On November 4th, 2019, I adventured to the Wexner Center for the Arts to see A Thousand Girls Like Me. This film, by Sahra Mani, follows a young girl as she fights for her freedom and justice after being sexually assaulted by her father. This inspiring and eye opening documentary is a true story which leaves viewers with a new perspective around the lives on young Afghani women. I met a few other IA Scholars at the event as we all learned more about the issues that women face in Afghanistan.

The documentary follows a young girl along with her child and her mother. The child is a product of sexual assault at the hands of the young girl’s father. This alone was very eye opening to me. In the United States, being sexually assaulted alone is obviously a federal crime, but Afghanistan’s government is not set up this way. The young girl, assaulted by her own father, is forced to live with the consequences while her father can run free. Thankfully though, the young girl worked up a great amount of courage to fight for her justice in an attempt to imprison her father.

With this fight for freedom comes even more consequences, though. The young girl faces hate from every male in her family. Her uncles use violence against the young girl, her mother, and her child as an attempt to keep them quiet. The girl continues to fight on though. Nothing can stop her. This trait that is displayed by the young Afghani girl is truly inspiring. Despite the risks, she continues to fight for social and legal justice against her father.

In the end, the young girl is able to imprison her father but fear the wrath of her now furious uncles. The young girl receives justice but never receives any safety. She is forced to flee the country with her children.

As I said, the documentary was very eye opening. The mere fact that the film contained one-hundred percent real footage made the message so much stronger. Seeing a real family deal with such a tough issue was impactful.

The young girl, who risked her life for justice against her father, is inspirational. She overcame all odds and put her safety at risk just to prove to everyone that such actions are not morally correct despite what many have been raised or brain washed to believe.

Lastly, I believe that it was eye opening to see how hard it must be to live as a woman in many other countries around the world. We take for granted our freedom and our ability to obtain justice as US citizens. Women in other countries face real justice, safety, and health issues that can impact their lives in several different aspects.

I enjoyed learning more about women living in Afghanistan through the use of film. It was very impactful and left a lasting impression on me as a woman.

(Campus. November 4th, 2019.)

On Monday, October 7th of 2019, I joined a small group of IA scholars to help direct guests at one of the “On The Front Lines” events put on in the Werner Center for the Arts. This event focused on women living in Afghanistan in times of war and conflict. The first event featured two plays which were performed by OSU students and highlighted life as a woman or girl in Afghanistan. As a group, our responsibility was to direct guests and help answer any questions they may have regarding the play or play credits.

One of the plays performed at the event described the lives of two young girls who lost their father in the war. These two young girls were forced to sell goods on the streets of the city in order to support their family. One day, a man came along and offered the young girls a great deal of money. He tricked one of the young girls into going with around a corner with him. The young girl was then sexually assaulted as the man took advantage of the young girl’s innocence. These girls lost their happiness and their childhood due to the horrendous war they were involved in.

The event also shined light on several rugs that were woven by women in Afghanistan. These rugs were laid out for everyone to see. Two rugs were from pre-war times while another two rugs were from post-war times. The pre-war rugs were beautiful and traditional looking while the post-war rugs portrayed violence, tanks, weapons, and war.

This event depicted how war and conflict effects the lives of people living in Afghanistan. Understanding more about what humans in other countries experience puts things into a certain perspective that us Americans do not see every day. As an IA Scholar, it is important to understand how other countries differ from our own. Many people around the world are treated as less of a human just based on the country they were born in. The young Afghanistan girl shown in the play was punished and scarred solely because of her location and her innocence.

Personally, the event allowed me to learn more and gain knowledge regarding Afghanistan and the impact of war on a country. I am always looking to learn more about the lives of others around the world. This event didn’t challenge me as much as it opened my eyes to a world I’ve never known.

(Professional Development. October 7th, 2019.)

On Saturday, October 5th, 2019, a group of IA Scholars and myself bussed over to Star House in Columbus to learn more about the services the organization provides and help sort out donations in the facility’s donation center. Star House provides resources to kids and young adults from ages fourteen to twenty-four. These resources include clothing, food, shelter, career assistance, and life advice. A high majority of the youth Star House provides for have cut connections with their families and have lost a stability in their lives. Star House is doing amazing things to help these kids and young adults get back on their feet and move forward to a better future. After learning more about Star House’s impact on the lives of Columbus youth, we were asked to sort through clothing donations that were made to the organization.

The IA Scholars Program pushes the ideal that people are people despite all odds. This volunteer trip showed us all that everyone is important and deserves our respect. Being able to see what many young people go through in our society is eye opening. It is important to realize that these problems exist in order to fix them and improve the world we live and grow in. Pushing such problems under the rug will never allow our society to develop.

This event personally meant a lot to me. I have a big heart and always want to help others in anyway I can. Although we weren’t at Star House for a long amount of time, the day resonates with me. It is easy for us all to convince ourselves that our minor life problems are big ones when, in reality, real people are facing real problems. We all must do more to help others and improve the world we live in.

(Service. October 5th, 2019.)

On August 30th, many members of the IA Scholars Program traveled to the Short North to get at little taste of Greek culture. The Columbus Greek Festival was a great way to learn more about the traditions that live on in Greek families through music, dance, clothing, and, of course, food!

I love learning about the various traditions that exist in countries around the world! Traditions that have been past down from generation to generation are what tie each country to its past and make every culture so unique.

When we first entered the Greek Festival, I was instantly hit by the smells of delicious food. Many tents were set up selling everything from gyros to taramasalata to, my favorite, baklava.

In the center of the festival was a blue and white tent that housed a live band and open dance floor. Later in the night, we watched a group of high school and college students dance traditional Greek dances. This was probably my favorite part of the night! I loved getting to see such a unique dance that could make everyone in the audience lively and engaged. The dancers, each wearing a traditional outfit, looked like they were having such a fun time too.

Next, we went into the grand church where the festival took place. Inside the beautiful church were merchants selling clothing, jewelry, food, desserts, and intricate glass bowls. (I included a picture of these amazing bowls.) I also learned that the eye in a symbol commonly used in Greek culture. These “all-seeing eyeballs” are believed to be able to scare off the effects of the “evil eye.”

Being able to attend the Greek Festival was a great way to learn about a new culture. I loved seeing so many people show passion and pride for their country and their traditions. I also think that learning about other cultures around the world helps people to respect and connect to others. I had never realized that Greek traditions are still so prevalent in Greek homes and Greek families.  It was great to see a community come together in such an inviting and fun way!

The International Affairs Scholars Program is big on encouraging its members to be open to all types of people from all walks of life. I believe this event opened my eyes even more to the variety of people and cultures that exist around the world and how important it is to preserve such traditions. If our society continues to convince people that their culture and their ideals are unimportant or not accepted, we will lose such a rich, global history. We can not make others fearful to express their unique cultures.

I have always been interested in visiting Greece, but I will say that this festival has inspired me even more to travel to such a unique, beautiful, and culture rich country.

(Social. August 30th, 2019.)

One event offered through the IA Scholars Program is a presentation in Mendenhall Lab that discusses what is offered through the Student Wellness Center here at OSU.  I believe this presentation was very useful for me and my future.

One of my favorite things about Ohio State is the amount of resources that are offered to all of its students. These resources are one of the main reasons I chose OSU. Being able to get help with just about anything imaginable is a great attribute and something I looked for in a college.

One resource offered specifically through the Student Wellness Center is Wellness Coaching. This resource helps students find the right path for them by exploring the student’s strengths and weaknesses as well as using the Nine Dimensions of Wellness to set up realistic and exciting goals. As a first year, I have an idea of what I want my future to look like, but do know what steps I should take to get there. Wellness coaching sounds like something I may pursue in my future. I understand the importance of setting goals and want to set up a more specific outline for the years to come.

Another great resource offered through the Student Wellness Center is Scarlet and Gray Financial Coaching. This program provides a peer financial coach to thousands of OSU students. It is so important for any student to understand how to manage their money as both a student and as an adult. This resource not only educates students about credit, savings, etc., it also helps students set up financial goals and a financial plan.

Besides these useful resources, the Student Wellness Center also offers a Buckeye Peer Access Line, HIV/STI Testing, Wellness Outreach, Relationship Education, and many more services.

One of the reason I love OSU so much is its ability to make every student feel important and supported. For the amount of students enrolled at Ohio State, each student is treated as a priority and each student is given many resources to help them succeed in college and in life.

All in all, The Student Wellness Center Presentation was a great way to learn more about campus resources! I now understand where I can go to access certain life-improving resources.

(Academic. August 27th, 2019.)