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Category: Global Identities

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By ltchouaffe

People always say that you never know who you are or how you will act until you get yourself in a situation or environment that tests that. I truly think that goes the same for identity. You never know who you are until you go to a country that is different from yours in every single way. It is there that you will truly think about what makes up you and why you are the way you are.

In America, there is huge emphasis on diversity and knowing where your family comes from. One may be like me, whose parents came to America in the 90s and therefore directly knows and is impacted by their culture. And then you have those who are third and fourth generation American but still proudly call themselves Irish, for example. You may be American but you are a certain type of American.

In France, for the most part that is not true. Once you are French citizen, you are French. It doesn’t matter if your family has lived in France for six generations or just arrived ten years ago, If you have a French citizenship that is it and nothing more.

This idea in the American community has its pro and cons. For one thing, America prides itself in the plethora of cultures and identities that make up the fifty states. Afterall, at the end of the day no matter what one may say, the America that we know, is made up of immigrants from around the world who come to its shores for many reasons. Even in various communities such as schools, we celebrate cultural days. In my own personal community, the fact that I am Cameroonian-American has been something looked greatly upon and something that I should always be encouraged to embrace.

...continue reading "I am American too."

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My different communities abroad have made me think critically about my identity in many ways. Per my first post, where I elaborated on the complexities of blackness around the world, it has been interesting having now been in Dakar for over two months and seeing where I fit in. I am one of the few students of color in my program that is composed of university students from around the US. This has been an interesting adjustment to make because my social circle back at GW is mainly black students and other people of color. On top of that, this is my first time traveling and living anywhere in Africa with a group of other Americans. At my study center, one of my greatest sources of community here, there is also a law school that is composed solely of Senegalese students. There is no forced separation between the two schools, and we are encouraged to talk to the law students and make friendships, etc. However, there is a natural separation that comes with taking different classes on different floors of the building, and the language barrier that still persists with French and Wolof. This dynamic - especially compared to my friend groups at GW - has caused me to reflect on what it means for me to be an American abroad because at least in this instance I am definitely seen as a part of a larger group, and that is something that I have never had to do so vividly. Furthermore, what it means to be one of a few students of color in a large group of Americans.

The running route that I have in Dakar was another community that I referenced in my last post. I think that more than anything, this has supported and strengthened my notion that I am independent, but it has also reassured me that there are parallels between people when we least expect them. Running has solidified my sense of independence because I made myself familiar with my running paths without any guide. That is not to say that the paths are challenging, and that people have not run them before, but in a new city with a completely different climate I was proud to do this alone. The feeling of independence is also matched with a feeling of comfort because of all the other people that I pass whenever I am on a run. A simple head nod, smile, or thumbs up from a fellow runner is enough to remind me that being in charge/control of what I am doing does not  mean that I have to be completely isolated. I am running alongside people from completely different backgrounds, and with a wide range (young to old men and women, some running in flip flops and some in tracksuits), and this has reminded me that even in the midst of minor identity confusion I can still feel a part of something.

 

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I’ve always been a relatively adaptable person, but living in Barcelona has pushed me to adapt to a completely new way of life. The places and things I have actively looked for or come upon during this experience reflect the ways that I have changed and I have not changed thus far this semester.

For example, the vegetarian, non-Spanish food that I have found—which I defined as part of my community in my previous blog post—has confirmed my identity as an American. I sought out this food in order to find comfort in Barcelona, but it has not challenged my identity in any way. If anything, it has confirmed my American identity and strengthened the privilege that is attached to it, especially the privilege I have, having grown up in New York City. I have always been accustomed to a highly developed, globalized city where every type of food has been accessible to me. Because there isn’t one distinct culture in New York, like in many American cities, I am not used to eating one type of food when I go out.

While Barcelona is growing more international, many of the foods I can enjoy at home are very expensive here because of their limited supply, so when I find restaurants that are not Spanish and provide vegetarian meals, I stick to them. Of course, these are the places that all Americans go to and there is usually an English menu, which doesn’t challenge my identity. Living in an apartment also doesn’t challenge me because I cook for myself to save money. While I am happy with my apartment and my roommates, I sometimes wish I had chosen to live with a host family in order to get a greater sense of Spanish life and food.

I have also felt more of my American privilege because of the political conversations I have had in my classes and activities. I volunteer at a Catalan school once a week, helping to teach high school kids English. We talk about many different subjects, but whenever the question of Catalonia independence comes up, the room becomes tense. The students will start talking about it—some will say they only speak Catalan at home, while others will say they feel entirely Spanish—but one student will inevitably shut down the conversation. They will always explain to me the emotional nature of the conflict and say, “let’s talk about something else.”

...continue reading "Have I Really Changed?"

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By mariyaskhan

Wow, I can’t believe that this course is already halfway over! The Oxford term is winding down to its final week, and then I have to write a seminar essay and a 6,000 word research paper. We only have four hours of class a week, so I spend most of my time in the libraries working on my weekly 5-9 page essays or exploring Oxford. I’ve worked through many of the routes and shortcuts I use on the daily, and I don’t feel overwhelmed anymore with getting the layout of the city. I guess you could say that I have finally made Oxford my home. Here are the places in Oxford where I spend most of my days.

The Old Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera

...continue reading "My Oxford Community"

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By ltchouaffe

Being so far from home for so long you sometimes start to look for things that remind you of the things that you
know so well. Fortunately, from the first few weeks of living in Strasbourg, I quickly noticed that D.C was not far
from me. As we all know, D.C is practically made up of Federal Buildings and the numerous universities that
grace the area. Here, as well in Strasbourg, the city is full of European institutions and the University of
Strasbourg. Strasbourg is nicknamed “the capital of Europe” and like D.C, people from all around Europe come
to work at places like the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice. It's
here that some of Europe’s most important laws are put into place and where famous politicians and leaders
alike come and gather to make speeches and plead their case in the courts. Granted, the hustle and bustle of
D.C is no way like Strasbourg, whose French citizens like to “stop and smell the roses” but when a leader or
figure is in town, you can definitely feel it too much like D.C.

But enough with the similarities with D.C. Strasbourg definitely has its own special aspects that make this
community unique. Like in all French cities, the amount of patisseries and boulangeries is insane! For those
that don’t know, a patisserie is a small shop that sells sweets and a boulangerie is a place that sells bread,
along with sweets but mostly bread based items like sandwiches for example. There are also epiceries, but
they are not as common. Within, every street and every corner, one is bound to find one of those. It's a very
unique aspect to France because in the States we get all our sweets and breads usually in one place. One can
get the same things in a supermarket in France too but it is not as fresh.

...continue reading "What makes up Strasbourg?"

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By mlopez97

When I first arrived in Barcelona I scrambled to find a new sense of community, worried that I would feel isolated and far too uncomfortable throughout the semester. Two months into my stay, I am more than thrilled to have settled into this temporary host community composed of new friends, places, and food that have enriched my experience.

...continue reading "Finding Spanish Community"

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By mhaimbodi

The concept of community becomes more important than ever when you are traveling/living  abroad. While total integration is not really possible within the first few months (or ever), there are certain people and places that can definitely make you feel more at ease amidst new surroundings. I have attached a couple of mine:

One of the first things that I wanted to do upon my arrival in Dakar was find a running route. At home I run everyday, and before coming I was a little anxious as to whether or not I would be able to do the same here. It turns out that the neighborhood I live in, Ouakam, is right next to one of the longest roads in Dakar (Route de la Corniche) that literally borders the Atlantic Ocean.  I have made it a habit to run around 6:30/7 most evenings after getting home from school, as the sun is setting then and it is much cooler. For the first couple of weeks I had to adjust to the unfamiliarity of where I was, and all of the car exhaust as I am not used to running right next to main roads, but now the ease of finding my way and knowing where I am going is really comforting. Every day I feel more and more acclimated to my surroundings, and the euphoria that accompanies running is something that makes me feel even more at home.

...continue reading "Defining Community"

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By neerjapatel

Having grown up in Vermont, I have always been exposed to a sense of community. I was nervous when I first came to Barcelona, as it was a new city with a different culture. Although I knew a few people who were in the same program as me, I forced myself to go outside of my comfort zone by picking a random roommate and living in a homestay. This was extremely difficult at first because for the first time since freshman year of college, I was faced with a lack of familiarity. But, I quickly found my sense of community in Barcelona in a variety of different ways.

Picture 1: My roommate Emma has become one of my closest friends here abroad. With similar interests and personalities, we’ve been able to explore a lot of Barcelona together. Emma, as well as my host mom, have really made me feel like I’m at home in Barcelona.

...continue reading "Mi Familia"

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By mahaliasmith

When deciding to study abroad, the most significant challenge I have come across is being racially stereotyped for what I look like on the outside, rather than who I truly am on the inside. For the first time, while living and studying in Shanghai, I am technically a part of the majority, while simultaneously remaining a part of the minority, for I do not speak Mandarin but I appear ethnically Chinese or South East Asian. It is quite an interesting feeling being surrounded by people who all look familiar, all the while constantly being reminded that I am still an "outsider" of sorts.
Nevertheless, Shanghai has already been an amazing, fascinating, concurrently exhausting journey. So far, I have been sick once, gotten lost twice on campus, attended three classes, been harassed by four Chinese "fake market" vendors, and eaten about 18 million bowls of noodles and rice.

——

Aside from one time in the past five or so years, following my grandfather passing away while abroad in high school, I cannot remember the last time I was homesick. Put in other words, I don't tend to miss anyone—even the people closest to my heart, such as my family and best friends—when I am away from them. I believe this is due to two specific reasons: first, I always feel connected to the people I love no matter how far away I am from them, and no matter how long it has been since last seeing them; second, I find I tend to acclimate to new environments with relative ease and speed.

—— ...continue reading "Home is … where YOU are."

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“So where are you from from?”

I’m sure almost every GW student has been asked this question at least once. Sure, everyone wants to know where you’ve grown up and where you call home. But they really care about where you’re from from. It’s like when you have to check those boxes on questionnaires to say whether you’re Caucasian, African-American, Asian, Hispanic, or Latino.

My response? “My mom’s from India and my dad’s from Pakistan. But I’m 100% Muslim.” But growing up, the answer wasn’t so simple.

Before, when someone asked me where my family's from, I’d say Pakistan. Sometimes I wanted to say India because it’s easier, but then they’d think I’m Hindu. But was I lying to people if I didn’t include every part of my identity that composes who I am?

It’s definitely been complicated to really hone in how I share my identity with other people. Though I’m just starting to find a healthy balance between my ethnic identities, my Muslim identity is the strongest. To me, my Muslim identity matters more than the country I hail from.

I’m a Muslim girl who grew up in an American suburb. I’ve lived in America my whole life, but my parents have always kept the religion and culture of my ancestral home alive. It’s a result of colonization, globalization, and diaspora. I contribute it to a sense of longing and connection to the homeland. Is my established homeland America (where I was born) or Pakistan and India (where my culture and parents’ families are from)?

...continue reading "The Beginnings of a Muslim-American's Journey in the UK"

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