My family friend just came back from spending two years in the Peace Corps in South America. I never really understood what she was doing. I knew she was teaching the members of the community health and hygiene practices along with running school programs for the children there. I have always wanted to teach in a school in Africa through the Peace Corps. When I saw her I asked her about her trip. I asked her what was the hardest part or working with the people there. She told me that when working with the community you had to be very patient. She said that most of the members wouldn’t try her new hygiene ways right away. She told me she taught them about teeth brushing and hand washing. At the time I thought that was great! She is helping these people become healthier. I also thought it was weird that they would resist a practice that would help them live longer. Now however I have a different view. Was she really helping these people? Or was she forcing American culture among the people in South America. Why should they need to follow the routines that Americans go through every day. Every society has their own culture and American’s need to learn how to respect that. I can understand setting up new schools or enhancing programs that they all ready have step up in these third world countries but should we be placing American culture there? The people there probably feel that their ways are being taken away and these new ways are foreign. That is probably why there are so hesitant to do these new hygiene ways. The real question is are we really creating peace through this program or causing a clash of cultures?
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