It is now only one and a half week until I'm leaving.
It is a little chaotic here at home. Sara have become sick and is in the hospital.
It's my sister. I'm just going to...
Yes it's okey. Take it.
Good, okey.
Hi!
Hi, it's Ulrika.
Hey.
I've been thinking a little bit and it's a little... a little thrilling that you are going to Iran.
I'm just thinking if something happens over there in Iran.
Yes but, oh. I don't know what to say. But...
I'm the one who will be left here with mom and dad to take care of them and their grief and my own grief if something happens.
I understand that you think and feel the way you do and I can't stop you.
At the same time, I can't live my life with restrictions based on your worry.
I have to do what feels right for me.
I think it looks a little different.
My name is Kristina Palt'en and I am a runner.
I think I for a long time have been seeing fear grow in Sweden and in Europe.
Fear for religious extremism and ISIS which becomes fear for muslims.
I asked myself what I wanted the world to be like and concluded that I want a world based on trust, curiosity and openness.
To run through Iran, a muslim country with sharia-laws, became my way of showing trust for what was unknown to me.
I want to start just by the border. Otherwise I think I would be cheating.
We are on our way to visit my mom and dad to say good bye, or maybe just hi.
I grew up in a christian family, went to Sunday school, sang in the children's choir and was a member of Miniorerna.
My faith is that God exists within every human being, within you and me and everyone else.
The bible says that sin is neglecting God.
If I don't follow what's in my heart, then I won't feel good and can't do good.
When she was small she was definitely not very adventurous.
Of course there were occasions when she had things going on. But that was nothing that mom and dad ever found out about.
I think this trip has been a sign of that as well. That she wants to overcome her fears.
I am very worried if I am to be completely honest.
There will be many sleepless nights.
What can happen? Anything can happen.
It's not with delight I am sending her away.
Dad was a welder and mom was a civil-servant within the municipality and geriatric care. But they were most of all Social Democrats.
I worked quite a lot in China when I later became an engineer and worked at Ericsson.
I remember when I came home one time and dad started talking about how normal people acted.
In the sense that Swedes were normal.
That was really strange for me. How can 9 million Swedes be normal in comparison to more then 1 billion Chinese people?
I don't mean to say that there is anything such as normal, just same and different.
I ran my first 10 kilometers when I was I was 31 years old.
Since then it's just become longer and longer.
The longest I've ran so far is 322,93 kilometers when I set the new world record for 48-hours running on a treadmill.
Or, depending how you count, 3260 kilometers when Carina Bor'en and I ran from Turkey to Finland
and then kayaked 500 kilometers to Stockholm.
We were able to sleep during the Turkey - Finland run but I did not sleep when I set the new world record.
It is soon time to leave. One and a half week left. I still haven't bought any plane tickets.
When I say to everyone that I will see them in November I notice... Or I say it because I hope that we will.
I am afraid that I won't see them. What if I end up in Iranian prison for two, three year and no one knows what will happen.
I also wonder how many of these fear will seem ridiculous when I come back home. I hope all of them.
Maybe there will be new ones then. We'll see.
All Iranians in Sweden have so far been incredibly helpful. They are proud that I want to run through their country.
The embassy have been very helpful.
I have never before experienced this much helpfulness before I even started running.
All I see is kindness. How can I then walk around being afraid?
Should I trust my feelings and what I picture in some sort of imagination or what I actually see in front of me?
It will be interesting to see what will happen to me.
How to pack smart is always the questions.
It takes a while until you figure out what is the best place to put the things.
Evis and I have known each other since 2007. Evis is a very close friend of mine.
We had a little troublesome session when Evis, Helena and I sat at the resturant Vapiano
Evis was afraid that something would happen to me.
She is afraid because one of her childhood friends Lena died not too long ago.
Then her mom and dad died just after that.
So she is afraid of losing yet another person she cares about.
It was quite harsh. I felt attacked for what I wanted to do and I felt bad for making her worried.
Now that she was here a moment ago to say goodbye...
She is afraid and I feel like an asshole that makes the ones closest to me afraid.
Because it is mom, dad and Evis who are the most worried.
When I decided that I was going to challenge fear I didn't think of the fact that it is them that are the most afraid
that something bad will happen to me.
It's mixed feelings. I need to live my life. I cannot limit my life by other people's fears. That doesn't work. Then I don't have a life.
My first reaction was that I was afraid. Actually.
What will happen? It's so different there. Maybe there are terrorists there. What if she is murdered?
You can't run as a women there. They will be really mad at her.
It was like that. Not "I'm so happy for you! Good luck". I did not feel happy or excited at all.
Sara, Fredrik's ten year old daughter was diagnosed with diabetes. She and Fredrik had to stay in the hospital for a week.
I was home alone the whole last week. We had to skip Fredrik's sons' 18th-birthday party.
Carina had to drive me to the airport.
I had to say goodbye to Fredrik at the hospital.
It felt like everything was chaos.
Come one! One more!
Have a good flight, good luck. Have fun.
Let's see if we can find Amir in here.
Okey, take care of yourself.
Bye bye.
You are wonderful.
How are you?
Tired.
I can understand that.
I think I will sleep soon. You can film me if I sleep.
I will. I can imagine there have been many impressions.
Yes it has.
But I'm glad I'm finally on my way. I am a little nervous as well.
But it feels really good that you are with me.
I think it feel good to be with you as well.
I'm very glad for that.
Thank you for that.
We have arrived at the airport.
Two hours delayed but finally here.
It felt a bit weird that all the women put something over their head just before we left the plane.
Amir was worried that my jacket was too short. It was supposed to cover my thighs. So he gave me his jacket for me to tie around my waist.
That was apparently what it was supposed to look like.
My first through when I stood by the baggage claim was "Every woman here is oppressed and every man is an oppressor".
Then I saw a women who carried her luggage herself and through to myself
"Aha, apparently there are some women that are at least a little independent".
It is still the 30th of August and we have arrived at Amirs sisters house and I am about to go to sleep.
Here, I don't know if it shows...
You actually sleep on the floor...
On a soft blanket with a soft blanket on top as well.
It's going to be so nice. I'm very tired.
Tomorrow we will arrange for my bank card.
But now, sleep well.
I was mostly surprised by the traffic in Teheran. What chaos!
No drivers stopped by the pedestrian crossings. You just had to try to get yourself across any way you could.
It was almost life threatening to cross.
Amir helped me get the last things I needed. Gas for my portable kitchen, maps and a sim card.
To by an Iranian sim card you have to have an Iranian passport which I don't. But Amir did.
I got to choose the number and the type of subscription.
I have never had a pre-paid phone and was not used to the codes I needed to enter depending how much internet I wanted
and how long it would be valid.
The messages I got in return were all in Persian. I felt stressed.
Everything went fine now, but when Amir leaves, how will I then be able to refill my phone.
Here are photos of martyrs from the war between Iran and Iraq on a train station.
We are in the subway and the first thing that happened was that a man offered me his seat.
I was a bit surprised because I don't feel old or disabled. But that's apparently what you do with women here. So that was nice.
There are also special cars for women at the front and at the end.
That was a bit funny because we accidentally entered one of those and Amir isn't that feminine.
I must say I'm a little scared of most things right now.
It's my white lily.
I'm so happy when I see it.
Fredrik gave it to me.
What the hell is that thing. It's just in the way. Maybe it's good for something. What do I know.
I think I'm a bit annoyed because I'm nervous.
People are friendly.
I notice how I really long for security right now.
It feels...
Unsafe to be alone in a foreign country.
If I end up in any trouble, this is a copy of my passport and visa. I think it's good if you have them.
Good?
Alright, let's go. I'll see you in Turkmenistan.
I have just started and...
I'm really fucking scared.
Here comes the tears. I have only gone one kilometer.
I'm hungry.
So I'm in a restaurant and gonna eat meat.
I only understand a few words. But I understand "gousht", meat.
I'm scared because I am alone, I don't understand anything. Neither written nor spoken. Actually I understand "gousht".
The roads are what they are.
It's the 4th... No the 5th of September today.
Mehrdad, Poran and Farsa just left.
The internet on my phone is used up. I have to figure out how to refill it. But I think I can manage that.
What am I scared of? I am scared because I am in a place where I don't know anything, I don't understand anything.
I can't make myself understood.
I wasn't supposed to cry but I start crying when I start recording.
But it's going to get better.
I'm glad for the white lily.
It feels very good to have something from Fredrik, something familiar with me here where everything is unknown.
I'm going to eat now. After that it usually feels better. Then a sugar high with Fanta.
I would say it's a desert around here.
Close to Eshkabat.
Eshkabat?
Yes. But only to the border.
Teheran, Semnan, Shahrood, Sabzevar.
Ah, no.
You need a car, car. Otherwise problem.
Aha, okey.
Many many high mountains. Mountains, mountains, mountains.
Yes, okey.
Car drives 30 kilometer per hour.
Her courage surprises me. We drive in two trucks and are a little worried.
It wouldn't have mattered if we came with ten trucks, I would still be worried!
Camera?
Yes, camera.
The camera is recording.
So you are a movie star now.
I don't understand.
I just want to apologize since I don't understand you. I don't understand anything that you are saying.
A family came by and offered me to sleep at their house.
None of them spoke english but I brought out my videocamera and had a funny conversation about that instead.
They had three boys who played around and I filmed them. Everyone was laughing.
The family I was staying with, with the three boys, they bought a chicken to cook for dinner when they had a guest.
I was absolutely not allowed to help. I was the guest.
All I was supposed to do was sit, eat fruit, drink tea and play with the children.
I think she is filming.
The house was just one big room and everyone slept on the floor.
I lay there, with all my cloths on and slept. It was hot but worked.
The women went to bed with her hijab and all her cloths on. I thought to myself that "then I can't take any of my cloths of either". I lay there, with all my cloths on and slept. It was hot but worked.
I remember that it felt a bit strange with all the kindness.
There were cars that stopped along the way and gave me fruit all the time.
I almost never had to buy food. I got food from people along the way who wanted to help me.
Excuse me.
Hi.
Thank you.
Can I help you?
Oh, I'm fine.
Please, apple?
Ah okey.
Thank you.
I'm...
My name is Ibor.
Ibo?
Evet.
Okey, I'm Kristina.
Okey, I lov... I saw you on television.
Ah, okey, I understand.
This is what Baby Blue looks like.
Here is sunflowers, fresh berries or something, and I have gotten grapes, tomatoes and apples, crackers.
I have received several kilos of fruit and Baby Blue becomes incredibly heavy.
It was far between the towns the first part.
It was hot and not many restaurants around. Shopping groceries was very difficult.
In some ways I felt kidnapped. It wasn't I who made the decisions.
But there was always someone who took care of me whether I liked it or not.
It was comfortable, wonderful and really strange.
Welcome to Iran. You are my guest.
So won't let me pay for anything?
I wanted to treat her as she comes to Iran with a message of peace and friendship.
I have now forced myself on the guys who live here at the Red Crescent.
I am a lone women according to the laws.
Well, not according to the laws, but I am a lone women and they are just lone young boys so I can't sleep inside the house with them.
It feels safe to have them so close by. They are really friendly as usual.
So it's just nice to have them close.
They are coming out now. Maybe they are wondering what I'm doing.
It has been forty five degrees today. It has been a very rough day.
And there is the usual portraits that can be found everywhere.
I also just found out that the Iranian police apparently shoots people who are on their way from Pakistan to Syria to join ISIS.
These guys don't think that ISIS have anything to do with islam.
That's actually exactly what Mehdi, Amir's cousins' husband, said as well.
Mohammad in Marganlar said the same thing.
They think ISIS is an apostasy, pure evil. Nothing to do with islam.
They think we are ISIS!
Chicken?
Okey.
We are not ISIS. Religion is important for us but it is equally important that we are Iranians.
I prefer not to separate arabs and Persians but we are different.
We have had our civilization and our culture for more than 5000 years. We are very proud of that.
Thank you very much. Thank you. I feel good now. Thank you.
To treat you is my task. It's part of our culture. You are a guest of ours and you are always welcome.
I will run a little bit together with you.
Okey, do you want to run with me? Okey.
I learned some well needed Persian along the way.
Like saying how old I am, that I don't have any kids, that I'm not married.
I tried to explain partner once but it didn't really work.
Movie.
You are from?
Sweden.
Sweden? Sweden.
Sari, Gorgan, Boshnord, Eshkabat.
How do I ask her how she travels? Running?
Running, yes.
Is she a woman?
It's a pity she doesn't understand our language. Do you understand farsi? Aha, do you understand a little?
What is the weather like in Sweden?
Weather? Cold.
Very?
It's cold.
Is it nicer here or in Sweden?
I don't understand.
Weather, here and Ardabil...
Yes, like in Ardabil. Like here. Sweden.
Do you like it here?
Same.
I am in a school.
Let's go. I think we have this in Sweden as well but I'm not sure.
Do you like me? Yes I do. This seems perfect for me.
Today something really funny happened.
Farid, the guy that organized for me to stay here came driving in a car with this along the way.
Yesterday I ran 86 kilometers. From Ardabil to Astara.
It was of course tough so I have been a bit tired today. I haven't really recovered.
So I only made it 18 kilometers today.
There was actually a quite scary situation yesterday.
There were many people waving and wanting to take pictures with me when I came running.
And then there were three guys by the side of the road and they thought I should come and drink tea with them.
It was just that one of these guys grabbed Baby Blue really hard and pretty much demanded that I would come and drink tea with them.
I recognized "chai" and machina". "Machina", that's car.
As far as I understand he wanted me to drink tea with them and then ride with them to Astara.
I did not want to do that at all. His eyes also looked druged.
He grabbed me really hard and I tried to break free but I couldn't.
So i hit him. I hit him on the wrist and at the same time tried to get out of his grip.
I became really angry and started screaming "na, na, na" meaning no, no, no.
The other two guys stood next to us and just watched. I don't think they liked what was happening.
I think they were on my side.
I started running once I broke free from his grip. He started running after me and hit me on my butt and screamed something.
I continued to run and screamed "fuck you". It was completely dark.
He went to get his moped and came driving after me.
He screamed when he passed by me and I jumped high in the air.
I was very thankful as long as there were cars on the road.
After a while a moped came up from behind and I was really scared.
But it was just a man who waved and smiled, just as nice as people usually are here.
Then there was a car parked along the road a bit further down the road. I through that there was no way I would stop. Never.
But it was just a man who said "welcome to my country".
Later there was another parked car along the road with another man who just wanted to take photos with me.
So...
I miss you everyone back home.
It feels like I have a long way left to run.
650 kilometers now.
Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this.
It would be so nice to be back home. It looked so nice back home. It was still autumn.
Nowadays I find myself in discussions.
Last time was yesterday during a dinner when I was talking about Kristina and one person was very clear about her opinion.
She said "Oh my God, it's completely crazy, it's really dangerous to run through Iran. Anything could happen to her".
And now I am the one who is saying that she has not met a single person that has not been nice to her.
But she's not home yet. I hope she will continue to meet as nice people as before.
I can encounter a drugged person anywhere.
My prejudices and fears did not grow just because of what had happened.
The fear was completely different when I had a concrete situation that could be dangerous.
It felt like I was in control.
All I could ask myself was, "what can I do in this situation?".
Pick up a stick and run.
It wasn't worse then that.
I think the fear behind xenophobia is like those dark clouds.
It is ignorance, media's depiction and the brains tendency to draw conclusions too quickly that blend together creating gigantic dark clouds.
I was too afraid to film...
I was too afraid to film in the last village. So I do it now.
Oh, here comes the police.
Hi!
Where do you come from?
Sorry, I don't understand.
Where do you come from?
Eh, what is?
Is that a camera?
Running from Bazargan...
Are you from Norway?
Ah, Sweden.
Are you alone?
Yes, just me.
Are you just here with the stroller or do you have a car?
No car. Running from Bazargan to Maku to Marand, Tabriz and Ardabil.
Where is your escort? Escort! Cars.
Escort? Ah, no.
Don't you get tired? Tired? It's uphill all the way and you are going to run all the way to Astara with the stroller?
Ah, okey.
Are you going with the stroller to Astara?
Is it? Ardabil, Astara, Rasht.
Are you from Sweden?
Yes, Sweden.
Give me a high five! We are proud of you.
No farsi.
You are? I am?
We are a police patrol.
Yes, I see. Police.
Is the camera recording?
Have a nice day! Bye!
Okey, thanks.
Thank you.
So now we have some police in this film as well.
It's morning in Sarain and my hosts are making me breakfast while I film their garden.
We had a really nice day yesterday when Maryam, Nasim and I went to take a bath in the hot springs.
Incredibly nice people.
I've had such a good time.
Here comes Maryam. Good morning.
It's very cold.
Yes, it's almost like in Sweden.
This is a Dizi.
At first. Okey?
Okey.
Hot hot?
A little bit.
Like that?
Okey.
Sangak.
Yes, okey.
I learned Sangak, Barbari and Lavash.
Yes, yes, yes.
Is she recording with the camera?
Everything.
Camera!
oh, oh, oh.
Give me the salt.
It's called "grape" in english.
What does ozzum mean? Is that not Anguur?
No it's in farsi. We speak english to her.
Is it called "grape" in english?
Grape.
My mother wants to learn english.
Yes, that's good.
My mother... Persian.
She thinks you speak Persian.
Aha, no I don't.
Anguur persian.
I just know a little Persian.
Thank you, this was very good.
I really liked it.
Bon apetit.
Thank you.
You look like my daughter.
Ah, okey, thanks.
It was all unknown to me, the places I ran through.
I can't know what will happen when things are unknown to me.
Then I think it is about choosing how I want to see the world I come to. And what I want to believe in.
I chose to believe that most people were going to be nice to me.
That turned out to be true.
I think that's interesting. Because sometime I wonder if people treat me nicely because I believe that they will?
I came running, alone and vulnerable.
Did people trust me and took care of me because I was vulnerable?
They understood that I didn't understand a thing and that I was completely dependent on them.
How am I going to cross this road?
I've been waiting several weeks and all the cars just drive past me.
And this is where I will be running.
It feels incredibly luxurious.
Yesterday, what time is it?
Hi.
Hello!
Hello! How are you?
Yes, good.
What's up? I think you can talk a little farsi? Right?
No, very little farsi.
Yesterday, what time is it?
Eh, yesterday?
What time is it?
He is asked what the time is.
Eh, I don't understand.
Once again I get an audience.
I only know how to say that.
"Hello" and "what time is it yesterday?".
Now you're on...
Hi.
What?!
Kristina.
Ronaldo?
Ah, no!
Zlatan Ibrahimovic maybe?
Talk like a person.
Swedish.
Is she a girl?
Russian? English? Swedish?
Swedish.
Swedish, yes.
Take a look at the doll Nadia. Look she has a doll.
Here are people that stopped to visit me. I don't understand anything they say and they don't understand anything I say.
Yes, she says she came from Maku and Bazargan and is going to continue from here.
He can't speak english!
But is she biking with it?
No, she has her stuff in it.
But how does she travel then?
She walks.
Oh my god.
For how long are you traveling? Years? Days? "Year" means year right?
I don't know...
I have finally arrived to the Caspian sea.
The only problem is that there is a wall that separates the sea from the road so I don't see it when I walk.
Kind of disappointing.
But it feels fantastic to see the sea.
Yes, it's beautiful here, and people are very nice.
Thank you.
Bye.
It's so windy. Whops.
So are you here for swimming?
What?
Are you here for swimming?
Yes.
Yes, okey. Good.
It's the 26th of September today and the Caspian sea really makes me think about a few things.
I think I have ran about 45 kilometers today. When I arrive here I get to stay in a really nice apartment with a balcony facing the sea.
The first thing I want to do is to go out to the sea and try the water.
I do it and it's so nice and warm. But how am I supposed to be able to swim?
Should I jump in with these cloths on and just dip my legs?
Or just swim with the cloths on and walk up to the apartment past the receptionist and say "hey, sorry for making the floors really dirty"...
...or should I have had cloths to change into and taken off all my cloths here at the beach to put on dry cloths?
That doesn't work. I'm not even allowed to show my hair.
But there is a little bit coming out here anyway.
Thank you so much! Like!
Hi!
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
I'm glad to meet you in person.
I'm glad to meet you too.
We don't forget the hospitality of you nation for our refugees during the war between Iran and Iraq.
And nowadays when there is a refugee crisis in Europe, your country acts very good.
Ah, thank you.
We thank you for your country's hospitality.
Okey, thank you. Thank you for your hospitality because it's incredible and wonderful!
Thank you.
It's the ninth day in Moharam. I don't remember what it's called. Tassoha maybe.
Abolfazl, the brother of imam Hussein died on this day.
A special festival today and tomorrow when imam Hussein himself was murdered.
I want to thank you for your effort and that you walk through our city. Thank you so much.
I almost started crying again.
I mean it's... so many people meeting me and being happy. It's wonderful.
Maybe it's not very easy to guess what I'm doing.
I'm in my bed listening to Berlin - "Take my breath away".
A song that reminds me of when I was 14 or 15 years old. I was at a disco at my high school in Hortlax.
It's tiresome to always be the focus, in the centre of attention.
People always want thing from me and I just feel that I can't always give them what they want.
I'm thinking about Gabriel who probably gave me food by abstaining from eating himself.
And Akbar who gave me food which he probably could not afford to buy.
I feel bad towards Gabriel because he gave me the best he had and I gave nothing back.
Or maybe I do. I don't know.
I think this trip is changing me, my views are changing. Actually they have already changed in many ways.
I have already reached one of the goals of the trip in that way and could go home now.
But I think that I will achieve even more if I just endure a little longer.
I'm going to do that. I just have to rest a little but.
It's very hot today and I feel a little tired.
Many people thought I was such a fantastic person. I received so many encouraging comments.
It became really annoying after a while.
I felt a conflict grow within myself. There was a voice shouting "No! I'm an asshole".
I beat Fredrik's cats and become ironic towards his kids when I don't get enough alone time at home.
It took me a while to understand that the women who ran through Iran to build bridges to contribute to trust in the world
was the same person as the women who can be really mean to people that are dependent on her.
That's the way it is with us all. We all have both good and bad within us.
It's up to us to choose.
Hi! How are you?
I'm good thank you.
Where do you come from?
Sweden.
Sweden? Thank you.
Okey, thank you.
She ran 1200 kilometer and will continue. We have to applaud her! Bravo!
Bravo, bravo.
Apple?
No it's good.
Twenty, thirty days.
Sorry.
This is life here. I wanted to sit and rest on this bench but that didn't work out.
Here comes another woman.
Hi.
What is the purpose of your trip?
How many days is it since you left Teheran?
Mohamed, do you know any english?
Yes!
Good!
Now they are calling on even more people to come over here. Hopefully someone that speaks english, for their sake.
I just want to be by myself.
Hi, hi.
How are you?
Alright, I think I should get going.
Is Sweden beautiful?
Yes, it's beautiful too.
Is Sweden more beautiful than Iran?
No, you cannot say that.
Food?
The food is good. I like the food.
She says that she brought food with her from home.
Alright, that's enough for now. I'll have to go somewhere else with my diary.
The flag whips my ear sometime.
It's 10:30 pm and I am a little tired. I'm soon going to bed.
I'm in a completely empty apartment. That's why there is such an echo.
It feels like people are so suspicious of each other... Even though even single person I've met is so damn nice.
But people still say to me "Oh no, are you completely alone? What will happen to you in this dangerous world?"
I've gotten three messages only today. One from Hussein, one from Dena, one from Albors, the family in Ansari.
"How are you? Are you okey? Thank god that everything is going well!"
But for fucks sake. Your' whole country is filled with nice people. There is not a single mean person.
Start trusting each other.
I'm tired, a bit negative, but have had a really nice evening.
It's the 1st of November and I have ran my second last day.
It is actually only one day left.
Amir and Mehrdad came today. Soroush with his friend Abbas are also here filming.
It was so nice to see all of them.
So I might not be as much of a loner as I think I am.
I was so happy when they arrived.
I hugged all of them and ignored every damn islamic law there is. Excuse my cursing.
I just wanted to hug them and hold them.
I feel really happy. I'm really tired right now. I woke up at 5 am this morning and it's now 11 pm.
I'm waking up 4:30 am tomorrow.
Good morning! It is the last day of my run and I'm preparing Baby Blue.
We are ready to start the last final part of this trip.
Let's go!
My views have definitely changed. It's quite hard to say how.
I thought the country would be much more conservative.
I though people would question my cloths but only one single person have done that.
And then the fact that everything is so complex.
There are so many different kinds of people. How religious people are...
I will spread the enormous kindness I've been met with.
You have to understand how people have given me food despite that they don't have enough for themselves.
I think that is quite incredible.
We're here! Woho!
It's amazing!
I'm...
It feels good. I'm happy.
I'm sending a message: "framme"! That means I'm there.
We've done it.
Woho, we're here!
This trip was only two months long but it lives on within me. Even now months after I came home.
And it will live on for a long time to come. It has mattered a lot to me.
It was interesting when I got a question from a journalist once. "Which was your biggest prejudice that got dismantled?"
I was a bit ashamed and answered - "I thought of everyone as being the same." They were all the same to me.
Now I understand that they are just like you and me.
We are all different and the same. It's so simple, so trivial and at the same time significant.