Connecting Routes: Seeing Education in Action
SAMOA - FRANCE - USA
Here’s to “Connecting Routes” ~ a space to spotlight a common theme in my travels that offers snapshots from one place to another, like the tantalizing tease of a tasting menu or a shortlist of your next dream vacation!
Top Three Places for Seeing Education in Action
There is something to be said for sleeping under the stars, especially when the weather is glorious and the view breathtaking. Camping, glamping, tenting or cottaging are popular past times, particularly on the precipice of the Labour Day long weekend. Almost as if taking in that purposeful, prolonged inhale from planet earth will afford us a palpable peace, many of us seek out such stints of solace before propelling into the work that lays ahead. While this week marks the beginning of new chapters for teachers and learners of course, it also seems to have wider reach with ripple effects to even those outside the cadence of semesters.
What is the cost and contribution of education at individual, institutional and international levels? I feel fortunate to have been sold on the value add of school, studying and becoming a seeker - indeed, it’s likely been an asset and a lens that has influenced my travels. From slums to megacities, education can colour culture, constructs, consciousness and creation in covert and camouflaged ways. Moving from a world in the 19th century where only the elite had access, the ratio is reversed where now, less than than 1 in 5 adults has not received any formal education. Yet in spite talent being everywhere, opportunities for learning remain limited worldwide. With wider access to quality education, options can be boosted and richer more interesting lives can be bolstered. To battle illiteracy, poverty and inequalities and to catalyze humanity to solve our pressing problems, what we learn and leverage can be life changing - for us, and others on this life boat of ours.
Ultimately, as I think about where the pendulum plunks itself amidst the path from education - work - career - progress, the notion of selfcare surfaces sooner or later. That we celebrated the last rays and days with our loved ones over the long weekend stems from the outcome of the Nine Hour Movement, where workers advocated for a nine hour day versus the expected 12 hours in the 1800s. What our children are learning about the function and form of work in today's times is charting another paradigm shift in the work/life balance. I’ve found it fascinating to see how some societies stipulate, showcase and strive for a system while others rely on transmission through traditional ways. In the millions of lives where education still remains a luxury, I’m re-reminded of my privilege in having been taught by teachers within institutions and along my travels.
Seeing education in action has been an obvious comparator across countries, much like the aromas that ooze from bakeries and restaurants - often rapidly revealing what type of experience you’re likely in store for. Observing how others work, gain and give wisdom can readily reinforce the wonders within our world. These countries highlight how education can be transmitted and amplified and of course, how it impacts priorities in our life/work balance.
Samoa: If you’re looking for it, seeing some sacredness in Samoa is quite simple. Clearly, customs and traditions are carried through generations, a cascade of channeling forward content and connotations by Chiefs, cousins, aunties, uncles - essentially everyone. This is a land where one’s education is not relegated to classrooms, but flows through their various living spaces and ceremonies.
France: Wandering around the streets, stadiums and sites, the hosts of the Olympics made it abundantly clear: drawing upon its art, culture and architectural feats, Paris 2024 galvanized its geography and greatest assets on a global stage. Combining Herculean planning and implementation, world-class engineers, analytical thinkers and artistic creators raised the bar (by far). Audacious, disruptive, quintessentially French, the mélange of ambition and acumen enabled the world to see the Summer Olympics, a spectacle akin to a supernova that was second to none!
USA: Known worldwide, the infamous ‘American Dream’ promises proper payouts with hard work. The potential of this prosperity can drive us to double down on our determination to do, achieve and flourish through the daily grind. Yet, spending some time in the San Juan islands and San Diego offered an alternate way to live. At the former, living the Lummi life seemed to tell a tale of strategy, sweat and success through the boutique beach home - but the real gem came from how we are welcomed within as extended family. The priority here was to use fruits of their labour as a springboard to catalyze closer connections for us all. Expanding this from an individual level, in seeing San Diego, it was a relief to experience communities and cities with a chill vibe, a place where people can work (mainly) for pleasure. I was left wondering how folks design their own lives in such a way so as to not only beautifully balance the personal, professional and profound, but also to add value to me just by virtue of being invited into this (non-mainstream) way of living. Afterall, isn’t it time for us to re-imagine what waking up on Monday mornings (or Tuesday post long weekend) could mean?
May the lessons we learn within and beyond our formal education offer us a trampoline for total transformation,
Great adventure! Thnx for sharing