The ABCs of Global Citizenship

Wouldn’t it be awesome if being a global citizen was as easy as ABC?  Global citizenship is a little more challenging, but an initial simple focus on ABC is a great start.

A – Attend to your attitude.

B – Become a better you.

C – Contribute what you can.

Approaching global citizenship with an ABC-focus could change the world.

 

A – Attend to your attitude

If attitude is everything, what does yours say about you? Ms. Moem

Simple awareness of my attitude helps me refocus my thoughts and gives me a chance to decide how to respond.

A meeting was scheduled to start ten minutes ago; I’m the only one in the conference room. My thoughts start down the “They have no consideration of time” path, but I stop myself. Instead I adjust my attitude: “Their concept of time is different. I’ll take advantage of this found time to breathe.”

A teacher sets a plate of silkworms on the lunch table. I remind myself: attitude is a choice. Will my “eating bugs” attitude be Yuck! or Yummy! ? I watch the teachers gently pulling away the exposed silk strands before plopping plump yellow silkworms into their mouths. I select a “try anything once” attitude and follow their lead. I eat my first silkworm. Soft texture. A bit chewy. Sweet. Yummy! I eat another one. A week later I eat fried crickets.

Different culture norms are not right or wrong; they’re just different. Tuning everyday experiences into an “explore and adapt to the differences” attitude helps me adjust in different cultures and become more of a global citizen.

 

B – Become a better you.

“Never compare yourself to anyone, except the previous you.”

Traveling or living in a different culture exposes and introduces us to different people. Different backgrounds, experiences, religious beliefs, goals, language and culture leads to differing perspectives, opportunities, and ways of life. Being bombarded with multitudes of “differences” makes it easy for me to jump into the “judgement” mode – toward those who are different or toward those who are responding differently to those differences.  A better approach would be to use the differences I experience as opportunities to learn – about others and (more importantly) about myself.

Learning the Thai language is challenging. Being a Peace Corps Volunteer gives me frequent opportunities to compare myself to other volunteers. With my slow learning pace, I could easily spiral down into a self-destructive “I’m lousy at learning languages” mindset when I witness their language skills.  And occasionally I could pat myself on the back when I compare myself to the few volunteers who are struggling like me to communicate in Thai. But I stop myself. I choose instead to compare myself to yesterday’s version of myself. I congratulate myself for saying a simple sentence beyond “good morning” to my neighbors. I celebrate when I read the simple text on a worksheet designed for first graders.

I celebrate even more when I automatically (and sincerely) use the common Thai expression “Mai bpen rai.” (It’s OK!) when I encounter something that might have frustrated me in the past.

“Life is about becoming a better version of yourself.”

 

C – Contribute what you can.

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.  When you cease to make a contribution, you begin to die. Eleanor Roosevelt

Not everyone has the time, money, or inclination to travel internationally. Most of my peers have family or work commitments and cannot adjust their priorities to spend two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer. But they are still global citizens, contributing in their own way, toward improving lives for their families, their local communities, and the broader world we all inhabit.

They contribute to my Thai community by sending me emails, cards, and packages with flashcards, puzzles, or stickers for the children. Reading my blog is one way they increase their global perspective.

We all make a difference. Every day. By our actions and by our in-actions.

Do what you have, with what you have, where you are. Theodore Roosevelt

 

Following the ABCs of global citizenship – even if it results in a zillion extra yes-focused ways to make our world a better place to be – seems a bit English-centric. My students in Thailand know their กขค. They are learning the strange way to write, read, and spell the Roman-based characters I’ve used all my life to read and write.

As a personal reminder to focus globally, I created one option for what a Thai-script กขค for global citizenship might be:

ก – กอด  (gawt = “embrace / hug”) Embrace the differences.

ข – ขวาง   (kwang = “toss/throw”) Throw away assumptions.

ค – คิด  (kit = “think”) Think about your impact.

Whether you are learning ABCs, กขค, or another way to start making sense of the words of the world, may you embrace the daily opportunity to improve lives and become a more dedicated global citizen.

If you want to touch the past, touch a rock. If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life. (Unknown)

 

This post is part of Blogging Abroad’s 2017 New Years Blog Challenge, week one: [Global Citizenship]