three cups of tea

“Three Cups of Tea” is an amazing book. I just finished reading the book about Greg Mortenson, who has spent over a decade building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and I am filled with an urge to tell everyone about it as quickly as possible. I know these moments don’t come along very often, but this story has shown me a glimpse of what a meaningful, productive, challenging and rewarding life can look like. As I read about Mortenson’s persistent struggles and continuous successes in providing primary education to thousands of rural students in two countries without a central government incapable of providing it themselves, I marveled at how dead-on I agreed with his purpose and underlying philosophy. He acknowledges that no amount of bombs and military missions in the Middle East will solve the problems that breed terrorist organizations: poverty and ignorance. The people who enter the story are by and large moderate, compassionate and hard-working people who are simply struggling to make a better life for their children. The innumerable amount of random acts of kindness that Mortenson receives throughout his year in the area, despite his citizenship of a country that has carpet-bombed the military and civilians alike, reinforces the claim that Islam is a peaceful and socially responsible religion and that its followers genuinely care about the welfare of others and the promotion of peace through education. I am convinced that Mortenson has provided more meaningful and long-lasting solutions to post-war Afghanistan than our government, and I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who lives, well, anywhere.

As for me personally, the book has given me ideas as to where my future studies and work my take me. I agree so strongly with the amount of importance Mortenson and his Central Asian Institute put on education and building peace through relationships rather than force or undesignated money. Part of the reason that the Peace Corps appealed so much to me was that same approach toward progress and friendship. I am motivated to find out more about the need for primary education in other parts of the world and organizations that help provide it to see where my background in Spanish and my interest in teaching might take me. I know the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer network will have many resources and connections to consider when I am nearing the end of my service in KZ. I encourage you to read this book and to see what you can do to make a difference.