It is okay to be an outsider, a recent arrival, new on the scene — and not just okay, but something to be thankful for. … Because being an insider can so easily mean collapsing the horizons, can so easily mean accepting the presumptions of your province.

Source: "My Immigration Story." TEDxWomen 2011. Dec. 2011. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote from technologist Tan Le is about the benefits of something that most people find uncomfortable: being an outsider. Says Le, this feeling of alienation broadens your horizons and makes you consider all of the possibilities for yourself, whereas someone who has never been challenged in this way often accepts a comfortable but limited life. The quote is from Le's 2011 TED Talk about her family's story of immigrating from Vietnam. Watch the full TED Talk here: Tan Le - My Immigration Story

“My Immigration Story.” TEDxWomen 2011. Dec. 2011. Conference Presentation.