I had a long chat with a friend who has been living in China for three years and will be there for a few more. It was a very refreshing conversation and fascinating as we saw both striking similarities and differences in our experiences and the people around us.
As I traveled in college I quickly realized that those who haven’t left the U.S. simply have a limited ability to understand the stories and experiences one brings back. Living abroad takes this to another level, and I have realized this is one reason why expat communities are so strong: even if I’m in South Africa and someone else is in China, we both understand each other’s life better than anyone in the U.S. can.
Last week I was talking with an Afrikaner who specifically said he wouldn’t want to live abroad because he was afraid it would change him. I couldn’t argue with that. But what kind of change is it? I would argue that it is a development – each lesson I gain from being abroad teaches me two things: something about the people/area around me and something about who I am/where I come from. It is no coincidence that a touring Frenchman wrote a defining account of early America.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
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