IA Online Event

April 22nd, Zoom Videoconference

I attended the International Perspectives on the Coronavirus Pandemic Videoconference organized and hosted by members of the International Affairs Leadership Council. The event consisted of students in countries such as France, Germany, Morocco, and China sharing their experiences since the onset of the virus as well as their opinions on the reaction of their individual revolved around the comparison of these reactions and the underlying reasoning supporting these reactions across state, federal, and international levels. For example, a university student from Germany discussed how each individual state within the federal boundaries possesses enough power to dictate to a large degree the response they take to the virus. In contrast, university students from France shared how their government quickly flipped stances, requiring all parts of the country to adhere to their restrictions and social distancing policies, demonstrating how the degree of centralization in a government can determine it’s reaction to a public health crisis such as the Coronavirus pandemic. After hearing the responses and perspectives of multiple students, I contributed my individual perspective as an out-of-state student from Texas. I shared my disappointment and confusion with the fact that Texas is one of the first states to announce “reopening” activities while simultaneously placing last out of all states in testing. I compared the stance my state government has taken with the responses by states such as Ohio, who have approached the emergency with more conservative estimates focusing on data collection, testing allocation, and infection rate trends. Overall, the conversation helped me to remain engaged in the conversation surrounding international entities and the effectiveness their actions, as well as those that they support, can have.

IA Social Event

August 30th, 2019, The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 7:00-10:00pm

Equipped with only an admiration for the Gyro and a faint understanding of the Orthodox church, I arrived at the gates of the Greek festival. Within them, I was able to witness a myriad of different dances, songs, and types of food that I had previously been unaware of, giving me a deeper understanding of Greek culture beyond the parade of stereotypical iconography associated with ancient Greece that is often present in the modern conversation.

Moving away from the dance floor and into the cathedral, I encountered one of the most ornate and breathtaking sights of my life. Adorned with gold mosaic, marble decorations, rainbows of stained glass, and a depiction of Jesus with a slew patriarchs of the Old Testament looking down at me from the inside of the central dome, the place of worship was unlike any I’ve ever experienced. Beforehand, I didn’t have a good understanding of the Schism of 1054 and the ways in which the Orthodox church split from the Catholic church, but with the help of a helpful infographic and an equally helpful church tour guide, my previous questions regarding the church were largely answered.

A common theme in International Affairs, cultural appreciation, constantly ran through my head in and out of the cathedral. This experience showed me the joys of appreciating the previously unknown, as well as reminding me why baklava might be the greatest culinary invention of all time. The event impacted my understanding of the Orthodox church by not only exposing me to the culture of those who make up the congregation but also informing me of the unique beauty and spirituality that can be found in the Orthodox church itself.

Although the event didn’t explicitly align with an academic or professional goal of mine, I gained a deepened appreciation for those who carry on their cultures amidst complete strangers. If a young kid can put on a dance honoring his culture in front of hundreds of strangers, the least I can do is watch. Going forward, this event reinforced in me the goal to simply strive to understand and appreciate those around me.

Community Commitment

August 24th, 2019, Community Resources Center, 8:00am-1:30pm

Community Commitment was a campus-wide service initiative organized by Pay It Forward, a student organization dedicated to connecting students to service opportunities in and around the OSU campus.

Specifically, my group was assigned to the Community Resources Center just north of Columbus in Clintonville, which provides social engagement opportunities and transportation services in order to foster community within a group of individuals fifty years of age and older. My group and I were tasked with assisting a resident with yard work. A former OSU professor, our resident was overflowing with advice and hospitality. Laced between weeding her flower beds and dodging the typical garden pests, she spoke to us about her experiences teaching and how she truly enjoyed the classes that she taught and how the information she taught transferred to cultures around the world. For example, she talked to us about how the construct of a family in Ohio is unique from the family construct in Egypt, but that they both contain basic similarities such as empathy and compassion. Previously, I hadn’t truly explored the reality that there might be different family dynamics around the world, but once my resident brought it up, it answered a question I hadn’t even asked.

This event reminded me that there truly are communities throughout the U.S. and the world that are still based on personal relationships, something I forget often when I’m experiencing a rather unenjoyable display of humanity on social media or when I come across a horrid news story. It helped me to understand that although my main academic focus isn’t social work or service, those things are necessary in order to understand and appreciate the world around me, something that is a focus for me!