5 months in America
I have bittersweet memories of my time in Warrensburg, Missouri. On the one hand I befriended some great people from all around the World, but on the other hand it was a constant struggle to fit in with the others who, I felt, weren’t as welcoming as the international students. Incidentally, I was led to the conclusion that one’s brown skin is more important to ‘some’ people than what is in one’s heart.
Although, what truly inspired me was the openness of the people in the United States on matters like sexuality, gender, religion, mental health, etc., that are tabooed in my home country. I attended dialogues and conversations many-a-times during my time in the United States and I was surprised, yet pleased, by their honesty on these matters and, unsurprisingly, the acceptance of their differences with props.
There’s no denying the fact that we all have different outlooks but, in my humble opinion, the differences are not as significant as our reactions to them. We can’t eliminate our differences but we surely can control our responses to those differences. Hence, I believe, it is of paramount importance to learn to accept, respect and live together peacefully.
