Mid-Trip Reflection

I could not begin to tell you how many times I have stared at World Maps while envisioning the adventures I would partake in. Indonesia, Burkina Faso, Brazil (to name a few) always sparked my excitement and wonder as I planned, in my head, the waters I would float in, streets I would roam, and people I would encounter. Whenever I came across the blog of a young traveler I couldn't help but feel inadequate and incomplete... like the stranger behind the words was steeling my fate... my dreams. I pondered the possibility of being the author of my own adventures... having young people read my blog and feel inspired to explore the world. However, while my heart was overseas, my mind was constantly inhibiting by euphoric desires with reality. You have to put your brain to good use and settle down in the real world. But the more I contemplated the more I realized that the fantasy land that most Americans live in is a complete rejection of the real world.

In the real world, people wonder not what but how they will eat for their next meal. In the real world it is necessary to lie about the price of my $56,000 a year education because such money is simply unheard of. In the real world, a plane ride is a luxury most will never experience while public buses find themselves overpacked with newborns, elders, and workers who travel hours every morning in order to make a living. While I understand that I have reflected upon this before, my appreciation for the advantages and luxuries that my life has provided continues to grow every day. In my high school graduation speech I quoted Randy Pausch who said, "It's not about the cards you're dealt just how you play the game". While this quote certainly applies to the upper class, white population that is Locust Valley, New York, quoting such an idealistic perspective on life would simply be ludicrous in most parts of the world... it would even be an insult. Unfortunately, for most human beings, the cards will never change regardless of their fight. Real life is an understanding that the brilliant boy, Erick (below), in my Pre-K class will probably work a minimum wage job because although he has the intelligence he doesn't hold the appropriate cultural or social capital to be a CEO or lawyer. His country doesn't hold the sufficient funds to distribute enough grants or scholarships and he will most likely fall victim to the vicious cycle that continues to stratify society.

Perhaps one of the most difficult challenges I have encountered while traveling around South America has been my failed attempts at solidarity with the natives. While I attempt to connect on a more personal and spiritual level with others, I realize we come from two completely different worlds. And, while we take the same public transportation, the woman next to me is headed home after a challenging week selling potatoes on the street... as for me, I am headed to Bolivia to relax on a beautiful island before returning to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. But anyone who thinks this social segregation will become more just is simply naive. Life is a survival of the fittest and the most I can do knowing that I started this monopoly game with an unfair capital advantage is simply appreciate human struggle and the education, love, and opportunity in my life.