Hotel Whattawowworld
I get kicks from the true-based stories; books and movies. And I enjoy when I can identify myself with them and feel miserable, because usually the stories are somehow sad. How sick is that! Anyway it’s true, my life is drama. I am highly sensitive person and last night I decided to watch the movie Hotel Rwanda. It was quite horrendous to watch the Rwanda genocide – mass slaughter in 1994 where the Hutu majority killed almost a million Tutsi tribesmen. And what felt the craziest thing was that the racial division was once – in the 1700s – shaped by a British army Captain! Kind of just for fun!
Beside this the hardest part for me was to see, how the white Westerns and the black locals were put on different lines. The United Nations could only come for the tourists to bring them home safely but they left the country behind without helping Rwanda. I often doubt, if we have ever been any good for the undeveloped and unstable countries. Is is just the way the British cameraman comments to the Hotel Manager (a real story based character Paul Rusesabagina) about the western people when they see the brutal news: ”They just say ‘Oh my God, that’s horrible,’ and then go on eating their dinners.”
That’s how it goes and watching the film somehow reminded me of all the news articles that I have been reading lately about the refugees and low amounts of asylums that the developed countries can provide. There are a lot of news about thousands of refugees dying when trying to reach the uncertain safe haven. Sinking boats and truck containers without air and water. Can you emphasize on this? One good practise is to read Fabio Geda’s book “In the sea there are crocodiles” that tells a true based story of an Afghanistan boy Enaiatoiah Akbar escaping to Europe. That is quite good description, how it feels laying there in the truck packed full of human bodies, the trip lasting weeks. Kind of a same feeling as you were buried alive…
I’m from Finland where a big part of nation is quite sceptical of taking refugees. It’s a trust issue, and people are doubting that they can’t adapt to the society. I’m sure many are just afraid to face foreigners from a totally different world. My country is not too international and open yet. Also in Malta, where I live and which is the closest spot to come from Africa the approach towards the refugees is quite hostile. I understand that they have been wrestling with this problem for decades here but why the racism? Where is the empathy of the Western humankind? Can you get any by looking at these pictures. Does anyone know how to think for his/herself? I want to believe in good on people, at first. And if I get to help anyone, that fills my life with meaning. The smallest thing that anyone could do is a smile towards an immigrant. It helps them to adapt and shows some compassion, which I hope to exists. Destiny has chosen where we were born, but there is always some space and goodness in this Whattawowworld that everyone can come around! Not only travel but also find a safe place! I also believe that Karma is the bitch that remembers if you have been naughty or hospitable and nice.
