What I have learned from other cultures. → SoldeVenezuela

What anyone could learn from an opportunity to meet people is invaluable, but what it’s learned from knowing different cultures is something anyone should experience. You start experiencing a life with a new meaning that tells respecting others is the simply way to fit in.

Many people still judge other by where they came from. Whether it’s about countries or communities, meaning also the money invested or saved in their accounts (poor or rich families). When you moved to a different country, you start experiencing what it looks like living the way they do. I am not meaning having exactly what they have nor behaving exactly as your neighbor, we all have unique identity. What I mean is about the common sense we must beware of. That may sound weird, but common sense it’s also affected by places. What for me or my culture could be reasonable behaviors, actions or rules, for other are not. It’s true we all act base on common sense, but sometimes unknowingly we could be making mistakes even hurting feelings. The first thing one is worried about when living in a new place is fitting in. No matter our ages, we all expect to fit in at some point in a group. We are constantly developing our social life, we change at every moment, an this is not because of the moving but of the challenging goals we’re aiming for. One step to start with the right foot is to have an open mind. We must give ourselves the permission to accept other people’s differences. I said permission as a way to mentally prepare ourselves to feel good and right when accepting new thing in our lives; we are used to feel approved before doing anything. There is no better way to do something than doing it feeling “great”, if we want positive results, of course. An open mind to cultures is an open door to possibilities, we never know what would happen if we tried to know a little about the cultures of those near us.

If I wouldn’t have gave myself the opportunity to, not only meet people but to, know a little more than they would expect of me in a conversation, I wouldn’t have had these new experiences I graciously shared with my husband. I never thought of so many Asian people in this world, I am not saying about the billions of china’s population. I’d have never met such wonderful women from Thailand, Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia. Let alone, thought about meeting gorgeous Nigerian man, with their well-toned bodies. Have you looked at the faces of Ethiopian girls carefully? They are so beautiful, they look so feminine even over the covers some of them put on, this for the way they show compromises. I went to a Ethiopian restaurant once with my husband, and I saw something that impresses me a lot, they are well-connected with their families before putting their hands in the same plate; they sit around the table and all eat the same meal at the same plate. And when you show them your interest about their lifestyle, they are pleased to teach you how it is. When you gave yourself a chance to meet a new culture, you will be amazed of what you learn from them, they also have misconceptions about your culture. Just by knowing them is how we start respecting other’s differences, just by showing interests in others is how we start fitting in any place. We probably never do things very well as they do, or fit and match every group we meet, but just know one thing, we, for sure, will be thanked for all the try. No person that has got in touch with cultures could be unaware of the treasure hidden in any simple conversation; for me, the others (those who has not reached this level yet) doesn’t deserve a line.

We still see denigration and racism, but for no reason we must let this things affect our lives, at least when it’s not affecting us directly. No one have the power to eliminate all those things from this world, but anyone of us have the power to change our own thinking if we wanted to, and that’s enough. If we don’t like others, simply let them go and live as they do right things based on the rules. If somebody make us feel horrible, ashamed of something about our background, feel happy because you are who found a person that his\her culture would be embarrassed for. Education would only come when accepting that there are others who also belong on this planet!. All that also mean watch out, others closed- minded are willing to hurt you as hard as they can.