Episode 12 "The New British"
I have a dream.
I could not help but lament over this mixed up world.
It is a world of changes.
The weather is changing, economies change, people mix change; pretty soon the chance of having a firm identity will diminish with time. Europe is facing some economic crisis. European Union is a fantasy of some great minds. In reality it might not be such a pretty picture. There is great economic disparity happening. The separation between the rich and the poor still persists. Old money still dominates within all the big industries. Rich countries will be rich and poor countries remain struggling. There are countries that should not be qualified to join EU, but they have to; despite of the circumstances. Greece is a poor country and they will always be a poor country without much of any resources. They got in the EU and they got clobbered while trying to maintain the same level of living like Germany. This is a sure way to disaster and it showed. Of course corruption in a country does not help either.
The disparity between the rich and poor countries leads to huge migration problems. The poor folks from poor countries always look for a green pasture and a better life. They forsake a lot by leaving their own comfort zones and go on adventure in a land where everything looks so foreign to them. It is struggle from the word go. These immigrants might not do too well either. They lack the networking that ease up the condition for them to push ahead. The end result is still the same. The rich remains rich and the poor remain poor. There is no change at all except the numbers get bigger.
Like the young server I met in the hotel, she still has a goal to work on. It is not unattainable but it takes a lot of submissive thinking for survival. Success percentage might not be too rosy.
While departed from Heathrow, I went to surrender the subway pass and get the deposit back. There was this burly, big, rough looking Russian man trying to get a ticket. He did not speak much English and he did not know he had to queue up behind the waiting line. He stood right behind the person who was purchasing a ticket. The ticket master asked the Russian to stand back behind the waiting line. He did not understand. The ticket-master asked again; this time raising his voice. The Russian still did not understand what was wrong. He looked baffled and mistreated. This whole fiasco ended with the Russian walking away. He did not get the ticket. The ticket master grumbled about the non-discipline act of foreigners while the Russian swore about the inhospitable action also from foreigners. It was an absolute lose-lose situation.
Why did the Russian guy come in the first place? He looked like a local resident. He did not look too well groomed. He was probably hoping to do better on foreign soil. Obviously he did not get what he hoped for. So instead of fame and fortune, he received contempt and despise in return. This whole thing will carry on with animosity forever.
The little incidents I encountered during my travels can be viewed as a fragment of a big picture. As the world gets closer, imperfection will manifest faster. I lack the knowledge or power to change the big picture. I can only work with what little power I possess to make this world a better place.
In order to reach better harmony, more understanding has to suffice and what understanding would be better than to start with the young. That is why educating the young is important.
I am an optimist at heart.