The Spectrum of Perspective by Lilla

The Spectrum of Perspective by Lilla - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

Cambodia, more specifically Siem Reap, was hot, especially just coming in from Paris. Even in summer, Paris was cool, even rainy on some of the days. But that wasn’t the only 180 degree difference from the two places. Paris was the land of luxury and Siem Reap was a slum. Regardless, they were both beautiful in an ancient way, Paris just had the modern necessities that Cambodia lacked. I marveled at the spires of Angkor wat the same way that I marveled at the Eiffel tower, but the emaciated children who came to me begging for money on the Angkor steps made me realize that, though the saying goes, “small world,” those who tread far realize how large this world actually is. It’s not measured by feet or miles, but in the eyes of different people. In Paris, the people there wished to mind themselves and their business. In other words, they were internal people, fighting their own battles behind eyes that gave nothing. In Cambodia, you could see the suffering on their bodies and their faces, yet they seemed happy, often smiling and enjoying what they had, though it was far less than those in France.

One particular man struck me. We had been exploring the city of Siem Reap when it began to rain and we ran for the car. As we drove back to our hotel, wet, and not in the best of moods, we passed a farm or a field of some sort. In the midst of the rain, a man was walking with a goat through the field. It was his gait that captivated me in that every step he took was filled with content. Though he was walking through a downpour with nothing but the thin fabric on his back and a stick in his hand, he would walk in a slow manner that made me imagine that he was drinking in every moment that he had. It was a beautiful thing to see how one can live so simply, yet so content and full of life.

As we went back to the hotel, my mind incessantly wandered off to the quaintness of the lives that I observed that day. They inspired me to find happiness in the simpleness of some things and, as we returned to our california suburb, I compared all of the extraneous features of my life and found myself happier than I had been before observing Cambodia. As I sat at home, I realized that one only needed what they already had and, by finding joy in your own possessions, one doesn’t need to pursue happiness, but simply see it in oneself.

In my seventeen years, I’ve traveled to Thailand, Costa Rica, Canada, Cambodia, England, France, and all across the U.S. Though they were each for various reasons, from figure skating competitions to family, I was given priceless experiences and unique lessons by immersing myself in different cultures. This is only one example of how my mind was broadened to a capacity that allowed me to enjoy life fully and learn from those who live it simply. I wouldn’t have traded my experiences for anything because you never truly realize how gigantic the world actually is unless you tread upon it’s different locations.

Coming from a different culture, I was exposed to the different beliefs and thoughts around the world. My parents, who came from Thailand held extremely different opinions on social issues such as dressing appropriately. Because of them, I knew that there would be a spectrum of perspectives and opinions depending on one’s culture, but I could never imagine the actual scale of said spectrum. Even now, I can’t fathom how many perspectives could lie on a single issue because they are simply endless.

And yet, it’s crazy to think that all these cultures- and perspectives that are results of the culture-- provide a multitude of lessons that each embodies within itself. There’s a reason for why those neuron fired off in that order to form one complete thought, and the incredible thing is that there are millions more people who’s neurons complete the exact same path, synapse to synapse.
The greatest gift to have is toleration for others. There will never be a time when everyone has the same mindset, but the path to living peacefully with those of opposite opinions is to understand them. To understand, one must learn, not simply by reading about such cultures, but by experiencing first hand. This is why studying abroad is so vital to a person’s education and development in general. Going abroad increases a person’s understanding and tolerance of the world around them. It opens up the mind to how other’s see the world and helps them consider new possibilities that they wouldn’t have without the knowledge they obtain from seeing different sights and experiencing different cultures. The saying goes, “it’s like stepping on another planet,” but our own planet is truly filled with enough cultures and perspectives to span our whole universe.