This semester has expanded my perspectives in many ways. Through class discussions, videos, TED Talks, and readings, I’ve gained new insights that have changed how I view myself and others and i think of many more aspects about each topic than i did before.

1.One of the things i learned from Mays Emad, is to be more self aware, especially when it comes to my flaws, and how i tackle my problems on a daily basis. another thing is the discussions we  have in class really make me think differently about other people and their problems, like when we talked about oppression, for one, i was not aware that there are 4 types of oppression (that video we saw was eye opening)that are so different from one another, particularly the internalized oppression because it made me think if i am doing it to myself. Regarding the activities, i remember sucrose made me think much more about my mental health than i did before, some of the things i talked about with my group were deep, which also improved my sharing skills, where as before i used humour to escape from reality and forget my problems, and just the activities in the beginning of each class really wake you up in the morning. another is the privilege walk, my character was poor and had a hard life which made me grateful for what i have now. As for soliya i still didn’t ;earn much but i look forward to the next sessions and their topics, our instructor Tyler did a great job.

2.So far, I’ve learned that my identity, shaped by my Egyptian, and Muslim roots, deeply influences how I view the world, especially around topics like empathy, fairness, and cultural differences. I still wonder how much I express of myself in diverse settings and how others perceive me. In the Soliya experience, I expect that my open mindedness  guide my interactions, but i’m also excited about facing challenges as I engage with people from different cultures. This experience will help me better understand how my identity shapes people and their opinions, in my soliya we have a good diversity and people from mostly Arab countries but we have a French male, and 2 American females, one of which is originally Mexican, which would opem my eeys to new opinions and hopefully learn more.

3.i’ve learned that in terns of interactions i have to listen to others well while keeping an open mind to cultural differences and respecting opinions, i’m still trying to avoid assumptions and stereotypes or biases and become a better global citizen.

4.If the issue of Palestine came up in Soliya, I expect it could be a sensitive topic with strong opinions on all sides. Given my background and personal connection to the topic, I’d want to approach it with respect, listening to others’ views while sharing my own in a calm and thoughtful way. If I were able to direct the discussion, I’d focus on understanding and empathy, helping everyone express their perspectives without judgment. I’d also want to ensure that the conversation stays respectful and without hostility, since as Arabs or Aucians more specifically we are well read and educated so we know the history of this and are affected by it i hope to not have to deal with ignorance regarding this matter and also we have a Palestinian girl in out Soliya so that’s gonna be extremely tough for her listening to bad comments and i hope this doesn’t happen.