Being part of global community

Indeed, time flies so fast! It feels like I was submitting our study permit applications just yesterday! Now I am graduating in just two months. These two years were very exciting! So many places have been explored, many friends have been made, many life-long lessons have been learnt. The experience gained in Canada is truly priceless.

Every international student would agree that moving to a new country is not easy. But they would also be grateful for the lessons and experiences that made them who they are now. In the beginning, my brother and I were often impressed by how things work here. Some of them are unspoken laws people follow, some are the results of deep thinking and consideration for the common good. Thanking a bus driver, holding a door, enhanced garbage recycling system, ramps and door buttons on every entrance, traffic lights with sound, washrooms in camping areas, needle disposals in public places, emergency blue buttons on campus, uncompromised yielding to police/ambulance/firetrucks and etc. These all show that people care for each other and the environment.

Sometimes it feels like Canada is a hub of the world where many different nationalities, cultures and people were brought together to live and work in peace and harmony for the greatness of the community. I think the global citizen concept is what allows people to prosper. Being an open-minded, respectful and active member of the community are the key values of global citizenship. It’s not a state of mind but a constant work on yourself. Today many people are self-centered and focused only on benefiting themselves. Very often, it comes with a sacrifice of the common good. However, this does not work in the long term. The world is facing many global challenges now, and global citizenship is the tool to “fix” them.

The way I see the world has truly changed in these two years. My mind is now always open to new ideas and perspectives. I see a huge value and meaning in active community engagement. Recently we just finished our Grocery Shuttle bus project on campus to help students with food insecurity. Many people found the service very helpful. It feels great helping people through meaningful work. Therefore, moving towards the end of my studies, I am going to use my experience gained in Canada to continue contributing to the well being of the global community.