THE GOOD
We're docked in Manta, Ecuador. The first port area that we'd visited that "felt" safe. I'm wandering the streets, trying to get an understanding and develop a familiarity with the neighborhood. In my travels, I come across a martial arts facility, and on the side, the Brazilian flag. I think to myself, they do capoeira there.
Side Note: I've never been and I only know 2 people from the country, but I kind of love Brazil and I REALLY love capoeira. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art. Watch and Learn!
On our way back to the ship, we run into a group of students who just came from the beach. One of the students is describing capoeira to another student. I eavesdrop shamelessly. Come to find out, they met a guy on the beach that invited them to attend a capoeira class that evening at six o'clock!
Although the guy was expecting a group of young American women, he got a pushing 30 man ridiculously eager to play capoeira. I spent an hour training with and interacting with these Ecuadorians. I couldn't speak the language, but I didn't need to. Movement needs no translation. It was really powerful for me to have my first connection come through martial arts. Definitely a highlight of my trip.
THE BAD
We're in Peru. We had a taxi driver from Callao (the port town) who agreed to take us anywhere we wanted to go in Peru. He takes us to the Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas, where we see the House of Pizarro, the Catacombs, an amazing Library, and tried the incredible Inca Kola! He then picked us up to take us to Miraflores; a part of Peru that felt much more like the U.S. Finally, our driver takes us to the ship. You're probably thinking, "What's so bad about that? Sounds like a great adventure!" and you'd be correct. But after he dropped us off at the ship, my colleague, Marvin, was telling me some of the things they were talking about during the trip. Our driver, happened to be sociology professor at the local university.
Gasp
Now I didn't treat my driver any special way; to be honest I couldn't speak to him. The bad part for me was how surprised I was that he was a professor. There are worse things I could have done, I get that, but it's one thing to write another's story, it's a whole different thing to have accepted it so fully that any other information surprises you. I know better.
THE UGLY
We are travelling in our final port, the wonderful Belize City. I have no plans for the day, so I do some exploring with some students on the voyage. As we're randomly walking down streets, we approach a block with a line of homeless men sitting on the curb. Most of the men stare listlessly into the street holding out their hands, hoping for something, except for one. This man spots me and immediately stands. As I walk past him, he walks beside me, asking me for help. I tell him no and continue to walk. He walks beside me for a while before he returns to his spot on the curb. After we finish our travels, we head back to the ship and retrace our footsteps. Deja vu. The same man sees me, stands and walks beside me, again asking me for help. Again, I tell him no.
Later that day, as I'm on the ship, he pops into my mind. It's like he was walking beside me again. All I felt was shame. Not shame that I didn't give him money, but that I didn't even ask if I could give him something else; food, water, anything. Instead, I shooed him away and lost my opportunity to do what I should have done as one who has been blessed with more. As I thought on it, it was as if God gave me a second chance to be a good person and I told the Big Guy, "Nah, not today. I need this money for souvenirs." Fail.
Reminds me of a few of verses from the Good Book:
"If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered." Proverbs 21:13
"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Proverbs 28:27
"...I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'" -Matthew 25:41-45
So, all in all, travelling was a great experience. I journeyed with great people, it was awesome to see how other cultures live and it was an amazing opportunity to learn about myself. It is through our interactions with other people that we get the to see ourselves clearly. I've seen things I like and things that must change, so I call it a successful journey. So, to end with a quote, as I like to do:
"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." - Henry Miller
Bon Voyage!
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