BehindBlueI's
Grandmaster
- Oct 3, 2012
- 25,897
- 113
My MIL is visiting us. She lives in Jordan and this is the first time she's been in Indiana. She is well traveled, as her late husband (my FIL) was a manager or executive at various airlines in the Middle East. I've told his story elsewhere and won't repeat it here, but essentially it's an amazing success story of Palistinian refugee who worked his way to great success and bought educations for much of his family along the way to seed success for them as well. I'm learning much more of her story, but today I was driving her around to show her 'green spaces' around the city, as my wife said she really enjoys them. She's been to the redwoods in California, mountain lakes in Europe, etc so this is not her first time out of the arid lands of the Middle East by any stretch.
She *loves* Indiana. We are "as pretty as California but much cheaper" and have "so much open land". I drove her around Eagle Creek and it's tough to do it justice how she described it, but she made me appreciate a place I already love even more. "The people of this city must thank God and (parks department) every hour for this wonder." I didn't have the heart to tell her how much we just take these places for granted due to the relative abundance here. "Americans are so respectful, they are better Muslims than Jordanians even if they don't know Islam." This, by the way, was in reference to people not driving like insane a-holes with cataracts and a strong urge to get to a bathroom at all times, which is the default method of driving in Jordan.
Before, we've visited her in Jordan (or Qatar) so it's the first time I've been on 'home turf' and played tour guide instead of tourist. I'm having a blast with her.
She *loves* Indiana. We are "as pretty as California but much cheaper" and have "so much open land". I drove her around Eagle Creek and it's tough to do it justice how she described it, but she made me appreciate a place I already love even more. "The people of this city must thank God and (parks department) every hour for this wonder." I didn't have the heart to tell her how much we just take these places for granted due to the relative abundance here. "Americans are so respectful, they are better Muslims than Jordanians even if they don't know Islam." This, by the way, was in reference to people not driving like insane a-holes with cataracts and a strong urge to get to a bathroom at all times, which is the default method of driving in Jordan.
Before, we've visited her in Jordan (or Qatar) so it's the first time I've been on 'home turf' and played tour guide instead of tourist. I'm having a blast with her.