--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...Remember that nutty little story I…" description: "\"“...Remember that nutty little story I told you about the first time I ever went overseas for my junior year abroad at Green Bay, and I stepped onto th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/lionel-shriver-744_first-time_remember-that-nutty-little-story-i-told_784197.jpg" --- # ...Remember that nutty little story I told you about the… ![“...Remember that nutty little story I told you about the first time I ever went overseas for my junior year abroad at Green Bay, and I stepped onto the airstrip in Madrid to be obscurely disheartened that Spain, too, had trees. Of course Spain has trees! you jeers. I was embarrassed; of course I…” quote by Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/lionel-shriver-744_first-time_remember-that-nutty-little-story-i-told_784197.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/lionel-shriver-744_first-time_remember-that-nutty-little-story-i-told_784197.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/lionel-shriver-744_first-time_remember-that-nutty-little-story-i-told_784197.jpg) > ““...Remember that nutty little story I told you about the first time I ever went overseas for my junior year abroad at Green Bay, and I stepped onto the airstrip in Madrid to be obscurely disheartened that Spain, too, had trees. Of course Spain has trees! you jeers. I was embarrassed; of course I knew, in a way, it had trees, but with the sky and the ground and the people walking around--well, it just didn't seem that different.”” [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator expected exotic differences abroad, but ordinary features like trees felt surprising, highlighting how expectations shape perception. **In simple terms:** Expectations can make ordinary things seem unusual. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about what makes a place unique. Themes expectations perception travel culture surprise Mood reflective amused curious Type anecdotal observational humorous When to use this quote - first overseas trip - travel planning - cultural immersion - learning about expectations Key Concepts cognitive bias contextual awareness Questions to Reflect On - How do your expectations alter your travel experiences? - What ordinary details have you overlooked abroad? A Different Perspective The anecdote may overstate personal surprise, not reflecting broader reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Junior year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junior-year/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [I went overseas hoping to prove that all our POWs were home. I came back convinced that they were still alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-gritz/i-went-overseas-hoping-to-prove-that-all-our-pows-were-home-i-came/) [Bo Gritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-gritz/) > [I never went overseas until I left school and joined West Ham United Football Club at the beginning of the Sixties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-never-went-overseas-until-i-left-school-and-joined-west-ham-united/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [Once I went overseas and had this real motivation to get back, I was willing to do whatever it took to stick in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-green/once-i-went-overseas-and-had-this-real-motivation-to-get-back-i-was/) [Gerald Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-green/) > [As skills and energy became more of a demand, people who didn't have skills just got left behind, got shuttled to the side. Education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bond/as-skills-and-energy-became-more-of-a-demand-people-who-didn-t-have/) [Julian Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bond/) > [In Australia I was seen as somebody who did only very modern, contemporary stuff. Then as soon as I went overseas I did two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-connor/in-australia-i-was-seen-as-somebody-who-did-only-very-modern/) [Frances O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-connor/) > [It ended up taking eight years to finish college because I got deployed and went overseas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huertas/it-ended-up-taking-eight-years-to-finish-college-because-i-got/) [Jon Huertas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huertas/) > [In 1967, I signed up for the Army, where I earned an equivalency diploma, then went on to join the Special Forces. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carmona/in-1967-i-signed-up-for-the-army-where-i-earned-an-equivalency/) [Richard Carmona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carmona/) > [I lived in a bubble: my whole entire military career where I thought that everything was perfect. And I thought that every time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ojeda/i-lived-in-a-bubble-my-whole-entire-military-career-where-i-thought/) [Richard Ojeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ojeda/) > [Smoking Green Bay nigga, Im a cheesehead. In a Lambo, see me with the Gs at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/smoking-green-bay-nigga-im-a-cheesehead-in-a-lambo-see-me-with-the-gs/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I get a certain feeling when I go to Lambeau field in Green Bay. Soldier field in Chicago is special to me. Those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-madden/i-get-a-certain-feeling-when-i-go-to-lambeau-field-in-green-bay/) [John Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-madden/) > [If there ever was an 'America's team,' it would be itty-bitty, little Green Bay, stuck way up there somewhere, owned by the salt-of-the-Earth citizens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/if-there-ever-was-an-america-s-team-it-would-be-itty-bitty-little/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [My three children played soccer and lacrosse. I grew up as a Green Bay Packers fan. I am not against sports. We want kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mckee/my-three-children-played-soccer-and-lacrosse-i-grew-up-as-a-green-bay/) [Ann McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mckee/) > [I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don't ever want to finish second again. There is a second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/i-have-finished-second-twice-in-my-time-at-green-bay-and-i-don-t-ever/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [It's funny, but when there are dominant teams, there are a number of people who rail about the fact that they're always seeing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-michaels/it-s-funny-but-when-there-are-dominant-teams-there-are-a-number-of/) [Al Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-michaels/) > [“New Rule: Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism. That's right, the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-americans-must-realize-what-makes-nfl-football-so-great/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More by Lionel Shriver > [The discovery that heartbreak is indeed heartbreaking consoles us about our humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-discovery-that-heartbreak-is-indeed-heartbreaking-consoles-us/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I’m a journalist, and journalists need news. Deprive them of it, and they go a bit barking. Deprive them of news long enough, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-m-a-journalist-and-journalists-need-news-deprive-them-of-it-and/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“One of the things I learned with Charles," said Gray carefully, "was that finding someone like you does not necessarily mean that either of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/one-of-the-things-i-learned-with-charles-said-gray-carefully-was-that/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [In the particular dwells the tawdry. In the conceptual dwells the grand, the transcendent, the everlasting. Earthly countries and single malignant boys can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/in-the-particular-dwells-the-tawdry-in-the-conceptual-dwells-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“The idea is that you don't only have one destiny. Younger and younger, kids are pressed to decide what they want to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-idea-is-that-you-don-t-only-have-one-destiny-younger-and-younger/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [Oddly, for a book to do well merely because people like it is surprisingly rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/oddly-for-a-book-to-do-well-merely-because-people-like-it-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“And there's a freedom in apathy, a wild, dizzying liberation on which you can almost get drunk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/and-there-s-a-freedom-in-apathy-a-wild-dizzying-liberation-on-which/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [The sign that I don't like the book I'm reading is finding myself watching reruns of 'Come Dine With Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/the-sign-that-i-don-t-like-the-book-i-m-reading-is-finding-myself/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [We speak often of 'destroying the planet' when what we mean is destroying its habitability for humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/we-speak-often-of-destroying-the-planet-when-what-we-mean-is/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [My agent had warned that, while a fine film would do my profile a world of good, a bad one wouldn't help me at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/my-agent-had-warned-that-while-a-fine-film-would-do-my-profile-a/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I think that's the biggest favor you can grant anyone, don't you? Permission to be dull. I know Henry will sometimes say something so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-think-that-s-the-biggest-favor-you-can-grant-anyone-don-t-you/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“They were determined to find something mechanically wrong with him - because broken machines are easier to fix. p303”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/they-were-determined-to-find-something-mechanically-wrong-with-him/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“Bur Armenians have a talent for sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/bur-armenians-have-a-talent-for-sorrow/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“What is cool changes; that there is such a thing as cool is immutable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/what-is-cool-changes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as-cool-is-immutable/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“I have theorized that you can locate most people on a spectrum of the crudest sort and that it may be their position on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/i-have-theorized-that-you-can-locate-most-people-on-a-spectrum-of-the/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) [Explore all 375 Lionel Shriver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) ## More Abroad quotes > [I love India, Russia and touring has made me many friends abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/i-love-india-russia-and-touring-has-made-me-many-friends-abroad/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [“When the ancient Romans would conquer a new place or a new people, they would leave the language and the customs in tact –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/when-the-ancient-romans-would-conquer-a-new-place-or-a-new-people/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-kalashnikov/for-years-i-had-a-top-secret-clearance-and-never-left-russia-just/) [Mikhail Kalashnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-kalashnikov/) > [We have a family holiday once a year, usually abroad, but that's it. I feel I should have holidays for my family's sake, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-webb/we-have-a-family-holiday-once-a-year-usually-abroad-but-that-s-it-i/) [Robert Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-webb/) > [I didn't go abroad until quite late. A friend drove us to Amalfi, Italy, for his sister's wedding when I was a teenager. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harewood/i-didn-t-go-abroad-until-quite-late-a-friend-drove-us-to-amalfi-italy/) [David Harewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harewood/) > [I studied a month in Costa Rica and loved it. I'm not scared to go abroad. I feel like I can figure things out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/i-studied-a-month-in-costa-rica-and-loved-it-i-m-not-scared-to-go/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [I don't think I know everything because I don't watch much news from abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peng-shuai/i-don-t-think-i-know-everything-because-i-don-t-watch-much-news-from/) [Peng Shuai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peng-shuai/) > [Clearly, if you go abroad to a top club, it means one more step in your development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kroos/clearly-if-you-go-abroad-to-a-top-club-it-means-one-more-step-in-your/) [Toni Kroos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kroos/) > [My first trip abroad was to do a TV version of 'Les Miserables' in France with Anthony Perkins. There I was at 12 acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/my-first-trip-abroad-was-to-do-a-tv-version-of-les-miserables-in/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [I've had a lot of success in England, and I've really enjoyed my time with Manchester City, but I wanted to challenge myself even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-success-in-england-and-i-ve-really-enjoyed-my-time/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [“Hatutakiwi kuishi kama raia wa Tanzania peke yake. Tunatakiwa kuishi kama raia wa dunia na watumishi wa utu, hasa katika kipindi hiki cha zama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/hatutakiwi-kuishi-kama-raia-wa-tanzania-peke-yake-tunatakiwa-kuishi/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [I'm a simple hillbilly. I don't like eating modern, industrialized, fast food. I grew up eating home-cooked food. So when I'm traveling abroad, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hirata/i-m-a-simple-hillbilly-i-don-t-like-eating-modern-industrialized-fast/) [Andrea Hirata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hirata/) > [When you're abroad, you always miss your country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-mancini/when-you-re-abroad-you-always-miss-your-country/) [Roberto Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-mancini/) > [The great and recurrent question about Abroad is, is it worth the trouble of getting there?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/the-great-and-recurrent-question-about-abroad-is-is-it-worth-the/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) Browse all 363 Abroad quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...Remember that nutty little story I told you about the first time I ever went overseas for my junior year abroad at Green Bay, and I stepped onto the airstrip in Madrid to be obscurely disheartened that Spain, too, had trees. 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