Being Different?

If you are living with a bunch of loving friends and loving family, people knows you and love you because they know you, you feel like you're always under the spotlight. You live in a big mansion in the middle of a garden of orchids, a swimming pool that you have your party in, but you always care for the poor. You celebrates your birthday in an orphanage, spend your time at Starbucks with a mini laptop on your lap and laughing with your friend on the phone. You are wealthy, famous, kind, and smart.

You are obviously in your comfort zone. You feel so comfortable that you never think the opposite. You wouldn't dare.

When you are immersed in a situation where everyone else value your values differently, and you realize that they are different, that you are different, I wonder who is going to survive?

Indonesia may be a nation of diversity. Diverse in a way of their languages and cultures. Their religions might be different, but it's not really obvious, is it? They ride cars, bikes, motorbikes, planes; they watch TVs and play video games. Here, in the country, let me tell you about the Amish.

The various Amish (pronounced /ˈɑːmɪʃ/, AH-mish) or Amish Mennonite church fellowships are Christian religious denominations, and they form a very traditional subgrouping of Mennonite churches. They are often best known for their simple living, plain dress and their resistance to the adoption of many modern conveniences. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish)
In northern New York, there are a good amount of Amish people. They ride horse carts, the women wear head scarves and long black dresses, the men have long beard, always reminds me of the Middle Eastern people. They have their own school, they don't use electricity at their houses, and they work by farming and selling their crops and other skilled jobs like making wooden heaters, making pies, rattan fruit baskets, quilts, etc. And I heard, they hate it when people take pictures of them. But somehow I managed to take a video of the cart. LOL.
At first,on my first month here, I was scared I saw a woman in black walking downtown, and I found later on that she was an Amish. The Amish look scary because they are different than most Americans, than the people around them. Totally different by appearance. You will never guess that they too are Americans. The men always wear this round hat and I never wanted to see their faces, as if they might kill me with their eyes or something.

This afternoon, I walked downtown (where else do I go around here) to the Cafe because I wanted to buy some used books. As I was walking home, for the first time since in my life, I came face to face with an Amish guy. He was wearing a brown round hat, his beard goes down to his chest and he was carrying a couple of rattan baskets. I freaked out a little bit and stared down at the pathway, I thought about the middle eastern tradition that women are not allowed to look at men in the eyes, but something tells me that I have to look up. So I did. Oh my...
He might be in his twenties, he has light green eyes, light brown skin with this very smooth complexion, his smile was nice and sincere, showing his white, neat teeth, "Hi," he said in this very soft man's voice. I am not even kidding! He looked very nice and friendly. "Hi," I replied, throwing back a smile. It's like as if his eyes were...electrifying! I kept walking and glanced to my left corner. There, stood the horse and the cart, full of rattan baskets. Then I thought to myself, "Wow, I never thought, that they too are normal human beings like everybody else. Maybe even better!!" (referring to his electrifying look. LOL)

Sometimes I wonder how do they survive in the American secular community? A few months ago, the newspaper reported that an Amish cart was hit by a car, the Amish was found dead.
Other times I feel envious towards the fact that they could preserve their beliefs and tradition. They live in America but they are not affected by its society's behavior. They don't even watch TV, let alone internet! Goodness!

The western part of America, I think it's Utah and its surroundings, are also inhabited by minorities like that. Though, they are called Mormons. I shall not talk about them because I know nothing about them. LOL.
So, when you are immersed in a situation where everyone else value your values differently, and you realize that they are different, that you are different, who is going to survive?
Those who stand up to what they believe in.