Hi Mary,

Thank you for this forum which reminds us about a very important thing like appreciation other people, respect towards them. If we used to respect others, that means that we think outside the box.

Rose, you explained everything very nicely! "When we take the time to learn about other cultures, we learn to appreciate the differences". It takes time, efforts and thinking.

As for wider understanding, thinking outside the box helps a lot in seeing the whole picture instead of a piece when you learn something and avoid many mistakes.

Best wishes,

Natalya
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Rose, In response I would like to relate an experience I had last evening at our Spanish church service. I am not fluent in Spanish so I had someone tell the Mexican spanish speakig people that I was aware of their holiday tomorrow(Monday). They smiled, and I could tell they felt elated that I TOOK THE TIME as you say to remember that they have a speical day. One with good English then shared the 100 years of strife (revolution) it took to have the consitution. He taught how precious it was to him. When they come to the USA, we expect them to celebrate our holidays but do we TAKE THE TIME to reciprocate. If the forum had not been written I never would have known and lifted their spirits. Today at work, I spoke to a second generation Mexican and asked if she knew what day it was. When I shared, I suggested she tell her parents. "Why" she asked?. I relayed to her that they would be pleased to know that she had taken an interest in the culture of her heritage. If all who have come to the forum will take time to come at each posting, they will have opportunites to share with those they meet in real life situations, which will build understanding and trust. Thanks Rose

Natalya, May I share how this forum came about. Another member Michael Caron had suggested that we never celebrate holidays other than American. He felt that our international holidays of all nations should be celebrated. That was thinking outside the realm of what a large percentage of Adlanders would think. What we experience, does not give us the full picture as you say. St. Blasius is celebrated all over the Catholic segment of our society but when a specific person like Zvonimir steps up and says, I live in the town where he was martyerd, I get goose pimples. Just think of the history he set out before us. Then we go and see actual pictures of the procession held for 1036 years until Russian occupation halted it. NOW ON FEB 3 it was to be celebrated again in Dubrovnik, Croatia. That is truly seeing the big picture. Thank you Natalya for opening the door a little wider to understanding.

 Mary,

Just wanted to confirm that the new platform I mentioned is known as Squidoo.
Just think of the creature that lives in the ocean somewhere. (Squid)

The word that you used (squinto) apparently is a new product released maybe in November of 2006. Squinto is a todo list application according to a quick search I just did in google.

Whereas Squidoo is a growing Online Community of people eager to help other Squidoo members learn how to use this new platform. Just today I started to create a new Squidoo Lens like a mini site map of Adlandpro links.

Would you like me to put a link to this outside the box forum in it?

Wayne

Hi Mary
In your answer to Natalya you have made a small mistake in context.It was not the "Russian" occupation.It was Napoleon - French occupation under general Marmont.
in 1806 the "FREE REPUBLIC OF DUBROVNIK"was halted.
Thanks
Zvonimir  Rakigjija

http://www.zvorak.zoomshare.com