I'm currently in Japan, wwoofing. I've been gaining lots of new hands on experiences that I'll probably remember for life. I knew I needed this kind of experiences, as i hate being that overly protected girl at home. So it's really fulfilling for me now. I'll share more about my wwoofing experiences, tips, etc when i'm done with my trip. :) As for now... Some thoughts came into my mind and I would like to share about it. I've been cleaning a lot ever since i came to Japan; washing dishes, toilets, kitchen, cafe, etc. Recently I've been cleaning farming tools and equipment, removing stains and rust. I must say that i felt a great sense of satisfaction when i saw how my magic hands have turned the once old and rusty items into as good as new. It's actually much easier to clean them than I expected, when given the right tools. I started reflecting about how i used to throw so many still good to used items away simply because it's dirty. From young i was taught a couple of things:
1. Time is money. "Why spend time and effort cleaning when it doesn't cost much to buy a new one?" 2. You are contributing to the economy when you buy things. What's the consequences of such mentally? WASTE. Huge amount of waste that not only have detrimental effects on our environment but harms the society in general too. What about the argument on contributing back to the economy? GDP growth has been sold to us as the only way to create a better world. But has it? Does it makes us happier? Does it reduce poverty? What i see is a huge gap of inequality and other sorts of social ills. Isn't it time that we rethink about all those things that we were taught? Isn't it time that we come together to create a new global economy that focuses on not merely GDP but human well-being and environment? It's also important to know that it's not enough to simply agree and hope for change. Change will not happen unless we stand up together and act upon it. This applies to all kinds of issues that we are facing in this world. We need to change our habits, we need to advocate, we need to get up on our feet and start moving together as one.
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