HOMELESS
Dirty, alcoholic, smoker, begger, social issue, lazy, it is their choice … ect.
I’m Jeweanne, from Malaysia, one of the participants of this walking tour. The words above were my previous stereotypes towards the homeless. I use to hold onto the belief of “Where there is a way, there is a will.” It wasn’t until this tour that I realized this might not be always true. These guides I met worked extremely hard and yet weren’t able to escape from the homeless life for a long time. After joining this tour, I became much more appreciative of what I have and who I am right now. I started to love myself and the world more and more day by day.
Throughout this walking tour, I got to know more about their daily living. Their lifestyle really opened my eyes, although sometimes it made me very sorry and sad. I also did a lot of self-reflecting. I tried putting myself in their shoes and imagined, with my limited knowledge, opportunities and network, what I can do? A big obstacle is society’s ingrained discrimination towards the homeless. My emotion went up and down during this walking tour. Frankly speaking, if you do not imagine yourself as them during this walking tour, this perhaps will be just an interesting homeless story for you, but if you do, you will not only learn from the tour guide but also a lot about yourself.
It was quite an interesting and impactful walking tour for me throughout my travel journey in Taiwan. Before joining My Homeless Tour Guide, try to think about these few questions:
1. What do you think about yourself?
2. What do you think about your life right now?
3. What do you think about them, the homeless? Is it their choice to become a homeless, wandering on the streets, begging for something … or…
So give them a chance to be your tour guide to eliminate the stereotypes between you and them, and to see homelessness in a different angle. Let them tell you their stories, it will surely make an impact on your life. You’re indirectly helping them to build up their confidence and career, letting them escape from being homeless.
Sometimes, learning not to discriminate is more powerful than simply giving money.
Book the Tour Right Now: My Homeless Tour Guide
[Jeweanne’s Facebook sharing]
今天，參與了一項很有意義的活動，
這活動是由台灣的一個NGO 和街友們合作的一個項目，讓街友們當導遊，從他們的角度，認識不一樣的台灣，從而讓這些街遊有額外的收入。
參與這次的項目，也讓我改變了我對街友以往錯誤的看法。
“有手有腳，我就不相信還需要在路邊乞討，路邊睡覺，做工去啊！”
“有志者，事竟成啊！”
這些話，說得簡單，好像很對！
有志者… … 事竟成… …
呵~ 也沒想過了，誰讓我們有志了？誰又讓我們成了？
自以為了不起的說了這番話！
我生長在一個美好的環境里，雖然不是大富大貴，可是我有一群愛我的家人、親戚、朋友。不愁吃，不愁穿，只愁著下學期考什麼，下個暑假怎麼玩，我相信這也就是大部分，或身旁的人所擁有的一個福報 …
知識讓我們有志；家人朋友讓我成，如果沒有知識；沒有家人和朋友，告訴我你要怎樣有志要怎麼成呢？
當你說當個學生考試很愁，上班OT很愁… …你愁個屁啊？！
至少你有機會唸書，至少你還有份工作！
卜派，是今天街遊的導遊。
從小就是個孤兒，沒有一個所謂真正的家，朋友也是一群街友。
還沒和這個NGO 合作時，因為有限的知識/能力/人際關係，局限了他能工作的範圍，在加上社會歧視的眼光，也讓他找不了好收入的工作。
就這樣，找工也找了20幾年，就專門接一些零零碎碎的工，搬磚頭，舉牌子… 賺下來的工錢也可能填不飽肚子，就別談什麼租房子了~
為了活下去，也必須打聽附近，什麼廟什麼教會，幾時幾點，會有什麼免費餐吃， 把肚子填飽了，才可以繼續找工，賺錢… …
目的其實很簡單：活著。
昨天是他的母難日，可自己的母親是誰也不知道，約了朋友，可是被放鴿子。
40多年沒有慶祝過什麼生日，新年沒有家人陪伴，可以拿到的唯一紅包就是新年時，在廟前排隊，廟裡的人派的平安祈福紅包。
今天，經過一家麵包店，想說回來的時候，買一個小蛋糕幫他慶祝的，我還想好了要怎麼編排，怎麼出現勒！argh…可是，回去是沒經過那家店，又怕迷路，所以必須跟著大隊走去附近捷運，所以~….
不過，還好，最後，我們都唱了一首生日歌給他，才開口，他就馬上哭了~
從來沒聽過這麼好聽的歌，因為沒慶祝過，所以沒聽過。
就怎麼微不足道，小小的一個開口之勞，竟然可以讓一個人那麼的激動？！
我還每天碎碎唸很委屈的樣子提醒我媽，去年沒有吃到生日麵線（-.-” 其實是因為人在大學啦！哈~）。
#我很幸福 #我知道 #我真的真的真的很幸福 #我才剛知道
#謝謝身旁的人事物 #感恩感激 #感恩我活著 #感恩你們還活著
#有頭髮誰要當秃子
#stopjudging #StopDiscriminationAgainsttheHomeless
#jeweanne #jeweanneintaiwan