The Perspective of Travel

I’m sure you’ve heard someone say “travel gives you perspective.” If not, let me tell you now that it’s true. Not long ago I returned from a quick trip to Uganda. Yes, a quick trip halfway across the world. I was teaching there for Eastern University’s Master’s Degree Program for NGOs. It’s not the first time I’ve been to a developing country. While they’re all unique in their culture and approach to life’s basics, they all have unfortunate similarities too, starting with poverty.

Yet on this trip I was introduced to an NGO that’s doing a pretty good job of giving people the skills they need to break the cycle: Beads for Life. I’ll leave it to you to check out their work at www.BeadsforLife.org, but from my eyewitness account I can tell you that it’s working.

Women who benefit from Beads for Life make a career transition that you and I could never imagine. Hundreds of women who live in “unimaginable conditions” by our standards are building their own businesses and finding jobs — and many are saving enough to buy their own homes. (Would you cry tears of joy if you bought a three room house made of one layer of rough bricks sharing a common well with 25 other families? They do.)

Yes, we have it good. But that’s not the point. The lesson here? If THEY have the resourcefulness to move from absolutely nothing to owning their own home and business, just think of what YOU can do with the resources you have at hand.

Yes, travel gives you perspective.