I had a similar experience when I met someone from Iraq, all of a sudden Iraq was not some desolate place I only saw in the news, but somewhere I knew someone from. It really is incredible how different your perspective is simply by meeting someone from somewhere you only had an abstract concept of. The world really does feel smaller now.
Nationalism really holds the world back, pro,opting an us apps them kind of mentality. When really we are all very much the same, you will meet amazing people all around the world.
