juxtaposition

As I've stated numerous times now, transitioning back into life here in the states has been more of a challenge than I ever expected. The drastic difference between the lifestyles of people here in the states with those in Antigua, Guatemala is appalling... and enough to make me physically ill. Some of you are perhaps thinking that I am going to transition into how difficult it was to use outdoor bathrooms or trying to hone in on what on earth it was that I ate that allowed me the pleasure of contracting E. Coli.. but, that's not at all where I'm going. The current disgust that I feel is toward the the American lifestyle; the desire to consume, consume, consume and then consume some more. The socialization of always wanting more... at the expense of others.... as millions of people die each day due to the lack of a serving of rice or beans.

The week after our return, Fargo held its annual Spring Cleanup Week. As the piles of items accumulated on my city block, I began to become outraged... Perfectly good items- barbeques, washers, dryers, bicycles, snow blowers, couches, mattresses, wall hangings, holiday decorations; you name it.. it was on someone's curb, waiting to be picked up and hauled away to the landfill. All of these items could have, for the most part, found a forever home at the local boys ranch or goodwill, but instead... laziness and convenience overcame residents and they simply hauled it to their front curb for disposal in the dump.

As I saw these endless piles of items, all I could think was how the money that it took to purchase these items could save thousands of lives in Guatemala. If people simply thought about their global neighbors for even a minute a day, this world would be a very different place. And if people aren't able to control their urge to purchase things, the least that could have been done was taken a trip to the local thrift store in effort to assist others. I mean, what I saw on the curb of most homes amounted to double, and even triple of all posessions of Guatemalan families. It's disturbing, devastating, and sickening to know what American society has instilled into us as normal.

While we have a difficult time normalizing Guatemalans' use of bathrooms that are nothing more than a hole in the ground, I wonder what they'd think about our lifestyles. About the sheer ignorance for the rest of the world. For turning a cheek to hunger and poverty. On the flight home I thought about what it would be like for our build leader, Hector, to visit the states. All I could think was that he would be overcome with disbelief, anger, and resentment at the lives that we live. That we are profiting off of the work that those in third-world countries labor over. That life here isn't really blissful.. but, rather it's ignorant and apalling... that it's disturbing that the most we do is schedule out 10 days a year to travel to another country and work for a few days. I guess, what I'm trying to say is that I think we've normalized American and Western consumerism and ideals far too much... and if we step back and look at it, it's perhaps the most disturbing culture of them all.