Haiti On My Mind

Haiti is on my mind tonight and has been a lot lately. Between releasing the Haley and Cam "Special Report" short story, which is loosely based on my experiences in Haiti, and this news story about busting child traffickers in Haiti and the Mardy family, many of my old memories of Haiti have surfaced. (Not to mention, a lot of conversations with my parents about the shots they need to get to serve their mission in Samoa, which are the same shots I had to get to go to Haiti and Cambodia.)

The news story today really struck a sad chord with me. I have met the Mardy family. I have heard Guesno Mardy speak first-hand about how his son was kidnapped out of the church building, and who he (correctly) suspected did it and why. I have been to one of his orphanages in Port-au-Prince, and helped work on a new, under construction, orphanage outside of town. (The picture above is of the orphanage. The picture below is of me making concrete to build an outside kitchen the orphanage could use until the inside one was functional.)

All of these memories are still emotional and tough to process. The things we saw and did were so far outside the realm of expected and normal that I know I'll never experience it all again. And with the exception of the friends I served with, there is no one who can relate to what we did there. (Unless another civilian knows what it feels like to disembark a plane in the dark and be told that there may or may not be snipers dialed in on you, even though you are only there to bring medical aid.)

I truly wish and pray that I could work in the field of anti-trafficking. My time as a volunteer in Haiti and Cambodia opened my eyes to a world I never could have imagined. I truly believe if people want to "strengthen the family" and "protect" the family, fighting trafficking and helping those the most at-risk for trafficking, is the best way to do that. I wish more people would investigate and educate themselves about where, why, and how often trafficking happens. You might be surprised to learn how close to home it happens. You don't have to be like me and fly off to developing countries to fight trafficking. You can fight it in your own neighborhoods. Because I can guarantee it happens in your town, regardless of how big or small it is.

I miss being of service to the world in such a measurable way. I often wonder if I am just a huge waste of space (single, unemployed, etc). I know I made the right choices when I chose not to serve in the Peace Corps, and I indefinitely postponed moving to China. But my desire to serve in those types of capacities has not lessened.

Now, to just figure out how to be of service again.

Catching Dreams

For as long as I can remember, my biggest dream in life has been to "have" my own orphanage. I've wanted to work in an orphanage, or work with orphanages, ever since I was a child. I've always had a small plan in the back of my head that at a vaguely defined point in the future I would move to another country, and start my own orphanage.

Over time I've come to realize it takes a lot more than that dream to do these things. My entire (doomed) foray into the Peace Corps was about me wanting to go to a country where I'd get to work with orphanages. (And then they screwed that one up on me big time. But whatever.) I worked with orphans in Haiti in 2010. I visited an orphanage in Romania in 2001. I spent a month working at an orphanage/shelter in Cambodia in 2011.

(And I've memorized every line in the movie, "Annie."  - The good version with Carol Burnett. The rest are all frauds.)
But my professional career has never lent itself well to following this dream. The harder I tried to get into a field or industry that would allow me to work with underprivileged children overseas, the further I seemed to get from that field. Last year I even took a class in non-profit marketing so I could hopefully get a job in non-profit work. Instead I landed in a job writing about the stock market. This is what I mean about the farthest opposite ends of industry!
But my situation and fate have changed again.
And this time things are coming together nicely to allow me to follow my dreams and passions and move abroad. This won't be just some simple short-term volunteer gig. Things are coming together beautifully to allow me to take a job in a country with a lot orphanages.
In the past few days and weeks relationships have dissolved and opportunities have arisen, that make me feel liberated.
It's funny how I feel like I have to explain my decision to others. I'm not doing it to justify my choices. This is who I am and what I have always wanted to do. My daydreams never looked like a husband and 3 kids in the suburbs. My daydreams always included orphanages, foster kids, and traveling the world with my laptop. I've never been a 9-5 worker, living in a condo, commuting to the city type. My heart wants to be in a developing country, where I can't drink water from the faucet, and I can barely speak the language. It's just who I am. I want to be serving others, not living for a paycheck.
But first I have to survive the next several months. I expect it will all fly by fast while I plan the singles conference, and make these plans to move abroad.
Bring it on, World! Let's do it!

You can help end child and sex trafficking in Cambodia today!

I took this picture in the actual neighborhood where RiverKids families live. Can you imagine walking through this filthy water to go to your home every day? Or if your children lived in the shacks above that filthy water? These pictures weren't taken on some extraordinarily bad day. These were just every day scenes I passed.  

 

It was heartbreaking to see how these kind, loving, innocent people lived. It wasn't their fault that they were born into a life of poverty with little hope of escaping. But I knew that the work I did in Cambodia would help several children escape poverty, and the horrible repercussions of child and sex trafficking, by giving them clean food and an education. 

 

The wonderful organization I volunteered with, RiverKids, is making a REAL difference in Cambodia. They save children from a life of forced prostitution (sex trafficking) every day with the amazing programs they offer. 

 

And today that wonderful organization, RIVERKIDS,  receives matching donations from Global Giving. Your donation, no matter how large or small, will be matched up to 50% by Global Giving, and the entire donation (nothing lost to administrative or overhead fees in the process)- ALL 100% of it, goes directly to RiverKids!

 

Click here to donate: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/feed-our-children-give-them-wings-to-fly/

 

You will probably spend more than $10 on lunch today. Consider saving money on lunch and donating the difference to RiverKids!! As unemployed and underemployed as I am I still manage to make a donation each year because I know just how much good comes from just my $10!

 

The mothers wash the food, clothes, and even the children in this filthy water. There is no running water in the homes. "Toilets" are just a hole in the floor that they squat over- the refuse dropping right down into the same water they walk through, and clean with.

 

Your tax-deductible donation goes 100% to RiverKids, and provides meals, education, and shelter for victims of human trafficking. I've been there and have seen the good RiverKids does first-hand, and can promise you that a donation as small as just $10 (OR MORE!) will give those families clean rice, and a chance at an education.

 

This little boy walked past my house every day. I saved my empty water bottles to give to him. He earns money for his family by collecting trash (recyclables) off the street. He is exactly the kind of child who benefits from RiverKids programs. With your donation, RiverKids would be able to provide his family with the income he will lose when he is enrolled in school (about $21 a month- he is lucky to earn even $2 a day). He will be provided a school uniform, meals at school, and an education. Not to mention, he will be at far lesser risk of contracting a disease like Hepatitis, or getting kidnapped, or injured.
A $21 dollar donation from you could really change his life!

Click here to donate: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/feed-our-children-give-them-wings-to-fly/

After a street child or "river kid" collects the trash off the streets, he or she will bring it here to get weighed. They are paid by the pound- usually just pennies. This weigh station is located right in the middle of the slum shack neighborhood the families live in. Can you imagine if this was just a few steps away from your door?

Some of the women enrolled in a RiverKids program that teaches them useful skills like sewing that they can use to start their own businesses, or get a job in a factory. Without these skills these women have no choice but to turn to a life of prostitution. Many, if not all, of these women were forced into prostitution already (this is the definition of sex trafficking).

 

Click here to donate: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/feed-our-children-give-them-wings-to-fly/

You can read more about RiverKids and what I learned and saw in Cambodia here- (articles written by me)
Fighting Trafficking in Cambodia Part 1
Ending Sex Trafficking in Cambodia Part 2

And my blog posts during my time in Cambodia.

Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children

While looking for something to watch in my Netflix queue last night I discovered a documentary I don't remember adding. "Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children." 
I wish I could make every American watch this film. I wish I could make every child who doesn't want to go to school watch this film. I wish I could make every person in an American prison watch this film. You don't know how good you have it until you have seen the deplorable, depressing conditions of the poorest people of Cambodia.

I spent a month volunteering in Cambodia with an NGO in Phnom Penh. It was not the NGO featured in this film. However, every word or scene in this documentary was exactly how I remember the country. (I was there in September 2011, the film was made in 2008.) The children picking through garbage, the way the poor are treated, the abuse the lower class continues on itself, the lack of help from the government, etc.
This film brought me to tears more than once as it reminded me of the children and families I met and worked with.
Cambodia is a beautiful country, in spite of its poverty and dark side. I hope to return to help them recover from their dark years and pull ahead into the more vibrant society it deserves to be.
I highly recommend this film. It's less than 1.5 hours long. It is heavy on subtitles so I would not show it to children under ten. But it is very well done and interesting. (And narrated by Megan Follows of Anne of Green Gables fame.)

This film is accurate and true. It did not exclude other images or scenes to skew the story or emotions. Every single child they interview and show could have been one of the children I worked with. I recognized the streets, the scenes, the garbage dump, and many of the buildings. If anything, I think they showed one child in too positive a light. (The girl who lived with her grandmother at the temple. That is incredibly uncommon and such an anomaly for monks to allow the woman and the children there, that I don't think they should have been included.)
Go watch it! And watch it with your families. You'll be better for it and respect and better recognize the blessings in your life!





Hey You! Check out my new novels, "You Heard It Here First" and the sequel "This Just In!"

Photoshop lies. Guidebooks lie.

I was looking at pictures of Cambodia on Pinterest today, and found myself a bit confused. One scene seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. I had to do a little bit of research to figure out what the picture was of before I recognized it.
Let it be known, this is a post about how guide books and Photoshop lie.
What I found on Pinterest (and Flickr)-

Looks pretty and inviting, no? (Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixfrix/page2/)

Here's what it looked like when I was there-

 (ahem, I'd like to add that I've lost 15 lbs since this pic was taken. also, i was hours away from the worst illness of my entire life. but really, i admit i looked this bad.)

Photoshop lies. Guidebooks lie.

Hey You! Check out my new novels, "You Heard It Here First" and the sequel "This Just In!"

A Bittersweet Day- Not Anything Like a Dragonfruit

Today was a bittersweet day.

First, I had a phone job interview. The job sounded absolutely fascinating. I felt like the interview went really well. And then there was the kicker- it's a Christian organization, and the employee must support their cause.
I absolutely do support their cause. In fact, I'd love to be their biggest champion. I am behind what they want to achieve 100%!
But- that doesn't mean they want me- and they don't. No, this "Christian organization" defines Christians by the Apostles Creed or Nicean Creed, and therefore, doesn't allow Mormons (or Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists, and a few others).
So in spite of the fact that I love their cause and am a great candidate for the work, they have already ruled me out.
The Bitter: Didn't get the job (or even considered)
The Sweet: A good interview, and the assurance that comes from forthrightly standing up for what you believe.


Second-
Speaking of job interviews, a few weeks ago I had a great one. I really liked the person I interviewed with. I felt like there was a great connection, and I hoped for the best for that particular job. I've been crossing my fingers, hoping for a response from them this week.
They finally called today. Normally this is a good thing, but not today. Well, not completely anyway. The interviewer herself called me back. She explained that they had decided to go another direction, but that she wanted me to know that she really did like me, and hoped I would apply for other positions within her company in the future. And hoped that we could keep in touch in the future.
The Bitter: Not getting the job (obviously)
The Sweet: I didn't read the person entirely wrong. Dating and job hunting  have a lot in common in this respect - it's just nice to know you didn't get it completely wrong.


Third-
I found a dragonfruit at the grocery store. I ate these things every single freaking day in Cambodia. I LOVED them. They were so good! (See picture above- and below.) I have craved one of these suckers every day since I left the country. (Fun sidenote: I'm not a sign seeker, but if I was, I'd take this as a good sign. I applied for a really cool job in Cambodia yesterday. It's a serious long shot, but it would be a huge dream come true for me!)
The Bitter: It was rotten.
The Sweet: I did manage to get one or two good bites out of it.

This was mushy and grayish on the inside. It should be crispy, and a little watery (like an apple), and bright white (plus the seeds). This was just yucky. $9 of yucky.

Fish Amok (oh how I miss Cambodia)

Last year when I was living out my wildest dreams volunteering in Cambodia I was introduced to a dish I had never heard of before. It is called Fish Amok. One of the other volunteers tried it first, and one by one converted us all over to it. We even made a special trip to one of the most expensive restaurants in town to try it because we heard it was best there.

It's hard to describe the taste. It's almost like a curry dish, and yet, not. But if you like curry Thai dishes, you will definitely like Fish Amok. It isn't a spicy dish, or at least nothing that will make your eyes water. But it is very flavorful. Just like many authentic Indian or Thai dishes (or even Chinese), it is a thick soupy or pasty meal, with meat in it, served over rice. Or in my case, I just took my plate of rice and dumped it in the coconut. That  shallow wooden spoon thing took way too long to scoop it up and pour it into my rice. I have no idea how impolite  was to do it, but I didn't care. My way meant getting to eat up every last drop of the amok.

Normally fish amok is steamed (and even served!) in a coconut shell or banana leaf package, but making it in a regular steamer works as well.

Ingredients
* 1 lb (400 g) meaty fish or firm tofu
* 1/2 cup coconut cream
* 2 cups coconut milk
* 1 tbsp fish sauce to taste

Kroeung:
* 2 red chilies
* 2 cloves garlic
* 2 tbsp galangal, cut small (a root in the ginger family)
* 3 tbsp lemon grass stalk
* zest of ¼ kaffir lime
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tbsp kapi (or any shrimp paste)

Garnish
* 3 tbsp kaffir lime leaves, sliced thinly
* 3 cayenne peppers or red capsicum

Make the kroeung by pounding the ingredients in a mortar and pestle, working from driest ingredient to wettest. Slice the fish thinly (or tofu into blocks) and set aside. Slice the kaffir lime leaves and cayenne peppers thinly.

Stir the kroeung into 1 cup of coconut milk, and when it has dissolved, add the fish sauce to taste and sliced fish. Then add the remaining coconut milk and mix well.

Place fish mixture in a small bowl. Steam for about 20 minutes or until the coconut milk is solid, but still moist. Before serving top each bowl with a little coconut cream and garnish with kaffir leaf and cayenne peppers.

Serve with steamed rice.

I haven't tried making this myself yet, but I intend to attempt it today. My guess is that any white fish will do- tilapia, whitefish, etc. Something not too salty or fishy tasting. Maybe even cod will work. The types of fish available in Cambodia were very different from what you can get in the States. I ate shark regularly there, but tilapia was expensive and rare. (Completely the opposite of the States!)

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Support Riverkids and Fight Sex-Trafficking in Cambodia with just $10!

 Your donations will go to help these exact girls in this picture! Plus many more!

Can you donate $10?

Global Giving's going to split their huge Girl Effect fund — $450,000 raised last year — between 12 winning charities this November. And with a $10 donation, you can help Riverkids win.

We need to get at least 800 unique donors in November to win and completely fund our wonderful Get Ready for Girls in Cambodia. How are we going to do that? With your help!!

Can you donate $10 and then ask 10 friends to donate $10? 


Tell them why you support Riverkids. (Read about my personal experiences with Riverkids!)

Tell them about living in slums in Cambodia where a girl has to choose between collecting trash on the streets or being sold to a bar, and school is a distant dream. (Break out your tissue box and read my first-hand account of meeting these girls and what their lives are really like.)


Tell them how their $10 will snowball into support for those girls to get a chance to go back to school or find safe jobs.

Tell them that you know their $10 will go to local grassroots work that gives practical help that works.

Tell them that more than sixty girls  have already graduated, and one of them, Sothea, is headed to university this year on a scholarship, the first in her family ever to even graduate high school!!!

Chopsticks

Chopsticks.
Not the tune, the eating utensil.
I can't remember if I used chopsticks in Cambodia or not.
Last week I ate at a Thai restaurant and opted to use a fork over chopsticks. I was briefly teased about it, with someone making the suggestion maybe I didn't know how to use chopsticks. But that wasn't the case. I was on my way to a job interview and wearing a nice dress. It didn't seem like the right time to risk a chopstick and noodles malfunction.
I'm actually fairly decent with chopsticks. In fact, I'm really good with chopsticks. I don't remember how or why I gained this skill, but nonetheless, I'm just as good with chopsticks as I am with other dinner utensils.
But for the life of me I can't remember if I normally ate with chopsticks in Cambodia or not.
How ridiculous is that? I ate 3 meals a day there for 4 weeks and 3 days. And almost all of those meals included rice or noodles. I remember eating rice and noodles until I never wanted to eat them again. (And yet managed to come home and start eating ramen on a regular basis for the first time in my life- often with chopsticks here in my own home!) But I have no idea if I used chopsticks in Cambodia.
It is strange how the memory can play tricks on you like that.

Cambodia, One Year Later

It has been one year since I got on the plane and made the very long trip to Cambodia.

I know it is cliche to say so, but it feels like just yesterday! How is it possible it was a whole year ago?

I bought this drink my first night there. It is still sitting in my kitchen, daring me to open it and try it.

I miss Cambodia!

I miss the wonderful friends I made.

Thankfully, I've lost 30 lbs since this picture was taken!

US, Denmark, and 3 different Australian states represented here!

I miss being anxiously engaged in a good cause.

And you know what I never thought I'd say? I miss being driven around in a tuk-tuk.

And in spite of looking in every grocery store I go into, and coming up empty every time, I really miss Laughing Cow cheese cubes-

And did I mention the impossible to explain things, the things you'll never see in the States-

It is definitely time to start planning my next adventure. Haiti has been calling my name for a while. But I haven't ruled out the rest of the world yet. It will definitely be a "volun-tourism" trip again. I can't imagine doing anything else!

Don't miss my new novel, "You Heard It Here First!" on Amazon, Nook, and Kindle!

Kiva loans and ways to help others more

At RiverKids in Cambodia (the program I worked with) women are taught a new skill so they can get jobs. And many women also get grants or loans from Riverkids to start their own businesses later. It has been very successful so far.

Today a Kiva loan I made several months ago was repaid in full to me. It always gives me a huge warm fuzzy when Kiva loans are repaid, and it has nothing to do with me getting my money back. (If you aren't familiar with Kiva or microenterprise loans click here.) I'm happy because something good has happened for other people.

In today's case, a man in Kenya repaid a loan given to him to start his own mechanic shop. Not only is he now a business owner (which is a great feeling and accomplishment for him), but his whole community benefits from it. His town was in need of a mechanic shop. They are in a remote area, and when vehicles break down, and there is no mechanic to fix it, town members are not able to go to their jobs in other towns. So this new mechanic shop is a good thing for the whole community. The total loan to the man was $600. I was just one of 10 lenders (I think I only contributed $50?).

And it got me to thinking-
Is there a micro-lending program for Americans? We have huge business loans, angels, venture capital, etc. But where is the micro-lending for people looking to start smaller, simpler businesses? I was thinking today that there are so many people who are held back from starting a business because they don't have $1,000 or $500 for the basic essentials. To people who have income security or bigger money they can't quite conceive of such a small number holding people back.

I'm thinking specifically of people like single mothers, stay at home moms, or recent immigrants, who would be able to start simple businesses such as janitorial services, seamstress, hair styling (from home), etc. if they just had access to a small amount of capital.

Many colleges or tech schools now include laptops for students in the tuition because they know that not owning a computer (or a good enough computer) holds many people back. Even micro-financing for a laptop could help several types of people start an internet based business.

Not all entrepreneurs need venture capital or thousands or millions of dollars. Some just need a few hundred to help them get going.

Is there already micro-enterprise loans or micro-funding for Americans? I know of plenty of grants, etc. But I've never heard of a Kiva-like program for Americans. And if that doesn't exist, why doesn't it? I'm not one to ever promote bigger government, but it even seems like a good money-making venture for the government (in the same way that student loans are). But I'd prefer to see it done through a non-profit group that has a mission to help, and not to make money.

Thoughts?

Rainy Days and Mondays (Don't) Always Get Me Down

Oh how I miss Cambodia today. What I wouldn't give for a real fruit drink and some fish amok. I woke up with a crazy craving for mango and pineapple and I won't be happy until I find some. Ooh and papaya sounds good too. I've just spent 20 minutes changing all of my profile pictures to Cambodia pics on different websites. I miss it!

But let's talk about yesterday. By all counts, I had a bad day. Things went from small mistakes to big dumb problems. And I felt bad about it, I really did. I've always been very good about kicking myself while I'm down. I've never needed extra punishing because I've got that covered all by myself. So trust me when I say I felt really bad about my stupid mistake that got me in trouble. Thankfully no one else felt the need to kick me while I was down. For that I am grateful. It was all handled very nicely. But still, I felt awful. Today I still haven't felt the courage to get up and try again. I'm still feeling pretty stupid about my dumb mistake.

But there's the thing. In spite of how bad I felt and the situation, I could only feel so bad. I really had woken up yesterday thinking about the fact that everything has been so good for me lately. I've really managed to accomplish a lot professionally in the past few months, and it feels GREAT to be earning money again. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, nothing feels better than the ability to finally be able to support myself again. But then the poopy thing happened. It was a professional mistake, and on top of just feeling dumb about the mistake, I felt awful that I finally get some work and get happy and then I messed things up. Not so great, right?

But there was this other part of me that had to laugh and smile about the situation. After two years of unemployment and bad days, wondering if I would ever have a good day again, and now having had a few months of great days, one bad day isn't such a big deal. I am a little grateful for my bad day. It made me feel normal again. And it reminded me to be serious and more detail oriented. (After two years of not working, it can be really hard sometimes to focus and really "think" like I know I should. You'd be amazed how that skill needs to be kept up!)

I can't be too upset about my bad day. I'm just too darn grateful and happy about it. Don't get me wrong, my guilt and inferiority complex is still kicking me good. I worry each time I get an email, or the phone rings, that someone is about to call and yell at me about the mistake. (But so far, no one has. Like I said, it was handled very professionally. And it is possible my mistake meant nothing to everyone else. It was small, it got fixed. I'm beating myself up more than anyone else.)

I know a lot of my gratitude comes from the things I witnessed in Cambodia, and before that, Haiti. I know how much I have to be grateful for. It isn't hard to be happy when you are grateful. And I know that I've been blessed greatly with my new work, and the chances to travel to developing countries. Once you've seen true poverty, it isn't hard to see when you are having a good day.

Human Rights- will you sit back and let this happen?

I still think about this little girl in Haiti all the time, and how her life could have been so different with real health care. While Americans are whining we don't have free birth control pills, or free health care at all, this little girl died from a curable disease because of poverty and NO access to the real health care.

I'm a self-confessed news junkie. While I work from home writing on all matter of subjects my TV is on in the background, usually on CNN, and a little bit of CNBC (what? I write about the stock market!). This week I've had to turn off the TV altogether out of complete frustration. While I am sad that Whitney Houston died (albeit as a result of her own bad choices in life, a victim of her own free agency), I cannot stomach another "news" story about her funeral, autopsy, or legacy. Her legacy is this- she had free agency. She had talent. She chose to squander both on drugs and alcohol, and eventually died from her poor choices. What we should be doing is holding her up as an example of what not to do, and how to ruin a life, and traumatically hurt your own family by making selfish choices. But that isn't what is happening, is it? I refuse to say, "we're" making a memorial to her and buying her albums. I can't say "we're," because I refuse to be one of the people doing that. Sure, I listened to her music on Pandora on Saturday night, but I won't make her a legacy because she died from bad choices.
Meanwhile, around the world there are real people suffering from real problems that they did not bring upon themselves. They are suffering from a lack of human rights. Many of them do not have the ability to rise to middle-class wages, let alone skyrocket to stardom. Families starve, men, women, and children are trafficked, and innocent people are used as human shields against evil armies every single day.
I encourage you to stop and pay attention to those uncomfortable news stories that rarely make the headlines, but can often be found buried under "world news." Read the stories about the atrocities happening in less developed countries. You may think there is nothing you can do about it- but you are wrong. Just clicking on the story of the children living in dumps in Vietnam (many of which are Cambodian children that have been trafficked into Vietnam), instead of clicking on the story about Whitney Houston's pastor's memories, sends a message to the media about what WE care to read about. And the more we click, the more the media will cover the stories that matter, which will bring attention and spread light on the people who deserve the attention the most.

Flooding in Cambodia

A few stories for you to consider today-
Babies trafficked in Cambodia (personal letter written by the woman I worked for in Phnom Penh)
Help my friend Joel, a human rights lawyer and advocate in Cambodia, get justice for families that were kicked out of their homes by the government. Join the "event," and follow the instructions on how to send an email to people that matter.
Do you know about "fair trade chocolate" and the child slaves harvesting cocoa? Take a look at which companies you shouldn't be buying chocolate from!
And something very incredible and yet terrifying is happening in Syria. I know many Americans aren't big fans of following stories on the conflicts within Middle Eastern countries. They can be confusing and misleading. But a government has turned on its own people, shooting and fighting their own unarmed citizens. This is a HUGE deal. Other countries (Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia for starters) have already gotten involved. Should and will the US?

Guilt Trip

My sister and I have an ongoing conversation about why "it is so hard for some countries to have hot water." The technology and water are available, so why are so many people suffering in cold showers? If you've traveled enough you know the answer is energy and limited access to it. Also, that in the poorer countries, they just have other problems to deal with before tackling levels of comfort.

After experiencing true poverty I have a hard time coming home and accepting all the blessings and conveniences around me. I've been through this guilt trip before (in great depth after going to Haiti). I find myself determined to not take advantage of all the simplicities and comforts around me, and to really be a minimalist, living a truly earthy existence. But I have a confession, having just spent 4 weeks in a country with no hot water, I'm really, really enjoying hot showers again. Of course, every time I take a hot shower I feel a little bit guilty about it for about 1 minute. I get over it quickly. Rain shower heads help. 

While I was gone we got a new refrigerator in the new house. I find myself staring at it and contemplating all of its ridiculous functions. And I have come to an important conclusion (only slightly said tongue-in-cheek)- technology hasn't been made easier or simpler or even more advanced so as to be adapted more effectively in poorer countries, because the major manufacturers who could be spending their time improving technologies for the developing world are too busy making ridiculous refrigerators. Seriously people, our new refrigerator has an internal alarm system. If the door is left open too long a buzzer goes off. You can even set controls so it remembers who you are and dispenses filtered water at just the temperature you like it. 

And just think, last week I was proud of myself for figuring out that if you take a shower in the evening, the water was warmer after having been heated by the sun all day. Also, I had finally mastered how to flush a "dry" toilet. (Note: use a bucket of water, NOT the hose.) 

Did you know the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is currently hosting a competition of sorts to encourage inventors and scientists to reinvent the toilet? It may sound silly at first, but once you study this subject, you'll learn this is a pretty big deal. I'd love to be a part of this sort of cause. Granted, I'm no scientist or inventor, but I'd love to do my part from the marketing communications side of things. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is I want to be a part of something important. It is hard to sit here with all of the conveniences and comforts of a good life and feel like I'm not doing anything to make the world a better place. Sure, I'm going to enjoy another glass of perfectly cooled water from an over the top refrigerator tonight. But I'm also going to sit around wondering why the good folks at GE couldn't spend a little bit more time making hot water heaters more affordable and efficient. And then wonder why I deserve to live in a country with rain water shower heads...