Why Argentina? What are you studying? What can you do there that you cannot do in the U.S.? Do they like Black people in Argentina? Are there Black people in Argentina? Will you be somewhere safe? Do you know the language well enough? Are you sure this is a good idea? Wouldn't you just be happier at home? These are just a few examples of the questions that I have been asked before going abroad and some of them I have even asked myself. Although I can now firmly answer these questions and others about this experience without a second thought, there was a time that I could not. During that time I simply respected the fact that there is an enormous world that I am only a small part of and have yet to discover. Regardless of any doubts, fears or anxieties from others or myself, I knew I had to overcome these things in order to truly learn past higher education or social media what life really is for people across the world. Only then would I be able to honor them through the work I hope to accomplish one day. Why is this important? Well, in spite of the underline meaning in some of these questions, they each (among other things) hold their own weight and carry their own relevance through molding an image of what global citizenship and study abroad mean to me.
There are a few articles that discuss global citizenship and study abroad. The one that resonated with me the most was the speech given by Michael Byers in 2005 at the University of British Colombia called, Are You a Global Citizen? Although I do not agree with all of his statements, I appreciated his thoughts on these topics the most because not only were his arguments thought provoking and debatable, but they also changed my view of the term "global citizen". I use to aspire to this term, hoping that one day I would be able to gain a genuine general knowledge and cultural awareness of the world around me. Now I realize that the actual privilege it holds and the exploitation that is has the power to use. Overall, due to the complex history and politics of the idea of citizenship and the problematic divisions it creates through the privileges the state rewards to those it deems "acceptable" enough to be called citizen, I do not believe anyone can truly be a global citizen.
I believe the aspirations of those in privileged positions such as any given area from race to gender or socioeconomic status to educational background, should use their influential standing within the world view to augment the needs of others and not only themselves. However, if someone accomplishes this, I do not think it makes them a global citizen. Instead I believe it reflects a cognizant member of society that understands the the pervasive nature of power, privilege and difference through the world in addition to valuing cultural awareness and a commitment to the collective effort of creating a better world.
As far as study abroad goes, I know everyone that decides to do it has their own reasons for it. In my case, I believed that studying abroad would not only give me a chance to improve my Spanish but also learn about another country, its people, its culture, how the U.S. is viewed by people outside of it and how the decisions of elites within the States affect those around the globe.
Now as I answer this question of what study abroad means to me, I realize that what I set out to do has been accomplished in my short time here. However, the more time I spend in Argentina the more I realize that I am still learning how to define study abroad for myself. The longer I am here, the more goals I have that I want to see come to fruition before I leave. Don't get me wrong though. Although many of the questions I had before coming here have been answered, the truth is, is that being here has presented me with a whole new set of questions that I never thought I would have the need to ask myself. To be honest, I am still processing them internally which is why I am having such a difficult time writing this blog post. The very last one I will be writing is due in a few weeks and I truly look forward to discovering the rest of these questions, their answers and sharing them all with you.
No comments:
Post a Comment