It’s so easy to take flying for granted, not just in terms of getting from point A to point B easily, but also in terms of the actual miracle of flight. We might laugh when we see a safety video talk about how to put on your seatbelt, but the reality is that there are billions of people who have never flown before.
Al Jazeera did a documentary about a Pakistani villager who goes to Dubai at the urging of the elders in his village, so that they can help lift them out of poverty. The video explores there being more to life than money:
In the remote Pakistan village of Hakimwala, farmers battle a deadly pest that is ruining their cotton crops. Many find it difficult to afford the pesticide and face mounting debts.
The elders of the village encourage the young men to travel abroad to earn better pay and help lift the village out of poverty.
Twenty-nine-year-old Sharif has lived in Hakimwala all his life. He is an only son and drives the only car in the village. He is responsible for driving the sick to the city hospital three hours away.
But with the infestation of his cotton crops and rising debts, Sharif decides it is time to seek his fortune elsewhere.
Sharif decides to go to Dubai despite warnings from his friends. The villagers sell the car and his family sells their hard-earned lands to cover his expenses.
For the first time in his life, Sharif leaves his village, flies in an airplane and experiences a foreign land. In spite of mounting debts, Sharif is about to learn that there is more to life than money. Or is there?
Here’s a 90 second clip from the documentary where Sharif flies for the first time, as he’s headed to Dubai. His perceptions are such a great reminder of what we sometimes take for granted: https://www.facebook.com/AJWitness/videos/10156811325320557/
While the context is completely different, it reminds me a bit of the video I posted a couple of years ago about two older ladies flying for the first time:
Always a great reminder!
Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.