Comparing Experiences

In class we did an activity with our small group regarding values, or choices.  Each situation related to a potential situation we may or surely will come upon while in India and how we think we will respond to it. I found some of my own responses interesting, and the differences between us to also be interesting. If anything I think it is most important to consider situations like what to say when offered food or drink we do not desire, or participation in certain activities.  Much of it will have to come as it is presented, but the practice of thinking of potential situations and working through my own reactions is will be helpful in better in the moment decision making and help me understand and articulate my own values.

It is this process of articulation that can take a situation that may bring offense or separation to being one of respect, learning and mutual understanding.  It is not impossible, from my perspective, to live together in harmony with people and not live just like them, as long as open communication and working through communication barriers is a common and practiced action. I was interested enough in some of the responses that I asked a few of those situational questions to more of my friends and acquaintances after class.  Responses continued to be varied, some agreed immediately with me on my own views and others had differing opinions, but by going through this process of discussion we were all able to better form a reason or answer for why we choose to live that way. 

A final thought I had, however, was how much my past experience is dictating my expectations of certain situations to come and even how I will react.  Of course, this is almost all anyone can go off of in life so it is not something I'm criticizing myself over, simply being aware and analyzing what it means.  I found myself often answering with what I did when I was abroad before.  Before I was also a missionary, I represented slightly different things, although not entirely, I had different boundaries placed on me and a different purpose.

More than a lot of that I was also in a different area of the world.  Even though it was foreign to me, not all foreign lands are the same in their foreignness and sometimes we don't entirely remember that.  Each new situation will bring with it a different kind of culture and people to respond to in different ways.  Although I can learn a lot from situations of my past, I must not expect even closely related situations for this trip, though they may occur, they will be individual and identifiably different experience, and I am trying to remember to let them be.