Blog Post #2 - Carys Dubinski - Expanding Worldview



    When it comes to living in the United States I would say I live in a “bubble”. Very much of my own worldviews of success, education, daily life, and comfort are shaped by my own upbringing. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve never had to worry about my next meal, a roof over my own head, or whether or not I’ll have my rights as a citizen. Therefore, I believe I’m pretty limited in my worldview. I’ve never really experienced immense discomfort in life for me to expand on it. I’ve only seen the world through my own experiences, through my phone, or through traveling.
    Traveling is something I’ve always loved to do. I’ve been all over the world, (especially to European countries), so I would say that I’m a seasoned traveler. I believe that traveling has offered me the best insight into other cultures. By interacting with people of different countries and languages, by trying different foods, and seeing different places, my own worldview has been challenged, especially while on this study abroad.
    Despite this not being my first time abroad, this is my first time intentionally observing and looking deeper into other cultures. I’ve been able to learn about global issues, politics, as well as economics here in Europe. Instead of just looking at what's around me through the lens of a tourist, my worldview has started to be molded differently. For example, Europeans are much more environmentally conscious. Simple behaviors such as collecting their plastic, turning off water, (because of a drought in places such as Vienna), or even turning off AC and lights in their homes are things that stick out to me. I’ve learned to be more aware of my actions.
    Throughout this course I believe I can be very intentional about expanding my worldview. The best way to do that in my opinion is to have conversations. While on the train back from Zurich, Leah and I had the chance to converse with two women who live in Basel, Switzerland. One lady especially had amazing experiences and advice as she was a Canadian who had been living in Switzerland for 15 years. She opened my eyes to how much Europeans truly value their environment and greenery. For instance, she explained how it's rare for people to have a big backyard or front yard, so instead they spend a lot of time in public green spaces. This is part of the reason why Europeans are so connected to global issues such as climate change. On the other hand, she also described how women can struggle as society is more patriarchal, providing glimpses into societal disparities. These women had completely different perspectives on many things. I truly understood at that point why Europeans value these issues while many Americans may not put much emphasis on them.
    Instead of taking my upbringing and applying it to the world around me, I’ve expanded my worldview by understanding other people’s day to day lives, upbringings, and cultural differences.

Comments

  1. Amberly MartinezMay 27, 2026 at 6:54 AM

    Hi Carys, it is definitely a different experience to travel through a study abroad rather than just a tourist. We have been able to live like locals in the time we spend here, going to class, grabbing lunch with a friend, or going to the supermarket. It has certainly made me view culture and sustainability through a different perspective. I have began to rethink simple things that I can do be sustainable back home, separating waste items like plastic, food, and paper or turning off the water when I'm not using it. There have certainly been cultural bits that we can take and apply to our own lives with the experience we've had being abroad so far.

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