think different | boxes

Today, I watched this video:

Do you think differently?

On July 25th, flying from my Asia home back to my America home I wrote this:

I don’t like staying inside of boxes. I think the world is much prettier outside of them. (I’m not talking about cardboard here…)

That was probably one of the biggest challenges I faced here, living in a culture that often finds its identity inside of the boxes. People are taught to never think outside of the established boxes. They are taught that the world outside those boxes is a dangerous place.

I was told by the leadership of my University once that I needed to CONTROL the thinking of my students and not to “let them think too much.” I should not allow them to get too creative. It might cause a rebellion. Honestly. They said that. We also were told on another occasion that activities we wanted to do with students might make them TOO happy and that they might start riots as a result of their excessive happiness.

And, you may imagine… I didn’t much like being told such things. I’m an advocate for all of the opposite. I want my students to be creative, to think out of the box, and to be happy! I also want them to be smart and disciplined and not to be rebellious or to start riots. But, I’m pretty sure they are capable of doing all of that at the same time. I really often just had to laugh. This fear of thinking just seems so ridiculous to my mind and way of seeing things. But I took it as a challenge to creatively encourage THINKING and CREATIVITY as much as I could.

But now, as I’ve been anticipating the return to my home culture… one that, in many ways, values creativity and thinking outside of the box… I’ve found myself recognizing OTHER boxes that people in America live inside of… and those boxes frustrate me… But then I catch myself and I ask the Father to help me walk in humble grace and to see the boxes that I too have found comfort in staying inside. And I pray that He’ll continue to open my eyes and expand my vision and teach me to live a life that isn’t afraid to ask questions, to challenge the status quo, to go to new limits, to dream beyond…

So today,
I am challenged to think differently.
To be crazy enough to think that things can BE different.
And to resist the comfort of staying inside of boxes.
Not to create trouble for the sake of trouble…
But to not be afraid of the good kind of trouble… 

And that reminds me of a song:

Josh Garrels, Resistance

Happy International Sunday to me

I had a super day today. It was filled with all sorts of international-ness.

First, I was highly amused by this greatness:

I’m sure I’ve seen this place many times before and never thought a thing about it. But NOW, I find it hilarious. (A Spanish speaking Chinese restaurant?)

Next, I went with Anissa and her 11 year old nieces to the International Houses in Balboa Park, which apparently I went to as a small child but have no memory of. Anissa was mortified that I didn’t know what they were. We have now fixed that and I’ll likely go back again.

There are houses to represent different countries from all over the world. You walk through them and learn about the cultures, try foods, see traditional clothes, and maybe even talk to a person who is from there. Outside there are concerts, and all kinds of cultural things going on. As you walk through the grass you see people of every skin color you can imagine.

Perfect Sunday…
for a girl who still can’t get over how many white people she sees everyday!

We gave the girls a LOT of geography lessons! We ate Czech/Slovak potato pancakes! Mmm! The girls were given Chinese names and had them written on papers to keep. (The China house was their favorite!) We all had our names written in Hebrew and talked to an adorable old Jewish man from New York for quite a while. We learned about the wars between Turkey and Poland from a man with an AWESOME polish accent. The girls decided that all the traditional dolls were creepy and they would NOT want them in their room. We learned that in Norway they put sour cream on waffles, with jam or fruit. And we tried it. And it’s GOOD.

     

Next, Anissa, Dana, and I went to Happy Hour Sushi Sunday! Mmmmmm.

Then! One of my good friends in Asia chatted with me and asked if we could talk, so we did on skype on my phone. So. Great! I went back to my – “I must speak in complete and clear sentences. I can not use any contractions.” I taught him what “My foot is asleep!” means and what cinnamon is. He told me that he REALLY misses my french toast and syrup! We talked about our lives. And, he asked if I could send him some new pictures of me and my family and the things I’ve been doing. I did. He emailed me back and said that he had a picture of the two of us.

So. Cute. :)

Happy International Sunday to me.

post-Asia | changes include

Today, I talked to one of my Asia Family members. (I do that lots of days.) She mentioned that a friend/mentor of hers recently pointed out that she has changed. She’s different post-Asia than she was pre-Asia. This should be expected. But it’s interesting to see HOW she is/we are different.

Both of us have become more direct. I guess it’s because, in our East Asian home, people are NOT direct. They beat around the bush like it’s their job. Honestly, it gets frustrating at times because… well, we’re American. We want people to JUST SAY IT! So, I think we reacted by becoming MORE direct – hopefully, when appropriate (but probably not always). And if you ask anyone on the team, they’ll tell you I’m the most direct of us all. I don’t remember anyone ever describing me as such before but maybe I was and I just didn’t think about it? It’s definitely very true now. If you want to know what I think, ask. I’ll tell you. (Or don’t ask. I might still tell you.) Unless I don’t want to, then I’ll tell you THAT!

Other changes include:

- I hate wasting. I reuse things. I try not to buy more than I actually will use (and actually NEED!).

- I think it’s okay to wear the same outfit more than once (possibly in a row). I try to remember that other people around me do not agree. But sometimes I think that’s stupid, so the rebel in me does it anyway. (This is becoming less frequent.)

- I’m much more conscious of trash and I try to make less of it. (When you WATCH people burn your trash right next to your house everyday, you realize the effects it has on the environment and suddenly start to feel a lot more responsible… at least I do.)

- I crave vegetables.

- If I go a few days without spicy food or rice, I feel like something very important is missing from my life.

- I don’t always want to talk to people. Sometimes, I’m quiet – with nothing to say. (This seems to make people think there is something wrong. There might be. But probably not.)

- I want to walk places if they aren’t too far away.

- I’m cheap(er than I already was). I think everything is way too expensive here. And it’s not only because I don’t have a job.

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. Have you noticed any other changes?

Well, of course… then there are all the inside/heart changes that are a lot harder to articulate… So, I’m not even going to try today.

I’m pickin’ up what you’re throwin down!

Love them.

Love this.

Oh how they make me smile…

I think I’d like to be her friend | TED: See Yemen Through (Nadia Al-Sakkaf’s) Eyes

A few months ago, I shared a story I had read about a girl in Yemen. ONE of the many things I love about stories is that one story makes me hungry for more stories – more knowledge – a wider, more accurate view of the world. Reading Nujood’s story back in April made me start paying more intentional attention to Yemen. So, when I saw there was a TED talk by Nadia Al-Sakkaf – I actually knew who she was (the Editor of the Yemen Times) and I was eager to “See Yemen Through [her] Eyes” (the name of her TED talk).

And, of course, I think you should SEE too!

(If the video does not show up… click here!)

I think I’d like to be her friend. Obviously, our stories are quite different but I actually think we have a lot in common (and that’s another thing I love about stories. There’s usually SOMETHING you can SOMEHOW relate to). Here’s why…

In her story, she shared:

I studied in India. And in my third year, I started becoming confused because I was Yemeni, but I was also mixing up with a lot of my friends in college. And I went back home and I said, ”Daddy, I don’t know who I am. I’m not a Yemeni, I’m not an Indian.” And he said, “You are the bridge.” And that is something I will keep in my heart forever.

I’ve shared with you before the analogy of “being green” (a life of not fitting in) and if you’ve spent much time with me, you’ve probably heard me talk about it many times. I’ve spent time overseas in a few different places. I’ve been changed by all the places I’ve been. I JUST got back from 13 months in Asia – and I’m more GREEN than ever before. And just like Nadia said, sometimes that can get a little confusing. Who am I really? But her father was so wise in his answer. A bridge. We get to be bridges. People who live between cultures and help (somehow) to link them together – to better understand each other a bit more, or at least to CARE more.

I also relate to the influence her father had on her believing she could be an agent of change in the world, and a bridge. She says at different points that her father always told her she was equal to men. He always affirmed her ability to be a strong women who influences the world. I was thinking about this just recently… If I hadn’t had a father who believed in my abilities… I wouldn’t be me. I can think of several strong memories of my own Daddy telling me he believed I was going to change the world. He told me I was going to do greater things than he ever did. And I believed him. He gave me courage to try. And maybe even courage to fall on my face a few times in the process.

[Note to Men: If you ever get the chance... Be this kind of a Daddy. Tell your daughters they can change the world and make it a better place. And they just might.]

She also has a passion to be an educator about various sides of realities in her country and in the world, and she’s in a great spot to do that as the Editor of the Yemen Times. She talks about the need to go beyond stereotypes, to realize that Yemen is a place with more than just Al Qaeda and terrorism, and that it’s not fair for the world to see Yemen in one single frame (like Chimamanda Adichie talked about in her TED talk about the dangers of a single story).

So basically… if you didn’t already, you should stop reading what I have to say and watch/listen to Nadia Al-Sakkaf…

Dear Nadia, Can we be friends? Let’s have coffee. :)