Worldwide Views, Rich Interpretations

One of the most liberating realization of travel is the humility learnt from every place, the values different cultures taught us and the ground we tread upon.

Being a millennial, I pride myself in the ability to travel to places. Applications like Airbnb, BBC News, Google Maps and WeChat have made knowledge so easily accessible that sometimes, I forgot the basics of effective learning. And that, was what Mary Martin has taught me.

At first glance, this bookstore in Bras Basah Complex looks like a conventional bookstore, unsophisticated with the typical boring vibe. Honestly, I went in with an indifferent attitude to learn about the store which was started in 2007. It was a revelation to discover that it is not a retail bookstore but rather, an international hub supplying books to international libraries. You can find books from Gambia, West Africa, South Africa, Turkey, Japan, Tahiti, Cameron, Senegal and all around the world!

Interviewing the managing director, I can’t agree with him more about millennials not reading and analyzing enough. References of theories are always there on Google, but we are barely scrapping the surface without references to books and journals. He encourages youths to learn to scrutinize, to verify sources through newspaper clippings, edits, to find proofs to theories, a timely reminder of an aspect that children of this generation is missing out. Sadly, few still have it, he says.