When I arrived in the U.S. at five, I knew exactly one English word…
“apple”
My parents didn’t have much but they nurtured a rich sense of curiosity.
At that time there was no ESL, no translation apps, and, at the small school I went to - no one else who looked like me.
Curiosity fueled me to compulsively learn new words
Which freed me from only having apple-focused conversations
Curiosity incited me to consume vast and eclectic swaths of American content.
It’s what’s led me to tackle different roles, learn new disciplines, live in another country, meet new people, encounter vastly different persepctives, get inspired to try, fail and, in spite of it all, try again.
Which gave me new ways to relate to people I didn’t look like.
And curiosity helped me explore what a life beyond the small town I was in might be like.
Which gave me hope that I wouldn’t feel like a wierdo forever.
Over my adult life - I’ve realized that having a persistent sense of curiosity more than a good personality trait - it’s a magnifying glass that’s makes life bigger and richer.
