I have been in Montana for about a month now working at “Mountain Sky Guest Ranch”. Since June 19th, I have gone through a whirlwind of emotions.

When I first got here, I felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. I was greeted by several people from all different parts of the U.S. (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Florida, etc). Each person had their own unique accent and mannerisms that were unfamiliar to me.

Growing up in a diverse neighborhood in Chicago, I've always valued being open-minded and embracing peoples differences. When I arrived at Mountain Sky, I realized that I actually still held some unconscious assumptions about people simply because I had not encountered them due to regional differences. I worried that our life perspectives would differ and I became anxious whether I would truly be able to connect with everyone.

As time went by—and not much time at all—I quickly realized that despite diverse backgrounds and life experiences, the people here share a wonderful capacity for humor, kindness, and a genuine love for life. The people who work here are remarkable at including others and wanting everyone to have a good time, as well as bring a great sense of calmness and comfortable silence that I did not realize so many others cherish. I now envision many of these people to be my lifelong friends.

Although it has only just begun, this experience has already taught me the importance of reflecting on my own judgments. I have been reminded not to form opinions about others based on superficial factors because at our core, we are all far more similar than different.