Yes! Absolutely agree! It is so much easier to work with your foreign patients when you're a least a little familiar with where they're from! 100% agree with your whole post!!

I'm a nurse and yeah I think having read a LOT in my life has helped me. Of course reading my textbooks and keeping up with current medical issues has helped but I also think I can relate to patients and keep up conversations really well because of it. Not that I always want to, lol.

I also think it's a little silly and immature to get offended by someone saying reading broadens horizons. I have never met anyone that became more narrow minded after reading a lot unless they only ever read one type of thing. Not reading isn't that big of a deal either. My husband doesn't read a ton but watches lots of documentaries and is very smart. Some people just enjoy reading more than others.

And if you have something negative to say about any of this, don't bother because I won't read it lol. I have people to take care of and a copy of American Gods I'm about 1/4 of the way into.