*I apologize for not explaining fair trade during the entry but I would like to discuss that on the next blog entry because a paragraph would not suffice. Instead I would like this blog to reflect the thoughts that went through my mind during my "field-trip" and what not.
As I you know, I have taken a personal "field-trip" to dark yet cozy caverns of the city's University. During this trip, my dear friends and I decided to go on another side field-trip on a place that is remarkable and awe-inspiring. It might seem dramatic and such but it truly is. I talking of course of a store called Ten Thousand Villages. It is a nation-wide (I mean this in the most non-corporate way) store chain in Canada/USA that promotes fair trade by selling products that will really help out those that made the products. The products that they sell ranges from cute, intricate memento boxes to playful flutes and drums and ceramic pottery. And as their name suggest (well not literally, though I am unsure) these wonderful things come from a vast array of developing countries stretching from Latin America (those fair trade coffee smelled so nice!!), Africa (I kept playing the drums for a long while) and Asia. The ceramics were so beautiful but I could only stare at it for fear of breaking the bowl. But as with any "specialty" store, the prices were astronomical (from the perspective of an high school student) but there are some interesting goods if you just check every nook and cranny. (Argument for this is in tomorrow's blog)
Before we physically reached Ten Thousand Villages, we got lost. Yes, lost. The sense of panic, frustration and worry coupled by the knowledge that you have no clue the route of the bus you're on. That one but for specifically that day my friends and I were calm in handling the situation. So we decided to just go back to the University where we can regroup and try again. But luck was on our side because my one of my friend saw the store in the nick of time and we got off nearest stop near Ten Thousand Villages. When we arrived, the store was surprisingly small but it had a warm, enjoyable atmosphere. Not some dingy, humongous shrine to needless consumerism but the opposite. The store I thought was converted from a house. Which is odd and beneficial to some way because it adds to the aura of the place. People seem to pick up on it too because we were elbow to elbow (like 8 people in a really cramped space) and yet they were smiling and were offering others to go ahead. Its weird because not many people do that, I mean sure people hold the door for you and etc. but to me its robotical, no smile, no sincerity just automatic. But this place had it.
My friend and I, circled (or toured) the shop atleast 4 times. There is a ground floor, basement and second floor. We had too much fun playing on the drums and flutes in the music/children section. I guess it's befitting for how we act at times (hehehe). One striking object that I found was when I was descending towards the ground floor. It was a map. But it was inverted, the developed countries on the southern hemisphere (usually coupled with poverty) and the developing countries on the north (usually where the rich nations are). It was a grand yet simple statement. We actually blocked traffic because my friends discussed the map. Anyways, when we soon return the book borrowed from the University, were planning on going back and actually buying something to help such a good cause.
Visit their website!
MDGProject............
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