A question we’ve asked ourselves repeatedly while formulating our experiences from our trip is, how has our understanding of what it means to be a global citizen changed over time? Originally I believed before our trip to Peru was that anyone is acting as a global citizen if they are partaking in service in a different country. Through various readings and hearing different peoples perspectives on what it means to be a global citizen, my own formulation of what it means to be a global citizen has deepened. After reading our previous article from Madeleine Green, “Global Citizenship: What are we talking about and why does it matter,” we can use her 5 themes around global citizenship to understand our role and how it relates to our construction of a global citizen. In Green’s first theme she states global citizenship as a way of thinking; within this she talks about her definition of a global citizen. Before leaving for Peru we were aware of the fact that we most likely won’t make a change in such as short period of time, but with the mindset of being a global citizen, we knew that it was important to do whatever we could in our power to make a change. Just like in anything, change doesn’t have to be big; it’s taking the step in the right direction in order to make a change. The second theme of global citizenship according to Green, speaks to self-awareness and awareness of others. Through all of the research and readings we did prior to our trip to Peru, nothing can match the intercultural understanding created through first-hand experience. This is true in the fact that you could tell someone what life was like in the Augustino but until they actually experience the craziness of life, it isn’t fathomable. The third theme is, global citizenship as they practice cultural empathy. By creating the awareness of other countries like we did in Peru, we are now more understanding of different perspectives and this is an important skill utilized in the workplace. In Peru, we witnessed various aspects of life that make us very grateful for our own. Green’s fourth theme is the cultivation of principled decision making. This theme talks about how an individual can be successful while serving in a different country through a set of guidelines. Again as I’ve stated before, the information that we talked about around global citizenship prior to our trip shaped my understanding of our role while in Peru. Green’s last theme of global citizenship, talks about participating in the social and political life of the community. I think this is one that can only be achieved through living within a community for several of years to understand what they’re going through and what they need. Although we created a brief understanding about the life in Peru, we weren’t well enough aware to achieve this theme. Throughout all the different perspectives and guidelines of being a global citizen, it truly can’t be understood until placing your teachings in a country like Peru.
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