Back when I first started college in Tucson I avoided certain rituals of the locals. Things like The Day of The Dead just seemed a little too freaky for my taste. Now all I do is regret not taking more chances to learn about the culture I lived around. I let the fact that they used skulls a lot keep me away from learning that it was just a day to remember the dead.. to celebrate. Truthfully it wasn’t only the ignorance that kept me away, a lot of the time I just felt out of place. I thought if I went there people would be like “whats up with the Arab crashing our party”. Later I learned that I made Arabs look less standoff’ish, and more willing to join in the fun. My advice to the next generation of freshmen would be to research things before you avoid them and try to not isolate yourselves.
If you’d like to read more about the day, go here* and if you’d like to see more of my parade photos go here*
Also if you look closely at the center, towards the bottom, you will see what looks like a ghost girl sticking her hand out to get me. But in reality she was just a kid in a wheal barrel being pulled along by her parents.
You are so right. Having met my, Kuwaiti, husband while he was in school in the US, I felt bad that the Kuwaitis always seemed to isolate themselves from the world around them.
It’s like I tell my children now, “Look, we are not going to eat McDonald’s in Italy!”
People, from everywhere, need to look around them and discover the beauty inherent in all places and cultures.
Thanks for the post.
Its sad how a lot of the Kuwaitis from my campus did the same.. Thankfully I realized I’d be living with Kuwaitis all my life and that that was my chance to get to know other things..
Lol.. your kids want to go to McDonald’s in Italy??? the land of amazing food? akh poor kids. You’re a good mom to break them of the isolation habits early!