If I Could Open my Eyes any Wider, I Would Certainly Need to Remove my Eyelids

It has likely become obvious at this point; I enjoy continuing a motif if one is present.  It is to my understanding that the teenagers would call this, “beating a dead horse with a stick.”  The statement that this trip has been eye-opening has been stated ad nauseam, however, it still holds merit.  The last day in the NGO, my colleagues and I had the opportunity to interview some of the people living within the building.  They shared their stories, their hopes, their fears, and their experiences within the building.  To describe all of the stories that we were told would constitute another violation of picture to content ratio.  In order to spare the readers of this trips blog, as numerous they surely must be, I will end this final post with a double sided anecdote. 

As I sat there listening to the adults, their faces told a story of the many harsh trials and tribulations they surely faced.  It became difficult to one point.  The saving grace, if you will, was the faces of the children that accompanied them.  Their faces were full of joy and excitement, even during this harsh time in their life.  It truly served as a testament to the strength children possess during adversity.  To the spark that is seemingly able to sustain them even during the darkest moments.  It was a beautiful sight to see, rest assured.

The second part of this anecdote is a little more depressing; my apologies.  Listening to the heartfelt stories from these people also elicited a much more sobering reminder, and that is, public policy is not fair.  It is not kind, nor is it necessarily easy.  In the case of many of the people that I interacted with, public policy can be the direct hindrance to a better life.  However, it is a necessary aspect to modern governance, and while painful, it is incredibly important.  It is imperative that tough decisions such as the one the German government makes, need to be made. That seems to be all I can say in this regard.