In New Zealand we are so isolated compared to the rest of the world, and to be fair many of us don't know how lucky we are with what we have - if you have clean tap water, I was once told, you're doing ok.
Therefore for a lot of us our inspiration in coming to India was to get a greater sense of empathy and awareness of (sadly) how a lot of the world lives. This idea of empathy and awareness has been brought up many times in group discussions when we have been asked how India has changed us- "I think I will have a greater sense of awareness for how the other half lives now", many have said. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't used the same phrase.
However, yesterday I spent time considering whether this sense of awareness actually has any tangible impact on our lives. It hasn't inspired me to be like some of the Future Hope teachers and give up years of their lifetime to help those in great need, for example.
To be honest, I don't think we will notice the effects this awareness has given us for many years, until we're able to look back on how our life panned out. Then we will hopefully realise a level of subconscious empathy has undoubtedly been embedded in all of us.
So, it won't be until our lives have developed in some way that we will see how this experience has impacted on our future decisions, and that is what is so scary and hugely exciting at the same time.
Reuben
Therefore for a lot of us our inspiration in coming to India was to get a greater sense of empathy and awareness of (sadly) how a lot of the world lives. This idea of empathy and awareness has been brought up many times in group discussions when we have been asked how India has changed us- "I think I will have a greater sense of awareness for how the other half lives now", many have said. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't used the same phrase.
However, yesterday I spent time considering whether this sense of awareness actually has any tangible impact on our lives. It hasn't inspired me to be like some of the Future Hope teachers and give up years of their lifetime to help those in great need, for example.
To be honest, I don't think we will notice the effects this awareness has given us for many years, until we're able to look back on how our life panned out. Then we will hopefully realise a level of subconscious empathy has undoubtedly been embedded in all of us.
So, it won't be until our lives have developed in some way that we will see how this experience has impacted on our future decisions, and that is what is so scary and hugely exciting at the same time.
Reuben
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