Wow! Time has flown!!

There are only 8 days left until we leave the islands.  I cant believe how fast the time has passed.  Just when I thought it would simply creep by and I may accomplish nothing, it is as though everything sped up!

Everyone asks me how my research has gone, and the reality is, it has been amazing.  The other night, someone said "it must be hard to do all that work in paradise" and the funny thing is, even when Im working, its not really working.  Every conversation I have, every time I chat it up with some shop owner or someone on the the beach, Im doing my research.  Even more interesting is the fact that while I was warned not to tell people I was doing research on the islands, it has actually turned out that as soon as people know what im up to the begin to open up and really share with me.  Most offer me advice on who to talk to and in most cases, they even help me to make contact with a variety of people.

So what have I learned?  A lot!

I have learned that the relationship between the islands and the rest of  Italy is really undermining the voice of the people of the islands.  In many cases, they have little autonomy and it is such that they are seen as not quite enough of a population that they should have a voive in decision making.  They are seen as a tourist destination and not as viable islands with human communities that depend on resources.  The result is that much of the policy tends to lead to a poulation that is deskilling and loosing more ans more of its ability to be self sufficient.  For example, they built a desalinization plant, however since its cheaper to import water from Napoli, the desalinization plant sits closed and unused; thhey are further reliant on sicily for water...ans some days, it simply runs out and the towns people must exist without it for days, until the next shipment arrives.  Who made this decision? Not the people of the islannd, but the regional powers of Sicily.  Another example is the recent closure of the maternity and pediatric ward here on Lipari that serves all of the islands.  Now, if you wish to have a  baby, you are HELICOPTERED  to  Milazzo ..  The same  goes for if your child is injured or in need of immediate attention, they they will be flown out...at an out of pocket expense of 800.00 euro!

Ps I also hate blogger! It sucks!  Can't write anymore because it is, yet again, crapping out!