Reflection on Pre-Soliya

1. What I have learned intellectually from this course is actually important. First of all, the format of the class and the way it is organized helped me think of education in another way. The ease of discussion and how friendly it is helped me think more deeply about many things. I learned a lot about communication skills and how to assess based on scientific arguments. I learned how healthy communication should be and how to deal with people who do not follow the rules of a healthy relationship. As a student, I encountered these students who seem not very good at first, but they turn out to be bad in the end. I learned from the four I’s of oppression, how to see the bias these people have. I also learned about topic like microaggressions and how to avoid generalization bias. Some articles were very interesting like to learn about topics like depression and autism. I also came to understand terms like the victim identification bias, what is internal, institutional, ideological, interpersonal. Learning about biases was a very important thing and how to act. You should also focus on your connections and do not let negative thoughts spread into your mind because this will impact you in a bad way.
2. What I learned about myself includes many things like more self-awareness, being more empathetic, asking more and trying harder. I recognized the importance of self-reflection and to take your time to deal with your own problems, the value of self-esteem and that you should always stay away from negative people. These people ruin everything. I am also more aware of my connections and the importance to keep safe and healthy relationships.
3. I learned that interactions with others need a lot of understanding and empathy. You should feel the other who is different from you and try your best to build a healthy connection with him. With Soliya program, becoming a global citizen is easier than before. A global citizen is someone who wants to know more about the world and how to work your way out in different places and with different cultures. My Soliya experience will help improve my communication skills and the ability to learn about new cultures and new people thus enhancing mutual understanding and expand me knowledge. I would like my Soliya experience to help me become a better global citizen by teaching me to understand different perspectives, respect cultural differences, and approach disagreements with empathy and an open mind. I hope to challenge my own assumptions and recognize that people’s beliefs and experiences are shaped by their backgrounds.
4. My anticipation is that conversations related to Palestine or current war between Iran and the Middle East will evoke strong emotions and varying opinions and views as the issue touches upon individuals’ identity, experience, and safety. Should I have control over the conversation, I would try to facilitate such an atmosphere in which all people will be able to express their views, to hear what the other party has to say and ask questions without being intimidated. It is necessary to concentrate on gaining mutual understanding instead of winning an argument with awareness of human casualties during wars. Assistance from the facilitator will be needed to deal with this matter.

Thank you,