On April 13th 2020, I attended a virtual professional development event at 2pm. The event was ASC Virtual Week: U.S Department of State Info Session. This info session contained detailed information about being a Foreign Service Officer. The presenter, Lou Fintor, was an active Foreign Officer who had previously served in various places in the Middle East and South Asia including Afghanistan and Yemen. I was excited to attend this event because I would like to become a Foreign Service Officer in the Middle East.

In this presentation, I learned about the different categories of Foreign Service Officers, what the jobs entail, what they are looking for in a candidate, and how to prepare for the required test. There are two broad categories, generalists and specialists. Fintor mainly focused on the generalist category. Within the generalist category there are five main tracks — consular affairs, economic affairs, political affairs, and public diplomacy affairs. Each track has a separate assessment in the application process. When you are registering for the test to become a generalist Foreign Service Officer you will also have to submit essays. Next there is an oral assessment in Washington D.C. Fintor recommended that we do not buy test-prep books or get tutoring for these assessments. Instead, he suggested that we read the Economist and do a general review of civics, econ, and culture. I appreciated this advice because gathering test-prep books would be my first step in preparing for the assessment. 

When registering for this event I had a goal in mind. I wanted to learn how I can work towards my goal of being a Foreign Service Officer. Fintor gave me this information in the form of various internships and fellowships that are a step in the right direction. This includes the U.S Department of State Student Internships which are the Pathways Program and the Virtual Student Foreign Service, the Pickering and Rangel Fellowships, and more. In addition, he helped paint a picture of who is generally selected to be a Foreign Service Officer. Fintor describes the perfect candidate as anyone. He said they are looking for people with diverse backgrounds, degrees in various subject areas, and different levels of experience. And if you are not chosen for your desired position, there are many other agencies with similar openings like the USAID. This gave me some assurance that I would be able to find a position in this field. 

I highly recommend events like this to other International Affairs Scholars students. I recommend events that provide information about possible careers, teach you about opportunities for college students, and form valuable connections with professionals. Throughout my past 2 years at Ohio State I have had many opportunities to attend such events, and as a result, I have been able to explore my interests and determine what career path is right for me. 

On Thursday February 13th, I attended an event titled “Immigrantion Story” at 5:30pm in Lazenby Hall. This event featured about 7 speakers who shared their experiences as an immigrant or as a child of immigrants. Overarching themes included the effects of discrimination, identity, the diffulty of being the only person in your family who is fluent in English, the principal barriers immigrant students face, and how citizenship impacts their lives. The speakers came from all over the world including: Yemen, Somalia, Kuwait, Sudan, India, and El Salvador. 

Discrimination impacted each speaker in an unique way. One woman was told “all Muslims are terrorists” as she promoted a Peace and Justice march at her high school. Another was told to go back to her country. Other speakers faced scrutiny for their cultural practices. All of the speakers felt unwelcome in America at some point, but ultimately found a place where they were accepted like a student organization or another type of community. 

Finding a place that felt like home was a common difficulty. They were always too foreign or too American. Some of them mentioned how they were not even sure where home should be. One story I found particularly interesting was about a man who grew up in Kuwait. His parents were from Southern India and moved to Kuwait for business. He then grew up in international schools before becoming a student at Ohio State University. He talked about the difficulty of growing up in a place where he did not speak the language. In Kuwait most people spoke Arabic, in his community Hindi was the dominant language, and when he visited India he visited a state that did not speak his native tongue. This impacted how he moved in the world as he was always conscious of his accent. He advised that the audience always make the extra effort to speak with and befriend those with thick accents. 

Another man who grew up in many different places including Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti spoke about the difficulties he faces as an international student. He said there were three barriers that have the biggest impact on students like him, these include: increased mental health risk, adjusting time management skills, and adapting to the culture. He talked about his desire for better resources on campus to help international students cope with these difficulties. Specifically, he mentioned the need for a gateway STEM education course that could help immigrants who did not have access to those classes in high-school. He personally struggles with this and hopes the same situation can be remedied for future students. 

Status within the immigration system also had a big impact on the lives of the speakers. Being a citizen made them stand out when their family members or community members did not share that status. They had more freedoms and were able to operate in America with more ease and with less worry than green card holders or irregular migrants. Citizenship status made some feel ostracized in their communities, because they were seen as the privileged ones. 

Much of the content in this event ties in with themes we have studied in my course, Politics of Immigrantion. For example: we looked at the International Asylum Regime and the issues that plague it. The speakers in this event detailed how the failing of the Institutionalized Asylum Regime has affected them personally. Some shared that they felt the burden of leaving family behind and supporting them from abroad, they had close relationships with those who were forced to partake in irregular migration, and they were overwhelmed by the fear felt in the immigrant community. 

During this event I learned how we can avoid adding onto the burden immigrants feel as a result of the International Asylum Regime. We should not ask about their status, but we should make an effort to reach out when we see someone struggling. It is important to be respectful and take the time to listen and understand their stories, because we should not assume we know the right way to help. Overall, I think this was a well done event in which I learned a lot. 

On February 10th, I attended the campus event in which “Wajd: Songs of Separation” was screened from 12-2pm in Ramseyer Hall room 100. “Wajd: Songs of Separation” is a documentary which follows 3 men involved in the Sufi music tradition before and after the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War. Ibrahim, Ahbulwahed, and Mohamed are well educated, talented musicians from Syria who were forced to flee when their safety was threatened. Their safety was threatened by ISIL who outlawed music and was known to execute those who practice Sufism. Sufism is a type of mysticism within Islam that is often exercised through music. This practice was dying before the Syrian Civil War and ISIL, now it is under even more stress. 

The facilitator of the event wanted us to look for exploitative methods and orientalism, as these are unethical practices common in documentaries about refugees. Generally, the film was good at staying ethical. Some moments did get close to being emotionally manipulative yet, the film-makers good intentions and desire to focus on music helped the film stay ethical. A good example of this occurred when Ibrahim told the story of coming across a video that showed his 9 year old brother’s dead body after a bomb fell. The film-maker showed a clip of that video, but stopped it before the body was shown. The facilitator of this event said that this avoided the pointed emotional triggers other films rely on. She said that by showing graphic images of bodies and people crying, the film is emotionally manipulating it’s subjects and audience. I agree that it is wrong to emotionally manipulate subjects of documentaries by pushing an emotional topic, yet I think the audience should see what is really happening without censorship. Those directly affected did not get to avoid this upsetting imagery, so why should we? I would like to hear more arguments on this topic, as I am sure there are things I have not considered. 

As I watched the film, I looked for areas to apply the knowledge I gained from the course material in my Politics of Immigration class. I applied my knowledge of the International Asylum Regime and how it is failing. All of the subjects in the film struggled to gain asylum and be in a stable environment on which to build their new life. Mohamed first fled with his family from Syria to Lebanon and then traveled on his own to Turkey and then the EU to secure a safe way for his family to join him. After a very long wait, with his wife and daughters in a dangerous area, they were able to reunite and establish themselves. Mohamed was lucky. The other film subjects Ibrahim and Abuwahed faced more difficulties in Turkey as a result of the immigration policies. After the film, we discussed the deal between Turkey and the EU concerning refugees. The EU has decided for every boat full of refugees Turkey stops from entering the EU, one person is allowed to enter. This has caused many refugees, including Abuwahed, to risk the dangerous trip by boat instead of living in limbo in Turkey. This showcases how the current International Asylum Regime is characterized by restrictions. The EU is reluctant to admit asylum seekers which results in clandestine migration. 

Overall, I enjoyed this film that presented the difficult journeys of 3 men passionate about Sufi music. I enjoyed it because their stories were compelling and the overlap of Sufi music woven throughout the film was a nice touch for the flow of the film. However, I do wish the role of women was more prominent. As I watched the film, I wondered what role do women play in Sufism or Syrian music in general. There were no women featured in the film even though they impacted the lives of these men. For example: Mohamed worked hard to bring his wife and daughters to safety and talked on the phone with his mother, who clearly meant a lot to him. I am interested in the stories of the experiences of women who were left behind in war zones until their husbands could secure a migration route. How did they stay safe? How did the Sufi music tradition affect them? 

On Sunday January 26th from 4pm-6pm I attended the Honors and Scholars Wellness Workshop, as a professional development event. At this workshop I learned about different areas of wellness and how I can improve my performance in them. For my first activity I learned about physical wellness pertaining to eating in a healthy way. Here, I made trail mix and learned about the benefits of the ingredients and what the proper serving sizes are. I even took home a small jar that holds one serving size of a snack. At my next activity, I learned about environmental wellness. This includes surrounding yourself with good influences and taking time to respect the Earth. Here, I took home a succulent plant to remind me to practice environmental wellness. Finally, I learned about mental wellness by practicing meditation and making vision boards.This is a professional development event because if you are not balanced and well, it will affect your ability to complete work and move on to the next step in completing your goals. 

I struggle with wellness and balancing important aspects of my life. I tend to prioritize my academics and time with family at the expense of my physical and mental health. At the end of last semester, I realized that I needed to shift my priorities and refocus on balance and wellness. I knew I needed to work on exercising consistently, eating healthy, and giving myself time to decompress. I have taken steps to do this including: working with a personal trainer 3 days a week, taking a boxing class 2 days a week, being more selective on the foods I eat, and setting aside time for me to sleep and do nothing. This reprioritization has made me feel healthier and decreased the effects of my anxiety disorder. The Honors and Scholars Wellness Workshop gave me an opportunity to evaluate the steps I’m taking and look at alternative actions. 

I will continue to work on my overall wellness and employ the strategies I learned at this workshop. In order to flourish in a professional setting, I need to ensure I am not neglecting other areas of my life. I am determined to be successful in my career and I am willing to work on myself in ways that are not related to family and academics in order to do so. 

I attended a campus event on Wednesday January 16th, 2019 at 12:45pm in Dulles Hall. It was a lecture by Dr. Danielle Derone that focused on“Families Separated: ‘An Emotion History’ of Unaccompanied Jewish Refugee Youth, 1933-1945”. Derone shared the emotions felt by German Jewish Refugee children as they traveled to America and were placed with foster families through a migration scheme orchestrated by the German Jewish Children’s Aid (GJCA) organization. This scheme brought 1,200 German Jewish youth, all under the age of 16, to the United States to escape Nazi rule. The process consisted of parents giving up custody, the children traveling across the Atlantic Ocean, and placing them with foster families.    

Derone’s lecture gave me insight into specific experiences and emotions expressed by refugees at the time. So far, in class we have not reached this level of detail in the story of migrants. We have been looking at things from a macro level in which data is reported on migrants, but not necessarily given by migrants. Their perspective seems to get lost at this level. This is the perspective I want to learn more about. 

I am happy I was able to attend Derone’s lecture on “Emotional History” and Sellman’s lecture on “Representing Forced Migration” within a day of each other. I think they both provided multiple lenses with which to view migration experiences. Derone shared the feelings recorded while the Jewish youth were at sea on their way to America. Some felt scared and homesick while others were excited for new freedoms and adventure. These stories were complemented by information shared by Sellman on the association of language used to describe migration and water.  Migration is often described as a flood or a wave. Sellman also focused on the role of the Mediterranean Sea in migration and the extreme danger it presents. Through their lectures, they both acknowledged the water as a pathway to opportunities and freedoms, while also representing uncertainty, loss, and danger. 

Derone and Sellman also challenged romanticism and assumptions. Derone challenged the notion that all of the Jewish refugees wanted to be reunited with their families. This was false because some teenagers preferred the freedom they experienced when they were separated from controlling or dis-functional family members. Other teenagers stayed with foster families because of access to resources like better educational opportunities. Additionally, Derone challenged the assumption that the Jewish children will want to be in the United States. In fact, many foster families expected to receive a child who was openly grateful and happy to be with them. Instead, some foster families received children who wanted to return to Germany or obtain visas for the rest of their family. The key thing to take away from these corrections are that the circumstances are complicated and each child has unique emotional reactions that do not always match our assumptions.

Sellman challenged the romanticism of exiled migrants in literature. The literature tends to portray them as brave, intellectual, and worldly. The exiled migrants are seen as independent and in control of their circumstances. In reality this is not the case for the majority of migrants who have been forced to flee because of economic hardship and political turmoil. Migration is not usually independent, it is generally a mass movement of people. 

Derone and Sellman spent most of their time detailing different parts of a migrant’s journey. Derone focused on what happened once the migrants reached their place of refuge and Sellman focused on the path taken to get there. Derone explained the feelings Jewish children experienced when they settled in the United States. They had varying levels of emotional detachment and drive to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to them. Sellman explained the pain, dread, and fear felt as migrants attempted to cross the barrier and seek refuge. 

In conclusion, the lectures by Derode and Sellman introduced me to unique ways of looking at migration. I am excited to continue gathering and comparing additional perspectives on this topic. In addition, I hope that during the Politics of Immigration course I am taking this semester I will have the chance to examine the relationship between statistics and individual stories through micro and macro approaches to the issue.

On October 26th, I attended a service event in a Westerville Elementary School where we painted multiple murals with the help of students. For three hours, I assisted the non-profit Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) tape off sections, distribute paint, and clean. We painted three separate walls. On two walls we painted purple trees and created laminated paper leaves with positive messages to attach to them. These messages could then be taken down when a student is having a bad day. On another wall we painted a hand with an uplifting quote on it. I am grateful to have contributed to a positive learning environment that surrounds the students with support. More schools should have murals like this, for color and positivity creates a more welcoming atmosphere that can facilitate comfort and excitement towards school that students can lack when they have had bad experiences. 

This event relates to International Affairs because it is supporting an impactful Columbus non-profit that provides services for refugees and immigrants. The event is perfect for me to attend because I am passionate about art and social justice and painting a mural to support CRIS is a good combination of the two topics. Previously, I have painted other murals with CRIS and it has always been a valuable experience. I am happily exhausted and covered in paint at the end of every project. Another reason the events are always a valuable experience is they impact the way I look at my future career because this is exactly the type of work I want to be doing. After I participate, I look at my career with more hope and ideas for opportunities I can pursue. I also make valuable connections that can help me enter this field in the future. 

On Monday October 7th, 2019 I attended 2 campus events at the Wexner Center in the “On the Front Lines: Performing Afghanistan” series. I attended “Sahar Speaks: Voices of Women from Afghanistan” and “Kuja Meri? Afghan Refugees Across the Globe”. Both of these events gave me new insights into other cultures and lifestyles. The stories they shared were intense, funny, emotional, and informative. I think they did an amazing job and I hope the Wexner Center continues to host events like this. 

In the “Sahar Speaks: Voices of Women from Afghanistan” event they performed 2 plays. The first was about how bombs changed the lives of 2 Afghani sisters. These girls lost their father and were forced to try and make money on the streets. One of the girls was then raped and further traumatized. This play showcased a loss of childhood and hope. This play made me relate to the girls, then it gave me the ability to more deeply empathize with their situations. The second performance was much lighter and gave another side of the Afghani experience. It was about a daughter returning to Afghanistan after living in America and the reverse culture shock she endured. In the end she was able to blend her original culture with her new western values. This includes her mom letting her keep a dog, which I learned is taboo in a Muslim household. I enjoyed the lightheartedness in this performance and its ability to make me think of my relationship with my mom and the difference in culture we hold. 

The second event, “Kuja Meri?: Afghan Refugees Across the World”, was a presentation by a photographer from Holland and his partner who is an accomplished journalist. Together they shared images and stories of their time covering refugees in the Middle East. These images encompassed a variety of topics including: resettlement, travel, adaptation, art exhibits, and struggle. The story and set of images that stood out to me the most were images taken when the photographer disguised himself as a Georgian refugee and paid to get smuggled into Australia. I was concerned with his safety during this journey. When I asked him, he said he took small safety precautions like a GPS monitor with an emergency button, which ended up not working. I wanted to hear more about this but unfortunately time was limited and there were more people with questions. I am interested in learning more about how other people are able to investigate, photograph, and report in dangerous situations. How do they maintain their safety? How do they have enough food and water when those around them do not? Can they keep and develop relationships they made during this work?