Perspective

I received an email that said this trip must be providing some perspective, so I thought I'd share.

In the American public school system, it is a big no-no to hug students or tell them you love them. At Maison de Lumiere in Haiti, it's not only TOTALLY acceptable, it's expected. The kids love it, the teachers love it, and it's an all-around win-win situation. There are no overzealous, litigious parents ready to pounce on the school with a lawsuit. Does that mean I'm going to shower love on my students come August? Keeping my job is important. That's perspective.

In America we pile our plates with food, eat more than we need (the obesity rate continues to rise), and we throw away excess and spoiled food without too much thought (although it does bother me to throw out produce that I don't get to every week). In Haiti, people go without food, some only get fed a few times a week, and today one of the Haitian kids told me that Americans eat too much. Yes, I know. That's perspective.

In America we have paved roads, some paved better than others granted, but the roads and street signs help us navigate our way from point A to point B. In Haiti, the roads are covered in rubble, rocks, and some areas are like going off-roading. There aren't street signs, and honestly, I would have no idea how to tell anyone how to get where I am. No GPS folks. That's perspective.

At home I have all the water I want to drink, to shower in, and to water my plants (Dad, did you water my tomatoes yesterday?). While it is a precious resource, I don't always think about how I should put more effort into conserving it. When I get into the shower here in Haiti, it's a little faster than a trickle, and there's a bucket so I don't waste any. The kids in the neighborhood ask for water and I can't share, because if I share with one, where does it end? How does a child survive without water when I can turn on the faucet or reach into the refrigerator for a cold bottle of [insert your favorite brand] water? That's perspective.

At my house, Tuesday is trash day. And every other week E.J. Harrison and Sons picks up the yard waste and recycling. Sometimes I forget to put out the trash barrels and other times they sit at the curb for an extra evening because I'm too lazy to bring them in (Haven't you done the same?). Here in Haiti the smell of burning trash permeates the air with an odor I can't even describe. Think toxicity. Piles of trash litter the road. There is no E.J. Harrison and Sons. That's perspective.

I could go on and on. I hope you enjoyed a little perspective for the day.