Similarities

Hey yall!

This week I got my Gilman Scholarship in on time, so I am SO thankful for that (fingers crossed). I have been looking at everyone else's blogs, and have noticed that while many of us have very different backgrounds, we also have interesting similarities as well. I think this will help us get along over in Ghana, as well as allow us to learn more from each other.

In her blog, Danielle told a story about her mom calling people out in public. She recalled being embarrassed as her mom corrected people's wrong actions in public. I laughed when I read this, because my mom used to do the exact same thing. Whenever we would see people acting disrespectful or reckless in public she would yell at them or talk to them, telling them why they shouldn't treat elders disrespectfully, or why they should pick up the trash they just threw on the ground. I used to be embarassed like crazy when she did this, and I would hide my face from onlookers whenever she would yell. However, looking back, I now understand and even admire what she did. She set an incredible example for me to call out injustice whenever I see it, no matter who else is around or how many people are giving in. Because of her I am not afraid to do what is right, even if I get looked down at for doing so.

Next, I found a similarity with Asha. Referring to her family and their roots, she said in her blog, "I crave that feeling of belonging." I have always felt this way in regard to getting in touch with my family and our history. My mom, one of nine kids, grew up in an intensely Italian family. They always tell stories about when they used to go over to Italy and have giant family reunions, and their stories seem like times of pure happiness and no worries. Since most of our family is in Kansas City, I only see them twice a year and I have always craved this same feeling of belonging and acceptance that they describe to me.

Ciao bellisima!
-Ben