This first day put the trip into context for me. We drove along highway 9 to Drumheller, through the Alberta Badlands, taking us back to the “beginning of time.” The Horseshoe Canyon highlights the millions of years that animal life had been living in this area. At one point, all of the Canadian prairies were under sea. As the sea evaporated, the tectonic plates shifted and the climate changed, the animal life evolved as well. Robert Wright’s book, outlines this multi-million-year shift in very concise detail.
Going through a part of the country that depicts the beginning of what we now know as North America set the stage for the questions I was asking my fellow travellers and those that we met along the way.
Before leaving Calgary, while we were loading up the car, I asked Kyle and Sara (who had just met each other) what they had in common. The first thing that was said, (I believe it was Sara who said it), is that, “We all have NAMES.” This got me thinking. Is there anyone that doesn’t have some sort of name? As Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? A rose by another name would smell as sweet.” Our names make us individuals, and yet, it is the uniqueness of separating ourselves with an identifier that makes us the same.
In Drumheller we made two stops… Canadian Tire and a diner called Yavis (established in 1917 and still owned by the Yavis family). Sara and I wandered into the Canadian Tire store in search of an air-pump with a car adapter. While this might seem insignificant, while we were looking for said item I was reading where all this stuff that we buy comes from. For example the air-pump with the car adapter was made in China. I have never been to China (thought it is on the list of places to see), but I can guess that the majority of people in China have absolutely no use for an air-pump with a car adapter. I recognize that this is a generalization, but that is not the point. The point is, why are paying a country with known human rights violations to manufacture a product that w
e have the technology to produce locally, the materials to produce locally, and the resources (human and financial) to produce locally? My guess is a large part of the $23 expense went to offset the gas prices of shipping this item from China to Canada and then across land. So, given that we have to keep borders open and we are so far into a trade agreement that getting out is not feasible, is there a way that we can start influencing positive change on this very large manufacturing machine called, “Made in China”? While I might have generalized about the Chinese needing an airpump for camping alongside ones car, I think it is safe to say that some North American companies are trying to improve working standards in the plants that they outsource to in order to create this change. I had a professor at Brandeis University where I received my MA who always said, “Change is hard.” Taking this on a global level he couldn’t be more right, and yet, with enough voices imagine the positive change that could be made!
After finding the item we were searching for, we went to Maria’s check-out. She is a woman probably in her mid-fifties (my appologies Maria if this in incorrect) with a very practical outlook on life. Her practicality was reflected in her clothing, haircut and thoughtful reflection on my question of, “What do we have in common?”. I was drawn immediately to Maria because of her smile. SMILES, that is another thing we have in common, but I digress. Maria’s no-nonsense approach to my question was simply stated, “We all have a mother and father at some point. We are all STRIVING to live in PEACE and be able to have a house (I read into this shelter).” Her friend Doreen was waiting to purchase some flowers for her garden.
Doreen is around the same age of Maria, but shorter and these blue eyes that sparkle when she speaks. Doreen had been watching this exchange with interest and I could see out of the corner of my eye she was nodding her head as Maria spoke. So I asked Doreen about what she and Maria have in common. Doreen shared with us that she and Maria have been friends for a very long time. They have several things in common including selling Avon together. What Doreen made a special note of is how they enjoy EATING together, “…especially when Maria’s husband treats.” So breaking-bread together is another commonality between us. In my travels, whether it be to the poorest parts of Africa or the wealthiest neighbourhoods in London, sharing a meal together is something that builds community and solidifies relationships. Why else do people go out for dinner (or lunch) on dates? There is something about conversing over a plate of food that brings people together.
Going through a part of the country that depicts the beginning of what we now know as North America set the stage for the questions I was asking my fellow travellers and those that we met along the way.
Before leaving Calgary, while we were loading up the car, I asked Kyle and Sara (who had just met each other) what they had in common. The first thing that was said, (I believe it was Sara who said it), is that, “We all have NAMES.” This got me thinking. Is there anyone that doesn’t have some sort of name? As Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? A rose by another name would smell as sweet.” Our names make us individuals, and yet, it is the uniqueness of separating ourselves with an identifier that makes us the same.
In Drumheller we made two stops… Canadian Tire and a diner called Yavis (established in 1917 and still owned by the Yavis family). Sara and I wandered into the Canadian Tire store in search of an air-pump with a car adapter. While this might seem insignificant, while we were looking for said item I was reading where all this stuff that we buy comes from. For example the air-pump with the car adapter was made in China. I have never been to China (thought it is on the list of places to see), but I can guess that the majority of people in China have absolutely no use for an air-pump with a car adapter. I recognize that this is a generalization, but that is not the point. The point is, why are paying a country with known human rights violations to manufacture a product that w
e have the technology to produce locally, the materials to produce locally, and the resources (human and financial) to produce locally? My guess is a large part of the $23 expense went to offset the gas prices of shipping this item from China to Canada and then across land. So, given that we have to keep borders open and we are so far into a trade agreement that getting out is not feasible, is there a way that we can start influencing positive change on this very large manufacturing machine called, “Made in China”? While I might have generalized about the Chinese needing an airpump for camping alongside ones car, I think it is safe to say that some North American companies are trying to improve working standards in the plants that they outsource to in order to create this change. I had a professor at Brandeis University where I received my MA who always said, “Change is hard.” Taking this on a global level he couldn’t be more right, and yet, with enough voices imagine the positive change that could be made!After finding the item we were searching for, we went to Maria’s check-out. She is a woman probably in her mid-fifties (my appologies Maria if this in incorrect) with a very practical outlook on life. Her practicality was reflected in her clothing, haircut and thoughtful reflection on my question of, “What do we have in common?”. I was drawn immediately to Maria because of her smile. SMILES, that is another thing we have in common, but I digress. Maria’s no-nonsense approach to my question was simply stated, “We all have a mother and father at some point. We are all STRIVING to live in PEACE and be able to have a house (I read into this shelter).” Her friend Doreen was waiting to purchase some flowers for her garden.
Doreen is around the same age of Maria, but shorter and these blue eyes that sparkle when she speaks. Doreen had been watching this exchange with interest and I could see out of the corner of my eye she was nodding her head as Maria spoke. So I asked Doreen about what she and Maria have in common. Doreen shared with us that she and Maria have been friends for a very long time. They have several things in common including selling Avon together. What Doreen made a special note of is how they enjoy EATING together, “…especially when Maria’s husband treats.” So breaking-bread together is another commonality between us. In my travels, whether it be to the poorest parts of Africa or the wealthiest neighbourhoods in London, sharing a meal together is something that builds community and solidifies relationships. Why else do people go out for dinner (or lunch) on dates? There is something about conversing over a plate of food that brings people together.At Yavis' we met Darlene. She has been a waitress for over 35 years!!! Age aside, I can't picture anyone from my generation staying in the same type of job for 35 years... It is a true testiment to her character. Yavis' Restaurant is your typical small-town diner just off the highway. We walked in and it was as if we had walked through a time warp... at the enterance was the cash and above the cash were shelves of cigarettes... Who knew eating establishments still sold cigarettes???!!! Darlene is in her 50's and wore a lavendar sweatshirt and jeans. The lavendar was a beautiful shade and offset her smile. I told her about the project and we began talking. I could have listened to her for hours, she had some interesting stories to tell. I asked her what she felt we had in common and her answer was that we both like people and that is reflected in the fact that we both talk to complete strangers and try to make them feel welcome. She also reiterated the comments that Maria and Doreen shared about everyone wants to live in peace.
The commonalities between their comments makes me think that perhaps I should ask my questions differently.
No comments:
Post a Comment