Your Voice Counts!

Greg Mortenson took a risk when he decided to help the villages and the children who did not have the opportunity to become educated. He struggled getting the support he needed to help others, but eventually he was able to conquer his goal and set more goals. Coming to college is about setting goals and expectations for yourself and trying to achieve them, once you achieve that goal you should not stop there. Continue to challenge yourself and better yourself with higher expectations and goals. There are an infinite number of possibilities and opportunities to help make this campus, this community, and this world that we live in a better place if you take that risk and opportunity to help others and do good for those around you. Read the rest of this entry »

I wouldn’t consider Greg Mortenson’s experience on K2 to be a failure. Though he did not climb the mountain like he had initially planned, he still had an experience that lasted a lifetime and drove him to a life of service for others that most people simply would not pursue.I think Mortenson’s climb would have been a failure if no good came out of it, if he just went home and gave up on everything.

If there is anything I’ve learned while attending Fairfield University, and in life in general, it is that nobody ever achieved anything while staying in their comfort zone, and Mortenson is proof of that. If you want something, go after it with your fullest effort because only when you commit to something will you find out if it’s right for you. If you have a passion for something, pursue it. If you have a cause, fight for it. And if you find that your purpose in life lies somewhere else, do not hesitate to change your course. Nobody’s always right, so don’t be afraid to change, but don’t be afraid to make a decision either.

I noticed that throughout the book that climbing K2 is continually referred to as a failure. Like many experiences that you will have during college (and in life) they are greatly dependent upon the perspective you hold. The “failure” that Greg Mortenson associates with K2 would be the beginning of success in educating thousands of students in one of the poorest and politically volatile regions of the world. Mortenson’s example compels us to always look for opportunity amongst what might initially appear to be an overwhelming obstacle.

Do you agree or disagree with the definition “failed attempt” a failure? Share your thoughts by leaving a response below.

I consider myself lucky to be of a Costa Rican family. More so, having family over there all my life has served with the advantage of living in their household while we visited, instead of a hotel meant for tourists. I consider that a blessing because, even for a little while, you live like they do, realizing the blessings one has as do they have. There are pros and cons to everything, of course, and I’d have to say at times sleeping with a mosquito net was rather hard to get used to.

With that being said, I feel that the advantage of learning of different cultures at Fairfield is that one is exposed to so many different people. To be fair, most institutions would offer the same circumstances, but I mainly realized and appreciated that people at Fairfield each had a story to tell in his or her special way. And likewise, I’d like to feel that I have something to offer to others.

The overall general direction that the U.S. is moving in is one of being more open, myself included. I more than ever just try to listen to other’s experiences, and realize that “culture” does not just mean myself coming from Costa Rica versus people I have met coming from El Salvador, or Germany, etc., but it also means acceptance of people’s choices. Read the rest of this entry »

Mortenson describes his failure as not reaching the top of K2, however this was probably his greatest success. He was able to achieve so much more because he did not reach the top. Attempting to climb K2 was a difficult task in itself. There were many things that stood in his way, many obstacles he had to overcome, however, it was all these obstacles that made his journey more worthwhile. Mortenson’s failure only allowed him to achieve new goals and reach new heights. He may not have climbed to the top, but by “failing” he came to realize what he wanted, his path in life was greater than he ever imagined. Any failure in life can always be seen as an obstacle that must be overcome to achieve greatness. By switching his focus from a “failure” because he did not reach the top, to setting new goals he was able to move on and conquer bigger obstacles. I think we should all look to Mortenson’s example when we are faced with difficult times in our life, to turn it around, walk a different path and realize we are meant for so much more.

“ It is on our failures that we base a new and different and better success.”
– Havelock Ellis

Have you ever been in a situation to turn the failure into a success? Share your story by leaving a response below.

One of the themes from Three Cups of Tea that most resonated with me was Mortenson’s willingness to take risks and the personal growth that he received through those risks. Starting with that first leap of faith in promising the people of Korphe that he would return with money for a school, Mortenson started on a lifelong journey of not knowing what was around the corner or not knowing what challenges faced him as he tried to achieve his goals.

While that may seem like recklessness to some, I think the primary difference for Mortenson was that he backed up those risks with a sincere devotion and commitment and with faith that everything would work out. As a result of these risks Mortenson has been able to better the lives of countless children and villages but as also found a purpose for his life and experienced tremendous personal growth. Read the rest of this entry »

I read Three Cups of Tea last year when a friend and colleague recommended it. It was one of those books that caused a range of emotions and reactions. To identify a few, I felt a great sense of admiration for Greg Mortenson — for his courage, compassion, patience, perseverance, follow-through, humility and ability to think outside of the box. I was encouraged by the success of his approach to peace-building, which focuses on relationship-building, systems-building and empowerment rather than violence or conflict. I was touched by the value that he placed on learning the culture and sub-cultures that he was entering; the great lengths that he went to to learn, at times putting his life on the line, often putting his ego on the line. At the same time, I felt anger about what appears to be so little investment in this model of non-violent approach. It seems as though the approaches that are most resourced and most validated involve conflict, violence, innocent deaths, and destruction rather than peace, empowerment, and resolution. It left me wanting to learn more about similar programs, approaches, individuals, and groups that exist. I felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the the issues involved. Read the rest of this entry »

Fairfield might not be the most diverse school in the country however we do embrace diversity. I have learned from the people at Fairfield that everyone is diverse in their own way and I did not have to try hard in order to fit into “foreign cultures.” Everyone is proud of who they are and enjoys sharing how their culture influences their lives. I think that I have benefited most from the knowledge that other students share with me. Everyone has their strong and weak academic points so just allowing myself to keep an open mind and learn from other students has taught me to keep an open mind about people and not to stereotype or assume something about them. Most of the students, faculty and administrators will answer any questions and do not pass judgments because you asked them. A suggestion I would have about how to avoid cultural misunderstandings is to not be afraid to talk to others. When you meet someone you are both in same boat of awkwardness and potential misunderstandings, so just be yourself and don’t be afraid to step out of the comfort zone and talk to someone you might not usually have spoken to.

Have you ever discovered that you were misunderstanding a situation due to cultural differences? Share your story by leaving a response below.

Read a fascinating look at US policy towards Pakistan and the contrasting work of Greg Mortenson in Nicholas Kristof’s July 13, 2008 NY Times Op-Ed piece.

Kristof writes, “Suppose that the United States focused less on blowing things up in Pakistan’s tribal areas and more on working through local aid groups to build schools, simultaneously cutting tariffs on Pakistani and Afghan manufactured exports. “  To read entire article, go to LINK