I am Like the Turkish

Something I notice regularly is how quickly people are to judge or blame. They may not intend it to be rude or mean but everyone does it! I am guilty of it. But slowly I am trying to appreciate the beauty of diversity. This is something I learned while living in France and that I am relearning here in Vienna.

The neighborhood we live in is known as the "Turkish district" because there are large groups of immigrants, mainly from Turkey. At first, I kind of felt like I was an outsider, like I didn't have much in common with my neighbors. But I do!! I have a TON in common with them! The greatest being, neither of us are in our home country! (DUH!) This was a pretty big breakthrough for me because I realized I was not alone. I was not the only one trying to learn German, or adjusting to local foods, or understanding the map of spaghetti they call a public transport map. And they probably have it a lot harder than I do because I atlas have Oliver who knows the language and is actually European!

I read a quote the other day from President Gordon B. Hinckley who said, "There is so great a need for civility and mutual respect among those of differing beliefs and philosophies. We must not be partisans of any doctrine of ethnic superiority. We live in a world of diversity. We can and must be respectful toward those with whose teachings we may not agree. We must be willing to defend the rights of others who may become the victims of bigotry."

Vienna is a melting pot of cultures and ideas. The amount of languages I hear on the U4 metro line is unbelievable. It is wonderful to have my eyes opened to a plethora of perspectives. I am hoping to make some really wonderful friends here, wherever they may come from.

IMG_1356

IMG_1358

IMG_1330

IMG_1327

#immigration #positivity