We shared a common goal
Kristina Lall (l.) and Melanie Yeh (r.)
*
Though our differences were obvious, we shared a common goal. This was the beginning of the Trip for Tolerance, a journey that would encourage every student to share his or her unique identity and learn more of others.
We were twenty-nine Vanier College students, from Montreal, of different ethnic groups, backgrounds and cultures on our way to New York City and Washington, DC. Of course, like most average adolescents, we were more excited about seeing the sights of New York and Washington rather than focusing on the learning experience. Our top priority was helping out with the economy by doing what every tourist is required to do when vacationing… Shop!
I'm almost positive that the other students had that very same thought as we boarded the luxurious travel bus and settled down to watch the movie. It's doubtful that any of us would realize the true extent of this trip until the very end. The experiences that we shared will never be forgotten.
Manhattan is a beautiful city, full of life; the skyscrapers seem to compete to touch the sky. Cameras were clicking to capture the amazing sights. We were on our way to the Statue of Liberty. A boat would take us around the statue before docking at Ellis Island.
Once there, we would take a tour of the museum and wonder exactly what it was like to have immigrated. What did the immigrants feel as they crowded around the deck of their ship, gazing in absolute awe of the city? They must have felt a surge of hope at being able to claim a new life, a better life. It was most unfortunate to learn that many immigrants were quarantined upon setting foot on Ellis Island.
We found a wall, called the American Immigrant Wall of Honor, with the names of all the people who immigrated to the island. One of our friends was even able to find the name of her relatives who had once held those aspirations of a new life in a country that promoted freedom.
While standing in line and awaiting the boat ride back to the city, a teacher pointed to the statue and told us what the ill-treated immigrants had once said: that the Statue of Liberty faces the open sea because she is ashamed and appalled by what is happening on land; she has turned her back to the city.
We thought this through as the gentle waves rocked the boat that was christened 'Freedom'.
Our next stop was the Empire State Building. It is eighty-six floors high and we went straight to the top. Rest assured that this would always remain a breathtaking sight to us. We could see everything! It was like flying; the wind whipped our hair around in a frenzy and we laughed as we snapped more pictures of the city far below us. With the increase in population and Manhattan being an island the people were in dire need of more space. Where else could they build but up?
Thus the skyscrapers rose and competed for the title of the 'tallest building in the world'. For forty long years, the Empire State Building held that name. Fourteen people died while constructing this towering obelisk.
From Ground Zero to D.C.
We found our gazes shifting toward ground zero.
The Empire State Building lost its proud title to the rise of two large monuments, the Twin Towers. Since this was a trip for tolerance and a trip to New York City, 9/11 was sure to come up at some point in the journey.
Paths where we walked had once been enveloped in billowing clouds of smoke that threatened the frightened and confused crowds of panicked people. Upon reaching the hallowed grounds, we couldn't help but notice the tiny American flags that waved at us from the fences. The location of the Twin Towers has become a construction site. They were going to rebuild, bigger and better, in memory of 9/11.
One major difference every student noticed, when we crossed the border, was that many American houses fly their country's flag. We saw flags everywhere! It's something that Canada lacks and what makes the United States such a strong country. It is their unity. There really is strength in numbers.
As students who don't normally follow politics, we were in for an earful when we got to Washington. We visited three places: the Arab American Institute, the offices of B'nai Brith International and the Canadian embassy. Each representative gave us his or her views on politics. We can't claim to understand everything that they had said but we easily grasped the basic idea from each person.
The most memorable aspect of that day was not visiting these political spokespeople but the discussion we had together afterwards. All twenty-nine students and a handful of teachers squeezed into one tiny hotel room so that we could all exchange our own views and thoughts about what we had heard that day.
Needless to say, we all had very different opinions but there were no hurtful words exchanged in the process. In fact, this discussion helped our small group to bond with each other as we listened to and respected what each person had to say. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, especially with the promise of free pizza courtesy of our kind and generous teachers!
That atmosphere changed the second time we had this type of discussion.
Growing up free
The day we visited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum turned out to be the most emotional day of our trip. The museum was deathly silent and everyone spoke in hushed tones.
Some exhibits warned parents of contents that may be disturbing to young children. One of the teachers told us of two exhibits that were not to be missed, the wall of names of people who had helped the Jews and Daniel's Room, the Holocaust seen through the eyes of a small boy.
Among our teachers, there are some that have experienced the Holocaust or are related to those who have had first-hand experiences. They shared their stories with us that evening. Twenty-nine students sat in a small hotel room that night, feeling bitter, sad and frustrated. Tears were shed and there was not a single dry eye in the group. Others held each other, finding comfort among new friends.
The Holocaust was not ancient history, it happened less than seventy years ago. Six million deaths occurred, that's like going back home to Quebec and finding out that everyone in our province had vanished.
In our discussion, we pondered the influence of Adolf Hitler. One man managed to gain the support of a nation and cause such widespread changes. If one man, with his evil intentions, succeeded in passing along his ideas for evil, what could twenty-nine of us do for good?
We studied many different cultures on this voyage and learned to accept them all with an open mind. What was truly amazing was seeing the similarities between religions that scorned each other. In the end, what we all want is the same. Every mother wants her child to grow up free, nobody wants to know the hardships of war and everyone craves peace.
This trip was a truly enriching experience. Amongst all the life lessons and political debates, we even managed to get some good shopping done.
Twenty-nine students -- from different programs, of different ages, races and religions -- unified by this one trip.
* Picture taken at the mosque of the Islamic Center in Washington DC.
Kristina Lall and Melanie Yeh are second-year students at Vanier College in Montreal. Kristina is in Vanier's "Science Plus" program and Melanie is majoring in Liberal Arts.
The publication of this article was made possible by a financial contribution of:
