Success

After I gave a piano lesson to a boy today, he invited me back to his home to be a guest for the debate that happens ever Monday. The boys in his family are the oldest in the village, ranging from 18 to 20, so they speak the best English but have the most stress on their shoulders because they will be the first graduating class from the village, and no one really knows how it will play out (where they will go, if they will find a job or get into university, etc.) It’s very frightening for them to have such an amazing environment of comfort and security for 4 years and then all of a sudden, be let out into the real world with no one there for them. I guess I’m at the same point in my life, leaving my parents and going off to college to fend for myself, but having two parents that love me unconditionally and will be there whenever I need them gives me confidence and certainty that I will be alright. These kids don’t have that. They have no family to catch them if they fall, the only thing they have is a high school diploma. Also, these kids remember the most from the genocide because some of them were three of four. One of the boys I met today had a big machete gash over his eyebrow from the genocide. Thank god that he survived the attack, but I can’t help but wonder what happened to him and how he lost his family. The dabate topic today was “Is academic education the only was to reach success in life?” The entire debate was in English so it was definitely a struggle for them but each of them had amazing things to say. When the question was asked, “what makes a person successful in general?” most of the boys said that it means your successful if your strong in mind, reach your goals, and can provide for yourself and your family. They also brought up the point that just because your family is rich and you gain their inheritance, it doesn’t mean you’re successful because you didn’t earn it yourself. They are proud of the fact that they’re working from the very bottom of the ladder and that when they finish their education, they’ll be happier than people who were born at the top of the ladder. One of them said, “If I have a nice wife and kids that I can feed, I will be happy and successful”. It was so heart warming to hear how inspired they are in life because of the village. One boy said, “I agree that education can make you successful because education teaches you how to think independently and be a critical thinker and if you know that, wherever you are in life you can succeed.” All of the boys are very touchy/feely with each other and they were all piled on the couch with their arms around each other, it’s really sweet to see how close and bonded they are. All they have for family is one another and they’ve really come to rely and trust each other. Witnessing this discussion was extremely heartwarming and I actually teared up when they talked about what they want in life, and the boys started laughing at me for being so sensitive. I’ve really learned so much from these students and all the light and inspiration that drives them to continue on in life  and work for a brighter future.