Instant Coffee

Continuing the conversation about the “1st” and “3rd” world , I had a teacher once define the difference between these worlds as ones’ ability to get any fruit from around the world at any time of the year. She said that those in the “1st” world have access to any kind of fruit or vegetable throughout the entire year. So, next time you’re in your local supermarket, stop and think about where all the produce comes from. Ask yourself whether the people who have labored to grow and export whatever fruit or vegetable are able to buy said product at the same price that you’re paying for it. A good example of this can be seen in the sale and exportation of Latin American coffee.

Guatemalan coffee is delicious. However, I’ve never been offered Guatemalan coffee since arriving here in January 2010. Most of the country’s coffee production occurs in the western highlands. Ironically, the people living in this region of the country are, more often than not, too poor to afford their own local blend . So, people here drink instant coffee that, in comparison, is more like a downgrade or JV form of coffee. The market is such that people who grow the coffee, most times, can not afford it and so are forced to export it to places like Europe and the US where they can make a little profit off their labors. While Guatemala produces some of the world’s best coffee, it’s unfortunate that many Guatemalans will never even get the chance to taste of one of their countries most delicious resources.

On a final note, I chose to use “quotation” marks throughout this and the article entitled technology, because too often do people in more developing regions of the world talk about the “3rd”world, or less developed regions, with a distain in their voice as though it’s a lesser place. I find Paul Simon’s lyrics to be spot on when talking about this dichotomy. These lyrics are from his hit song You can call me Al

A man walks down the street

It’s a street in a strange world

Maybe it’s the third world

Maybe it’s his first time around

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