“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” By Mark Twain
“Got a Ticket to Ride…”
This time a week ago I was enjoying the sunshine and the Pacific Ocean in the small town of Depoe Bay, Oregon. Today, I am in east Tennessee for a week-long stay. I make my way back home to Washington state next week.
Traveling gives you interesting insights into the health attitudes and safety measures different locations are applying in response to Covid-19. The only consistency I have seen is the “non-consistency”. Some stores are open and others are not. Some places demand a mask be worn and some do not. Some preach social distance and some seem to not care. All in all these differences reflect the overall range of thoughts and concerns from coast to coast.
Air travel is a major challenge. I was on two different airlines traveling east and both constantly proclaimed the need for masks and distances while waiting to board the planes. After you board, you find each seat if filled with travelers…a few even without masks. Social distance was checked at the door. Just another inconsistency!
During my nearly six hours of flying, I was treated to 2 bottles of water and two packages of snacks (crackers). There were no Wi-Fi connections or TV monitors available. There is food available in the airport if you have time to wait in extremely long lines…(six feet apart). Fortunately, I packed my own power bars and mixed nuts.
Wherever I am, Copey Learning Center and “Friends of Copey” are topics of discussion. My location is about an hour drive from Emory & Henry College across the border into southwest Virginia. This is Copey Land…a hot bed of very supportive “Friends of Copey”.
Costa Rica Covid-19 Update…!
Still, no information can be found in the news regarding schools reopening. Costa Rica was poised to reopen its commerce this past weekend but the report on new cases on Friday shut down these plans. A spike of 119 new cases emerged making it the highest single day total to date. Businesses already operating were permitted to continue with the same restrictions in place over the past two or three weeks. (Source: The Costa Rican Star Newspaper dated June 19, 2020.)
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I love the Mark Twain quote! How true it is! I hope to make my way to Copey Learning Center someday. ❤
Happy it rings true to you. Rings true to me. I believe you will get to Copey and will fully enjoy the experience. BTW…I hope you have recovered from the home fire.Thank you!
In sports, and in life in general, consistency is very hard to achieve. The examples you give while traveling are an example of this. However, You are very consistent with these blogs in spite of traveling and everything else you do!! Thanks for that!!
Excellent point. Life in general is naturally inconsistent…! Perhaps I have grown overly sensitive to the rules, requirements, and demands for compliance then witness the opposite. Each week my consistency is being evaluated. Thanks for seeing it.
If you have any free time while you in SW Virginia and could squeeze in lunch or dinner with an old friend, let me know. don’t mind traveling to meet you. Not anything on my schedule this week that can’t be changed. Safe travels and best wishes. Kay
Yes the Mark Twain quotation is one I have often used in teaching geography. I meet college students who have no desire to travel, and that stuns me. They have various reasons but one may be an unconscious desire to hold on to fears and biases that somehow provide “shelter” under the guise of “being a homebody.” I think one of the GREAT benefits of Copey Learning Center is that it is building bridges that help break down prejudice. Maybe we can do more online friendship-building between the USA and Costa Rica, using Copey as a base. Thanks, Scrapper, for being a bridge-builder!
It frightens and worries me that we can’t rely on consistent messages during these difficult times. I agree with the friends who commented and hope that we make the necessary changes to make our country healthy in every way, especially consistent changes regarding prejudice and violence. Scrapper, thank you for being so consistent with your positive messages and keeping us informed about all things Copey. I look forward to your quotes each week, and Twain’s is so appropriate. Education is so important, and our students yearn to be with their friends, teachers, and volunteers, but safety and wellness are more important for now. We need consistent messages for everyone but especially for our students who depend on their leaders, teachers, and mentors to “do the right thing.” If we have consistent approaches to travel, for example, maybe some of us will have the opportunity to volunteer in Copey (my dream) sooner rather than later. If online education is best, then I will do whatever I can to help with that approach. Stay safe, Friends.