Today I want to talk about a book I’m in the process of reading for the 2nd time (that is I started it before and never finished so I plan on finishing it this time). It’s called Three Cups of Tea. “One man’s mission to promote peace… One school at a time.” That is the quote on the cover of the book. Once again as I make my way through the pages of this simply awe inspiring book I am honestly shocked at how little I know about the rest of the outside world, and of the little I do know, how much of that I just didn’t fully comprehend. Not that I can honestly comprehend it all now because I haven’t experienced this but it’s definitely a book that makes me want to run out an save the world, you know?
Any way, the point I’m trying to make is this book is about Greg Mortenson and his journey to provide education in Pakistan and Afghanistan. As I made my way through the first few chapters I was genuinely amazed at how many things I truly take for granted here. But the main one I’m going to focus on right now (as considering what this book is about after all) is school.
I generally enjoy school for the most part but sometimes its like torture. The whole getting up early and being told to do seemingly stupid pointless things such as write research papers on old books few people have ever heard of or learning how to use a unit circle in pre-cal( I mean come on do I need to know how to use a unit circle to do grocery shopping? I think not). But for everything at school that I find pointless there are many others that I know I should take advantage of. One of these things I realize now is my many amazing teachers (and even those not so amazing teachers that I come across on occasion).
“Mortenson was appalled to see 82 children, 78 boys and 4 girls who had the pluck to join then, knelling on the frosty ground, in the open. Haji Ali, avoiding Mortenson’s eyes, said the village had no school, and the Pakistani government didn’t provide a teacher. A teacher cost the equivalent of $1 a day, he explained, which was more then the village could afford. So they shared a teacher with a neighboring village, and he taught in Korphe 3 days a week. The rest of the time the children were left alone to do their studies.” – Three Cups of Tea
Can you imagine that? First off having to sit outside in the cold to have class. We complain if our rooms are too hot or cold. Second, not having a teacher. Maybe there are a few very mature responsible kids who could do this but remember when you we in like 3rd grade? Can you imagine a bunch of 8 and 9 year old little kids sitting a studying quietly by themselves? No of course not because here in America we are spoiled and not capable of this.
I just think that it is important for us to realize all of the things that we are taking advantage of here in our country. Education is extremly important, without it we really have no future.