Reflection

Fitting experiences in years (2016-2021)

Global Perspective: I was a silent and timid undergrad in the beginning of my studies (hard to believe, I know), yet I was drawn to become involved in various experiences and thus interacted with many students and people.  In most, if not all, these experiences, I remained quiet.  I did not express my opinions or want to cause conflict.  I just absorbed opinion, viewpoints,  and ideas, like a sponge.  I was observant, and did not dare to defy any perspective I thought was contradicting to what I had already known or to a previously ingrained notion.  Through alternative breaks and such programs, I was exposed to people like me who wanted to make a difference; except I was closed off to offering my perspective and simply allowed everyone else to explain theirs.  I asked and posited questions, I lent an ear for hours, but I never spoke.  I was inundated with global perspectives, trained myself to be receptive to them, and to ask the right questions to elicit insightful conversation.

Global Awareness: When I went on my ISE, everything changed.  Without the slimmest understanding of what Dubai was, I packed up and headed to the UAE, and in this experience I was flooded with the reality of the everyday issues of the rest of the world.  I was exposed to Orientalism, a phenomenon we are undoubtedly affected by which has infiltrated our literature, pop culture, and media. I was exposed to the different identities in the Middle East and how the occupations by foreign powers in the later times was a component owing to causing or exposing the cultural fabrication of the Middle East.  In another class, I learnt of the complete history of Iraq in relation to its situation today.  I could finally read current events about the countries in this region, and genuinely understand the jargon, names, organizations, and even small-scale local figures!  My global awareness was magnified, however I did not understand the full extent of this experience until a full year later that I was drawn yet again to Middle Eastern history and culture as I went to the Israel Fact Finder Trip with Hillel at FIU.  In this trip, with an immersion into the discourse of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the accumulation of various worldviews and experiences, I was realizing how interdependent events are to one another across the world.  In the day’s reflections on this trip, we had to synthesize our thoughts and communicate our impressions and understandings of the heard perspectives from the day.  This trained me to incorporate other’s experiences with mine to provide a more complete picture, which benefitted from my personal thoughts and opinions.  In internalizing, and finally externalizing what I was absorbing, I still realized there is a critical step in transforming oneself as a global citizen with action and purpose; I had to actively engage and participate in the problem solving.

Global Engagement: Thus soon after the trip, when an opportunity to participate in the Fly-in-DC: Future of Coastal Waters and Economies trip came up, I didn’t hesitate.  The idea of strengthening science communication between research and policymakers greatly interested me; both have incredible power and potential for change, but can be wasted or misused without the proper mindset and engagement at all levels.  Through speaking with policymakers on each side of the aisle, and using skills gained from my past to be understanding of where they’re coming from and the sure goodness of their overall intentions, which solidified what I had been internally developing since my FIU journey began: the knowledge that all perspectives are ultimately very valuable when considering effective problem-solving, and that the only way to be considered yourself is to be active and speak up. And that’s what I did, founding the Greek American Student Association (GASA) in order to contribute to local, national, and global discussions through the educating of the beliefs which I was raised with.

These three components, I now firmly believe, are important in making a positive impact as a global citizen.  I am very grateful that the Global Medallion Program walked me through this development process, to lead me to my own self-discovery as a listener, communicator, and actor in propagating change in this world while retaining the responsibility as the bearer of others’ perspectives.  These past 4 ½ years have been unforgettable and I hope my next ones as I pursue graduate school will lead me on the same process of establishing and improving myself as a global citizen to better the lives of those around me.