First, as promised, my answers to those questions I posted last week.
a. In your view, describe what you think "education" should or can ideally be.
b. What role should or can a student play?
I believe that education should ideally bestow knowledge and skills to people that are applicable in everyday life. The knowledge and skills should eventually result in anything from happiness, prosperity, and fulfillment for people. However, there are several ways that knowledge and skills can be imparted upon someone; the best way requires the student to be interested in learning and actively involved in what they are learning. That being said, the student should, instead of being a receptacle that the words of a teacher's lectures are thrown into, be immersed in attaining an important skill or gaining knowledge -- in short, learning by doing.
a. In your view, what is positive social change? How does it happen? Who makes it happen? What hinders it?
b. What can or have you done in light of your understanding of the possibilities of social change?
a. I feel that positive social change is something that makes peoples' lives better and can encompass a wide range of "areas" such as freedoms, rights, and safety. For example, the first thing I thought of when seeing the words "positive social change" as it applies to Thailand is the subject of preventing human trafficking. Through cooperation by the government, provinces, and even all the way down to individual communities and people, stopping the practice of human trafficking allows people (especially those in rural areas and are impoverished with respects to resources) to live in freedom without being threatened by the prospects of being sold off. However, any kind of positive change can be hindered by individuals and groups in the society (including the society's ruling body) who oppose change and are able to hold their power over the majority of people in the society.b. Though I have not done anything firsthand to promote social change, I feel that I could enact change by assisting a grassroots movement, lobbying group, or other interest group fighting for positive social change. However, I would first have to learn about a certain community by getting to know the people and understanding and assessing the situation to the best of my ability.
What skills or experience do you bring to group building? To you, what does it mean to have a good group process?
Working in groups was always one of my favorite activities both in secondary school and college. I was happy to usually find myself in a facilitator's position, where I would help guide the group in making decisions and staying on track. I also liked to contribute my own ideas while helping to keep the group's discussion relevant, and I feel that both of these skills are important to the processes of a group. To me, having a good group process means for the members to be able to work together productively and hopefully enjoy the work that they are involved in. Additionally, cooperation, the ability to compromise, and openness in discussion among the members of the group are important for a good group process.
What do you think difference between leadership and facilitation is?
Having worked in a nonprofit organization that provided leadership development education last summer, I have been exposed to many types of leadership and facilitation techniques. Generally, I believe that a facilitator's job is to keep the group on topic, organize thoughts of the members in a visual way for the benefit of the group, and keep discussion orderly. Additionally, the facilitator helps the group members brainstorm but, from my understanding, doesn't necessarily contribute his/her own ideas in the process. On the other hand, the leader of the group (unspoken or otherwise) generally starts off discussion, makes executive decisions on behalf of the group if the group is at a standstill, represents the group in presentations and other meetings, contributes many of his/her ideas, and could be one of the most respected members within the group. That being said, both are necessary in a successful group but are quite different in roles.
To you, what is a "concerned global citizen"?
A "concerned global citizen" could be one who doesn't necessarily keep up with the news all over the world as the title may suggest, but instead, focuses his/her energies on the sustainability of the Earth, both in terms of physical/environmental resources and human resources. For example, one could be involved in anything from lobbying for a measure to preserve South American rainforests to working as an educator to prevent the spread of AIDS and other diseases in Africa and Asia to even joining a grassroots campaign to urge voters in a small community to vote for a measure that would give an underrepresented group of people more rights and freedoms.
What is your view of "human rights"?
I feel that "human rights" could be defined as basic rights that all humans are afforded. These "basic rights" seem to differ from society to society. In my opinion, "human rights" is a very abstract concept and could take on many societal and even political meanings. However, I feel that the absolute most basic of rights include the right to live, the right to freedom from slavery and oppression, and the right to pursue happiness without infringing on others' basic human rights.
What is your worldview? How does the world work? How do things happen?
At this point in my life, I don't think that I have developed a complete understanding of the world and a worldview of my own. From ruminating over this question for the past few days, I still haven't come to any true conclusion. But put simply, I believe that the human world is interconnected and functions due to interpersonal relationships. Nothing can happen in the world without these relationships, regardless of the magnitude (whether the relationships stretch from one continent to another via two acquaintances or between a mother and her child). I believe that people are intrinsically social, and without these relationships, nothing could ever be accomplished. I also believe that our lives as humans are short, and we should all try to live our lives to the fullest and help others live their lives to the fullest because we each individually only have one life to live.
How does this worldview inform the decisions you make?
I feel that my current worldview does not necessarily inform all of the decisions I make; by that I mean that my worldview does not cause me to try to meet and get to know or make an effort to know every person that I possibly could. But my worldview does cause me to understand that I can't do everything alone and that I must rely on other people and have them rely on me in order to accomplish something. On a broader level, my worldview moves me to try my best to be nice to people that I meet -- not for the sake of using a relationship with someone that I meet for my own benefit, but instead, for the simple sake of understanding that humans' lives are short, and we don't have the time to be anything but nice to each other. Of course, throughout history, not many people seem to share this worldview, and this worldview certainly isn't the easiest to put into practice, but I feel like it is the most pragmatic and optimistic way to view the world and our individual lives.
So, those questions really did make me think. And I apologize for sounding so naively optimistic and happy in my paragraph about my worldview. That's what SESP did to me, I think.
Tuesday, August 17
10:21 AM - Depart Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
11:26 AM - Arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (ATL)
1:00 PM - Depart ATL
Wednesday, August 18
4:20 PM - Arrive at Seoul Incheon International Airport (ICN) (YESSSS.)
5:40 PM - Depart ICN
9:10 PM - Arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK)
Total duration: 23 hours, 49 min. Distance: 9581 miles
Guys, guys. I don't think you understand how excited I am! I can't sleep! I suppose I'll just start working on my 150 pages of reading. Yeah, I know.. I have homework even before I get there.
So I'm hoping to meet up with some Thai Club people from NU on Thursday and then meet with my aunt and possibly grandmother on Friday sometime, depending on what the program directors decide to make us do. On Saturday, we're traveling to Loei province for some orientation activities. But yeah, apparently I won't have constant internet access throughout my study abroad experience. But I'll definitely try to keep you all as updated as I can! Thanks again to all of you who have been reading so far! Wish me luck on my nearly 24 hour plane ride!
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