--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am ashamed to say that despite my…" description: "\"“I am ashamed to say that despite my conscious mind taking an open-minded approach to this journey, my subconscious had prepared for the worst. When I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/lois-pryce-40031_ashamed_i-am-ashamed-to-say-that-despite-my-cons_2588246.jpg" --- # I am ashamed to say that despite my conscious mind taking… ![“I am ashamed to say that despite my conscious mind taking an open-minded approach to this journey, my subconscious had prepared for the worst. When I had turned up at the border I had been bracing myself for all the horrors as predicted by the doom-mongers back home. I was steeled for the…” quote by Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/lois-pryce-40031_ashamed_i-am-ashamed-to-say-that-despite-my-cons_2588246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/lois-pryce-40031_ashamed_i-am-ashamed-to-say-that-despite-my-cons_2588246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/lois-pryce-40031_ashamed_i-am-ashamed-to-say-that-despite-my-cons_2588246.jpg) > ““I am ashamed to say that despite my conscious mind taking an open-minded approach to this journey, my subconscious had prepared for the worst. When I had turned up at the border I had been bracing myself for all the horrors as predicted by the doom-mongers back home. I was steeled for the onslaught of angry Islamists who would shun me (or worse) for being British/western/an infidel/female – take your pick. But instead I had been hit with a tidal wave of warmth and humanity to a degree that I have never experienced anywhere else in the world.”” [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expectations of hostility were shattered by unexpected kindness and humanity. **In simple terms:** Expected danger, received warmth. Key Takeaway Stay open to surprise kindness. Themes prejudice humanity expectations Mood hopeful surprised Type narrative personal When to use this quote - travel - immigration - conflict zones Key Concepts psychology cross‑cultural interaction Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage fear of the unknown? - What fosters unexpected compassion? A Different Perspective Preconceptions can cloud perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Border Bracing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/border-bracing-1837923/) [Conscious mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious-mind/) [Infidel Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infidel-female-1837922/) [Journey Subconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-subconscious-1837921/) [Prepared For The Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared-for-the-worst/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Subconscious Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subconscious-prepared-1837924/) ## Related quotes > [I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-am-prepared-for-the-worst-but-hope-for-the-best/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [“His (my father's) general belief in life's well-being worked either way. 'Have you ever had it before? You have? It's not going to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/his-my-father-s-general-belief-in-life-s-well-being-worked-either-way/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“Maybe it was magical thinking, but I couldn’t help believing that if you were prepared for the worst, you might make it come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/maybe-it-was-magical-thinking-but-i-couldn-t-help-believing-that-if/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [While you are hoping for the best, be prepared for the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-you-are-hoping-for-the-best-be-prepared-for-the-worst/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/hoping-for-the-best-prepared-for-the-worst-and-unsurprised-by/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Do your best to be prepared for the worst, that you may handle the unexpected eventualities of error and failures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-bailey/do-your-best-to-be-prepared-for-the-worst-that-you-may-handle-the/) [Joseph J. Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-bailey/) > [Brokers are sharks, and you have to always be prepared for the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-serhant/brokers-are-sharks-and-you-have-to-always-be-prepared-for-the-worst/) [Ryan Serhant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-serhant/) > [If everything goes as plan, and you made no mistakes had no struggles, never been to the bottom can you really be prepared for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gee-linder/if-everything-goes-as-plan-and-you-made-no-mistakes-had-no-struggles/) [Gee Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gee-linder/) > [Scientists themselves readily admit that they do not fully understand the consequences of our many-faceted assault upon the interwoven fabric of atmosphere, water, land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-charles/scientists-themselves-readily-admit-that-they-do-not-fully-understand/) [Prince Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-charles/) > [The most important thing for me is that I've used my talents as a writer to enable the Ogoni people to confront their tormentors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-saro-wiwa/the-most-important-thing-for-me-is-that-i-ve-used-my-talents-as-a/) [Ken Saro-Wiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-saro-wiwa/) > [“The warrior comes to knowledge fully prepared to die, and thus circumvents all possible pitfalls. Being prepared for the worst, the warrior cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-un-mares/the-warrior-comes-to-knowledge-fully-prepared-to-die-and-thus/) [Théun Mares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-un-mares/) > [Because Conor McGregor is so confident - he goes there 'I'll beat this, I will do that' - If I would be his coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/because-conor-mcgregor-is-so-confident-he-goes-there-i-ll-beat-this-i/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [Even though life gives you a second chance.. and that chance is tomorrow.. that so called second may not be guaranteed. anything and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megannn/even-though-life-gives-you-a-second-chance-and-that-chance-is/) [Megannn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megannn/) > [So many people have left my life. So from now on as soon as I meet someone new I will be prepared for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-many-people-have-left-my-life-so-from-now-on-as-soon-as-i-meet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have a good feeling about this. Somehow, it's all going to turn out for the best." "I wish I did," Cork said. "Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kent-krueger/i-have-a-good-feeling-about-this-somehow-it-s-all-going-to-turn-out/) [William Kent Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kent-krueger/) ## More by Lois Pryce > [“The two of us with our scrappy motor and no idea what was going to happen next, a Persian version of the Blues Brothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/the-two-of-us-with-our-scrappy-motor-and-no-idea-what-was-going-to/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“Hafez seemed to have the effect of unifying the Iranian people. His poems epitomised the Iranian mindset; passionate and opinionated but laced with humour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/hafez-seemed-to-have-the-effect-of-unifying-the-iranian-people-his/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“I stared at his face, looking into his eyes, feeling the full force of his loathing; his entire demeanour and tone emanated disgust, disgust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/i-stared-at-his-face-looking-into-his-eyes-feeling-the-full-force-of/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“She smiled a lot, laughed easily and listened intently when others spoke. She had been battling the system her whole life, but it had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/she-smiled-a-lot-laughed-easily-and-listened-intently-when-others/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“As two former empires, both with distinct identities and a strong sense of national pride, there is an island mentality in Iran that feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/as-two-former-empires-both-with-distinct-identities-and-a-strong/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“it wasn’t the only aspect of Iran that reminded me of America. The two countries had far more similarities than either would care to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/it-wasn-t-the-only-aspect-of-iran-that-reminded-me-of-america-the-two/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“It wasn’t about being brave, or toughing it out, or any of that air-punching motivational language; all that was required in these moments was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/it-wasn-t-about-being-brave-or-toughing-it-out-or-any-of-that-air/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“I was ashamed to find myself contemplating that for the traveller, Iran’s charms lay in its isolation. This was not a mindset I liked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/i-was-ashamed-to-find-myself-contemplating-that-for-the-traveller/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“I wondered if we could ever truly understand each other, and if not, did it matter? Maybe that was where we had been going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/i-wondered-if-we-could-ever-truly-understand-each-other-and-if-not/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) > [“I loved that the Iranians never quite did what you thought they were going to do, or even, what you wanted them to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-pryce/i-loved-that-the-iranians-never-quite-did-what-you-thought-they-were/) [Lois Pryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) [Explore all 11 Lois Pryce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-pryce/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) [Robert Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-preston/) > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) [Stacy Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-green/) > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) [Vernon Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-johns/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am ashamed to say that despite my conscious mind taking an open-minded approach to this journey, my subconscious had prepared for the worst. When I had turned up at the border I had been bracing myself for all the horrors as predicted by the doom-mongers back home. I was steeled for the onslaught of angry Islamists who would shun me (or worse) for being British/western/an infidel/female – take your pick. 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