Sulaiman Abdul-Musawwir '04
"I thought I had seen poverty in my life. I thought I knew what a ghetto was. I thought Massachusetts had the worst drivers. I was grossly mistaken on all counts."
— Sulaiman Abdul-Musawwir '04
Faruq Hassan (BDEA ’05) and I just returned to Roxbury after five months of traveling throughout the South Asian subcontinent. We left from chilly Boston in late October, cold and culturally unprepared, to tour a warm and dynamic environment that was a world away. One of our intentions when we left the States was to provide humanitarian aid in the earthquake-affected areas so that we would have something very impressive to add to our college resumes. But, little did we know, our reason for traveling would take a very different turn.
When we arrived in Pakistan, we were not able to go to the earthquake-affected areas because of the aftermath of destruction and the decay of thousands of bodies that were still under the rubble. So, we ended up taking our sleeping bags into accessible areas and spending our time getting to know all different kinds of people. We visited the rich and the poor, the dignitary and the destitute, and we immersed ourselves in the rich variety of cultures throughout the area. Within a short time, our hearts had changed and we realized where we stood. I thought I had seen poverty in my life. I thought I knew what a ghetto was. I thought Massachusetts had the worst drivers. I was grossly mistaken on all counts.
When touring Bangladesh, we stayed in a remote village area for a few days. The village was far away from “civilization” and resources were scarce. The only connection this town had to the modern world was the lights that were used conservatively due to the daily blackouts from electricity shortages. Other than that, there were very few modern conveniences. We had to manually flush toilets; we used flashlights and candles at night. Running water was like gold in spite of the iron taste. Even though they lived in hard conditions, the people of this small village went well out of their way to treat us with overwhelming hospitality. Their kindness was not only offered willingly but with joy and contentment of heart. It was extraordinary to be treated so generously by people who seemingly had so few material possessions to share.
I would be doing a great injustice to you and to my traveling experiences if I said that these words sum it up and describe all that I encountered and felt. My experience traveling in those areas of the world defies words and can be best understood if one goes to those places to live and to learn the cultures of its people and absorb their amazing spirit. By doing this, I strongly believe that we might see a groundswell of peace and understanding throughout the world.
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