Having an open mind in a friendship can mean not judging your friend because they are different than you. As Peace Corps Volunteers, we are told to have an open mind all the time. In our villages, there are people who think and act completely differently than the way with which I am comfortable, and I act strangely to them, too. To me, having an open mind is keeping true to who you are and knowing who you are, and then interacting with people with kindness first, not judgement. Sometimes, when someone says something we don't agree with or like, our first instinct is not to talk to them anymore. But having an open mind can mean sitting and listening even if you don't agree. You don't sit and listen with the goal of changing their mind but with the goal of learning and kindness. Everyone wants to be heard, and they need someone to listen, so why not you? Everyone is different, and people can act in strange ways, ways we don't think are right because of how we grew up, but surrounding yourself with people who think the same way as you is boring. I would encourage you to try to be around people with whom you might not always agree or vibe because your life will be so much more interesting (in my opinion) if you do. And you might just learn a few things, too.
It has been a pleasure looking back on all I have learned in Rwanda with you. Sharing my experiences and knowledge is so fun, and I hope you all learned something cool about Rwanda. If you had told sixth grade Bekah that when she turned 27 years old, she would be teaching and living in Rwanda and writing to a sixth grade class about it, I would have said you were crazy!
