On Sunday, November 3rd, I went on the German Village Walking Tour. We traveled south of downtown on the COTA bus to the historic neighborhood. Being from the Columbus area, the tour was very interesting because I have to German Village numerous times, but I was never aware of the interesting history of how it came to be. I did not know that the German Village area primarily developed between 1840 and 1914 and was settled largely by German immigrants in the mid 1800s. These immigrants integrated their culture internationally which is a huge picture of how various cultures should be respected and celebrated.  As we walked around, we noticed the uneven brick sidewalks. We quickly learned that redoing and maintaining the sidewalk is the homeowner’s responsibility which is very unique to German Village. Most other cities, designate sidewalk repair as a responsibility of the city. One of my favorite parts of the tour was seeing the smallest house in German Village. It was the home of The Little’s that is smaller than my foot and is pictured below (you may have to zoom to . Our tour guide shared with us that German Village homes, including the home of The Little’s, is beautifully decorated during the holiday season. Therefore, I hope to check it out sometime before break. Overall, I am glad that I attended this event because it opened my eyes to the vast history that is able to be discovered here in Columbus.

This summer, I plan to have an internship to provide me with background experience and to explore a field I find interesting. Therefore, I attended the Career and Internship Fair at the Ohio Union on September 17th. As a freshman, I was a little nervous to attend because I felt somewhat unqualified. However, when I went and talked to various representatives it went better than expected. Most of them were friendly and commended me for coming as a freshman. I learned of the countless opportunities available for me to get involved in throughout my undergraduate years here at the Ohio State University. Internship positions at Mercy Health, Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Health and New Horizons Mental Health specifically interested me. I provided these representatives with a copy of my resume and they provided me with specifics on how to apply for summer internships and what those positions entail. I plan to also attend the Summer Internship and Opportunity Fair on February 26th, but I feel like now that I have experienced one career fair I will know what to expect. I have learned how to navigate career-planning events and how to be comfortable while doing so. Therefore, I am glad that I went out of my comfort zone because it was a great learning opportunity. 

On September 11th, there was an International Affairs Mini-Involvement Fair in the Smith-Steeb Lawn. There were numerous tables of student organizations and initiatives, that pertain to our scholars program, that we could get involved in. I talked to representatives from Ohio College Democrats and She’s the First. I am looking to become active in these organizations and the great work they do here on campus and around the world. The Ohio College Democrats partake in petitions, voter registration and candidate campaigns. I am excited to get involved in order to urge students and other Ohioans to exercise their civic duty through voting. She’s the First is an international initiative that fights gender inequality in education. They work in 11 different countries where they find, fund, and support solutions that not only educate and empower girls but also build up the communities where they are able to flourish. Learning about these along with others, made me excited for all the opportunities and resources we have available to us here, at the Ohio State University. Not only did this event allow me to interact with the representatives present, it also gave me a chance to interact with my fellow International Affairs Scholars. It is comforting knowing that there are people who are interested in similar issues as me and that we are able to have healthy discussion about controversial topics in our everyday world. I am truly looking forward to getting to know my fellow International Affairs Scholars better and to getting involved in campus intiatives throughout my next four years.

In the evening on August 28th, I went over to the Global Engagement International Movie Night Showing. The movie playing was “Honeyland” which is a documentary about a women beekeeper who lives in Macedonia. The main character, Hatidze, lives in a small hut with her mother who is bedridden and partly blind. Hatidze works really hard everyday to collect honey and sell it in order to make a living for her and her mother. She is not only patient, but is an advocate for sustainability. Hatidze makes sure to care for the environment and the bees. She does not just focus on making a profit, she is concerned with the greater good. A man named Hussein and his family move in next to Hatidze and they get involved with the beekeeping business. However, Hussein is not concerned with the long-term effects of his actions, he is just concerned with making money in the short-term. This problem can serve as a symbol of how it is the norm to exploit our scarce resources because we are not are not thinking about the big consequences. This movie brought my attention to our world’s struggle with sustainability. Here at the Ohio State University, I plan to get involved with an environmental and sustainable initiatives because even small changes can help protect our world.

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