seminar
For Spring semester 2014, I enrolled in a service learning class entitle Ecuador: Immersed in Culture and Education. This course was instructed by Dr. Cheri Westmoreland, Valda Bronston, and Peggy Shannon-Baker and taught as a Wednesday 6 pm night class. I chose to take the class to earn 2 elective credits, but more importantly for the experience. The service learning course travelled to Ecuador through the Tandana Foundation on a ten day journey during spring break. Tandana is a nonprofit organization that is stationed in Ecuador and Mali. Founded by executive director, Anna Taft, Tandana offers volunteer opportunities, scholarships, and support to small communities in these countries through cross-cultural relations. Eighteen students participated in the course that set out to teach English in five different grade schools, including a special education facility in Otavalo, Ecuador.
I embarked on this journey with hopes of further understanding what a global citizen is what my personal role is as one. Before the trip, I was able to construct a research based definition of what I understood a global citizen to be, but now that I have had an experience with immersing myself in an unfamiliar global society firsthand, I am able to further understand what it means to be a global citizen. I now realize that in order to be a global citizen, one must draw from the knowledge they have of their native land and convert it into further understanding of a completely foreign culture. In learning about the history, values, practices, beliefs, and present affairs of a different nation, a new appreciation for the world as a whole can be found. If one is able to develop an honest passion and attachment to the globe, rather than their own country and comfort zone, no paper documentation is needed to be classified as a global citizen.
I went to Ecuador expecting to teach the students something new about the English language—unaware of what they would teach me about the value of valuing education. The eagerness to learn new things in the schools was heartwarming and although these children did not have much, they utilized the little that they did have to the fullest. I would watch in amazement as the students would hop from desk to desk trying to help the others that were a little behind. It seemed as though all of the student were close and not afraid to express affection to one another. I could talk about my experience in Ecuador for hours straight, but the only way one could truly understand the essence of the impact global studies can have is to personally travel abroad with an open mindset
Quien tiene educacíon tiene todo—whoever has education has all. As I was walking back to the hostel on my last night in Otavalo, Ecuador, I saw this quote spray painted on a bright yellow wall of a building. I quickly whipped out my camera in a rushed attempt to take a picture of the saying as the rest of my group carried on. After managing to capture the graffiti-ed wall, I reflected on the quote for the remainder of the night and it has been on my mind since then. The late Nelson Mandela was quoted saying, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Through reflecting on these two quotes, I have realized that the blessing of my education should be used for something that is worthwhile. I truly believe every college student should explore the opportunity to travel abroad during their collegiate career.