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Ashley Tyndall
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:45 pm Posts: 30
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I am so used to not having to worry about the bare necessities of life (which I am very thankful). Talking about the people of the Congo, the book makes me question about our own children in the US who live in such poverty. I have a hard time relating to them because I don't think I have enough willpower to live the way a lot of our inner-city children do. I am beginning to admire and respect them even more. Could you survive in the Congo?
_________________ Ashley Tyndall
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Tue Nov 08, 2005 7:38 pm |
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Aaron Fleming
Semi-pro
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:44 pm Posts: 19
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It is amazing to see how people can live outside of what we are used to. I have sometimes thought that being on "Survivor" would be an awesome experience, but I believe I would soon realize all that I take for granted everyday such as warm meals, clean clothes, and a shower.
_________________ Aaron Fleming
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Tue Nov 08, 2005 9:30 pm |
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Stephanie Weeks
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:45 pm Posts: 30
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My husband and I went to Liberia in West Africa two summers ago. It really made me thankful to live here. What was so amazing to me was the resourcefulness of the people there. They have been without reliable electric service for about 15 years due to civil war and they have had to improvise in many ways to provide for their families. One interesting thing I saw there was refrigerator ovens. They would take an old refrigerator, use the bottom cavity to build a fire in and then use the top freezer cavity for the "oven." Even though the refrigerators are useless to them in their original purpose, they have figured out a way to use them. Nothing is wasted by the people of Liberia. I think (hope) we would all be resourceful enough to survive in the Congo. Maybe it would just be a matter of how well we would survive.
_________________ Stephanie Weeks
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Wed Nov 09, 2005 3:38 pm |
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Ricky Ward
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:44 pm Posts: 58
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I think that if you are put into a situation it would surprise you what you could do. However, I don't believe I would want to put myself in that type of situation. I would like to try it for a short time, but nothing long term. I am pretty used to all the things we have around us, and it would be hard to give up.
_________________ Ricky Ward
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Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:02 am |
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Jennifer Wampler
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:45 pm Posts: 47
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I agree with Ricky, in that I think people can survive in situations that they might not expect themselves too out of sheer will. I would not want to live without the luxuries that we have in the USA, but I think I would do everything in my power to survive in the Congo if I had too.
_________________ Jennifer Wampler
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Sat Nov 12, 2005 8:53 am |
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Carrie Allen
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:44 pm Posts: 38
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I spent four years working as a counselor/teacher for Eckerd. My father is a lawyer and my mom is the president of a non-profit organization. I did not know what it was like to go without. Working for Eckerd changed my life in so many ways. You realize what you have as a person and can live in ways you could never imagine.
_________________ Carrie Allen
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Mon Nov 14, 2005 2:52 pm |
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Rachael Dunton
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:48 pm Posts: 34
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I think in order to survive in the Congo you would need to open up to a new way of living and thinking. In many ways you would have to forget what you know and learn a new way of living.
_________________ Rachael Dunton
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Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:06 pm |
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Tammy Beach
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:45 pm Posts: 30
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I would not choose to live in the Congo for a long period of time. However, if I had to go there for a specific reason, I think you can endure most things for short amounts of time. I don't think I would have done well living there for an extended amount of time.
_________________ Tammy Beach
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Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:47 am |
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Julia Cooley
All-star
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 5:44 pm Posts: 36
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We did an activity in my Sociology class this morning, to see if we could survive in the innercity, living in poverity. We were a class that was 98% white and we all would struggle greatly in this situation, especially coming from a middle class life. If I couldn't make it in the innercity, I don't know how I would even begin to survive in the Congo. However, when put into a situation, people can acclimate. I think we might surprise ourselves if thrown into this situation. We could learn to be resourceful and may do better than we expected. When put in a situation, I believe it is safe to say most of us will learn to make the best of things and acclimate.
_________________ Julia Cooley
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Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:42 pm |
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