During the three weeks that we had for Soliya, I was lucky to have a very fun group to spend the sessions with. In the beginning, it was a bit intimidating trying to participate since everyone was still trying to figure out how these classes work. It also took us quite a bit of time to get used to the idea of having open discussions when we didn’t really know each other. However, after our facilitator gave us a bit of free rein to get to know each other at the end of one of our sessions it was very obvious that  we got a lot more comfortable around each other. The entire experience was unlike anything I have ever done before, it was a unique opportunity that allowed us to discuss so many different topics while listening to perspectives of people from all around the world who grew up with very different backgrounds. The facilitator did an amazing job leading the conversations and making sure we do not stray off topic, she also did a good job in getting us all comfortable enough so that we were always engaged in the conversation and wanting to participate without putting too much pressure on us. The activities we played were really enjoyable and made us really think about what the program was aiming to teach us. Before joining Soliya, I used to make unconscious pre-judgments about people and draw conclusions too quickly just because they might have a different point of view regarding a certain topic. Soliya made me realize this fact about myself within our discussions, and it taught me to truly listen to what another person is saying and try to understand their perspective with an open mind before drawing any conclusions. We also discussed our identities and what we believe shapes our identity. This discussion lead to another conversation about the difference between our online and our in-person identities. These topics made me realize how our online presence does not fully represent our identities. The entire experience taught me a lot about different cultures and how to find common interests and lead discussions with different types of people. I am very grateful I had this opportunity to be involved in this experience.