Voices of buildOn

buildOn has had a lot of great Treks this spring so it is unusual for a Team or Trek Experience to standout; unusual, but not impossible! Trek is truly exceptional and extraordinary every time and the April Trek to Malawi from CA was no exception to the rule. Here is how Tony Cheang reflected on this time and his experience.

There is no doubt that Trek for Knowledge was the biggest eye opener in my life. I, along with 16 others, traveled to the northern region of Malawi, Africa in the spring of 2010 in order to help construct a school.

In the beginning of the trip, I felt like it was our Trek team that would be doing the giving. It would be us that would be mainly giving the gift of education to them. I was wrong. By the time we departed from Chanjobvu, I felt like the knowledge that the villagers had given me surpassed anything that I had given them.Although it is inexplicably and outrageously difficult to translate my thoughts into English, I will attempt to pinpoint one aspect of their society that moved me greatly. That aspect is their communal ties.

The people at the villages were very friendly, not only to us, but to each other as well. Respect is not earned, rather it is given and one must earn the disrespect of others to be looked down upon. In their society, guys could hold hands without being called "gay." Doors are left unlocked without the fear of items being stolen. Everyday, since work at the work site began, over 100 people showed up to help the construction along. Keep in mind, this is all unpaid and they have other obligations to tend to such as the growing of their crops.

Often, the act of being physically close to someone signifies closeness between the two. In the villages that we stayed, the idea of personal space was lessened to a great extent. I had recently met someone new one night. We were talking face to face about a foot away. Back at home, if a person were to approach that close to speak to me, I would feel uneasy and would probably step back to distance myself. There, it felt like a social norm. I felt connected. I felt a bond with the people of the village like none I've felt in the United States. Not even with my close friends.

If I could bring back just one idea to the United States, it would be that. It would be that sense of togetherness. It would be the sense of communal trust. It would be... wonderful.

Written by Tony Cheang