I’ve learned that “Southern hospitality” is real and it is wonderful.
I’ve learned to be comfortable with hugging strangers.
I’ve learned how to skillfully navigate a road riddled with potholes.
I’ve learned that in every “bad” kid is a struggling child who just wants to understand and be understood.
I’ve learned that the kindest people can be found in the “bad” part of a town.
I’ve learned that I don’t really need that much closet space, or much space at all.
I’ve learned that when you get thrown into a crowded room with two complete strangers, you become sisters within days.
I’ve learned where to go in a packed house to find a private corner.
I’ve learned how to knead bread.
I’ve learned that I knew nothing about children.
I’ve learned to overcome my shyness and hold my own in a conversation with a group of people I just met.
I’ve learned that a lot of the time, stereotypes are ridiculously, entirely wrong.
I’ve learned that racism is alive and thriving.
I’ve learned what it feels like to be a minority, noticed everywhere you go.
I’ve learned that it is impossible not to become invested in kids’ lives.
I’ve learned how to make a meal with whatever you can find around the house.
I’ve learned that while Mississippi summers could fry an egg on the asphalt, Mississippi falls are full of deliciously crisp mornings and gorgeously mild afternoons.
I’ve learned how to live simply.
I’ve learned that if you applaud one kid for something, 20 other kids will fall over themselves trying to earn your approval for the same thing.
I’ve learned that mentioning that you don’t eat meat very often can very nearly give a Southerner a heart attack.
I’ve learned how frustrating it is to try and fail to help a child to grasp a concept he should have been taught years ago.
I’ve learned that Southerners bring generosity to a new level.
I’ve learned that a church is still a church if there are only 15 people in it.
I’ve learned how to say, “The speed limit on the highway is 50 kilometers per hour,” in German.
I’ve learned how little time it takes for kids to become attached, and how easily I become attached to them.
I’ve learned that religion and chicken are the two most important things in the South.
But most importantly, I’ve learned that goodness can be found everywhere, in anyone, if you look for it the right way.
