three cups of tea.
" As the U.S. confronts Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, Greg Mortenson, 45, is quietly waging his own campaign against Islamice fundamentalists, who often recruit members through religious schools called madrassas. Mortenson's approach hinges on a simpe idea: that by building secular schools and helping to promote education - particularly for girls - in the world's most volatile war zone, support for the Taliban and other extremist sects eventually will dry up". - Kevin Fedarko, Parade cover story, April 6 2003.
After convocation on Wednesday, I was just hanging out in Peterborough visiting some friends, but when I had some time between meeting up with people I went and picked up a book, Three Cups of Tea. The book follows the life of Greg Mortenson, a mountain climber who after getting lost on a mountain called K2 ventured into this tiny village in Pakistan. The community treated him wonderfully and he promised to build the village a school, after he saw children writing in the sand with sticks in order to complete lessons while the community's teacher was off serving another community. After years of personal and financial struggle, living out of his car to save money for his next trip to Pakistan, Mortenson completed one school. To date, he has completed more than fifty schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as mountain climbing schools, women's centres and medical schools.
I cried several times, my jaw dropped at some of the life experiences of the villagers and Mortenson... plus I asked my parents if I could move to Pakistan or Afghanistan (seriously, if it hadn't been for the stories about Mortenson getting kidnapped and almost killed a couple times combined with me being a woman...i'd really go). As a future teacher, it was so inspiring to hear stories of young people so passionate about learning. we take education for granted here so often.
During my convocation on Wednesday, the President of the university turned and looked out on the graduating class and mentioned that only one percent of the world's population has graduated from university. ONE PERCENT. So...in celebrating my graduation.. I think what hit me harder than the fact that I did it, that I graduated with an average I was proud of,...was the fact that I had the opportunity to attend university for even one year, let alone the total of five years that it will take me to finish my two degrees.
Mortenson's story made me examine my life, the way I deal with problems, and the way I think about my future and my career in a completely different way. It's been a long time since a book has truly broken my heart, and simultaneously inspired me to have so much hope in the future.
"There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don't you?" - Rumi
"Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan) we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die." - Haji Ali, chief of a small village in Pakistan
"Let sorrowful longing dwell in your heart. Never give up, never lose hope. Allah says 'The broken ones are my beloved'. Crush your heart. Be broken". - Shaikh Abu Saeed Abil Kheir
"Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything". - Mother Teresa
After convocation on Wednesday, I was just hanging out in Peterborough visiting some friends, but when I had some time between meeting up with people I went and picked up a book, Three Cups of Tea. The book follows the life of Greg Mortenson, a mountain climber who after getting lost on a mountain called K2 ventured into this tiny village in Pakistan. The community treated him wonderfully and he promised to build the village a school, after he saw children writing in the sand with sticks in order to complete lessons while the community's teacher was off serving another community. After years of personal and financial struggle, living out of his car to save money for his next trip to Pakistan, Mortenson completed one school. To date, he has completed more than fifty schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as mountain climbing schools, women's centres and medical schools.
I cried several times, my jaw dropped at some of the life experiences of the villagers and Mortenson... plus I asked my parents if I could move to Pakistan or Afghanistan (seriously, if it hadn't been for the stories about Mortenson getting kidnapped and almost killed a couple times combined with me being a woman...i'd really go). As a future teacher, it was so inspiring to hear stories of young people so passionate about learning. we take education for granted here so often.
During my convocation on Wednesday, the President of the university turned and looked out on the graduating class and mentioned that only one percent of the world's population has graduated from university. ONE PERCENT. So...in celebrating my graduation.. I think what hit me harder than the fact that I did it, that I graduated with an average I was proud of,...was the fact that I had the opportunity to attend university for even one year, let alone the total of five years that it will take me to finish my two degrees.
Mortenson's story made me examine my life, the way I deal with problems, and the way I think about my future and my career in a completely different way. It's been a long time since a book has truly broken my heart, and simultaneously inspired me to have so much hope in the future.
"There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled. You feel it, don't you?" - Rumi
"Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan) we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die." - Haji Ali, chief of a small village in Pakistan
"Let sorrowful longing dwell in your heart. Never give up, never lose hope. Allah says 'The broken ones are my beloved'. Crush your heart. Be broken". - Shaikh Abu Saeed Abil Kheir
"Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything". - Mother Teresa