A new child arrived on Friday, although she is clearly school age, we are not sure if she has attended school in the past and we don't yet know if the school here will take her this far into the school year. The education system if very different here and the idea that children have a right to go to school might exist on paper but not in practice, as there are many children in this country who do not attend school. As an individual, and an American who studied education undergrad, my thinking would be that the school needs to include her; but, there are differences because of culture, experience and education in how we approach and perceive situations. Lately I have been aware of these challenges, in many varied situations which I encounter regularly. As a Social worker I strive to be culturally competent, and respect the values and beliefs of the culture in which I am working, while always attempting to advocate for what is in the best interest for the child, or those who are most vulnerable, while considering the common good; this is the ideal and I don't claim that I meet this ideal with any regularity. It would be unfair, and inaccurate, if I assume that what initially seems best to me, really is. There are always little struggles and constantly I am needing to discern my response and pray to know when to remain silent, what to accept , what to challenge, when to speak, how to listen well, and how to speak in a way that is respectful and open to the perspective of others who can teach me much. In a few simple situations this is not too terribly difficult, but in many it is extremely challenging and certainly, I mess up, frequently. Working in a different cultural context, if nothing else certainly requires constantly being stretched and learning and relearning the virtue of humility.
I hope that you are well. Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment. Wish I could send you some fresh tomatoes. Take care!
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