Cosmopolitan

This author's experience is something very unique that is nearly unheard of in my area.  Living so close to upper class and poverty must have made for a very unique upbringing that allowed for much appreciation and learning to be open minded, as stated.  When raised in an area isolated from a wide range of socioeconomic statuses one loses touch with how well off or not so well off they are in life.  From this, people probably make assumptions which rarely ever lead to accurate gauges of people's situations and less appreciation than what this author experienced.