Passage #2

The second passage from Cosmopolitanism is 

"The conclusion is obvious enough: the points of entry to cross-cultural conversations are things that are shared by those who are in the conversation. They do not need to be universal; all they need to be is what these particular people have in common. Once we have found enough we share, there is the further possibility that we will be able to enjoy discovering things we do not yet share." (pg. 97)

This quote embodies what I feel is how people become friends- until you find a common ground with a stranger, it is kind of hard to become closer. Finding a similarity between two strangers creates a link, that two people can then build a relationship out of. It is a building block, if you will. As a freshman at UK I have found that the people that I can make an immediate connection with are the ones that I have become the closest to. However the people that I have found immediate common ground with are also very culturally different. I have met people who come from other states, divorced parents, married parents, gays, whoever, but since we made that first connection we have been able to explore our differences and have become closer friends for it. I feel like the quote above speaks for pretty much every person, not just freshmen, it is easier to become friends with someone once you find common ground then you begin to feel more comfortable and a level of trust is created, then you can discuss each other's differences with respect. 

Plus if everyone was the same that would be really lame and no one would really have anything good to talk about.  Then everyone would become "universal", which would be the worst thing to become, it would be like just having a bunch of little clones around with no personality! eww! But the world is not like that (thank god!), so people have plenty to talk about and discus.  

Talking to people from different cultures also makes you appreciate all the little things from home that aren't at college. For example: my family is pretty big and we are all really close, and we would pretty much have a family get together every month, and being away at school I miss the family interaction. I love it here, and I am so glad that I am here, but I do miss that great food, and of course the family! It is interesting to find out other people's family traditions.