We take our society for granted.

In just a few days, a group of awesome students and I will be boarding a plane en route to the Dominican Republic. To be honest, It's scary - traveling to a foreign country to help teach a language to people I've never met before.

What worries me the most will be my ability to adapt in a completely different culture. I'm a city person. Born and raised in Ottawa. I have been conditioned to live in a society that has everything. A five or ten minute walk and I'll end up at a restaurant or a grocery store so I can buy food. Another ten minute walk to a bus stop and it takes me to school. A school to begin with!!! I have the possibility to pursue a post-secondary education. The point I am trying to make is that we don't take the time to think about how seriously lucky we are to live in a society like ours. We should take the time to be grateful, not only to our family and friends, but to every man and woman that assists us in offering these essential services. We thank our parents for making us who we are. We thank a doctor for keeping us in good health. But in my opinion, we don't make a great enough effort to thank people for the smaller things that make life easier. For example, the driver of a bus, or that cashier at the grocery store and the janitor that keeps our facilities clean.

Citizens in the Dominican Republic do not have that luxury. They lack a very basic education, in which I hope I'll be able to pass on my knowledge to them. And in return, they can educate me too. An exchange of culture and knowledge will occur. My only wish is to live in a world where everyone, regardless of race, culture, gender, religion and so forth, can benefit from a society like ours. So they can live their lives without suffering.