After immersing ourselves into the culture of Peru, my view on what it means to a global citizen has not necessarily changed but has deepened in meaning. Prior to leaving for Peru, I didn’t know what to expect in this country that was previously foreign to me. Stepping foot the first day in the Augustino, none of us truly could have truly prepared for anything like what we saw, it was like the movies. Every which way we turned our heads we saw stray dogs, people working for a living, and the general happiness of these people even though they have nearly nothing in their lives. But I truly believe that in order to become a noble global citizen, you have to experience all these different eye-opening experiences. Becoming a knowledgeable global citizen isn’t as simple as the breakfast in Peru (trust me). Before I thought that you could be the same global citizen wherever you travel but I now feel as if you must fully understand the culture. The 10 days that we were in Peru we only got a brief overview on the social structure. Even though we’ve been taught through our readings prior to our trip that there is no possibility of us making a change in 10 days, I believe we provided something else. I think we provided the sense of belonging and importance of happiness, accomplishing this through the beautiful game of soccer. I also now understand that global citizens don’t have to make a change but by providing everything they can while serving, it will make a positive impact for the time being. A global citizen doesn’t always have to mean you have embraced yourself in other communities, it can be accomplished through the small things, like what we did in Peru to take one step forward in order to make the world a happier place.
connorstevenson15 