By Haya Ibrahim Al Thurari (8-J)
Travel has taught me to be open to breaking the norm, to be open to doing things differently from the way other people do them. You don’t have to go where everyone else is going, which is why, last year I decided to go to Haiti.
My visit to Haiti was life changing. There, I saw proof that it is, in fact, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. What I saw there was inexplicably painful to watch - young kids tiredly sitting around, with nothing but bones; eyes huge and full of pain and hunger; staring back at me, hoping I could provide them with anything to quench their thirst. It was strange for me to see that. Usually, back home, children would be full of life; spending their days running around and playing games but in Haiti, children looked like they had their energy stripped away from them, along with their happiness.
I felt sorry for them I gave 3 kids my packed lunch and their mum a bottle of water I had brought along with me.
Their homes were small little huts made of sticks that could barely sustain themselves in a rainstorm. This trip made me realize I take too many privileges in life for granted. Now, I make sure I finish my plate of food, knowing that there are thousands of families that would dream to eat the same as I do.
The trip was very informing and opened my eyes to the issues in this world that society chooses to ignore.
Source Link: December Newsletter (2018-2019)