In New York City, you don’t get to choose who you sit next to on the train.
You don’t get to hand-pick your taxi driver or the chef at your restaurant, and you certainly don’t get to complain about whomever you receive. Growing up there, I was surrounded by languages, religions, colors, and cultures from around the world- Arabic, Chinese, Creole, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, just to name a few. They would enter my eyes and ears in many forms, from phone calls on a bus, the open doors of a temple, or music pouring onto the street from a bodega. As I passed a Kebab stand or bit into a fresh vegetable samosa, they would rush to fill the entry of my nose and mouth. Mesmerized by the gold trims and brightly dyed silk, the Sari’s I caressed on mannequins as a young girl remain imprinted on my skin. When your senses are exposed to and can appreciate the wonder of cultures different than your own, something magical happens in your brain and your heart. You learn respect, kindness, admiration, and understanding-
you become a global citizen.
Although my upbringing has established a deep connection to international relationships, being enrolled in Global Learning at FIU has been an enlightening experience. For three years, I have taken courses and attended events aimed to challenge students into expanding their global thought. Global Learning at FIU particularly aims to increase student’s global perspective, awareness, and engagement. In my specified courses, I developed greater perspective by analyzing international relationships throughout history and discussing complex issues through quality writing. Thanks to events such as Q&A panels and Student Voices, my awareness and comprehension of the social implications of the ongoing war in Ukraine is greatly widened. Attending my undergraduate research experience in Mexico as a Capstone project, I broadened my use of professional language. Writing proposals, describing methodologies, and completing presentations in Spanish offered an intense learning curve but produced rewarding results.
While my time as an undergraduate student at FIU has come to an end, my future as a global citizen is just beginning. My ePortfolio has emphasized a dedication to scientific research, marine conservation, and leadership affecting change. It will be exciting to take the skills and values learned through Global Learning at FIU to other institutions. I am currently preparing for the next step in my career as a Teaching Assistant at The Island School and Cape Eleuthera Research Institute in The Bahamas. Founded on the same principles that are embodied by Global Learning at FIU, I plan on encouraging the young students and myself to push our global perspective, awareness, and engagement forward.
In a world full of bigotry and bias, communities that celebrate diversity are essential.
Being a global citizen is not only a choice, but a responsibility for us all.
And to the Global Learning team at Florida International University- thank you for a most enriching three years.