REFLECTION

Growing up in a culturally-diverse city, I didn’t think I would gain much more knowledge from it than what I have already. Through my active participation in many courses, I learned so much more than I would have ever thought possible. During my time here at FIU, I gained an immense amount of knowledge. This knowledge came from many places and include my global learning courses, the Tuesday roundtables, my interactions with others, and my capstone experience. All these experiences have helped shaped my global awareness, perspective, and engagement. After realizing how little I know about the world, these experiences motivated me to gain deeper knowledge of global topics and cultures.

Some topics that resonated with me were related to the established frameworks in our society. One of them being the narratives of privileges that have been developed based on the power struggles that took place in the past. If it weren’t for the global learning courses, I wouldn't have noticed these things taking place right before my eyes. The course myth, ritual, and mysticism sparked my interest in increasing my understanding of world religions. It encouraged me to think critically about the role of religion as a universal experience in human life and the variations in its practice. Another course that stood out to me was Earth Ethics. It opened my eyes on our anthropocentric thinking, a viewpoint that argues that human beings are the central or most significant entities in the world. Through this, I realized we need to change how we make better judgments for our environment. For this reason, cleaning up at local parks and preserves became important to me. I learned how precious our natural environment and The value to keep the integrity of our local ecosystem.

Studying abroad in Ecuador gave me a one of a kind experience to what my global learning courses sparked interest in. This opportunity drastically expanded my ability to see through the eyes of those outside of my personal experience. Thanks to this experience, I have gained an unlimited and inexplicable amount of knowledge that I will forever be grateful for. This experience will always be with me.

Through my coursework, travel, and community engagement, I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of the larger world and broaden my vision of my place within it. In today's world, global awareness is all but required in order to be considered competitive. As our world is drawn ever closer together, our differences must be an avenue through which we may better understand the global community. Civil responsibility is no longer a national ideal, but a global duty around which I strive to organize my life's work. We need to think about ensuring the future not just about ourselves. When everyone works together, it is much more powerful than everyone working only for their own betterment. Not being self-centered and the rest of the world be damned. These activities have helped me cultivate a habit of learning where I gained the perspective of what type of person I want to be. That is why I feel eager to continue learning and expanding my understanding by researching their histories, following their trends, knowing their inner workings and be more active in my community. I want to be compassionate, kind and show respect to all. Aside from being informed and educated, there is still a lot for me to learn. I plan on continuing my education and going to dental school. Where I will be exposed to many types of people with my many different backgrounds. I aim to use this knowledge that I have gained to be an inclusive doctor. I want my life to reflect what I want to see in the world and to teach through example. I want to see a greener and more humane world.