The Difference Between Rich And Poor

Posted by admin on March 11, 2010

Take a second to consider where the world was 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 to pay. Maybe you’d like to get eye operations, but the Lasik eye surgery cost could be too expensive for you to afford. Perhaps you could get Lasik insurance? Will this be enough for the Lasik cost? It may be, but there are still plenty of people around the world who are unable to pay for even the things we consider to be basic essentials, such as running 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 think. Life is reasonably developed, people are mostly happy, but technology and education is a fair way behind how we think of it. Many people do not have running water in their homes, and electricity lately has been off for a whole season, as hydropower plants are still failing. To live in this country for a short amount 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 western countries, people are willing 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 live in is in the area of health. These countries do not have the same amount of access that we do to the medicines and tools that are needed in order to treat serious diseases.

Another reason that they have more health problems is due to low levels of decent education. Families in poor communities, not just in the developing world but poor communities of the advanced civilization, cannot afford to pay for teachers who will provide education that is of a decent standard. As a result, children do not learn enough to allow themselves to get anything close to a life as a doctor or nurse, and when these badly educated students become teachers, the cycle continues.

One of the methods in which we can help this situation is by volunteering to teach in 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 hugely 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 commonly seen on TV screens in the west. It’s worth considering taking the time to give your advantages back.

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