Something Bigger Than Us

On the plane coming back to the United States, I was able to reflect on this class and the encounters we had in Europe. I was first overwhelmed with gratitude on how lucky we were to be able to experience global education with the inema students. After listening to their ideas, I was able to gain a better perspective on my own beliefs and values. This thinking then lead me to ask myself, what am I going to do with this information? How do I connect what I have learned in Germany to my everyday life? The answer was simple. I can connect what I have learned to big overarching themes (education and policies) but also to the little things in life. The food I eat, the clothes I wear, the places I go, all of these things can be unknowingly impacted by my travel experience. Everything we do or say influences one another rather we know it or not. How people treat others is not only a reflection of their perspective but also a reflection on the labels (positive or negative) that were placed upon them that led them to act in that manner. This result can be a beautiful thing because it reminds us that we are all apart of each other and apart of something bigger than us.