Everyone is raised with certain opinions or beliefs whether we like them or not. I know I am an opinionated person, but I hold true to my convictions in a confident manner. I’m not saying that all of my opinions are right...But they're mine.
Example:
If I see a Confederate flag plastered on the back of a truck, I don’t automatically assume that the owners of that truck are racist. I assume their uneducated. And Ignorant.
I’m just sayin’. That's honestly what I think.
Opinions and attitudes allow us to better understand one another. Usually.
In my case, the more people understand me the more flabbergasted they become.
Since this blog is about studying the Holocaust, one probably assumes that I inform or at least (admit) the specific details of my education when questioned.
Yeah, Not Really...
When questioned about my undergraduate major, my answer will differ from person to person depending on the date, the day, the person and the time. There is a reason for this.
My life moves at one speed. Fast.
I walk fast.
I talk fast.
I read fast.
I write fast(and not legibly.)
I think fast.
Fast, people. My life is fast.
Telling someone that I am a student of Holocaust studies, especially if they don’t know me, is always followed by at least three questions:
“What does one do with a Holocaust Studies degree?”
“What made you decide to study that?”
“Are you Jewish?”
These questions cannot be answered by one or even two sentences. I don't always have the time. Just answering whether or not I'm Jewish is at least a paragraph.
"Am I Jewish?"
"No, but I think that Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths all share the same God. So, I believe in the Jewish faith, but no, I don't practice Judaism." ....
One question leads to two questions...
"You believe in Judaism, but wait, you're not Jewish?" You see the pattern developing.
Curiosity killed the Cat, people.
After I have answered two or more questions about my academic choices, a person starts to get uncomfortable.
The shifting begins. The facial gestures are unconsciously appearing. It's started.They're making assumptions. They're opinions are changing.
Is she crazy? No.
Is she lucid? Yes. That rules out insanity.
Is she a neo-Nazi? No.
Maybe I heard her wrong. She did say Holocaust Studies, right? Yes.
Not crazy... not insane...not anti-Semitic....
Yep. That's it. She is crazy. --
These are the questions I assume (by interpreting the facial expressions)that people ask themselves while I'm giving them a run-down on why I am a Holocaust Studies student.
I have learned through trial and error, that sometimes it's just easier to answer college related questions with: "I'm a 'history major'".
To me, history major is a (true) and fast answer. I have answered the question with four words and, it's not technically a lie. It also avoids the customary chain of questions.
Who are you kidding babe, your major aside, you ARE crazy. :)
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