Reading The Poisonwood Bible has brought back memories of traveling to other counties. I have traveled to China and Mexico. Both these trips were eye openers. We went into areas they were very low economic status. In Mexico I couldn't beleive people lived in tiny huts with hardly a roof. We have out food and bibles while we were there. In China we visiting the city. The poor were begging and so many disabled people lived on the streets. I remember a man who had no legs pulling himself around on a wagon looking contraption wiht a cup on top. I couldn't imagine.

Needless to say I was glad to get back home. These experiences are one you can never learn in school. HOw many of you have had similar experiences. Sad thing is, these circumstances are in our own country. These trips were before 9/11. Would you travel now? I would want to, but im not sure i would.

You've had some exciting opportunities and you're still so young! I've been nowhere - except through the Nat.' Geo. channel. Sometimes I feel so sheltered. And yes, I'd be scared to death to travel now. I have flown once to CA since 9/11. I don't like planes and crowds anyway. My fears only escalated with the threat of terrorism.

I have been to Curacao (off the coast of venezula) and Portugal, Denmark, Bahammas, and Hawaii.....all of these places had these areas you are talking about. Curacao and Portugal were the worst, where the word shack was a high standard for what they lived in. These were mission trips so we were doing the same thing it sounded like. Watching the children take showers at our camp site, with freezing cold water which we were all complaining about, but they were playing in it and so excited to be able to wash. See mosquitos and gnats fly around me like crazy, while I ate, slept, walked ...everywhere. Seeing a murder right in front of me....a man stabbed to death...the list goes on and on of what I saw before I even turned 24. I was definatly glad to be home, but spending two weeks in each of those places changed my life and my views in a way that nothing else could. Would I do it now since 9/11...yes I would. I know it sounds crazy but people often tell me I am too trustworthy and maybe I don't worry about things I should but I don't fear flying since then. (I flew to Hawaii just last year by myself.) I know it may sound ridiculous but that is just me.