"Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have traveled." — Mohammed

The very first time I left the U.S., I was 5 or 6. I do not remember exactly how old I was. We were on a family camping trip. We made a brief crossing into Canada. My Mom and Dad were both teachers and they gave my brother and me the best education we could ever have, travel. Every summer we would be gone for weeks at a time. By the time I was in my teens, I had seen 47/50 US states. (Now I only have 2 to go...Rhode Island and Alaska!)
One summer when I was also 5 or 6, my family went to a rodeo on one of the Navajo Reservations in the 4 corners area. It was the first time I spent any significant time on a reservation. I remember looking at the long black hair and traditional dress of some of the women. I thought they were beautiful. Their hair was so perfect. I was a towheaded, blue-eyed little girl that stood out like a sore thumb. I was so fascinated by these people that while my parents were watching the rodeo, I snuck off to go sit on the "Indian" side of the bleachers. (This was the 60's after all.) After a few minutes, my mother noticed that I was missing and started scouring the 'white' side of the stands looking for me. She glanced over at the other side of the stadium and could not miss me. There in a sea of dark faces and black hair was the whitest child you ever saw. I was happy, comfortable and safe. I can still remember the older women looking at me, touching my hair and smiling. I do not remember words being exchanged. I do not think they were speaking English...but to this day I remember the looks in their eyes. I remember how bright and kind their eyes were. They spoke volumes. They made me feel completely at ease. I remember clearly that feeling, and it has remained with me to this day. Whenever I travel, I am always looking for eyes just like those....eyes that are kind, non-judgemental, welcoming....and the thing is, I always seem to find them. They may come in different shapes and colors, but they are the same, welcoming
I have an M.A. in Special Education. It used to be my goal to get my Ph.d. I no longer have that goal. I want to see every country and meet as many people as I can. I am not mult-lingual. I can get by(barely) in Spanish and French. I am fluent only in English....except when I see 'those eyes.' The language barrier seems to melt away.
I have seen eyes that convey a different message. I have seen eyes that did not trust the 'American' in me. I have seen eyes that did not like the color of my hair, eyes, skin or my gender. I only glance at those eyes and know that they are not the ones I came to meet. They are not the eyes of my old Navajo ladies that taught me to love meeting new people. It's sad for them really, the mean eyes. I know my world is a better place to live. My piece of the world on their piece of land......I wander on and wonder...who will I meet next, where will I go next?