ENCOUNTER DIVERSITY
San Felipe de Neri, the oldest and surviving church in old town rang it bells at the early morning before sun set. I wasn’t in Germany but in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I missed hearing the bells ring.
Wrapped in the hotel’s white robe, sitting on my chair on the balcony on the 11th floor, I welcomed the cool air. I scanned the panorama with its mountain silhouettes served as a backdrop. At the crossroad, traffic lights switched from red to green. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle roared passing a sedan.
Afterward, I took in the stillness to reflect what I experienced the day before.
When we set foot in Germany, my asylum granted father said, and I summed up; “Learn German’s culture. We can’t return to Vietnam. More importantly, don’t embarrass us.”
Compared to my father, my mom and I flew by plane to Germany, and reunited with him. As an obedient and a thankful daughter, I follow suite.
In the 80/90s my classmates came from Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Vietnam, Poland, and Russia. We represented half of the United Nations. Our teachers had to deal with multiple languages (no translators) and complicated social-economic backgrounds. I can’t imagine what teachers have to go through in Germany after 2015.
At 20 year class anniversary, our former teachers stated our generations integrated in Germany successfully. And looking at us, we turned out not to bad.
To me, it’s important to honor the guest country and keeping our mind open to their culture and traditions, and learning to appreciated the similarities and differences.
If the host country is interested in our culture and traditions, they would ask, and we would tell. Other than that we are being polite and respectful while taking refuge in their country.
As far as I could think, assimilation and solidarity became one of my life’s values.
Going through the photos from the Albuquerque retreat, I recognize my pattern. I live my life like a hermit but when I step out to my community; I welcome the diversity that I am surrounded by.
I feel very rich to be part of the diversity and inclusion, and humbled because there is still room for me to growth.
Thank you for reading (^+^).
