I love this quote by Tony Robbins:
Most people are direct reflections of their peer group,
Just another great quote I found on twitter, nice (yes, I keep showing people why I love twitter! just keeps inspiring me)! But yes, we become who we surround ourselves with…..what we hear each day, the news we listen to, the perspective and experiences of those we trust and take opinion of seriously….
i think that’s why traveling internationally expands our horizons so much, it helps us grow, to see different perspectives, not to think “us vs them” and realize people from all over the world are just that….PEOPLE.
But it doesn’t just have to be an international thing……it is also an economic + cultural thing too, we become products of our environment…..think back to school, the groups that formed…..we became comfortable surrounding ourselves with people we saw as similar as us, similar upbringing, ability to buy nice clothes or not, games / sports……we felt comfortable that way
Its really hard to get out of that habit…..but once you can force yourself to learn to work and “play” with a multitude of various people from all places in the world and financial situations, your idea of the world changes so much
For me, its been mindblowing – especially this past year, moving from china to philipipines mixed with hong kong, thailand, shanghai, etc…..its exhausting, but it keeps me on my toes….
Open minded – the stories….the food……the situations….just have to force yourself to try new things…..
I think it really made me realize when i was in a restaurant back in early 2008 and everyone ordered bone soup and had to suck out the bone marrow from the bone after my friends back home would think i must be crazy, and i would have too, but i wasnt in that “comfortable group” of friends, i was instead with the exact ippostive group who thought i was crazy not for loving to eat this delacy – and therefore i ate it……and over time you adapt to ypur surroundings.
Flexible – you dont make the schedule always, you cant control the situation….the tastes of others. So many times i have been in situations i woud prefer not to be in, but i must become more flecible to deal with it, for the group of people i am with. Maybe if it was my hometiwn friends, or people knew me as a person better, they could sense my feelings and maybe bend to my requests
Ability to adapt is so important……but it gets wearing……that is one thing i have noticed the most with international travel, especially traveling so quickly between places…..the new people i meet dont know me, i dont know them, so there is a delay in understanding our feelings and our preferences….
I think that is why u have to be more direct…..but also be nice and cautious at the same time….sensitive to others feelings while also making it apparent that what you want is noticable….
Maybe thats why americans are seen as more rude. More direct is seen as rude…..and doing international business (which I am still learning…) takes more patience and open-mindedness.