GLOBAL LEARNING

"I'VE NEVER MET SOMEONE FROM TEXAS"

My summer internship in Wales led me to meet some incredible people. Although we all spoke English, there was still so much to learn from the new culture. One special instance that taught me the importance of global learning, surprisingly came from a few Welsh elementary school students. Working with Swansea City of Sanctuary, i traveled to a small village in the Brecon Beacons of Wales where a tiny elementary school was being awarded the School of Sanctuary Award.

The School of Sanctuary award came from the school going through the process of educating students, and changing policies to make the school a sanctuary for displaced people and refugees. Everyone at the school immediately noticed my American accent and asked where I was from. They all said, “I’ve never met someone from Texas before”. The children asked me all about where I was from, and if there were refugees in my town. I explained to them I was from Houston, one of the largest cities to receive refugees in America. They were surprised to hear that, they thought America did not receive any refugees. I was surprised to see how well aware these elementary school students were of current events.

They had explained to me what they knew, and I found that their perspective to the same issues and stories I knew was very different. Their approach and viewpoints to see the same news differently opened my mind to understand that I should not assume that everyone views the same things as me. I learned that new perspectives and looking at news through a different lense can actually teach me something new. I was surprised to see that even 10 and 11 year olds from a small village in the Welsh countryside could teach me something new.

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My takeaway from this experience was to keep an open mind on the way I perceive information. Doing so allows me to learn more from other perspectives, and be a better seeker of knowledge.