Prejudice much?
I’m on residency in Corris, Wales, a village of 700 people on the edge of Snowdonia National Park. It’s my second tour here. In the summer of 2016, I was lucky to get my very first residency in this gorgeous place.
But it wasn’t easy then. Several residents worried about me as an American. For a few days, they gave me a wide berth. I found them at the pub one night, and being gregarious, sat down and started chatting.
Near midnight, one of them said, “Let’s go back to the residency and continue this conversation.”
And for the next two hours, I was quizzed about how many guns I have (because every American has at least one.) I was asked how many times I’ve been shot at in my life. Was I afraid to walk down the street because of shootings?
And when we moved on from guns, I was queried in great detail about our abominable for-profit healthcare system.
We switched to the impending presidential election, where I made very wrong predictions about the outcome.
I’m still friends with both of those lovely women. They’d not met many Americans in their travels. Naturally, their opinions were formed by movies, the news, and tv shows depicting Americans giving ridiculous answers to questions on the street. Because of our interaction, they came away with a transformed view of Americans.
THIS IS WHY WE TRAVEL.
Before I came on this residency, several people in my life questioned why I wanted to spend time overseas. “It isn’t safe,” several said. “I don’t want to expose myself to people I don’t agree with,” said another. “I like America and my life. Why do I need to see anything else?” Was another common theme.
Look at the map in the picture. As I was leaving a bakery in the Welsh village of Dolgellau, I was chased into the street by someone who worked there. No, I didn’t leave without paying my bill.
He held a box of pushpins. “As you were leaving, it sounded like you weren’t from around here. Would you stick a pin in the map to show where you’re from?”
My friend Karen and I both took a pin. Mine was the first from Charleston, that big ole knob of red on the coast. Karen made room to stick hers in New Jersey, in awe of how many people from that part of America have been here.
But this picture says a lot about America. We travel to make ourselves uncomfortable on purpose, to push ourselves to see things from other points of view, to blur our imaginary lines, to stretch ourselves, to be more accepting of others, to shine lights on things we need to work on within ourselves, to fill our creative tanks.
Look at where the pins are, and where they AREN’T. I’m not surprised this map is pinned this way. Not one bit. And it makes me very, very sad. The world is a delicious playground full of unforgettable, poignant experiences. Why do so many people fear it?
12 Comments
Andra, if I were able to travel more, I’d be on the next plane to somewhere. Our eyes are never truly opened until we learn the truth about other people and cultures. It leads to understanding and acceptance. The person that doesn’t want to be around other people that he/she doesn’t agree is a great part of the issue in America these days. We don’t want to hear the see reality or get to know decent, hard-working people because OMG they are democrats or muslim or gay or whatever. It’s sad and a shame when people are unable to come to middle ground with one another. Travel is an excellent way to open the mind, but just accepting fact and truth would also be a good beginning.
I say this unequivocally: I have too much wrong with me to reject another person because they’re different. I am sick to death of the news and my Facebook feed and people who carry boxes around with them everywhere, demanding that humanity crawl in them. Travel would help a few them, but being a decent human being would be a better start.
So correct, Andra – none of us are even close to perfect. I remember a former pastor saying, “We are all messy people,” and I’ve never forgotten that. It’s a message for everyone to put themselves aside and start loving other human beings regardless of what one may see as faults. We all have them because we’re all part of humanity.
Hear! Hear!
My travels have been mostly confined to North America. I love Mexico and Canada. So much to see and so many interesting people to meet. There are subcultures everywhere. But, as you say, there is so much to learn. I’ve never been to Europe. There are a few places there I’m eager to experience, and will. Wales is one of them. My Viking ancestry shows up all over the DNA map.
Wales is gorgeous.
An excellent post that points out that lack of knowledge, misunderstanding, and preconceived ideas is never just one-directional. As you pointed out, misguided opinions are often inappropriately applied to a broad base.
I keep pushing myself to understand and accept others as they are. I have a harder time with some than others. Ha.
Isn’t that the truth!!
I think it’s the differences that makes the world and its people interesting. It would be awfully boring if we were all the same … although greater homogenization on the whole human decency thing wouldn’t be bad!
Right!!
I so agree with you on all of this
Thank you.
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