On October 28th, I volunteered at Star House for three hours. I found this experience to be eye-opening to the youth homeless problem in Franklin County. Before my group began volunteering we were given an orientation in order to better understand Star House and what they do for the people that use them as a resource. Star House is a drop-in center for local youth (ages 14-24) that are experiencing homelessness so that they can have a safe space. A drop-in center is different than the typical shelter; centers like Star House have different funding available to them and have certain rules that they have to follow. The youth are only allowed to be present at the center for 12 hours at a time also they have to properly sign in before going into the center every time in order to actually track hours. However, the center focuses on providing the youth with resources for mental health, food, clothing, and a community atmosphere that many haven’t experienced. Many youth do not become homeless due to poverty even though that can be a factor but it is due to domestic abuse, sexual abuse in the home, and mental abuse. And after leaving home the next obstacle they face is completing school which is difficult when needing a job in order to support yourself and not having a safety net to help you so they end up dropping out. This limits them to jobs and proper financial and health information. This is why when one first comes to Star House they evaluate their mental health so they can provide them with a counselor and then they ask if they have their diploma and if they don’t they have a computer lab so they can work at getting their GED. Star House’s main goal is to make sure that a youth has a place that they feel safe. They even have organizations that come in to give free health check-ups and Sex Ed since they probably did not learn it in high school. They also provide counselors for those that need it and or are suicidal, and they give financial counseling to help them get a job and get savings accounts. I think that it is great that Star House offers youth a community and learning center to learn life skills while also getting help. Star House operates entirely out of donations and really needs clothes, tents, and blankets to give to the youth. Mostly though they need men’s clothing since women donate and go through more clothing than men. While volunteering my group and I sorted clothes so that they could make space for more donations. And the number of women’s clothes we sorted compared to the men showed me the shortage. I think that it is important to focus on domestic issues in order to better understand issues abroad.

On September 12th, 2019, I attended the education abroad expo. I went to the expo so that I could find a study abroad for over the summer that would allow me to practice and expand upon my language skills. While there I found many programs that would allow me to practice Spanish in Latin American countries and one that would allow me to practice French in Quebec. After talking to all the SPPO booths and FRIT booths I have decided that I would prefer to practice French over the summer. French is my second language in my Romance Studies major and I started late in learning it. I began learning Spanish when I was 14 years old and am already in the advanced levels of the major. But I just started learning French last semester and am only in French 2. I also have been finding it difficult to focus on my French skills when I am also focusing on Spanish. The Univerity of Laval in Quebec offers a 5-week intensive French language program for beginners of the language and would allow me to hone in on my speaking skills. The program director Louise talked to me about how great the program was for beginners and how they do not make it too overwhelming for those that do not know the language very well. She explained to me how in the morning I would attend two french classes and then in the afternoon I would be able to go out on cultural excursions. I really liked the idea of cultural excursions because it would allow me to speak with locals and practice the skills outside of the classroom. Also, the best way to learn a language is to understand the people that speak it. I also really like how inexpensive the program is, with it only being $1500 CAD, and the only thing not included is food and travel. But I am currently in the STEP program and would be able to cover all the expenses with that scholarship. I also feel that this program is great because since it is in the summer I can use the experience not only for my STEP project but also for my International Affairs Second-Year Project.

From March 28th through March 30th, I went to Washington D.C to meet with politicians and learn about life in D.C. While there I visited the CIA Headquarters, the Department of Justice, the United States Institute of Peace, and many law offices and think tanks. I found this trip very insightful for future career options. When one thinks of the CIA, they may think of the Hollywood espionage movies and think everyone is a spy. And that may be the life of some but for many, it is data collection and prevention. The amount of planning that goes into each mission is months in the making and even then success isn’t guaranteed, but with information comes certainty and safety for the soldiers that go into action. My own brother is graduating from the Marines soon, so the work that the CIA and other departments put into the research and logistics of each mission or deployment is important. Another thing that I found interesting is the fact that the CIA must stay impartial to the politics of the changing administrations. Their main job is to report the information that they have and plan for the outcomes that the President or Congress decides to do with it.

The United States Institute of Peace was one place that I found very fascinating. The idea that with all the military academies that train civilians to become soldiers there is a place for people to learn about peace. The idea of peace itself is a lot to consider. We have many words for the opposite of peace; violence, war, destruction, chaos, anarchy. All of these words for non-peace seem palpable, we see them occurring all the time. But the word ‘peace’ brings about an idea of a utopia- a world that all that we hope for has been achieved. Maybe that’s why it seems so unobtainable with the world constantly in a time of trial. So the fact that there is an actual building in D.C that teaches people to be peacebuilders is remarkable.

This trip to Washington D.C taught me about all the different roles there are to play in politics. It opened my eyes to all the careers that are available in the Capital. I found the experience important to how I will develop over the course of college career so that I can have an important role later.

On Sunday, February 10th,  I volunteered at the Collegiate Mock Trial Regional Competition at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. There, I played Miss. Bree Trevino, for one of the competing teams. In collegiate mock trial, teams are only required to have two attorneys and an expert witness. So they have to take volunteers to play character witnesses. The case was centered on the deaths of  Tim Parker and his daughter Pippa. In the wee hours of the morning on April 30th, a car flipped on the intersection, a man and toddler were propelled from the car, and a woman was later found standing in the road in shock. She was rushed to the hospital, wondering what happened to her boyfriend Tim, and the girl she saw as her own. She suffered injuries to her vertebrae and a hairline fracture to the skull.  It was later found that there were alcoholic beverages and marijuana in the car. Bree (the woman in the accident), claimed that she only had two twisted teas throughout the night and that she had no idea about the drugs found.  She also claims that she was not the one that drove that night- it was Tim who at the time was intoxicated. The State believed that Bree Trevino was, in fact, the one that drove that night and did so under the influence. However, the Prosecution held the burden of proof. Meaning that they had to prove to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Bree Trevino was driving and if she had been driving that she was under the influence.

Mock Trial allows participants to have a deeper understanding of the law and how a courtroom is set up. But more than that it enhances public speaking skills. Having to memorize a characters deposition, play a part, think of answers on the spot, and speak in front of established judges. I personally think that the skills and understanding that comes from Mock Trial. The next time that they ask for volunteers to play witnesses, I will be on that list.

On Tuesday, February 29th, I was welcomed into the country Belarus.  Lead by Bob Eckhart a Fulbright Scholar that just completed a semester in Minsk, Belarus at the Minsk State Linguistics University. This seminar gave me a brief but enlightening overview of a Slavic country that is gaining popularity. Belarus has always seemed like an otherworldly place, almost like a cold Mars, to the media. Pop culture references this heavily by mentioning Belarus with songs on Seinfeld, having  Pheobes boyfriend shipped to Minsk in friends, and having Stewie’s nanny be working for the Belarussian KGB in Family Guy. While gaining media attention the small country has also been known for hosting major sporting events; the ISU (International Skating Union) European Figure Skating Championship in January and they plan to hold the 2nd European Games later this year. Even though Belarus has strong cultural ties to Russia and the Slavic Community, they consider themselves to fully European and hold the claim to being the center of Europe. Also even though Belarus is known for their agriculturally based infrastructure and production of tractors, they have been become heavily involved in the IT field. Many products that we use today are manufactured in Belarus, and since English is the language of the IT world, English teachers are in high demand.

However, Belarus does have faults within their community. The KGB nanny that took care of Stewie in Family Guy, isn’t that unbelievable with the fact that the KGB still does exist in Belarus. Citizens are instructed on what buildings they can go near, or what to do if they are kidnapped. Belarus is also led by Alexander Lukashenko- also known as the last dictator in Europe, who is conditioning his 14-year-old son to take the position. Some see Belarus be a puppet government to the Russians because of how close they are to the Russians culturally. The country was also heavily damaged and scarred by World War II, with 80-85% of their lands damaged. The capital Minsk is known as the doormat to Moscow, Russia. So when the Germans invaded Russia, Minsk experienced great damage. Everyone in the country fought in the war- men, and women, and to this day they all remember the experience of losing someone in that war. The Belarussians have taken this loss and built a beautiful city, by innovating a beautiful metro station, the Belarus National Library which is known for its unique architecture, and the Bolshoi Belarus. Because of how strict the rules are in Belarus, it is illegal to take pictures of many buildings, so there is much beauty that can only be found by going to Belarus.

On December 1st, 2018 I attended I completed my service requirement by helping paint a mural at the Columbus Global Academy. The mural was to promote reading in the library by showing that reading can take you to lands of myth and legend. This was depicted by a child reading at the base of a tree and having animals from fables surround him. I thought that the idea behind the mural was pretty cool considering that all the fables were from the children’s home country. All the kids that attend the Columbus Global Academy are refugees learning how to adjust to American life. The Academy assists kids K-8 and allows them to attend the school for up to two years. They practice English through ESL classes, and how to deal with normal school life. Lot’s of school accommodations that we don’t think about, like a school bell, could trigger a child that suffer PTSD from the war in their home country. When these overwhelming feelings affect a child at the Academy they are allowed to go to safe spaces like a language garden. A place where they can grow flowers from their home country and speak in their native tongue so that they can be reminded of the good memories of home instead of the bad. I find these children extremely brave, being able to adjust to a whole new culture and learn another language.

This made me reflect back to my old high school and how language and culture are taught. Besides English, there were only two languages that one could practice- Spanish and Japenese. The only reason Spanish stayed was that it was considered a “cheap” language to the school. Where they didn’t have to spend a lot of money on teachers or new textbooks. But also the United States is heavily populated with Spanish speakers due to how close we are to Central and South America.  And I always believed that we had the Japenese program was because a majority of people in our town work at the Honda plant or Honda Trading Post, so being able to speak Japenese would be a useful skill. But students were only enforced to learn a language for at least two years, not making them fluent at all. In my experience, the first three years of Spanish were only spent learning grammar, whereas my fourth and fifth year was spent actually learning about Spanish culture and reading from famous Spanish authors. However, I was a rarity because I was one of twenty students that went past Spanish 3. Which means that a majority of students aren’t learning the culture of Spanish speakers at all, in a country where Spanish culture represents millions. How is it that an English class is mandatory for four years, and students are forced to read Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare, but they are not required to read Miguel Cervantes classic Don Quijote. 

If we are to be the melting pot country, then why are students only learning about one part of our culture? How are we supposed to be the cultural niche of the world, if we are ignoring the cultures of many of our citizens? The students of the Global Academy is learning American culture and the English language in order to assimilate into our society. But after they finish their two years at the Academy they must enter into the American public school system, a place where they may feel that their culture will not be respected or widely known. A place where it feels only one culture is welcome- the American and English culture. This makes it so that American students are closed off and not taught to openly embrace foreign cultures. So when the refugee children integrate, how will they be received by their new peers? Will they be welcomed for they are foreign, or will the ostracized because they may not be from a European country? What can we do as International Affairs scholars do to help the integration of our new friends? Most of us are learning about how we can make a difference abroad, but we are living in a diverse country that needs help in promoting diversity in public schools. I hope that my small contribution to the mural provided some happiness to the students at the Columbus Global Academy and that the design reminded them a bit of home as they see their folklore represented. I hope that when they feel alone and want to be reminded of their home country, they can pick up a book and escape.

On October 25th, I attended the International Affairs Mini-Involvement Fair outside of Smith-Steeb Hall. This event helped me learn about organizations on campus that help promote international affairs and spread knowledge about cultural sciences. One of the organizations that I really liked was APOP- the Anthropology Public Outreach Program. This program helps spread knowledge and excitement about anthropology to middle and elementary schools. Being a part of this organization would mean that I would have the opportunity to travel around central Ohio (mostly inner city Columbus) to teach children about the world of anthropology and teaching them what makes people human. I am currently taking an anthropology class about cultural development, and I think that it is really interesting because it discusses why we think the certain way that we do in society and how we use that to reflect on other cultures. Instilling the idea of cultural awareness and curiosity to the youth is very important because it promotes diversity and inclusiveness. Another Organization that I found very intriguing was the Advocates for Women the World. The representative discussed with me the social struggles that women face in our community and around the world. In the meeting, they discuss how they can make a change for women and then the second half of the meeting they do philanthropic work. Recently they made reusable feminine products for women and girls in Africa that don’t have access to them. The fact this group helps women in need around the world and supplies them with items that we take for granted here in the United States. The idea that some girls don’t have access to feminine products or are stigmatized for wanting access to contraceptives. Another organization that presented themselves was the Alexander Hamilton Society, a club that I thought was interesting because I had attended one of their panels about the tariff wars with China. They were handing out flyers for their next meeting which will be about the American Policy on the Civil War in Yemen. They have invited Middle Eastern experts Dr. Michael Doran and Professor Austin Knuppe to discuss the subject in an impartial way so that we can debate on it afterward.  I had previously stated that I wanted to attend future meetings, and this meeting seems like it will be very interesting so I am excited to attend it in November.

This involvement fair was a great way to learn about organizations on campus that relate to international affairs. The general student involvement fair was fun but there were so many clubs that it very overwhelming. This event helped me narrow downs clubs that related to me and would help me get involved on a more personal level. I think all the clubs that were represented at the fair will help me become more internationally aware and involved. I have already started looking into future meetings and finding out about dates to volunteer with the Anthropology Public Outreach Program. I hope to also find out about more campus programs that we have at Ohio State that will broaden my view on the world.

I went to the academic event Rising China September 6th, hosted by the Alexander Hamilton Society.This event discussed the growing trade war occurring between China and the United States, and how it began. Before I went to the discussion, I barely had an understanding of what the trade war meant and how it impacted our countries. I had heard about it on the news but wasn’t following it very well. One of the reasons I chose to be an international studies major, was because I wanted to learn more about the world around me, and have a deeper understanding of issues. I liked knowing that I’d be learning from a non-partisan source so that I could gain background knowledge to help me form a better opinion of the situation. Dr. Yu was a very good presenter and gave an interesting inside source about the point of view of the Chinese. Also, Dr. Levy gave a great explanation of the economic history between the U.S. and China, and how a bilateral trade deficient is apparent. Then Dr. Yu explained how even though there is a bilateral trade deficient, one should follow the aggregate sales balance between the U.S. and China. This shows how the U.S. actually does make most of that trade deficient, through the money gained in exports in Hong Kong and Taiwan, U.S business growth, service export, and the amount of Chinese students studying abroad here in the U.S. This event helped me understand that the United States was in the right going to the World Trade Organization, because the Chinese have been infringing on U.S intellectual rights. But extra steps in the action by restricting Chinese access to goods, and imposing a tariff of $50 Billion (now at $200 Billion with thoughts of increasing). I felt that the extra step of starting a tariff war with China was extreme in the fact the World Trade Organization is put into place to regulate international trade and deal with these types of disputes. This event relates to the topic of international affairs because it explains the current dispute between with China and the United States. Also, it helped me gain knowledge on how these sort of disputes begin, and how they are dealt with. I also was able to learn the economic situation of the United States in relation to China and the difference between bilateral deficits and aggregated sales balances. I found learning about the political relations with other countries based on the economy very interesting, and hope to take more classes on global economics in the future, I think that it would be very beneficial professionally and when working in global politics. I also found that learning from non-partisan parties about the basis of an issue or an idea was very helpful because I think that it is very important to understand something before forming an opinion. At the end of the presentation, we were allowed to ask questions to the panel and were allowed to debate on the issue with our peers. Debating in these sort of settings is important because it allows us to share our ideas and learn from others in a safe space. In the future, I hope to attend more events from the Alexander Hamilton Society so that I can learn more about global affairs.

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