Green with envy...

So I was told that my Saudi Arabia post had a “Jon Stewart” quality to it – which I’ve decided to take as a compliment, since Jon Stewart can be a funny guy when he wants to be. And just to clarify – I make no claims to know all the answers to all the problems in the world. And I would never want to berate people who are genuinely HAPPY with the lives they’ve chosen for themselves – although I think a certain freedom of choice should be offered. But there are a lot of complex issues out there… child marriages excluded, in my opinion. That’s not a complex issue at all. Quite simple, actually. Just protect those who are unable to protect themselves, that’s all I’m saying…

I saw a quote from Aldous Huxley the other day that seemed to resonate with me: “to travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” This is usually the attitude I try to embrace when I visit a new place – never assume that everything you’ve heard is correct. Wait until you experience it for yourself. And like I said in that previous post, I TRY to give Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt, since I never HAVE been there. But there are some things I don’t have to “experience” to know they’re wrong…

But that same quote can apply to places much closer to home, too. After we moved to Texas from Buffalo, New York when I was nine years old, we went back up north for a visit one year and someone asked my mom if we lived in a desert and saw a lot of tumbleweeds. I suppose she must’ve been surprised to learn that Austin is full of lakes and rivers and hills and greenery, with nary a desert in sight. And I think the only time I’ve ever seen a tumbleweed was out near Yuma, Arizona, as we drove past sand dunes on our way to San Diego…

Similarly, when I found out we were moving to New Jersey when I was 13, I had visions of living amongst concrete and oil refineries. So imagine my surprise when we drove a few miles away from Newark Airport (which, admittedly, IS surrounded by concrete and oil refineries) and we found ourselves in a hilly, vibrantly green locale. In fact, I don’t hesitate to say that New Jersey is (and probably will always be) the prettiest, greenest place I’ve ever lived. I miss the green of New Jersey – Austin, of course, has plenty of green as well… it’s just a “different” sort of green. The trees in New Jersey are vivid green – like the sort of green color you would’ve pulled out of a crayon box to draw trees when you were a kid. The trees in Texas are more of a “washed out” green. Like they USED to be bright green, and then someone washed them in a tumbling machine full of harsh detergent. They’re still green… they’re just not quite as green as the day you bought them…

So as I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that those preconceived notions about states and countries and people aren’t always accurate, so there’s really no point in discussing them. I prefer to form opinions AFTER I’ve visited a state or a country or become acquainted with people. Of course, there’s a difference between “notions” and “documented fact.” There’s also a difference between respect for a country’s cultural differences and actually UNDERSTANDING the reasoning behind those differences. And I suppose that’s where Saudi Arabia and I have a little bit of a problem. I may strive to respect (most) of its culture, but that’s not to say I understand it…

I DO, however, understand that the trees outside my window aren’t quite as green as the ones in New Jersey… sigh... :)