Growing up in Midwest America, there is not much to look at. The trees, fields of grass, rolling hills, and small towns offer a dull environment for a teenager. There are hardly any monuments, sculptures, or architectural feats to gaze at in admiration. Ultimately, the Midwest appears very mundane. This monotonous landscape seems to push the idea of a typical lifestyle of conformity; one that customarily consists of attending school, finding a career, and settling down with a family. To fully procure an awareness and acceptance of different lifestyles, one must travel. Whether from town to town or on the other side of the planet, traveling allows a person to see the different cultures, beliefs, and beauties that make up our world; I believe in traveling. …show more content…
In my younger years, I have had the privilege of traveling all over Central America and the Caribbean.
I gained exposure to an exotic new world that I did not know much about. With my own eyes, I had the opportunity to observe the lifestyles of the people. Besides the tropical beaches and colorful tourist spots, I noticed the residential areas where the local people lived. In most of these areas, poverty has shrouded the people and they currently live in poor conditions. Because of this, I came to two realizations. First, I understand how fortunate I am to have a life where I do not have to worry about food or having a place to sleep for the night. These early traveling experiences granted me insight into the poverty of other countries, and caused me to be aware of all of the privileges I have and to not take advantage of my life. Secondly, these trips sparked my curiosities of other
countries. I did not gain a rich exposure to traveling until I traveled to France and Spain this summer. For twelve days, I toured Paris, Southern France, Barcelona, and Madrid. This trip has left a substantial impact on me. After looking at ancient structures, beautiful monuments, and incredible landscapes, I feel as though I am an improved person. I now have a grasp on how vast this world is. I no longer solely think about my town or my country; I think about the world and all its populations as a whole. Also, I have a better understanding and acceptance towards other cultures. When traveling, I noticed the behaviors, customs, and lifestyles of the people who lived there. While their ways of living are vastly different from our ways of living in America, I appreciate and respect their culture. Instead of viewing differences as weird or strange, I accept the differences and consider them as part of the people’s way of life. With traveling, one secures knowledge about the cultures of our planet. Seeing diverse parts of the world enables a person to develop an enlightened mind about the distinct lifestyles that make up the numerous people of the world. I consider that an understanding of one’s culture can lead to an understanding of one’s motivations and values. If this concept was applied today, I also believe that there would be friendlier relationships amongst countries, due to a mutual understanding of each culture. I believe that traveling completes a person’s understanding of the world we live in.
A couple of my teammates accompanied me and we drove to Lyari. We had to park our car outside as the roads in the city were too small for a car. As we entered the city we noticed that people lived in small homes. Homes with thatched roofs and walls made of manure and sticks. Generally, majority of the town was uneducated, without proper shelter, no electricity, no vehicles and no access to clean water. It was so moving to see how these people had so little in material things and yet they seemed to be at so much peace with their life burdens. There were young children everywhere either completely naked or just in their underwear but what stood out the most were the smiles on their faces while playing in the same dirty water used for washing clothes and showering themselves. They were completely incognizant to what was going on around them. Such an environment made us realize that all we care about in life is having fun, while those in other countries are just trying to stay alive. Me and my friends gave the little children some money and gave our jackets and shoes to those children. The young poor children considered our donation as a great act of kindness and would never forget this day. We never realize how simple things to us could mean the world to other children less fortunate. Poverty to us is when our parents are not able to buy us the latest shoes and clothes in
Could you imagine traveling the United States in just your specially made camper and the only company you have is your pet? John Steinbeck, the author of "Travels with Charley" wrote about his 1960's road trip about visiting multiple states. "What are Americans like today?"; that was the question that started his journey. His travels began in Long Island, New York, then he followed the outer border of the United States; from Maine to the Northwest. After he traveled to the Pacific Northwest, he went to Salinas Valley in California then across Texas, and through the Deep South. Finally after that 10,000 mile journey, he made is back safe and sound to New York.This rough and long trip included: meeting new people, exploring, and visiting different states.
Small towns, quaint and charming, ideally picturesque for a small family to grow up in with a white picket fence paired up with the mother, father and the 2.5 children. What happens when that serene local town, exuberantly bustling with business, progressively loses the aspects that kept it alive? The youth, boisterous and effervescent, grew up surrounded by the local businesses, schools and practices, but as the years wear on, living in that small town years down the road slowly grew to be less appealing. In The Heartland and the Rural Youth Exodus by Patrick J. Carr and Maria Kefalas equally argue that “small towns play an unwitting part in their own decline (Carr and Kefalas 33) when they forget to remember the “untapped resource of the
Poor People struggles to confront poverty in all its hopelessness and brutality, its pride and abject fear, its fierce misery and quiet resignation, allowing the poor to explain the causes and consequences of their impoverishment in their own cultural, social, and religious terms. With intense compassion and a scrupulously unpatronizing eye, Vollmann invites his readers to recognize in our fellow human beings their full dignity, fallibility, pride, and pain, and the power of their hard-fought resilience.William T. Vollmann goes to different parts around the world to interview different people and to ask about poverty. With the help of interpreters he holds the interview with randomly selected individuals.
Wills, Chuck, Destination America: The People and Cultures That Created a Nation. New York: DK Publishing, 2005. Print.
As a child growing up in a rural county, I didn’t have soccer practice or dance recitals; no play dates or playgrounds. I had trees to climb, woods to explore, bikes to ride and adventures to be had. I had bare feet in the grass, wincing on the gravel driveway, rocks digging into my soles. I had walnuts to crush, plums to eat, flowers to pick, bugs to catch. I had my little brothers to bug me, my mom to take care of me, my dad to laugh with me and my grandparents to hold me. I had books to read, worlds of words to get lost in. I had Saturday morning cartoons, Sunday morning church, and fireflies to catch every night.
Reading critique: “Next Stop, Squalor” “Next Stop, Squalor” is an article in which the author wrote for the concept of poverty tourism. The “poorism” or the poverty tourism is a type of tourism that allow many tourists to view how the poorest place and life on the world is. In this article, the author shows what “poorism” which is based on his own experience, at one of the tour that he did in Dharavi slum in Mumbai, India. Also, he mentions that Mumbai is described as one of the biggest slum in Asia. It stays in two rail lines in the northern part of this city.
In the United States, recent political discussions focus on political behaviors related to the job loss and the white working-class. Absent from this discussion is the economic hardships and status of another working-class population—farmers. Gest (2016) claims the working-class has become marginal in the American economy and politics, yet, farmers too are increasingly marginal, and these feelings of marginalization influence political behaviors; (Besser, 2009; Bosso, 2017; 1978; Green, 1985; Harris & Gilbert, 1982; Kaufman, 2016; Longworth, 2008). Additionally, the contentiousness of the 2014 Farm Bill and President Trump’s trade policies demonstrate a growing political divestment in national government for the economic welfare of the American
Imagine having to choose to reside in one place for the rest of your life. Which would you opt for? Some people would argue that the hyperactive lifestyle that a big city has to offer has more benefits than living in the country. However, others would contend that the calm and peaceful environment of the countryside is much more rewarding. Several people move from the city to a farm to get away from the hustle and bustle. Likewise, some farmers have traded in their tractors and animals to live a fast paced city life. Of course, not all large cities are the same nor are all of the places in the country identical. Realizing this, ten years ago, I decided to hang up the city life in Indiana to pursue a more laid back approach to life in rural Tennessee. Certainly, city life and life in the country have their benefits, but they also have distinguishable differences.
I’ve grown up in a country where ignoring the levels of poverty and the lack of justice is somehow impossible. Today poverty is one of the most complex issues the world is facing. I’ve been witness to hundreds of people that have been trying to improve the situations in Colombia. Most of those people are worldwide known and are international leaders, such as Shakira, Falcao, Alvaro Uribe. I’ve collaborated with the community who has a lack of resources in some occasions. Every year my family will donate clothes and some money to a foundation that will help people with needs. I helped with the cleaning of an old house that the school is planning on turning into a school for people with little resources in the region. Also last year I had the opportunity to go to a poor region outside of Antioquia. We were a group of girls lead by some nuns, and the purpose was to gather people from all town to spend the afternoons with us. We realized activities for people of all ages, it was an stupendous experience. I wish I could give more to the world and especially to the countries that are really being affected by poverty issues. Being able to share time and experiences with people from different social classes can really open your mind. I have no doubt about my country’s cultural wealth and the impro...
... conditions and it is a severe societal phenomenon that challenges a significant fraction of the world population. A few of the well known facts are that poverty has several causes and faces and that it often increases with the increase in population. However it is not known what can be done to lessen the poverty levels through tourism and which character traits are particular for males and females leading in high poverty levels (Peilin, 2012). Sociological inquiry attempts to address the fundamental elements, issues, processes and meanings assigned to social realities and occurrences. The sociological research helps in describing poverty as a social phenomenon and creates a deeper and richer understanding on poverty as a social reality (Peilin, 2012). The main implication of the sociological inquiry is that it provides a central organizing model for the discipline.
People all over the world suffer from being in poverty. Young and old alike, they are always haunted by torturous questions such as, “When am I going to eat next?” and “How am I going to make it through today?” However, poverty is more than being poor; it’s an understanding that even though one might not acquire a lot, he has what he has, and he must learn to be content with that. Even though poverty is seen as a negative thing, there are a few positive aspects about it that are hidden away in the people who experience it. The only way to see it is to go and look for it. Poverty has a secret power that shows people how to live life to the fullest, and to thrive in the moment with all they have, while at the same time, teaches them how to be
In conclusion, sometimes actions take place that changes a person’s outlook on life and as you can see poverty is one that can have a huge effect on not only one person, but also the people around him/ her.
The world is a magnificent place that’s full of life and new places. Places that are waiting to be walked upon and viewed by the eye’s of travelers. To make new memories and go places that is beyond the walls of reality and new pathways of life. To truly experience the wonders that the world has to offer can be expressed by the life of one single person, setting off into the world to gain a higher purpose about the world. Traveling individually enables people to broaden their minds and accumulate new ideas and new experiences both nationally and internationally. By setting off into the world a person has the ability to learn so many new things, but also find so much about themselves while in the process of traveling.
The world is full of wonders and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, that we take advantage of. Traveling is the ultimate education and it never fails as a teacher. It teaches you things no class can about the world and yourself. Seeing a historical spot and being in the environment it is in teaches you what no text book can. Most people hear about what is happening in the world through the bias not understanding media. However, if you are a traveler the real world influences you in a way the media will never be able to. We understand how the world works with its many cultures and lifestyles. Being a part of and experiencing different cultures broadens your views of the world and changing’s what you think of the world. Having expanded knowledge and understanding about culture is not the only thing travelers have. Finding your true self and learning about who you are is the best thing about being a traveler. There is no better way to find yourself because when you travel you open yourself up to millions of opportunities. Without travel you may be completely unaware of your true persona. Your limits are tested and you are completely out of your comfort zone when traveling. Getting out of the comfort zone helps you grow as a person and see your potential. I have experienced many different cultures that have personally changed myself and my outlook of the world. Traveling has given me the greatest education I know more about the world, cultures, and myself. Being a traveler is a huge blessing in my life I am so glad I am able to travel and see the world. Nothing can take away the memories that traveling and being a traveler has brought me. Get out there and see this beautiful world for yourself and become a traveler, you will not regret