What leaving home teaches an introvert about openness

So, by nature I am an introvert. I’m not shy per se, but interacting with strangers zaps all my energy. I tend to prefer being alone or with my small circle. But when I travel, I find myself not only talking freely to strangers, but actually initiating conversation. (Anyone that knows me well knows how much of a departure that is from my norm.)

It’s something about being in a different culture that makes me interested in others’ and their lives. Take the pictures here - these are young men from the Maasai tribe in Tanzania. In my visit to the Ngorongoro and Serengeti areas, I was able to spend time with them. We took part in Adumu, a traditional jumping dance. We visited the community school and met several elementary students. They also opened their homes, called manyattas, to us. (I learned that it is primarily the women that build these homes made of cow dung, mud and sticks). I spent several minutes inside one with the young man in this picture as he described what daily life looked like for him. It is an incredible gift to be invited into someone’s world. It makes one vulnerable to misperceptions, judgment and even exploitation in some cases. It was an incredible honor to be trusted with his story. 

Unlike my U.S. self, I eagerly accepted the invite. And I believe that I am the better for having done so. While, I will likely remain an introvert, maybe in the future I won’t always have to go out of the country to be open to opportunities like these.