Blog #2-Daniel Mitchell-Expanding Worldview
I’ve been abroad twice before this class, with two very different trips. The first of which radically altered my worldview, and the second of which had very little impact. My alternative tour of Israel and Palestine was the first time I really questioned the Western narrative of world events and affairs. I had a few moments on that trip that really affected me, but the one I tell the most is meeting the family of Adam Ayyad. Adam had been born only a few months after me, but in a refugee camp in Occupied Bethlehem. While I was visiting, he was shot and killed by the IDF during a night raid for allegedly throwing a rock at an armored vehicle. Returning from that trip, I became a lot more conscious of issues pertaining to the global south and “less developed nations.” I also developed a heavier skepticism regarding international systems, as I had heard directly from people who had very valid reasons to question them.
Despite this depth, I don’t think I’ve ever developed a super strong understanding of cultural differences. I was disappointed with myself on the train to Vienna when I realized that I didn’t know much about Austrian culture and how it is distinct from German culture. While I’ve spent a lot of time hearing unique perspectives on international systems on the largest scale, I’ve realized how little I know on the micro scale. While I think that trying to understand every global culture is a truly Sisyphean task (especially since moving out of my very homogenous hometown to a very different and slightly more diverse TCU campus included its own culture shocks), I think it is worth doing at some level.
My other time abroad was an international frog camp before I started at TCU. That trip was rather sanitized and kept at a tourist level with no independent exploration. While it was a fantastic time, it didn’t expose me to nearly as much as this course has.
Understanding how individuals view their decisions within their communities can be super helpful for discerning how different variables will react, and there is always more to learn. I hope to continue to pick up more about other countries (especially more middle powers) after this course ends!
Daniel, thank you for sharing your perspective! Your story of your visit to Palestine and Israel is so interesting and unique, and I would love to hear more about it. Your attention and care for international affairs is obvious to anyone who knows you, and I have been consistently impressed by your insightful and knowledgeable questions in lectures. While I think you’re being modest, I too was concerned by how little I knew about the difference between German and Austrian culture. It can be easy to overlook such differences that seem minuscule from a global perspective. I agree that understanding is one of the most important aspects of relations, and we can never truly be 100% perfect on that aspect. While that idea could be overwhelming, it’s also exciting to realize there is always more to learn!
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I enjoyed reading about your experiences internationally and it was devasting to read about a kid close to our age living life in a refugee camp instead of living free and having access to all the privileges we do. I think it's great how aware you are of the world and are making an active effort to not only learn, but to truly understand the world. I totally understand feeling ignorant about the culture especially between countries that seem similar to us but are actually quite different. Being aware and wanting to learn more beyond our own culture is the first step in being a true global citizen. I enjoyed reading your blog and I like how you organized your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteDaniel, your story about your visit to Palestine and Israel was very interesting and one of a kind experience that was sounds very powerful and has continued resonating with you to this day. Hearing this story makes sense on why you are so attentive and active in international issues around the world. This is particularly obvious when I have talked to you about international topics as well as domestic issues in the U.S; you are very knowledgeable in these subjects. I also had the same thought going into Austria, as I assumed that it would be very similar to Germany, but was very surprised that it was very different, as there is a lot more pollution and less eco-friendly recycling or trash stations, to mention a few. I think that one of the biggest takeaways from this trip will be that culture and experiences that their people have gone through drives the impact of specific decisions. Just like you, I look forward to continuing to keep up with what is happening with countries outside the U.S.
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