AMERICA ○ LAND OF ALL LANGUAGES

sydney diana
Sep 6, 2018 · 2 min read

Hopping off the plane back from Mexico I began the mad dash to the customs line. This time as I entered the vaulted room I was blown back not by the sheer number of people, but the kind. Every kind of people.

Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Nepalese, Sudanese, Kenyan, Congolese, Indian, Bolivian, Argentinean, Guatemalan, Colombian, Peruvian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Slavic, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Austrian, Italian.

I’m used to the variety of peoples in the U.S., especially in my own community, but there was something that struck me this time. Perhaps the White House Circus, the culture wars, or the disillusionment and dissatisfaction I have with my country had me stopping to consider that all of these people wanted access to what I had just gone to another country to escape.

They don’t want the above issues of course, but the best of what we export — the business, pleasure, family, education, exploration, opportunity, and diversity.

A reminder that while we here in the U.S. are dragged down in the muddied waters, even still, others see clear, powerful waves.

I was excited to be back in my own country.

The country where you walk outside and see —

Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Nepalese, Sudanese, Kenyan, Congolese, Indian, Bolivian, Argentinean, Guatemalan, Colombian, Peruvian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Slavic, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Austrian, Italian.

Where you hear —

Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Nepalese, Sudanese, Kenyan, Congolese, Indian, Bolivian, Argentinean, Guatemalan, Colombian, Peruvian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Slavic, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Austrian, Italian.

Where you befriend, buy from, sell to, marry, divorce, love, hate —

Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Nepalese, Sudanese, Kenyan, Congolese, Indian, Bolivian, Argentinean, Guatemalan, Colombian, Peruvian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Slavic, Scandinavian, Hungarian, Austrian, Italian.

Where your nationality does not denote your race, or even sometimes, your language.

get the tee here

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade