Real life, raw experiences, lasting lessons.

I've been to many places throughout my travels. However, some have a lasting effect on me. One example of those is a village in which I worked. Living in this community gave me an opportunity to experience what it's like to really "live" versus simply exist. I believe this type of community will always be one that exists and thrives through struggle.

This village was a hard place to miss, and everything seemed broken. The roads were bad, and most homes were old, falling apart, and poorly maintained. To do almost anything required a great deal of energy. As a result, you could tell that residents of the village had to make huge adjustments to survive.

As anyone would expect, living in a village as described has its own set of problems. Residents of the village didn't have easy access to good healthcare, quality education, or other essential resources. Because of this, residents often had to settle for what was readily available. This greatly increased the difficulty level of daily life, particularly for families who wanted to build a better future.

However, perhaps one of the greatest disadvantages of living in a village was staying connected to the rest of the world. This village lacked reliable internet access. Young people in particular suffered from the lack of connectivity. They missed out on the learning experiences, exposures, and opportunities that come with having the ability to connect. In today’s world, having a connection to others provides access. Being disconnected can sometimes feel like being left behind.

Despite all the hardships and challenges presented by life in a village, I found there to be something special about this place. Nature was untouched and unspoiled. Food was consumed at its freshest stage – directly from farms. Additionally, the way in which life was experienced here provided a sense of simplicity that you typically wouldn’t encounter in a more developed society.

Travelling to places such as this causes me to reflect upon my thoughts. On one hand, there is no doubt that this village needed improvement and better living conditions. At the same time, there is value in preserving the naturalness of this community. The goal should be to improve this community without diminishing the qualities that make it so special.