Over the past seven months I have realized that we are taught everything. This sounds weird, but think about it. Everything we do, say, think, or feel has been taught to us in some way or another, either implicitly or explicitly. Most things were taught to us by others, some things we probably taught ourselves. My language, classroom behavior, what I eat for breakfast vs what I eat for dinner… I was taught all of that. For the first 22 years of my life, it worked well! I was always a great student, I had good manners.. I knew what was expected and I knew how to handle most day to day situations.
I am one month away from turning 23 and I live across the world from everything I was taught. I am learning that most things I learned in my sweet, California hometown aren’t as universal as I thought. Here, those things don’t work so well. What I eat for breakfast and dinner is not what my neighbors eat. Most people don’t speak the same language. The way people give and receive compliments is drastically different. I grew up in a guilt vs innocence culture, here it is mostly about shame vs honor.
As I walk with my team through different cultural studies, I am realizing that I have learned a lot over the years. Yet, in order for me to learn how to be a more well-rounded, global citizen who loves and pursues Jesus, I am going to have to unlearn a ton. I need to unlearn the “right” way to give a compliment. I need to unlearn the “right” way to express gratitude or apologize. I have always appreciated black and white, right vs wrong. My favorite subject in school has always been math because 9 times out of 10 there is only one right answer. Now I am realizing, there is a lot more gray area in life than I thought. I have to unlearn so many concepts and ideals that I believed were set in stone. I know its good, and it definitely keeps me on my toes.
My encouragement to anyone out there who is thinking about, or in the process of, moving abroad to serve - get ready to learn! But be prepared, you will probably unlearn just as much in the process.