In Suriname I felt like the people were more warming and easier to engage in conversation with. I think sometimes in the United States, people tend to stay to themselves and won’t always be willing to engage in conversation. It was a different feeling having that change immediately with such little time to adjust.

Although this is not a conflict and is not inherently a bad trait, it was something that took time to get used to being in a different environment. Whether it was walking out on the city streets or being at a restaurant, there was a difference within the social scene that was not seen in the United States that evidently. I believe that sometimes in the United States, outside of places of work and school, people lack interdependence which can force the issue of isolation where there is limited social activity between people even if they are from the same community or of the same background. In Suriname, because of the diverse culture there, it never felt like there was a minority group in Suriname. With that you could come from any race or ethnic background and feel comfortable and even familiar settling in Suriname.

I even learned from my professor that there were similarities in culture between Suriname and the nation of Ghana, where my family is from. It was interesting learning about areas of culture like artwork and farming in which both countries overlapped. This experience in Suriname has enabled me to make sure that when I get back to my hometown and even just anywhere within the United States, to express that warm welcome and openness to be social with people I don’t necessarily know or aren’t familiar with allowing for the country I call home to truly be home.