Internet Gem: Sad Dog Diaries

If you like dogs (or even if you don't), this is worth the 4 minutes today.

Take it with a grain of salt

(Source: Abbas)

Living abroad gives you a different vantage point.  
You see the place you're from in a new light, a more objective light.

In Bhutan, the majority of people practice Mahayana Buddhism, a "loosely bound collection of many teachings with large and expansive doctrines that are able to coexist simultaneously."  

Our guide, Uygun, often described Buddhist teachings to our group, but he always ended the discussion with, "Take it with a grain of salt.  If it resonates with you, take it.  If not, discard it."  Buddhists (or at least the ones I met in Bhutan) believe that wisdom is developed; you need to be open to experiencing and understanding truth.  You can't be spoon fed what to believe.

For me, this highlights the key cultural difference I've noticed -- Americans believe their viewpoint is right for all, not merely for themselves or their family.