Take a second to consider where technology was at ten years ago. Now think back to fifty years ago, then a hundred. Since the industrial revolution, the way technology has moved has been staggering. But the only ones who will be able to take advantage of all of its benefits will be those who can afford it. Maybe you’d like to get eye operations, but the Lasik eye surgery cost could be more than you could afford. Perhaps you could get Lasik insurance? Will this cover the Lasik cost? It might, but there are still plenty of people around the world who are unable to afford even the things we consider to be basic essentials, such as drinkable water and constant electricity. By looking at the conditions in which these people live, we can learn to not take our way of life for granted.
In Ethiopia, the situation is not as bad as you might believe. Life is reasonably developed, people are for the most part happy, but technology and learning is a fair way behind how we think of it. Many individuals do not have running water in their houses, and electricity lately has been off for a whole season, as hydropower plants are still failing. To live in this area for a short period of time can permanently alter your way of looking at the world.
Those who live in third world countries may be poor, but there are a couple of advantages to living this kind of life. One is that, since technology hasn’t reached the level it is in developed countries, people are able to spend more time with their family and not so much time on the net or watching TV.
Of course, the largest difference between third world countries and those that we exist in is in the area of health. These places do not have the same level of access that we do to the medicines and tools that are required in order to treat serious diseases.
Another reason that they have more health issues is due to low levels of decent education. Families in poor communities, not just in the third world but poor communities of the west, cannot afford to pay for teachers who will provide education that is of a good standard. As a result, students do not learn enough to be able to get anything close to experience as a doctor or nurse, and when these poorly educated students become teachers, the cycle continues.
One of the methods in which we can help this situation is by volunteering to help a third world country. There are many schools around the world that invite people to arrive and teach for a short period of time, perhaps a few months, and gain experience in a new place. This greatly benefits the lives of the children, and can have a significant effect on the traveler in learning about new parts of the world that aren’t often seen on TV screens in the west. It’s worth considering taking the time to give something back.
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