I. Intellectual learning

Throughout this course, I have learned and developed a greater understanding of many concepts such as Identity, hybridity, bias, othering and equity. One of the most informative and eye-opening materials was “The Danger of a Single Story” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In her Ted Talk she emphasizes how when we are exposed repeatedly to the same narrative, we start to view people differently and build stereotypes. She uses the example of her American roommate who had a perception that people living in Africa were living through poverty and terrible conditions. Moreover, she highlighted that even though stereotypes might be true, they aren’t the full story of someone’s lives. I learned through her video to be cautious when listening to the stories of others and to try to make sure that I don’t reduce their story to a stereotype diminishing from their worth as individuals. She also touched on the topic of identity and how she was affected by literature; growing up she read American books which didn’t relate to her background in Nigeria and when she grew up she began writing stories which discussed the American life instead of her own perspectives as a Nigerian.

Another Highly influential and heartbreaking material we discussed was the article War in Translation: Giving Voice to the Women of Syria by Lina Mounzer. Throughout her article she discussed her work as a translator as well as her experience being a war victim in Syria. She explained the complexity of trying to share emotional experiences across cultures without altering the meaning. I learned through her article the true meaning of hybridity. I could feel her push and pull between Arabic and English and how it affected her identity. I also learned through her vivid descriptions to feel sympathy for war victims and their families.

The fieldtrip where we went to AUC’s Tahrir campus and met with international students studying Arabic was like nothing I’ve experienced before. We got to discuss Egyptian proverbs, the meanings of our names and personal stories. I realized that there are more similarities across cultures than I had imagined. There were two students that my group was discussing with, one student from USA and the other from Poland. We found that there are proverbs in Poland and the US similar to the ones we grew up hearing in Egypt. I could feel the hybridity because we were all speaking the same language (Arabic) even though we all came from different places. This experience has taught me to be more aware about any biases I might have towards foreigners in Egypt and to set aside stereotypes and to actually listen to their experiences before I build a judgement.

The Empathy toy involved trying to describe a Lego structure blindfolded to a partner who tried to build it blindfolded as well. I learned thought this experience that it is very difficult to try to understand the point of view of others without being in their situation. Previously, I have had pity towards visually impaired individuals however after standing in their shoes for a couple of minutes I gained much more empathy. It taught me that I may been biased and assumed that something that someone’s going through is not that tough even though it is. I learned that the only way to truly understand someone’s struggles is to be placed in the same situation.

I still have many questions such as How can we teach people to look past stereotypes? And how can we become more aware of our biases? I believe that Soliya will help understand reflect more on these questions. Through discussions with people from various cultures, I hope to gather different perspectives.

The Danger of a Single Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

War in Translation: Giving Voice to the Women of Syria https://lithub.com/war-in-translation-giving-voice-to-the-women-of-syria/

II. Intrapersonal learning

Throughout this course I have learned a lot about myself and the way I view the world, specifically through the alternative CV assignment, by creating an Ikigai and taking a personality test. The alternative CV was really influential as it got me to really focus on what aspects of my personality and hobbies I truly love and am proud of. Instead of a regular CV where academic activities and grades were the main focus I got to zero in on the aspects which make me, me.

The Ikigai helped me reflect on what I enjoy, what I am good at, what I could get paid for and what gives my life meaning. When I began looking at the intersections between these aspects, I was able to identify potential career paths which align with me and my life goals. The personality test also gave me insights into my strengths and weaknesses and helped me understand how others could be possibly viewing me.

I still have questions about how much of my identity is shaped by my environment versus my own choices. I expect my identity will influence my Soliya experience in how I communicate and interpret others. I hope to use this experience to gain new perspectives, and better understand myself through interaction with people from different backgrounds, comparing and contrasting their identities with mine.

III. Interpersonal learning

During this course I have learned that interacting with people who are different from me, whether culturally, personality wise or something else, involves listening with an open mind to their experience. The empathy toy and the trip to AUC tahrir taught me to be a better “global citizen” who is able to interact with people of different cultures and tries to understand their points of view.

I also learned how bias and microaggressions can jeopardize my interactions with others and result in miscommunication. As a result, I am more cautious now about how I communicate with others making sure I don’t allow assumptions I have get in the way. Soliya would act as a great first-hand experience which would teach me to interact with a culturally diverse group.

IV. Middle East Conflicts

If topics such as Middle East conflicts come up in Soliya I believe that the conversation could escalate in the wrong direction. A lot of people feel that their identities are connected to these conflicts especially if they have lived through them or similar conflicts.

If I were to direct the discussion I would try to make a respectful environment, setting ground rules and encouraging participants to share their perspectives. This can prevent the discussion from transforming into a debate with participants dividing into groups and attacking each other.

I would probably need Soliya to provide the group with a trained instructor who would have authority over the conversation and direct it as needed to ensure all participants get time to share their opinions in a safe space.

I would use this experience to practice empathy, listening to others with opposing views and sharing my opinions respectfully where they fit.