Globally Aware Draft - Jeffrey Lee

1. I define globally aware as being able to understand the perspectives of others. This

doesn't necessarily mean having knowledge of the cultures of people’s different races and

nationalities, I believe that true global awareness comes in the form of meaningful

connection with others through conversation, knowledge, and empathy. A big part of

being globally aware is being patient and open to new ideas, as this makes the

connections and bonds with others much easier to form.

2. My globe is fairly large in scope, and I have a high degree of confidence in my ability to

talk and connect with people from different perspectives. My knowledge of other cultures

is not extremely high, however, my ability to empathize with others constantly helps me

gain new knowledge about the people around me. I have also been able to join clubs

where I was introduced to new perspectives and cultures, broadening my globe to more

foreign areas. There are definitely parts of the world that I don’t have knowledge of or

interact with, but I am not concerned about this, as I have plenty of time to extend the

scope of my global knowledge.

3. My family’s heritage is almost entirely South Korean, and this has a unique effect on my

global awareness and worldview. I have visited my mother’s side of the family numerous

times in South Korea, and I consistently have a fun and interesting experience living in

the cities of Seoul and Incheon for a few summer months. I am forced to interact with

other Korean residents, speak the language to the best of my ability, and participate in

some South Korean norms including taking the expansive bus system and eating food in

local shops around the neighborhood. I also take the opportunity to meet with relatives

and catch up on our lives, bonding over shared meals. These experiences give me a
 different global perspective from living in San Diego, as I’m temporarily able to put

myself into someone else’s shoes when talking to others who can relate to my Korean

heritage.

4. I believe that I have a responsibility to respect the opinions and beliefs of others, as well

as empathize with others’ perspectives when discussing global issues and ideas. By

opening up to all ideas and opinions, I prevent myself from being ignorant and closing

my perspective of the globe. The added positive effect of this behavior is also being able

to receive more information about the world through the ideas of others, and not having

to actively seek them out. I do have the urge to seek out information sometimes, and in

most cases, I rely on news outlets and my own family for global information and topics.

5. The most impactful learning that I have done about something outside of my own life and

scope is committing myself to view the CBS national news consistently throughout the

week. This has greatly helped me understand the national scope of politics, the

environment, community and local issues, and finally global events taking place outside

of America. This is one of the main ways that I can consistently improve my knowledge

outside of my San Diego lifestyle.