How to be a global citizen - Essay Example

Diversity and Citizenship in UCSB and Isla Vista: How to be a Global Citizen June 20, “It’s paradise; No, it’s just what it is, a human community filled with promises and transitions.” This is how I sum up my University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) journey so far. Before, I had high, idealistic expectations of my academic and social life in the U.S. because of my dream to finish college in the U.S., but I understand now that imagining my dream is different from actually living it because every community has its strengths and weaknesses and I must go through transitions to adapt to new cultural and academic environments. As a UCSB student and as a community member of Santa Barbara, I learn about social, economic and cultural differences between my high school and community and appreciate and respect each community’s strengths and limitations; I determine student behaviors and attitudes that enhance safety; and I realize what it means to be a global citizen by feeling that I socially belong to the university and the Santa Barbara community and by participating in their activities, not as an outsider, but as a meaningful member of society. Social, economic and cultural differences affect differences in my high school and UCSB and community experiences. Social differences are mostly in social practices. In UCSB, parties are commonly done outdoors at Isla Vista and other popular social hangouts. In high school, we do not normally go out because we do not have regular school outdoor parties. When there are parties, they are generally done indoors and under the strict supervision of high school teachers and parents. Furthermore, UCSB and community parties are loud and extend to the wee hours of the morning, but not in my local community. Nelson and Campion (2014) described a typical Isla Vista party: “There were the token couples along the side of the street making out on cars… the house music was loud as ever and Isla Vista seemed to be in its natural state.” In high school, such noisy activities and sexual practices are considered socially unacceptable and illegal. We usually tone down the volume of our music and end many social events before midnight because people have to work or study early the next day. We also do not have people making out everywhere. Some of these social differences do not highly affect me, nevertheless, because I actually enjoy beach and outside social events too. I am still shocked though of people making out and doing adult things in public places. I grew up in a conservative community, no matter how exposed it is to American media and lifestyle. As for economic differences, the physical and technological disparity between a developed and a developing country’s school system is significant. My high school is definitely not as large as UCSB and many students are poor or lower middle class. My high school also does not have the same technological capabilities as UCSB that has an electronic database for its library and other school resources. UCSB has many computers for its students and offers free Internet and other academic support services too. These are manifestations of economic differences that I find as a distinct strength on the part of UCSB because these resources are essential to the academic and technological skills development of students. Lastly, cultural differences are vast because of differences between American and Chinese cultures which show the strengths and weaknesses of these cultures that I respect and appreciate. I was culturally shocked in many surprising ways about American culture that I thought I am already aware of and should not be surprised anymore. Sun (2014) knew what culture shock also means when she says that “[her] culture shock was when [she] constantly questioned and judged the ways people in America act, think, speak, and eat.” I agree with her that American beliefs and habits can be quite shocking if one comes from a conservative, developing country, although I got used to them already. American culture is liberal, in terms of Americans being direct and confident in communication, even with elders and people with authority, and being liberal in sexuality views and sexual practices. Chinese culture is more reserved and value people with authority highly than Americans. In my community, we do not look in the eyes when speaking to our elders and other people with authority. We also have a round-about way in communication to avoid losing face or affecting the face of others. Directness in communication is considered as aggression and disrespect for us Chinese. As for interpersonal relationships, Americans are friendlier than the Chinese and find it easy to establish rapport with any race. The Chinese are hospitable, but they do not easily establish rapport with foreigners or trust them too easily, unless the latter have built social networks and acquired significant social capital. In my community, sexuality and sexual practices are not acceptable in public too. Those who are publicly showing signs of affection should be married, or else, they will hear gossip about them. Nevertheless, I understand and respect these communication and interpersonal differences. I find it as strength of the Americans to be direct and confident in their communication and interpersonal skills. I am an extrovert and I also want to hone my English language skills which I can do through constant interaction with English speakers. I also find it an advantage for Americans to be ready to challenge authority because those who have power are not always right or moral. Still, I empathize with the Chinese practice of saving face because it is important to have a good social impression by empathizing with others. For sexuality and sexual practices, I prefer Chinese conservativeness because I am more comfortable with individual privacy. I do respect others’ freedom of sexual liberation though. I do not judge them for being openly sexual. Thus, these differences help me appreciate my stay in UCSB and Santa Barbara even more because I learn how to socially adapt to different communities. Aside from discussing these various community differences, I think that the behavior or attitudes of my peers that can enhance the sense of safety and security of students in Isla Vista are taking advantage of community support and talking about community problems as a community and implementing changes as a community. Nelson and Campion (2014) reflected on how, after an Isla Vista party, they are shocked to know that some people have raped and beaten up a student. They asserted that people should know more about community services that can prevent these events. They stressed that the UCSB community has CSO (Community Service Organization) services. CSO was made as an organization of students to act as a liaison between UCSB students and the Police Department. Nelson and Campion (2014) described CSO escort services for people who have no companion when going home or to other places: “…the fact that we have a service like the CSOs that can reduce our risk of being attacked is a privilege and one that should definitely be utilized.” I have not heard of CSO too and I believe that this is a wonderful community service that can prevent people walking alone from being harassed or attacked. In addition, student safety can be increased through public discourse and action. Cvitanic and Hoegerman (2013) mentioned the death of Giselle Ayala who fell from a cliff at Isla Vista. Her death should not be another statistic in the number of cliff deaths but a call for urgent action: “Though we may not all be in agreement as to what that tone should be, in light of an 18-year-old’s life cut short on our beach, it is time we talk about it as a community” (Cvitanic & Hoegerman, 2013). They believe that the community should set the tone on community policies and self-policing. Acting as a community toward community issues is a good way of ensuring public safety. Apart from taking advantage of community services for enhancing safety and working as a community, students should feel more responsible for their actions and make others also accountable for theirs. For instance, students should not litter during parties and should pick up their garbage afterwards. Williams (2009) emphasized that students should be more responsible of their parties, whether they are organizers, participants, or guests: “Our night, our responsibility.” Students will only know it is their responsibility though if all of them clean up afterwards. Moreover, students should make others accountable for their actions. Nelson and Campion (2014) were right to put responsibility on the attackers, not victims, although witnesses have the responsibility to report what they have seen too: This article has been an attempt to promote our community’s sense of responsibility. If you know something about this assault, or any other crime, and you choose not to report it, you are not defending your friends; you are simply putting more of your friends, classmates and community members in danger. Students should not “save” their friends or organization members by not reporting them. They are actually saving their friends if they report them because if they have addiction or psychological problems, reporting them will help them access the health and other services they need. Besides community safety, it is important to also explore the meaning of being a global citizen where a global citizen is someone who, wherever he or she is, feels accountable for his/her actions in the community by following or making new community rules and participating in several community activities. A global citizen feels that he/she belongs in one way or another to the community he/she visits and lives in. In order to become one, I am going to take advantage of the university’s activities in the community and do my best to be part of it in any way. I want to be part of the culture of the university and Isla Vista by partaking in its social activities that I enjoy. I believe that I socially belong at UCSB in terms of being with those who like doing volunteering jobs and extra work. I am an active volunteer and I enjoy earning my own income doing different jobs. However, I do not socially belong to the hard-core party goers because I am not that into loud and overnight parties. I do attend some parties, but always with my circle of friends and not strangers. Not all student populations may feel the same way though because of differences in acclimatization into the USCB culture in particular and the American culture in general (Sun, 2014). Nevertheless, a global citizen is respectful of cultural differences. More importantly, a global citizen is accountable for his/her actions and follows rules or makes new ones for the good of the community. Williams (2009) emphasized that community members should take care of the environment, and I believe that this is part of being a global citizen too. A global citizen is an environmentally-aware and responsive citizen too. Accountability also begins with critical thinking that questions fundamental values and assumptions. Paul and Elder (1999) argued for the importance of asking questions in teaching, learning, and thinking. They stressed: “Questions define tasks, express problems and delineate issues” (Paul & Elder, 1999). A global citizen does not only embrace his/her own cultural values, but questions them too, while also questioning new ones before accepting them, and this can be applied in performing community roles and responsibilities by following community rules or making new ones that will improve social welfare and safety. To belong to a new community does not necessarily mean embracing everything without a critical mind, thought it includes a strong sense of self and community responsibility. Diversity and citizenship in UCSB are “works in progress” for me that I would gladly contribute to. I want to be more socially integrated with all the good that my new community can offer me by being part of its welfare-enhancing activities, such as volunteering and participating in cultural and social events. In addition, global citizenship is about accepting cultural differences and being a responsible citizen of every community I visit and live in. I want to work more on being a global citizen by being a critical thinker and being a self-and-community responsibility promoter. I will have fun in Santa Barbara, yes, but more than that, I will have fun as a true-blooded, multicultural, responsible global citizen. What is paradise in UCSB and Isla Vista are not the parties, but the sense of community where people care for each other as human beings and cultivate the environment for the enrichment of natural and human life. References Cvitanic, O., & Hoegerman, T. (2013, April 10). Deltopia revisited: What can we learn? Daily Nexus. Retrieved from http://dailynexus.com/2013-04-10/deltopia-revisited-what-can-we-learn/ Nelson, E., & Campion, A. (2014, February 26). Taking back Isla Vista. Daily Nexus. Retrieved from http://dailynexus.com/2014-02-26/taking-back-isla-vista/ Paul, R.W., & Elder, L. (1999). “The role of questions in teaching, thinking and learning.” Critical Thinking: Basic Theory and Instructional Structures Handbook. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-questions-in-teaching-thinking-and-learning/524 Sun, H. (2014, May 7). 5 things you should know to empathize with international students. UCSB Gradpost. Retrieved from http://gradpost.ucsb.edu/life/2014/5/7/5-things-you-should-know-to-empathize-with-international-stu.html Williams, E. (2009, December 7). The unintended consequences of Halloween in Isla Vista. Noozhawk. Retrieved from http://www.noozhawk.com/article/120709_unintended_consequences_of_halloween_in_isla_vista Read More