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Global Perspective: Considering what others may think such as how a person acts or why they can't think or solve something in a particular way, it takes constant reminding of where one is from and the differences in culture and development of character. One person may decide to use transportation but another questions this and the response created or whether it becomes a positive or negative conversation depends on assumption of seeing where one person comes from, but in fact would be that not everyone has the same state of mind or capability of thinking a certain way, when there is a connection in finding where we are right or wrong and how we control between normative and foreign traits. Furthermore, one realizes how hard it is putting aside personal thoughts to see how others view ideals and events the more involved one becomes with the surrounding world. For instance, when debating or discussing about purposes in life, it may seem easier to defend one's own rational views because someone else has opposing views that from one's reasoning see it as defying their own character. Though one possible lesson is finding an alternative outlet of putting on doubt and leaving space to simply accept these different views and rely on oneself to figure out the pieces later on whether the person can agree with these different views at first or not. Which may be how spiritual people are more peaceful for instance where they rely on divine forces and serve for them instead of worrying for oneself.
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Global Awareness: Since attending various lectures and taking on a leadership certificate, I have gotten more accustomed of putting together different bases and relating them to each other such as inequality in races and cultures leading to distance in communication and thus stronger efforts to share cultural practices to those interested as a way of spreading. Also, how climate change has led to many consequences like a ripple effect such as harsh conditions for some geographical areas that deteriorate necessary elements to preserve traditional rituals and practices as well as lessening biodiversity. Although industries play a big part in affecting the environment leading to the climate changes to create better lives in the irony of attempting to become closer to one another and yet building more tension leading to violence. Furthermore, lack of resources lead to frustration and so lack of control, trying to let out that energy immediately onto others as one way where there's miscommunication and misunderstanding of each other from no outlet for true peace. A meaningful lesson learned was seeing how various fields from the arts, to business, to science, to history can all integrate from their roles and join in the action of building the awareness for indigenous cultures and the state of our environment such as teaching young children or let them be heard, relate to people such as breaking the ice and ask about each others feelings, create events like concerts, camping and lectures teaching the public, using resources like social media and websites, network with active groups, and passing on traditional knowledge to younger generations.
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Global Engagement: Being involved in community service such as at a public school and hospital as well as having become a mentor for a PeaceJam event and volunteered at a Human Trafficking Covening, discussing global topics with classmates and conducted research involving intercultural groups with religion, film and the environment. Moreover, I learned about teamwork with fellow volunteers, applying what I knew and learning new content along the process such as big world issues like education, health, poverty, crime, environment, racism, and equality. Furthermore, I was part of an event hosted by Love of the Everglades and Global Indigenous Group club, where attendees were exposed to methods and learn about what people are doing or what citizens can do to spread awareness and take upon action of the environment and cultures. The activities also give a chance for everyone to share their experiences and suggestions, thus building a bond and connecting each others ideas for a coherent understanding. It has affected my ability to engage and communicate with other students about what is going on around us and see our capabilities as humans. My ideas and thoughts on the issues such as with the environment and diminishing indigenous cultures were appreciated by a welcoming group and can then proceed to converse to others. I used open-mindedness, listening, observation, and speaking from prior knowledge; the most effective were listening and observing because I was able to capture the idea sought of bringing wider audiences to the issue and after hearing others’ thoughts and intakes, I was able to comment such as schools needing to integrate environment lessons, how events should recognize people’s significance in their attendance by knowing they are going to make a difference, and making friends to go to places with and share stories. I was also able to contribute with the red sand project, which was introduced at the Covening as a way of starting to take action. This helped gain courage and confidence of spreading this awareness, whether people know the underlying meaning or not, since it is not often that I would take these steps. Although there was also a sense of freedom where holding back can only hinder and starting at familiar places help build this strength to acknowledge each others' feelings of joy and suffering.
My plans as a global citizen post-graduation is to continue with an open mind by creating more networks, apply what I learned in making negotiations or understanding what works for the person depending on his or her culture, and use interdisciplinary methods of looking through current events, reminding myself and those around me about capabilities in everyone's part. Also, to be more accepting with changes that occur since these changes help evolve character and create a new kind of resistance, especially in times of turmoil or outside of one's comfort zone.
Two aspects where I feel highly competent is strategic planning and self-awareness and development. An important part that helped me strengthen these skills is identifying the situation I am in now and where I want to be in the future that guided me in where and how I take actions to these goals. For instance, my goal is to receive a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. So to do that I decided to look into a school with that program and step by step complete the required documents for applications. Though at the same time, to stand out as a student, I searched for ways to join programs, studied harder in my classes, used a planner to write down schedules, and enjoyed the accomplishments I made. In turn, there is growth in using my strengths such as listening and attempting to understand others, as well as stepping over boundaries of my weaknesses such as taking initiative in opportunities, speaking out and interacting. Communication is what I grew up having conflict with as I learned to speak at an older age and tended to not feel confident in opening up or talking about what I needed towards those I knew. A lot of my communication has been through writing, as I had been a fully online student, although I had many occasions to talk to people on the phone and other times in person, whereas before college I would have felt too scared to try. So I mention communication because this has been a crucial part of me that I now feel fairly competent in with support of my family and friends as well as faculty members at FIU who are very helpful with conversing and resolving any issues; though also considerate of one's situation which helped move past thinking that most people did not care or see through how I understood things. From this idea, it has aspired me to want to train myself to also be considerate and better understand by learning from a person's behavior to cultural practices.
#RedSandProject