Global Awareness & Diversity
I experienced more cultural diversity in one semester than most people do in a lifetime. I had the opportunity to travel to 13 countries in Europe on a study abroad program with Westmont College. While regularly our travels involved trying new foods, marveling at global icons, or attempting to (brokenly) speak new languages, our group was also challenged by cultural experiences that we do not often encounter in the United States. One of the more impactful moments during this program was working with families living in a refugee house in Berlin, Germany. We spent the afternoon cleaning walls and picking up trash around the facility. We worked alongside the residents of this place, even though we could not communicate well with them. We were encouraged to jump into this new experience, because we do not necessarily have the opportunity to work with these people whose daily lives so strongly contrast our own.
Similarly, I have participated in Westmont’s Potter’s Clay program, a mission trip every Spring Break to Ensenada, Mexico. During this week, we work with local churches and community members to finish construction projects, offer basic medical and dental care, play sports with local teams, and work with children through VBS programs. Through these experiences, I have learned to appreciate a culture and a language separate from my own, because I have grown to love these people so much. Ensenada differs socioeconomically from California; each year we bring toys and games, spending afternoons blowing bubbles, coloring with chalk, or creating crafts that go along with a Bible story. While these activities can be quite enjoyable, what I have noticed in returning annually is that the relationships we build with the community mean far more than any material possession.
I have found that appreciating others with different cultural, religious, socio-economic, or ideological backgrounds from my own is a difficult thing to do! And while I find it personally challenging, it can be even harder to convey this lesson to young children. As a teacher, I want to emphasize to my students how important it is to work with people who do not behave or think exactly the way they do. We learn through relating to others, and we become better at this skill by doing so with people who are unlike us. It is a lifelong lesson we learn to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, and that lesson can certainly start at a young age. Love extends beyond borders!
Similarly, I have participated in Westmont’s Potter’s Clay program, a mission trip every Spring Break to Ensenada, Mexico. During this week, we work with local churches and community members to finish construction projects, offer basic medical and dental care, play sports with local teams, and work with children through VBS programs. Through these experiences, I have learned to appreciate a culture and a language separate from my own, because I have grown to love these people so much. Ensenada differs socioeconomically from California; each year we bring toys and games, spending afternoons blowing bubbles, coloring with chalk, or creating crafts that go along with a Bible story. While these activities can be quite enjoyable, what I have noticed in returning annually is that the relationships we build with the community mean far more than any material possession.
I have found that appreciating others with different cultural, religious, socio-economic, or ideological backgrounds from my own is a difficult thing to do! And while I find it personally challenging, it can be even harder to convey this lesson to young children. As a teacher, I want to emphasize to my students how important it is to work with people who do not behave or think exactly the way they do. We learn through relating to others, and we become better at this skill by doing so with people who are unlike us. It is a lifelong lesson we learn to push ourselves out of our comfort zones, and that lesson can certainly start at a young age. Love extends beyond borders!