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October
2003
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BRIDGING WORLDS: A STUDENT'S VIEW
Stacey Lang, UCSB Senior and Jagriti International Executive Assistant
I looked in the rearview mirror while
I was switching lanes and I had to smile at what else I saw
through the mirror besides the traffic. In my car I had two
women from India, one from Nepal, and Lisa - another work-study
student from America. The women were wearing the traditional
dress of their countries and the designs on the silk were amazing.
The colors of their outfits were radiant and it was an interesting
contrast to Lisa's and my typical American clothing. We were
all laughing together and talking comfortably, intrigued by
what we could learn from eachother. For me, that moment was
the essence of what Bridging Worlds is about. The five us come
from such different backgrounds, countries, and cultures but
that did not hinder us from forming friendships and learning
about eachother. It does not matter how different our dress,
societies, or cultures are - all that mattered was that we were
women with a common interest in making this world a better place
and that made us all immediate comrades.
During the day I listened to how different their lives and countries
are from America and I learned about the many challenges that
they face. I have read about the differences in books, learned
about it in global courses at my university; however, meeting
women who struggle against adversity and work towards equality
makes the struggle more personal. Their determination is depicted
through their work in their countries and also through their
courage to come to a country that is inherently different from
their own. It was particularly interesting for me to hear stories
of their lives and watch them experience American things. I
loved watching them at Farmers Market looking at all the different
fruits, vegetables, and flowers or at dinner when they sprinkled
chili peppers on their food because they find ours bland. Little
moments like that filled the day while they were learning about
America and I learned so much from them about Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Nepal and India.
Meeting these women reinforced how important it is to facilitate
cultural interactions and work on "bridging worlds." It was
so motivating to see how these women are working so hard and
selflessly to empower women and improve the lives of others
in their countries. They are true leaders and I have no doubt
they will do many great things. They will influence and impress
every person they meet while in America and they will share
what they learned here in their own countries - that is building
bridges and bridging worlds. It was such an amazing experience
to meet all of them and it was an honor to meet such passionate
women who are working towards making a difference in the world.
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only
thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)
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