El Veintisiete de Junio 1:18pm

I have been thinking a lot about our country and education. Personally, I have felt a little gipped in the past. I realize I could have turned it around for myself somewhere with the correct motivation and self-control, but somewhere along the way an educator let me slip through the cracks. I want to learn for my entire life, yet sometimes I fear I didn’t learn as much as I should while my brain was at the height of its plasticity and ability to develop. Knowing that I have felt this way and that I yearn for increased knowledge and opportunity also leads me to feel a little selfish. If I believe myself to be of average education, where does that put those who have had very little or no opportunity? If I believe that an educator perhaps over looked me, a single person, then surely those that are less fortunate have the inarguable right to feel this way as well. After all, there are many of them. Surely the world is letting them slip through the cracks. Surely the world is overlooking these people.

I had a conversation about privilege recently with an employee at UPEACE. I expressed that I did not believe myself to be privileged- and I was challenged… I have been privileged enough with the opportunity to travel, with people in my life that have encouraged critical thinking and encouraged global awareness and an acceptance of other cultures. There are others out there that have not been given this push. They have not experienced the warmth and love from the world that I have even if it is indirect. Many people have no desire to have this experience. WHY NOT!? To not want this because you do not know that you probably should is a crime against life. It is a very interesting situation…

… While placement of responsibility is argued about and acceptable “efforts” are brought up and squashed- or carried out, people go hungry, starve, lose the opportunity to learn, get hurt, die…

Living my host family has made me think more… but I will write about it tomorrow. I have to leave now. I am going to Santa Barbara to meet the rest of the family! It will take a couple of bus rides and about an hour’s time, but it should be fun!