#15 Diversity and Tolerance

You have no idea about the diversity of the students here at Cambridge. So many people here would be termed "different."

My friend Hom is lesbian. She was one of the first people I met here, and she is super nice. Her attitude and jher frankness about her sexuality and her many problems with homophobia have really opened my eyes to some aspects of the gay community.

Daphne, who is in my Social Psychology class, is from Turkey. She often has very different and wonderful insights into society because she is from such a different culture.

Jessie lived eleven years in China, and still identifies most strongly with that culture. I bet you've never heard the Tibetan story from the point of view of the Chinese, have you?

Hanna, from New York, is legally blind. But you would not be able to tell if you were just talking to her. Maybe her eyes wander a little bit, and she has to hold her books very close to her eyes, but if you are walking down the street talking to her, she can follow you and avoid other pedestrians along the way. She's frank about being blind, but she doesn't allow it to get in her way.

Lauren is a singer, Pia is a brilliant story writer, Diana comes from Puerto Rico, and half of the non-US students come from Hong Kong. We're incredibly diverse and incredibly open. I love it here.

We're so open that I can talk about God, Christianity and my faith in Jesus and how it affects my life, and I haven't once been put down for it. In fact, I haven't been put down at all. It's beautiful.

God Bless

Erienne