me some protection from such influence. With the tools I learned, I was able to be more objective and ask questions that answered my questions as I put aside testimonies and evidence related to other but interconnected issues. It was valuable to know that I could not study and propose a solution for every problem I observed. The idea that I could look at something that needed immediate attention and put it aside for future research - so I did not deviate from my research - felt empowering and discomforting at the same time.

During this trip I also realize that politics serve an important function in the implementation of laws and policies. Despite rules and regulations, those involved, even civil society organizations, fight over turf—sometimes to the detriment of the population these parties serve. I also realized that implementation of policies—in this case, federal policies—depends heavily on the local level where local politicians have greater influence. Thus, according to the training provided at ICLAD, one cannot hope to solve social problems at one level of government and leave the other levels untouched. This is not my fatalistic view of the problem, rather it is a sobering realization that we need to conduct research to understand every aspect of the issue. This realization would not be possible without ICLAD's helping me understand that while we must draft "small" to accomplish great goals, we must not ignore the larger context of the problem we seek to address.