During my senior year in high school I had the opportunity to expand beyond my small town and travel, really travel. This journey was unlike any other I had ever experienced before. It was more than just touching, but life changing. It was the first time that I had truly realized how lucky and blessed I am for the life I have and for the opportunities and resources consistently at my fingertips.
Like most of you reading this, I had been on family vacations prior to this experience. I’d gone to Disney, even studied abroad in Germany my senior year! It’s not to say that those trips were anything shy of amazing, studying abroad for the short time that I did was something I will always hold close to my heart as it was one of the most incredible things I have ever been a part of. The difference between those trips and the one’s following were the countries themselves.
The first time I visited a third world country, as mentioned, was my senior year in high school and even if I were the best writer, a wiz with words, I am confident you still wouldn’t understand what I saw or what I felt if you haven’t faced this reality. I always thought those who mentioned, “culture shock” were exaggerating, making me feel guilty about the life that I have, but I think that’s honestly the best way I can put it; total shock. I vividly remember pulling out of the manicured airport, seeing vibrant flowers hanging from a beautiful gate leading to the airport, thinking how beautiful and unique this island must be. Within thirty seconds outside of that gate, outside of the picture painted for naïve visitors, I saw everything I had been sheltered from growing up. Poverty everywhere you looked, whether it was the dilapidated houses, children alone in the streets, wearing tattered and dirty clothing, adults sweating, hurting making money any way that they possibly can… If that wasn’t devastating enough already animals both dead and alive filled the streets most limping, but all with protruding rib cages from hunger. Go ahead, picture that.
Even with lives that most of us couldn’t last a day in, let’s face it, the people seemed to have this content attitude that I would have never expected. Everywhere I went, there was always singing and smiling, just because! Since that trip, I have returned two more times to the island simply because I’d rather be submerged in a poor, minimalistic country than ours most of the time. We are obsessed with being better than everyone else, having the latest trends, what our bodies look like…we are never content. I’m just as guilty as anyone when it comes to this, but why? We have everything compared to a large portion of the world, compared to even parts of our own country. Sadly, I know at least one person will read this and think “Well, I can’t help where I’m born” and you’re absolutely right but do yourself a favor, do the little boy who doesn’t have a room, who goes without everything you couldn’t go a day without a favor… learn to appreciate. This world is often darker than you think and on your worst days, learn to find a little light. Someone always has it worse somewhere else.
