Global Skills, Knowledge, Attitudes and Values - Essay Example

Reflective Essay Global Skills One realized that to improve one’s ability to access information about the world, one of the skills that must be developed and enhanced is the capacity to speak other languages. Since I am a native of the Middle East with plans to pursue higher education in the United States, aside from honing skills on English, as a second language, I also took French for travel class that helped me understand the basic things to communicate using that language. The opportunity enabled me to gain more confidence in communicating with diverse people with an array of cultural orientation, specifically from France, aside from my native country and in America. The new insights gained from learning the French culture and language equipped me with the basic skills to increase the possibility of living in Europe and enable me to communicate with others using their language. Further, by reinforcing learning the dimensions of culture, I was able to acquire a better edge from other people of the same qualifications as mine, but without the knowledge of speaking French. Through learning intricate details of the French culture, I was fortunate to have shared interesting facts that could improve communication, interpersonal relationships and possible entry to global organizations from that country, in particular, if given the right opportunity. To reiterate, I enrolled in a French for travel class that provided basic theoretical guidelines on grammar, syntax and frequently used statements for daily communication. In doing so, proficiency in French was initially gained. With regular practice and continued study in higher class modules, I am sure that I would be highly proficient in the language. These skills could be applied in future plans to either live or work in Europe. The basic communication skills of learning French would be used for relevant correspondences: both speaking and writing, as one envisions working with a global organization, either in France, or with branches in Europe. As a result of learning a third language, I gained more competence and confidence to communicate with people from France or from other French speaking countries. Learning more about cultural values, traditions and practices of their particular culture honed my global skills and prepared me for future endeavors in Europe, or possible in other countries around the world. With the initiation of learning a third language, I can always opt to study other languages deemed appropriate and consistent with future plans to either live in a particular foreign country or to work in a global organization. Global Knowledge The lessons provided by the French for travel class, a writing intensive class, and an art class enabled me to expand knowledge encompassing geographical and socio-cultural facts in non-US countries. The theories, applications and historical concepts learned from these classes widened my understanding on diverse cultural perspectives of Europe, in particular. The knowledge gained from these activities assist in making intellectual comparative analysis between the cultural orientation of my native country, the practices, values and norms in the United States, and that of the new learning. These activities assisted in gaining expanded global knowledge of rich traditional and culture from other countries that would prepare me for future plans to work in global organizations. The classes and activities, likewise, provided enriched information on the French culture and art history, among others, that encouraged friendships and strong interpersonal relationships from diverse students from Europe. The art history class, for instance, gave me wider perspectives and information on the evolution and components of art in Europe through time. It made me more appreciative of aesthetic value of different art forms, styles and expressions found in various media. The experiences made me appreciate contemporary generation’s open outlook and ability to embrace, accept and possibly assimilate practices and traditions deemed applicable and consistent with one’s personal points of views. I learned to be more open minded and to practice the concept of building bridges instead of walls. Likewise, I was made more aware of contemporary global issues that affect, not only a particular nation but the repercussions incidents created globally. I realized, for example, that the Middle East is changing with all of the protests currently being experienced there. In this regard, the semester’s experiences gave me the opportunity to see clearly how small the world had become with all of the social networks and technological breakthroughs, and how fast one can take the news of those protests, or any other current events from any part of the world. The expose to global knowledge assisted my in evolving into a more global person, with more open minded perspectives and orientation. I learned to view the world, not as predominantly different countries with separate ideologies and practices, but as a global setting working for better understanding through a universal language and through working at learning cultural diversity to enhance communication and interaction. Global Attitudes and Values In discussing the relevance of developing global attitudes and values, I realized that the course made me more sensitive to current events that encompass various cultures; thereby expanding one’s awareness and concern on a global scale. I observed different cultures and realized that American students evolved and become more active and sensitive towards contemporary events, like what is happening in Middle East, the recent disaster in Japan, and other concerns like global warming and climate change that affect countries around the world. My self-awareness and self-esteem regarding culture and ethnic diversity has been enhanced and appropriately developed because as an international student from middle east, I came to experience other cultures and learned other languages that have been instrumental in accepting the fact that despite cultural and ethnic diversity, all people need to care for one world, the world we all currently live in. Finally, the experiences provided various opportunities to learn other cultures, languages, develop friendships and be more sensitive to the needs of other cultures who are currently in need. In so doing, I can acknowledge that the new experiences and sharing from this semester made me realize that my role is not only to be a citizen of my native country, but to be an active participant in assisting people from diverse cultural orientations who are currently in need. Attitudes and values were therefore redirected from being predominantly self, family, and country oriented to being globally entrenched and diversely culturally focused. Read More