Brandon Stanton's Blog, page 378

"My mom wants me to be perfect and well-behaved and religious....

"My mom wants me to be perfect and well-behaved and religious. If I’m less than perfect, she doesn’t want anything to do with me. Recently I met my dad for the first time on my 20th birthday. I visited him in prison and really opened up to him. I told him that I was into girls, and that I smoke, and stuff like that. He was much more understanding than my mom. But then again, he really has no choice."

"I taught English in Thailand for a year, and I tried to...

"I taught English in Thailand for a year, and I tried to continue in education when I returned to the United States, but it wasn’t nearly as fulfilling for me. In Thailand, teachers are really revered. In the hierarchy of prestige, it goes: kings, then monks, then teachers. Parents would always be asking for advice. My students would come up and hug me in the streets. It was almost like I was being welcomed into the families of my students, and we were working together toward education. Back in America, it felt like Home and School were two different zones. It felt more isolating. In Thailand, I definitely felt like I was making a difference. In America, it felt like ‘maybe’ I was making a difference.”

"I’ve got a wife and three kids, and a job I’m...

"I’ve got a wife and three kids, and a job I’m trying to hold on to. It’s a lot of work and it’s a lot to worry about, so it’s easy to fall into a routine where all I’m doing is worrying about the next moment. In the midst of all this, sometimes I have to force myself to step back and appreciate the wonderful things that have already happened: one of my children is a budding artist, the other is beautifully kind, and the other is full of energy and potential. And they’re all happy. And they’re all healthy."

"When you explore in jungles, it’s important to not get...

"When you explore in jungles, it’s important to not get too close to the animals. Also bring some canned food, and a tranquilizer in case a tiger attacks you."

Despite being from Norway, and having a very limited grasp of...

Despite being from Norway, and having a very limited grasp of English, they made a heroic attempt to answer my questions. She likes that “he’s always there when I’m sad.” And according to him, she’s a “Good runner. And good garden worker.”

I asked him to tell me his favorite song. He strummed randomly...

I asked him to tell me his favorite song. He strummed randomly on the guitar a few times, and said: “That one.”

"He’s always supported a sense of independence in me.""How...

"He’s always supported a sense of independence in me."
"How has he done that?"
"By letting me do what I damn well please."

"Do you remember the happiest moment of your life?""Yes. In...

"Do you remember the happiest moment of your life?"
"Yes. In 1977. My family was sitting by the fireside, during a blizzard, and my mother was reading Great Expectations to me and my father, while we painted a regiment of Blackwatch Highlanders, which were little Scottish soldiers from the Napoleonic wars."

"I prefer maritime laws over laws on land. Maritime laws only...

"I prefer maritime laws over laws on land. Maritime laws only exist to guarantee safe passage. There are no loopholes or biases to favor more powerful vessels. Every ship is equal, and no one is more powerful than the sea."

"Sometimes I’m not sure how to ask for help, without...

"Sometimes I’m not sure how to ask for help, without making them think they made the wrong decision in hiring me."