Global Scholars Reflection

Looking back on my experience as a Poly K-12 student, the Global Scholars Program stands out. Frequently in our community, we talk about a Poly or a Pasadena “bubble,” a sphere of separation between us and the greater LA, USA, and international communities. The Global Scholars Program allowed me the opportunity to pop that bubble and truly learn about the world around me. As a result of the varied sources we were exposed to- international experts, news, personal stories and even history- I gained a surprisingly well rounded perspective on what it means to be a global citizen. Especially after nearly two years of isolation from my peers and from the rest of the international community, the empathy and connections that were built individually and within our cohort continue to be of paramount importance.

For me, my identity as a Global Scholar began to really take hold after I was able to facilitate the discussion portion of our International Women's Day Celebration event. It was an equally empowering and humbling experience to speak with Khin Sandi Lwin and Ambassador Eunice Reddick. I was very moved by the similarities they expressed in their experiences as women in powerful international experiences. The strength that they shared definitely motivated me as I looked forward to my culminating Grant Proposal and Capstone Project.

From my time with the Global Scholars Program I learned what Empathy Into Action really meant. I learned that international physical distance does not exclude international emotional closeness. As Vishakha Desai reminded us in her event this past November, "the world is our greatest family."

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Capstone Project Reflection

On Thursday, May 12, Jackie Sabbag and I presented our capstone project with our other GS cohort members. In attendance were a handful of budding global scholars- it was inspiring to see the continued interest in the program. Jackie and I outlined the specificities of our early relationship with I Am A Girl, and the grant proposal process that followed. The presentation marked a very special culminating moment for our time with the GIP. We presented a similar set of slides to our audience today to the slides that we presented to the grant donors. We wanted the audience today to fully understand why we chose to work with I Am a Girl, why the work we wanted to do through our project was important, and what the money would allow for within the Ugandan Mbale community and beyond. In addition to the grant proposal information we also shared our take-aways from the project. We spoke about the importance of really being able to fulfill our theme of empathy into action.

Drought Plagues Iran

While Hassan Rouhani closes out his term as President of Iran, the Islamic Republic is facing a serious water shortage. Rouhani has enlisted the government to aid areas that have been the most seriously impacted by the drought. Many report that the drought is a direct cause of global warming. I found it interesting that Iran, a country that supplies much of the world's oil (a fossil fuel), is experiencing first hand the effects of climate change, something that is caused- in part- by the burning of fossil fuels around the world. The drilling required to harness the oil has also impacted the natural landscape of the country, disrupting ecosystems and artificially carving away at the land. Because Iran’s economy, as well as the world’s oil needs rely so heavily on the exportation and distribution of oil, it is not as though Iran will implement tactics to minimize the exportation of this oil in the face of the drought. While the drought is certainly a result of environmental factors, ...

International Musings

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