“I have never seen the sky so blue,” my exchange students from Macau and China discussed in awe as they stared at the sky streaked with clouds in the twilight hours. When we returned home I took them on the porch to sit close to nature.
I asked them “what’s the color of the day time sky?” The answers were brown (Macao) and white (China.) When I returned from Dubai, the one of first few things I noticed was the gorgeous blue sky. In Dubai it was a bright, yet a dingy color. I don’t think I have any pictures of they Dubai sky.
Do we appreciate what we have? Read what my international students said from Egypt, Macau and China. Yes, all of them. How often do you say these statements or even think about these things? I am guilty. We are so busy thinking about the economy, problems with co-workers and the cashier who wasn’t nice or complaining about having to pay $0.20 for plastic bags.
Aren’t we lucky to be American and to have all the freedom in all respects, nature and space around us. It’s been nine months since I have traveled out the country. If we don’t leave the country, we get too comfortable in our big houses, multiple cars, and Costco buying habits. Thank you to my students who help me remember how good we have it here. Give yourself a dose of Vietnam, Peru, Brazil, or Dubai and visit the working class and people whose home is the street. Nothing’s more effective than traveling to another country to inspire you to belt out “I’m proud to be an American.”
Step back from our busy, go, go world. Do you appreciate what you have? What do you take for granted? What are you thankful for, both big and small?
One Response to ““Wow, we can see the stars. I can’t see them in Macau””
In Thailand the sky isn’t very blue too. I think may be there is too many pollution in Bangkok, so it very hard to see a star at night.
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