By Lesly Garces There are many things we underestimate in our lives. Sometimes those things are tangible and sometimes they are not. One of the things I have come to appreciate is the sense of security in a particular place. This is something I learned when I started to live in Taipei. I am from Honduras, Central America. Most importantly, I was born in the city of San Pedro Sula, considered the “Murder Capital of the World” by some people. I grew up in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, which according to some world rankings is also among the ten most dangerous cities in the world. Some people might think my home is unlivable or too dangerous to live a normal life, yet for me this insecurity was something I was used to. I maintain the belief that in Honduras if you are not involved in shady businesses, drug trafficking, or the mafia, you will most likely not be a victim of any horrendous crime. Of course, no one is immune to the waves of crime that plague our cities. The main reason Honduras is so violent is because more than 70% of our population lives under the poverty line. Many people live with under $1 a day. Can you imagine having to fend for yourself and for your family with only 32 NT? Many of these people cannot afford to pay for an education. Some of the public schools are free, but the government does not have enough resources to pay the teachers so they often go on strike and do not teach. The result is a vicious cycle of no money, no education, and crime. I am not saying that every person who does not receive an education is going to become an offender, yet in Honduras, it is easier to choose a life of gangs and violence than to work extra hard to live a life that is different.
Sadly, our government and its politicians have done little to improve the situation. For example, last year a group of government workers stole a lot of money from the Social Security. Many who depended on this money faced the problem that there were no funds to provide them with medical supplies. There were news reports that people were dying in the streets because they did not receive the medical care they needed, while politicians and their families lived in huge mansions and took lavish vacations all over the world. This is another huge problem in our country; the immense gap between rich and poor. This has created resentment toward the upper classes due to the government’s lack of action, which has only fueled the intensity of the violence. The crimes are not only targeted at people who are responsible for stealing, it has come to the point where all Hondurans are affected. I have been blessed to grow up in a relatively privileged environment. My parents sent my sister and me to a private American school, so we sort of grew up in a bubble. The places we frequented and the kind of people we befriended were definitely different from what most Hondurans would experience. But when we talk about the situation in Honduras, nobody would want to come visit us. Yet life goes on. We have amazing beaches in the north and we have an island called Roatan that is world famous for its beauty. Luckily, the government has done at least something right in trying to make these places as safe as possible. We also have Mayan ruins that are protected by several foreign organizations as a UNESCO heritage site. Despite our problems, Honduras is a beautiful place to visit. If you know what to do and where to go, most likely nothing will happen to you. You may have to be a bit more careful than in other places, but that is no problem. You just need to use common sense and trust your instincts. If a person seems suspicious, go to a crowded place where there are many people. When I first came to Taiwan, I had heard that it was a “whole new world” and that I shouldn’t be scared of walking the streets with my phone in my hand. There is no danger to go to a convenience store by yourself after 10 p.m. These little things that people take for granted in Taiwan were an unusual luxury for me. When I arrived I still had some of the fears I had back home, but I quickly realized that Taiwan is completely different. It took me a while to get used to my new-found freedom. It was not until I had left Honduras that I could realize the gravity of our situation and the urgency we have for a radical change to happen. Whenever I talk about this subject, people find it hard to understand what it means to come from a third-world country like Honduras, and how lucky they are to have grown up in a place like Taiwan. I wish that Honduras would take a turn for the better, because I know that there is the possibility for a better life. I have come to appreciate the value of security and the peace of mind a place gives you, but more importantly, my eyes have been opened to the problems Hondurans face. I now realize that it is my duty as a Honduran to step up and help my country become a safer and better place to live. a
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
|