Spring Break
'Three Cups of Tea' follows a man's desire to educate
Kelly Bleck
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: Verve
Unexpectedly, Greg Mortenson found himself lost on the side of a Pakistani mountain, faced with the daunting task of finding his way down and making his way home. In the process, Mortenson realized a dream to educate the children he encountered, ones who had no feasible way to attain education or move beyond their small mountain home.
In 1993, Mortenson was in a remote, impoverished village in the Karakoram Mountains after his failed attempt to summit Pakistan's infamous K2.
"Three Cups of Tea" follows Mortenson's journey back to the U.S., his attempts at fundraising for a school to educate the Korphe children and the events that ensued.
Well-written and in a formal journalistic style, David Oliver Relin, a man who became acquainted with Mortenson's story, attempts to document Mortenson's incredible experiences.
Mortenson began with a school in the small mountain town of Korphe. He wrote 580 letters to any celebrity or high-income person he could, along with applying for grants. After mailing everything out, Mortenson was only able to procure $100 from Tom Brokaw and rejection letters from all 16 grants.
With this fundraising failure, Mortenson turned to the mountaineering community. Through the help of a friend, he posted his idea in a newsletter. One interested man contacted him, Dr. Jean Hoerni, and wrote him a check for $12,000 -- the amount Mortenson estimated the school would cost.
As the narrative follows Mortenson back to Pakistan, Relin tells about his financial and cultural dealings. Following his troubles, Relin recounts the difficulty of communication, the untrustworthy people Mortenson encountered and each friend that he made.
With each explanation of the people Mortenson befriends -- the village chief of Korphe, Haji Ali, Mortenson's climbing guide, Mouzafer Ali, who later had a school built in his village, and the leader of the Shia, Syed Abbas -- Relin documents the sudden love and dedication felt toward an infidel.
In 1993, Mortenson was in a remote, impoverished village in the Karakoram Mountains after his failed attempt to summit Pakistan's infamous K2.
"Three Cups of Tea" follows Mortenson's journey back to the U.S., his attempts at fundraising for a school to educate the Korphe children and the events that ensued.
Well-written and in a formal journalistic style, David Oliver Relin, a man who became acquainted with Mortenson's story, attempts to document Mortenson's incredible experiences.
Mortenson began with a school in the small mountain town of Korphe. He wrote 580 letters to any celebrity or high-income person he could, along with applying for grants. After mailing everything out, Mortenson was only able to procure $100 from Tom Brokaw and rejection letters from all 16 grants.
With this fundraising failure, Mortenson turned to the mountaineering community. Through the help of a friend, he posted his idea in a newsletter. One interested man contacted him, Dr. Jean Hoerni, and wrote him a check for $12,000 -- the amount Mortenson estimated the school would cost.
As the narrative follows Mortenson back to Pakistan, Relin tells about his financial and cultural dealings. Following his troubles, Relin recounts the difficulty of communication, the untrustworthy people Mortenson encountered and each friend that he made.
With each explanation of the people Mortenson befriends -- the village chief of Korphe, Haji Ali, Mortenson's climbing guide, Mouzafer Ali, who later had a school built in his village, and the leader of the Shia, Syed Abbas -- Relin documents the sudden love and dedication felt toward an infidel.
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