Surround Yourself With Like Minded People

Ecuador

We have a neighbor, who despite being completely opposite of us, we are close with.  We literally do not have a single thing in common but we do know how to have a good time together.  In ways of conversation it usually is me just listening to the ranting and slew of cuss words flowing like water out of their mouths and typically trying to defend myself in some sort of way.  Wow, trying to explain it to others makes it sound awful but its not - they are good to us.  It is a relationship where we truly like the people for who they are, not what they believe in.  

The reason I am telling you this is because last week we were all standing around the fire chatting about travel and they next thing I hear is, 
"I ain't leaving this Godda** country for no motherfu****, you are out of your Godda** mind!"  
Well, that caught my attention!  My first instinct was the fire back and argue why traveling is the most beautiful thing we can give ourselves and loved ones but I bit my tongue   Realistically though, I rather voice my opinion to a hard nosed Catholic priest than to a Murrica' loving, opinionated, good ole boy that drinks like a fish and stops at nothing!  He literally thinks that we are hands down the best country on the planet and all the other ones are beneath us.  I blame the news and inexperience for his beliefs.  
He obviously doesn't not recognize the beauty in a steamy, remote, jungle, the culture in a Parisian cafe, the vastness when starring out into the Indian Ocean, or the goodness of international food. 

I know it sounds crazy that I am friends with these people but we really do have fun listening to all their crazy beliefs and rants.  They are humorous to us - they make us laugh...basically at them but laugh nonetheless.  Why not right?  Life is to short to take yourself so seriously!  

They often flip a switch inside me, usually from sheer disagreement, to speak my mind in hopes of sharing exactly how I feel on a subject.  But as always I keep quiet.  I am not good whatsoever at expressing myself verbally, especially to strong and opinionated people. 

The only thing I did say was, "The world is bigger than you backyard."

It did make me envision what he would look like traveling and it was funny...I almost laughed out loud!  Because out in the real world, he would no longer be king of the jungle and  the one with judging eyes but the recipient of jokes and stereotypical judgments.  

Do you have people in your life like this?  I would love to hear about them!