Teacher in the Tropics During Summer

 I am not a troubled refugee from a war-stricken country, nor am I a victim of violence. I am just a student who is privileged enough to enjoy my summer holiday. Recently, I seized the opportunity to indulge myself in the serenity of the beach. Before I go any further, this is not a recount of how I spent my holiday; this is rather an account of my understanding towards solving prevalent issues around the globe, which I have discovered on my vacation. Moving on, a typical summer would require me to don my swimsuit and let my mind swim freely with the ocean. This time around, however, my mind was well intact within me as I read a book while resting on the beach chair. 

Suddenly, a beam of the sunlight penetrated through the flamboyant beach umbrella, interrupting my silent reading. Thereafter, I applied sunscreen to protect myself from the scorching heat. I continued my reading and shortly after, the sun became too much. I did not feel irritated and kept my composure with sand in my toes. It was summer, after all.

 Fascinated by the clear waters in my view, I was suddenly interested in snorkelling. Since it was included in my holiday package, I decided to jump to the opportunity of exploring the sea. Soon enough, I found myself on a boat ready to dive. While advancing towards the destination, the colour of the water had changed. Inquisitively, I questioned the tour guide whether what I had witnessed was normal or not. He answered that the amount of reflected sunlight determined the colour of the sea, but it flowed in the same direction still. After a deep thought, I realised that this can be a metaphor that is linked to our lives. It reminded me that no matter what skin colour we are, life will only end the same way for all of us, and only in one direction: death. Tolerance was something I considered important here. 

 When I finally got the chance to snorkel, I spotted a behaviour of organism similar to infographics that were printed in my biology textbook. One large fish was trying to attack the other while the little ones came together to fight as one. This reminded me of a quote by Napoleon Hill, “If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." This moment taught me about the importance of unity, especially when a conflict had arisen.

 In conclusion, my tropical summer by the beach has made me think of our global issues and ways to combat them. I strongly believe we need to understand the meaning of patience, tolerance and unity first before we can instil these morals in our actions. It is historically proven that racism and militarism had caused World War. If we forget our differences and become one, we might be able to face problems like these today courageously, not violently. However, we are deafeningly loud in voicing out our opinions, that we cannot seem to listen to others. History must not repeat itself. Let us all play an important role in maintaining global peace. This is what my tropical summer has taught me. What about yours?