Question answered by Ruth Gardner, Membership Assistant for PTPI
8. What are some of the lessons from the book that you can draw from and relate to your everyday life?
One of the lessons I learned from this book is to be more grateful for the simple things in life, like freedom to an education. In chapter seven when Deo explains his education in Burundi, he goes into detail on how there wasn’t enough space in the schools for all the applicants and that going to school was a privilege not a right. He continued to tell how the instructors never taught the entire history of Burundi and they withheld information from the students, like the history of the “Tutsis” and “Hutus”. In the United States, where I live, as a child going to school is required and even if you aren’t a citizen of the United States you are able to go to school. It is a right that we have. In addition it is a freedom that none of the information is withheld from the students. Not only do we learn the history, we learn both sides – the good and the bad. This book has given me an appreciation for my education; I now know that it is a blessing and that I should never take it for granted.
The opinions expressed by PTPI staff and other book club members are entirely their own and are not necessarily the views of People to People International or that of PTPI’s Officers, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees.
Tags: Global Book Club, Strength in What Remains, Tracy Kidder
The important lesson i learnt is how poverty and ignorance play a role in the shaping of individuals life. Poverty and ignorance is not something to be proud of!! Burundi was poor and did not have funds to provide neccessary things for the teachers and students. The people were ignorant about the importance of education. In addition traditional beliefs hindered the progress. Teachers held back the information from the students may be they did not understand their responsibilty as teachers.? In some countries there is sort of a ” Reverance” system where students are afraid/ not suppose to ask questions to their teachers. If they did they are criticized for being ignorant!! When I came to USA I saw professors and students enjoying having lunch at the same table and chitchatting!! That was a wonderful scene. It took me a while to understand that the students in USA had lot of freedom and did not have to be afraid of their teachers and professors. I agree that there should be freeflow of knowledge between the teacher and the pupil beyond everything else. The student teacher relationship has to be something special!! I was lucky I had wonderful teachers through out my education, but I was also keenly aware of the other side of the story.