Coffee Shop Musings

November 26th, 2014

I'm the only one here who is here alone. I sit in the back corner of the quaint, well-lit Corfu, my favorite bakery/coffee shop here in Ecuador. As I sip on my latte, I'm confronted with the truth: In the United States, what I'm doing is perfectly normal--sitting in a coffee shop on my own. But here, it's not normal. People come to coffee shops to be with other people, not to sit alone. I guess that makes sense. In a highly individualistic country such as the United States, obviously it would be normal to see people sitting around in coffee shops with only their coffee, food, and technological devices to keep them company. Clearly, I still see people spending time with other people in coffee shops in the States, but there it's just as common to see people alone. I'm not saying that everyone here appears in cafes accompanied by friends and without their smart phones, etc., but it's not a frequent a sight. I am the anomaly here. I like the ever-present community aspect of life here. And, as I've mentioned time and time again, I love the pace of life. It's much better-suited to me than the constant rush and blur of life in the U.S..

It's not incredible that here in Ecuador, where I feel the weight and pressures of performance and constant scrutiny and judgment lifted from me, I feel BETTER in life, better in the classroom. I'm more motivated to do a better job. The thought of returning to the United States nearly sends me into a panic. Something I'm starting to realize now that I'm removed from my culture is how worry-laden the United States' society is. I believe this is a by-product of our constant desire to be in control of our own lives. When there's such a strongly-rooted drive to be individualistic  (a sentiment that has, in my opinion, permeated our society down to the core and ruptured our families and communities) then the outcome is worry. If that's the goal of a culture, then that is what will happen. Because the people in that culture want to rely only on themselves, the individual, to succeed, then the consequence is inevitable worry about all the responsibilities and things they should actually be relying on GOD for, not themselves. Happily, there are many exceptions, but the pressure to perform, to "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" is a reverberating, infinite drumbeat that pumps poisonous blood through the heart of America.

"Land of the free, home of the brave", I sing every Monday morning during Colegio Americano's weekly civic moment. I feel incredible national pride every time I belt out these legendary lyrics. I appreciate so many things about my country, but I cannot, and refuse to, put my faith and hope in a broken society. However, I will never begrudge the freedoms I possess as an American citizen--the freedom to print controversial words without fear of death, and to worship my Creator without having to hide my love for Jesus Christ or be frightened of torture. When I do return, I will relish these freedoms anew. And I will pray that I can be free and brave, as our national anthem declares. Free from worry. Brave enough to fight against the individualistic tendencies imprinted upon me from my youth because of where I grew up. Free to resist the pressures of conforming to a work-crazed society. Brave enough to deny independence and instead accept dependence upon my Provider, Savior and Fulfillment. Free to integrate the lessons

I've learned here in Ecuador into my daily life in the States. Finally, I pray that I will be brave enough to choose to live life with a willing attitude to continue learning and growing from the myriad of cultures that surround me in the United States. What a joy!