"Almost three weeks."
"It must be nice to be inside today, instead of out on the ships."
"Oh. I'm from Iowa, it doesn't bother me."
"Iowa. How long have you lived here?"
"Three weeks."
"Three weeks!? And you already have a- three weeks. From Iowa! You must just be-" (vague gesture indicating I'm overwelmed)
"I'm from Des Moines, so..."
"Oh. More progressive, then."
This is the line of conversation I resent. It turns out the only thing I'm offended by is the assumption I'm an inexperienced, small-town conservative. I'm tired of having to explain I'm not basically racist, that diversity is not new to me, that I've seen skyscrapers. Sure, it's different, but mostly in the prices and transportation.
I don't feel brave. People keep telling me I am. I'm just doing the next thing. It occasionally feels really, really stupid, but not scary. Some of the details are alarming; the things I'm not thinking about because if I did, I would be afraid. I'm occasionally nervous, but something will happen. It always does.
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