I saw a lot of children eating directly out of the garbage today. More than I have ever seen before. There must have been 5 or 6 different kids eating things they just dug out of the filth. Some of the
older people also partook. I saw one man (have a video of it) popping a sealed water cup with his finger before drinking out of it. One older lady found a bottle of water but it was not sealed so she just poured it on her hands.
I offered the older lady and man some of my water (YEE in Burmese) but they refused. The man smiled when he said no, then I heard him saying something about water to a friend. Maybe he mentioned that I offered him mine. I find so often that the westerners who help people in places like this often hold themselves superior. They distance themselves, often do not become deeply and personally connected to the lives of the people they are helping, they live on the periphery. I do not want to do that, I want to be as one with the families, or as least as close as I can be. My nationality, money, skin color, language, history, culture and privilege will always distance me somewhat. But I want to make an effort to be as close as I can be. As close as is it is possible to be.
older people also partook. I saw one man (have a video of it) popping a sealed water cup with his finger before drinking out of it. One older lady found a bottle of water but it was not sealed so she just poured it on her hands.
I offered the older lady and man some of my water (YEE in Burmese) but they refused. The man smiled when he said no, then I heard him saying something about water to a friend. Maybe he mentioned that I offered him mine. I find so often that the westerners who help people in places like this often hold themselves superior. They distance themselves, often do not become deeply and personally connected to the lives of the people they are helping, they live on the periphery. I do not want to do that, I want to be as one with the families, or as least as close as I can be. My nationality, money, skin color, language, history, culture and privilege will always distance me somewhat. But I want to make an effort to be as close as I can be. As close as is it is possible to be.
