FROM MY HEART

HI all
As you know I was born in Italy and lived there for
eight years.. Italians are very extraverted/relationship
oriented people and I love that.. It is true that I was so
young when I left so my personality did not really develop
much but that was where I first saw outgoing people and I
suppose that I started to love that..

Then I moved to Guinea and that is where I saw the African
culture and loved that too. Like Italy, it is a very laid
back way of life and it is very normal to have people contact
people very spontaneously and maybe numerous times or staying
for a long time at one's house.. to the Guinean people it is a
blessing (giving, honoring) to people... yet in America it is
different!! In America there is structure and people do not just
show at people's homes without calling ahead or do not call people
or email numerous times in a short span of time!!

I do wish to say this Having grown up in the Guinean
culture of being relationship oriented, etc. I consider
it a part of me........ Even though I have been in the
States for a while I still struggle with this part of the
American culture in which honoring others means allowing
them to use their time how they choose (giving them space);
whereas in the Guinean culture the more time you spend with
someone/contact them the more you honor them...I hope that
you all will understand my words and what I am trying to say...
Sincerely,
Laura Willits