20 December, 2015

Imagining what it is like on the other side of the equator

I found an interesting post I wrote this time of year five years ago about how difficult it is to
Christmas last year outside. Difficult for most northern-
hemisphere folk to imagine.
imagine what the conditions are like in the other hemisphere (I write this wearing long johns and ugg boots, while many of you are in shorts and thongs), even if you've lived there and experienced it many times. It's no wonder we have trouble with racism and sexism and all sorts of other prejudice—we have so much trouble imagining a life that isn't our own.

Isn't it interesting that we are so influenced by our current experience that we find it hard to imagine someone else feels different? When it comes down to it, we are all profoundly self-focused and unimaginative. (From the post above)
Here's another quote from that post:
We're going to go and do what we can to enjoy the season where we are. We learned early on in this journey in the northern hemisphere that enjoying where you are, rather than being paralysed by what you cannot have and where you aren't, is the key to overcoming homesickness. 


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