What We Learn When We Choose to Understand

Growing up, I’ve come to realize how easily doubt and discomfort can form around what we don’t understand. Not always from hate, but from distance. When you’re not exposed to different cultures, it’s easy to carry quiet assumptions without even realizing it. As a Mexican American raised in Texas, I was part of the majority in my environment. I didn’t truly experience being “othered” until I moved to Germany with my husband, who is Arab and Muslim. The difference in how we were seen was undeniable. The way he was looked at, treated, and judged was something I could never ignore. It opened my eyes in a way nothing else had before. What struck me even more was how early these ideas can take root. I remember being a child, afraid of men from the Middle East who trained at a nearby Air Force base. They were kind, but unfamiliar to me. Looking back, I realize my fear didn’t come from them, it came from what I had absorbed without understanding. Children notice everything, and what they hear shapes them more than we think. Years later, when I began learning about Islam, everything shifted. I met Arab families who welcomed me with a level of warmth, generosity, and sincerity that deeply changed me. Their hospitality wasn’t just tradition, it was lived kindness. After embracing Islam and marrying my husband, that connection only grew stronger. Living in Germany, surrounded by Arab women and families, I experienced a depth of community I will never forget. When I had my baby, our home filled with visitors, food, gifts, and love. It wasn’t performative, it was genuine care. Their generosity and manners left a lasting impression on me. At the heart of it all is a simple truth. Arabs are people, with depth, kindness, and humanity like anyone else. Every culture has its flaws, but it also has its beauty. And in my experience, there is far more good than bad. Sometimes, all it takes is getting close enough to see it.