Around the world people have the same emotions. Everyone feels happiness, hope, sadness, frustration and anger, but what sparks these emotions can be very different. In different cultures, people have different value and perspectives. Part of traveling is being exposed to these different perspectives. At times, they can be hard to understand, but we have to be sure not to judge because you never know what a different perspective might change your own perspective.
American and Indonesia culture are very different. Indonesia is a country that focuses on the community instead of the individual. This means people don’t like stand out like people do in America, but it also means people put the group effort before their own needs. While I like being individualistic and unique, I see the value of working with your community. There’s a quote from Game of Thrones that I love that goes, “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives”. Through teamwork and community, we can build something greater than ourselves, but you can’t forget your own individual needs and goals. For me, it has been important to find the balance between collectivism (community focused) and individualism.
