Reality Check
Have you ever realized how comfortable we get with our surroundings? When I first moved here I was constantly noticing new sights, new smells, new sounds. And especially those of the women I wanted to get to know. During my first week here I wrote in my journal about my first shopping trip. It was so interesting to shop with balto covered women in shops that carry the most beautiful colored scarves, material, jewelry and shoes. You can just imagine how beautiful they are behing their veils.
Well now I can call some of those veiled women my dear friends and I have gotten used to seeing my friends dressed in black. Actually I am very comfortable wearing the balto myself. Though I keep my face uncovered it would not bother me to wear the veil. This is a scary thought to me. I have gotten used to this way of thinking. It is not right to have to hid behind a covering to protect yourself. How have I gotten so used to this? What other things or ideas have I let myself get used to?
So you may be wondering what brought on this heartfelt question. I want you to hear the words one of my students wrote. It was a wake up call for me. A reality check. The assignment was to write about their plans or hopes for the future. Here is what my student wrote in her second paragraph. "Then, I don't like to get married because all men are the same but I must get married because I am in Y and I can travel to any place with my husband and I can do anything with him but I can't do it alone or with my family this is the habits in Y."