Thinking about inequality

This weeks subject in university was inequality. We had to think, write and talk about inequality. It's one of those subjects you never stop talking about, and you never stop fully thinking about. It made me think of my travels and volunteerwork in Central America. How have I effected the inequality in the countries I visisted? Have I improved it? I believe I made a bit of a better world by going there.

I ate, slept, worked, traveled, swam, walked, bought, saw and experienced Central America. I went there with a full purse, and left with nothing in my pocekts, but, my mind is now filled with the amazing time I had there. I ate at the local food stands, chat with the cooks and waiters, and with those few extra quetzales they could feed one more hungry child that night. I slept at host families, and gave 'my mom' baby clothes for her unborn baby son. I worked at a soup kitchen, and taught the kids some English. Just so that maybe, later on, they can find a better job. I traveled with chicken buses, boats, taxi's, long distance buses and tuc tuc's. Every time I arrived at a new destination it was unknown and exiting, and the cabbie had some more pesos to spend on his wife and kids. I swam, snorkeled and dived even, in the Pacific Ocean and in the Carribbean. My dive lessons were simply amazing, and I cannot describe the underwater life in words. I walked, and talked to locals, shared experiences, bought a shitload of souvenirs to bring back home. But most of all, I saw and experienced. My purse spent on everything might be empty now, but I am a much richer person myself. Afterwards I brought my story back home, and shared it with my family and friends. 

I hope that I contributed to lessen inequality a little bit. And maybe I inspired other people to do the same, and together, as the Western tourists we are, we give part of our wealth to decrease inequality in countries that are not in the same situation as us.

And then, maybe in 20 years time, we can look back and say: 'See, I visited that country, I helped them, and I am proud of them to have come this far'.

~Iris