Throughout this course, I’ve learned a lot about important topics like identity, bias, othering, equity, oppression, and empathy. What stood out to me the most is how these things affect us more on a subconscious level than we realize. They shape how we think, how we treat people, and how we react to different situations—often without us even noticing. A lot of these issues are built into our societies and passed down through generations.In Egypt, for example, bias is something we see often, especially when it comes to gender. We live in a male-dominated culture where men tend to have a louder, more respected voice than women. This has made a lot of women feel like they can’t speak up—but thankfully, that’s starting to change. More and more women are finding their voice. Equity is also improving as our society modernizes, and it feels like opportunities are becoming more equal between men and women compared to before.

One article that really made me think was “How African is Northern Africa?”. I learned that identity isn’t just about where you’re from geographically—it’s also shaped by history, race, and politics. A lot of people in North Africa feel disconnected from the rest of the continent because of cultural and colonial influences, and that made me reflect on how complex identity can be. From the “War in Translation” article, I learned how powerful it is to give voice to people—especially women—who have lived through war. It made me realize how much strength there is in sharing stories, and how empathy can come from truly listening.The Facing History video on bias also helped me understand that bias isn’t always intentional. A lot of times, it’s something we’re not even aware of. But it’s still our job to recognize it and try to do better—whether that’s in how we treat people or how we create more inclusive spaces around us.Lastly, playing the domestic abuse game really opened my eyes. It showed me that abuse isn’t always physical—sometimes it’s emotional or psychological, and just as harmful. It helped me understand how power dynamics and social expectations can keep someone stuck in a toxic relationship without them even realizing it.

All of these experiences have made me more curious about how these issues show up in different parts of the world. As we start the Soliya experience, I’m really looking forward to hearing people’s stories, learning about their backgrounds, and seeing whether they face similar problems—like gender inequality, stereotypes, or bias—in their own societies. I think it’ll be a great chance to grow, share, and understand the world through different perspectives.

2.

 I discovered that I personally don’t make quick judgements about people based solely on appearances after watching the videos we watch throughout the semester, playing the narrative games, and reading a few articles. I always wait to hear someone’s story before making any judgements about them, basically not judging a book by its cover cause everyone has different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and faiths.There is always kindness in people and everywhere, even if it is only 1%, thus I believe I know myself to be kind-hearted despite the harshness of the world. However, I continue to ask myself, “How real am I when I interact with people who are completely different from me, from completely different cultures, and maybe from characteristics like skin colour, accent, or mindset?” Am I attempting to be kind, or am I afraid of being judged? All I know, though, is that I’m trying to be kind. I believe I could use the Soliya experience to learn more about people from other cultures and find out if I’m the only one who has these questions. Additionally, I enjoy interacting with strangers because I used to do this frequently at tournaments, so I believe I am accustomed to it. I enjoy learning about other people’s perspectives and behaviour because it helps me deal with problems in the future with greater understanding.

3.

As I previously mentioned, I am used to interacting with strangers, so this really helped me learn how to be patient with them. We never know what the other person is going through, even if he isn’t saying anything. Additionally, I’m working to improve my listening skills since I believe that this is a valuable quality to have and even a blessing because it has made it easier for me to understand and avoid making snap judgements. Interacting with people from other backgrounds also taught me to be more respectful because everyone has different perspectives and because everyone was raised differently and holds different beliefs. Since I will be able to converse with individuals outside of the tennis son milieu that I was accustomed to, I believe that Soliya will help me become a better global citizen. I believe I will learn a lot because I will have the opportunity to discuss a wide range of subjects, including some delicate ones and ones about which I am completely ignorant.

4.

I believe I would have the courage to speak up if a delicate subject, like the Palestine issue, came up in any conversation in Solya. I know that I have the right to speak and that I am on the right side of the debate, but I will listen carefully and respectfully so as not to offend anyone. I have learnt to accept that people have different opinions, but that doesn’t stop me from speaking up and even providing evidence if I’m not hurting anyone and try to persuade them to agree with me in a polite and respectful manner. As a type of support, I would like many of my supporters to speak up and help me persuade others who aren’t convinced because we are stronger when we come together politely and in a decent manner.

• I used AI to enhance my sentence structure and grammar but all the ideas and work are mine.