1)I'm not okay with eating living things...at all. When I first arrived I was told to try Sannakji (live octopus cut in pieces and still squirming) Watching something squirm and die for "cultural purposes" sickens me. It seems cruel and unnecessary suffering to cast on anything. Don't get me wrong I love meat and I will never be a PETA spokes person, which brings me to my next point...
(one of the many videos to be found on youtube eating sannakji)
2)I am quite often a hypocrite. While in Spain I attended a Bull Fight. In concept it didn't seem so bad, until I literally watched an animal be stabbed to death, urinate and defecate on it's self and caught a glimpse of the humanity in it's eyes. Did it really take spending money on a ticket to realize that was wrong? Which got me thinking? I eat met. Do I want to stop eating meat? No. Would I be upset if I watched an animal be slaughtered? Yes. Does this make me a hypocrite? Absolutely. Am I okay with that? Not necessarily. Although the experience hasn't turned me into a hardcore vegan or vegetarian, it has made me think a little more about where I get my meat from. Is it free-range? Does the fact that the animal is allowed to wander about/have a life before it is slaughtered make it better? I'm not sure. Will my morals eventually catch up with my mouth? Definitely possible.
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| (Bullfighting Maza Blogspot) |
3)I give money to people who ask, everywhere I go.
I've noticed that no matter where I go if someone asks me for money, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and give it to them. In Scotland my friends used to say "oh they are just going to spend it on booze or heroin" why bother. In Korea, many people completely ignore the homeless, if they don't have to see them, it isn't their problem. I don't work like that, even if I wanted to. Does this make me a savior? Absolutely not, but I do live on the fundamental principal of Ubuntu, which is a Ngani Bantu term, which basically translates into "human kindness" or "I am what I am because of who we all are." It might not leave a profound effect on the world, but is something strongly believe no matter where I am.
4)I love talking to strangers
It is no secret that I love talking. When I was kid teachers would call my mother into parent-teacher conferences to say they were fed up with me. "She's a nice kid, but no matter where we put her she talks! We even sat her next to the kid in the trench coat and now they are best friends." I thrive off of learning about people I don't know, their experiences, religion, background, lifestyle. It's addictive in a sense.
5)I am so much braver than I thought I was.
When working with my younger campers and students I had a favorite quote I always used to tell them from Winnie the Pooh:
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"
Now I find it appropriate to apply to myself as well. I have tried things I would never have tried at home. Been to places I used to say I would never visit (usually because of political reasons) and I have traveled on my own, something I would not have done at home. I have always had a sense of adventure, but the prospect of booking a ticket that day, jumping on a plane and waking up in a new Country is too great for me to ignore. Sometimes I look back on the places I have been in the last 7 years, the people I've met and the experiences I have had and I surprise even myself.
6)I miss my friends and family at home, but would be content never living there again.
When I first lived abroad I surprised myself by finding out I was much more patriotic than I thought. The longer I am gone, the more I lose that part of myself. I am not certain what Country I could claim as mine. I've begun to feel like more of a world citizen, void of any real national identity. Some of this, in part has to do with the current events in America. For me as a minority from America, the Trayvon Martin case was enough for me to feel that I was no longer welcome in America. Many of my fellow citizens believe that half of my mere existence is enough to be murdered.This is not to say that other Countries are without their problems, but to feel like a stranger or de-valued in your own country is a really scary thing. The longer I am gone, the more out of touch with America, I become.
7)I am horrible at planning. I care more about seeing new places than where I go or how I get there. Maybe next time I'll spin a globe and see where I land.
When working with my younger campers and students I had a favorite quote I always used to tell them from Winnie the Pooh:
"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think"
Now I find it appropriate to apply to myself as well. I have tried things I would never have tried at home. Been to places I used to say I would never visit (usually because of political reasons) and I have traveled on my own, something I would not have done at home. I have always had a sense of adventure, but the prospect of booking a ticket that day, jumping on a plane and waking up in a new Country is too great for me to ignore. Sometimes I look back on the places I have been in the last 7 years, the people I've met and the experiences I have had and I surprise even myself.
6)I miss my friends and family at home, but would be content never living there again.
When I first lived abroad I surprised myself by finding out I was much more patriotic than I thought. The longer I am gone, the more I lose that part of myself. I am not certain what Country I could claim as mine. I've begun to feel like more of a world citizen, void of any real national identity. Some of this, in part has to do with the current events in America. For me as a minority from America, the Trayvon Martin case was enough for me to feel that I was no longer welcome in America. Many of my fellow citizens believe that half of my mere existence is enough to be murdered.This is not to say that other Countries are without their problems, but to feel like a stranger or de-valued in your own country is a really scary thing. The longer I am gone, the more out of touch with America, I become.
7)I am horrible at planning. I care more about seeing new places than where I go or how I get there. Maybe next time I'll spin a globe and see where I land.
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