This trip was important to me because it was a wake-up call. Experiencing and studying a different culture is imperative to understanding the underlying causes of numerous economic and social problems that affect among others education, women’s rights, health, and poverty. By seeing firsthand these issues it was much better for me to understand and evaluate them than being in a classroom and learning about these same issues. Now, in Montreal, I am looking forward to share my experience with fellow classmates, family members, and friends and raise awareness about global issues.

Regarding the educational system I encountered, I think much works needs to be done, and many other factors not necessarily revolving around education directly have a major impact on the system. For example, many of the villages are situated very far away from schools and many kids have to walk many miles in order to get to school. This becomes more and more difficult when the children’s household chores increase they put school on the back burner. Many families also have some trouble paying school fees, especially if they have numerous kids. Most obviously, there is a lack of resources, one teacher for a large amount of students, many classrooms have no desks, chairs, or blackboards, and classes of 60 or more students have to share 6-10 textbooks among themselves. What impressed me the most was the students’ willingness to learn despite all these setbacks. Children would wake up at 5 o’clock in the morning and do their chores and then walk to school. Students who lived very far from the schools would even stay in crammed hostels.

I think this trip will definitely affect the decisions I make or the actions I take for the rest of my life. After witnessing such strength and determination from these children and individuals I have absolutely no excuse than to give my best at whatever I do because I am fortunate enough to have many opportunities present themselves at me contrary to these students. In the immediate future I definitely see myself traveling some more to gain more knowledge and insight on different cultures and how it affects their way of life.  In the long run I’d like to use the knowledge I have gained to help bring aid in some way to countries like Malawi that are still developing!

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Cate is an Accounting and Management Technology student who originates from Haiti. She loves sports and is interested in biking and playing basketball. She is also interested in learning new languages and loves to discover new cultures. She likes to understand how other people perceive the world and how they might view things from a completely different perspective than hers. Furthermore, her personality is best described as calm and peaceful as she is a very kind and respectful person. Cate’sgreatest quality is keeping cool, calm and collected when facing challenges. She finds ways to overcome obstacles without stressing and is able to maintain her calm.

Additionally, when she found out about this project Cate knew it was a great opportunity to give back to the world, since sheknows how hard it is to be in a helpless situation: “When I was younger our house got burned and we lost everything in the fire, people helped us a lot to get through this situation…so, this is the chance I have to help others and give something back”.Cate hopes this experience will lead her to develop new skills such as improving her leadership and her capability to understandother people’s views. She believes that she is ready for what is to come due to the difficult situations she lived while living in Haiti.

Moreover, she is expecting this project to have an impact and create awareness at Vanier, and get people to take action by participating in programs like this one. She truly believes that if young people get involved and take action today, tomorrow they will not commit the same mistakes as the leaders that are in power now. “I think it is everybody’s duty to do something, because if everybody says ‘Oh, it’s someone else’s duty’, we will never get anything done…My final goal is to return the help that people once gave me. If I can use myskills to make somebody’s life better, I will definitely do it, people have given to me and so, I want to do the same for others”

Click on the link below to see more pictures of Cate

http://www.vaniercollege.qc.ca/international-education/projects/vefa/malawi/cate/index.html