The one thing that has always struck me when traveling abroad is how lucky… lazy we are. I envy the native peoples in the countries I’ve traveled in. They make a party out of gardening, laundry, cooking and playing. They are not glued to TVs. They do not have the luxury of a dish washer, a clothes washer or dryer, sometimes not even a true stove as we know it. For sure they can’t set a timer on their sprinkler system and forget about the garden.
I have traveled to Ethiopia on a humanitarian mission and helped build stoves, drip watering system, water filtration systems. Traveled to Bolivia to help build toilets and teach them about hygiene. Just as a traveler to other Central, South American and Caribbean countries and experienced the joy of neighbors doing laundry, cooking food in wood kindled ovens outside, and gardening together. The sense of community and neighbors is only some fake notion we have in the US
I have noticed over the last few years the youth of these countries have embraced cell phones, computers and eating out. The sense of family seems to be splintering… if only just a bit. It is almost sad.
I live in a country that our kids go to schools with cell phones, the avgerage home has two TVs, every individual in a family has a computer. In my dealership I see teenagers come in with their parents and turn up their nose at a great first car… and the parents give in. What are we doing?
I know that I am not any better than the people described above. My first car was $500 and I bought it myself. I do own a Smart phone and a computer and a tablet. I have four TVs in my house. I own a washer and dryer and a professional gas stove, two fridges and a chest freezer. Yes I am comfortable but when I travel I envy the people I see that have something I don’t… real friends, community and a life that has real meaning instead of just getting ahead, keeping up with the Jones… and intimate relationships with my family and neighbors. Are we not the luckiest laziest race…
Two Travelin' Chicas... A Grand Adventure 
Well said! We can all learn something from these countries.
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I understand this completely. Urban India is much like the US that you describe but most people of my generation remember a time it was not that way. As a parent, I fight this battle every day. Not giving in to smartphones and screens and enduring the tantrums and ‘other kids are allowed to do this’, hopefully so that my children have a more real connect with the natural world and the people around them.
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I applaud you for taking a hard stand. I feel it will make your children better rounded people… even though they won’t get it today. I employ “kids” and they all feel “priveliged” and demand top pay for less than mediocre work ethics. Good luck and I hop your kids will grow up better than the generation I engage with on a professional basis everyday.
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