On the Ground: The Global Lives of Global Kids

Reflections from GK Leaders on their experiences around the world and close to home.

[globalkids]

This was my second time traveling with GK to a COP conference. This year was different from Cop25, in Spain, since there was a pavilion just for youth which was nice but in a sense segregating. It's like there's a kids table vs the adult table where we are yet not allowed into. During Cop25 there wasn't much youth voice but in Egypt, there are still too many closed doors to us, it truly isn't fair. Also it was an adventure trying to find most events because it was so much bigger this year which was so exciting. We shouldn't have youth panels if there isn't a diplomat listening in the room. As nice as it is to talk, who's really listening? COP27 isn't a waste of time because if we keep showing up it'll definitely make a difference, so we can't lose hope. There also needs to be clarification on what age is youth because entering some of these youth events, there were people who are 25. I don't think they know what a teenager is about to face or what they're possibly going through. When you're 21 or 22 you experience life differently by being in college so it's different perspectives.

We chased after John Kerry and watched him do his interview. It was fun!

My favorite part of the whole time in Egypt was sharing my opinion on the panel called partnership for sustainable development goals. I finally felt like I was being heard. There isn't enough hispanic representation or youth representation. It also allowed me to connect with other youth who feel the same way.

The weather in Egypt was so hot during the day, I wonder how hot is hell because this felt like it! I got to know Mohamed better and bonding with him was extremely fun! I got to learn a little bit of Arabic and I am truly nailing it. I am extremely inspired to take an Arabic class for college and studying abroad in the gulf coast. Riding on camels was an interesting experience, they are so tall and it is definitely not the same as riding a horse. Camels terrify me.

One skill that is truly important in Egypt was learning how to negotiate at the old market. The power of walking out is real guys. I got the price I was willing to pay afterwards.

-Yohany Menses from Union Square Academy

[globalkids]

COP27- Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

COP27  was full of people from all over the world  who are working on different initiatives to address climate change. We attended many sessions from organizations and every one of them is working on their own separate project that  they’re passionate about and that brings us one step closer to climate justice. 

For example, we attended a few sessions that had Indigenous people as its panelists, they were from different  countries like Brazil and Mexico. They presented some of the problems their communities faced due  to climate change, and spoke about  their rage due to lack of  equal treatment back home. They explained  that climate justice is social justice and demanded equality to be given to them .  if It was relevant to hear that from them, because  of their relationship f to nature  and  their   belief to give back to nature if they want  to take from it

Another interesting  session was titled  From the People to the Highest Court, one of the panelists managed to get 18 nations together to revise a resolution that they’re intending to present to the United Nations and then take it over to the International Court of Justice. That reminded me of the activity we did in the  Global Kids CFR Summer Institute where we practiced how UN meetings occur and the process of drafting resolutions and voting  for whether they should pass or not. 

In one of  the sessions that focused  on  supporting  women and youth, an Indian lawyer in the panel talked about how they are working to provide women in India and other countries with opportunities to learn about  climate change and  sustainable development . They also help with financing programs that have the  same  goal  in  order to help spread awareness about  climate change in as  many places and  to as  many people  as possible. 

Finally, in  one of my favorite sessions, the Partnership for the SDGs session,  Yohany spoke on the panel.  I  got  to talk to a scientist who does research  about sea acidification and  their work with legislators to create laws that are coherent with  the  plans  to  fix  or reduce the found acidifications. I talked with him about the abandoned Safer storage ship  that’s on the shores of Yemen and is threatened to  start  leaking its load  of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil at  any time. This connected the issue of climate justice to my own community back home in Yemen.  He gave me  his email address after  our  discussion and told me to email him with more details after.  He can talk to his colleagues that can  make a diagnosis of  the ship using radars to see how bad its erosion is so far and other details regarding the ship. That should be helpful to presenting this case when trying to gather donations to start the mission of offloading the barrels off the ship because of the more details we will have.  

Overall, the COP 27 was a promising  event and  hopefully successful. Many  of  the  sessions we attended were focused on ongoing projects from people and organizations that  have different fields of interest but are all aimed to bring Climate Justice to the people who’re affected by their field. There was an entire pavilion dedicated to youth and kids which was good but at the same time I thought it was insufficient. That pavilion was one out of so many, and you couldn’t notice it unless you’re looking for it. Moreover, it only had youth in its audience so it was not very useful because their messages weren’t reaching the people who were in charge and had real power to make change. But nonetheless, it was a great experience  attending COP and I learned a great deal that I didn’t know before. I’m hopeful about the effects some of the presented projects will have and I look forward to hearing about them. 

-Mohamed Ahuthaifi from International High School at Union Square

[globalkids]

Day 6 in Madrid.

Today was extremely eventful. Following the day after our last time visiting COP25 and still glowing from yesterday’s photoshoot fever, we all set out for Toledo with the intention of taking full advantage of the day. First, we hastily made our way to the bus station, taking the subway to our destination. There, we picked up some small snacks at a store nearby and found our way to our seats. Then, I immediately fell asleep. When I woke up, after about an hour and a half had passed, and we had arrived in Toledo. It was a beautiful city, with the most gorgeous buildings and structures that paid homage to older Spanish architecture and detailing. We waited a short amount of time for another public bus to bring us to our central goal: the Alcázar de Toledo. It was a stone fortification located at the highest point of Toledo, once used as a Roman palace in the 3rd century. After we had arrived, we roamed the vast expanse of the sprawling space, taking photo after photo of the massive building and drinking in the incredible landscape. In between, we took a break in a nearby children’s playground, where we took turns on the swing set and let our inner children explore the shiny plastic equipment.

Once we had our fill of the Alcázar and the playground we made our way further into Toledo to walk around the area and take in more of the sights. We visited the Museo del Ejército, where we immersed ourselves in the deeply Spain’s unique cultural background. The group strolled through its hallways, admiring age old paintings and incredible sculptures. Afterwards, we stopped in at another museum, the Museo National del Prado. There, we enjoyed the wide array of colorful artwork and took in crucial information about historical developments throughout Spain. Since a few of us had been campaigning for it since the start of the trip, we decided to eat lunch at a McDonalds nearby. It was mainly just to get the experience of eating at a fast food chain in another country/continent; half convenience, half experiment. The place was in this plaza-like area with outdoor seating and other restaurants/food places nearby. Inside of the McDonalds was extremely crowded and we struggled to find a seat, let alone enough for eight people, but I think everyone can agree that it was worth it.

Once we had finished our meal and taken some time to breathe, we took the scenic route back to the bus station where we would catch the bus headed back to Madrid. We passed by sprawling hillsides, lush, green valleys, sun dappled rooftops, and breathtaking buildings. Everything from the cobblestone roads to the endless alleyways piqued our interest, as we snapped photos and overflowed with admiration almost every step of the way. In our sea of beautiful distractions, we had narrowly missed our bus back. But, another one pulled in behind it very shortly after, so no serious harm was done. This time I did not fall asleep, I promise. Instead, myself alongside some of the rest of us sat at the very front to take in even more stunning scenery (and enjoy the extra leg room). The open valleys made up of butter yellow and grassy green seemed to stretch on for miles, frames by massive billboards against the backdrop of the retiring sun. When we made our way off of the bus upon arrival and through the Madrid subways, we dedicated a good amount of time to souvenir shopping and further exploring any last unturned corners of our little bit of Madrid. Carly had recommended an extremely popular restaurant that was known for their paella, so that was the end goal of the night. We walked with purpose in the direction of our destination, stopping every now and then for pictures, window shopping, and conversations. When we got to the restaurant, it was closed but would reopen at 8:30. So, to pass the time, we did some more walking. A few of us needed the restroom, so we revisited another restaurant where we had eaten a quick breakfast on the day of our NYU class some days prior for a break. I was hit with a smal wave of nostalgia at just how quickly the days had passed. I remembered how it had barely set in that I was really and truly in Spain, a completely new country and continent, just as we were gearing up to head back to the States. Eventually, we made our way back to the restaurant. Once we were seated at our dinner table, its surface draped in white tablecloth and fine silverware, our mouthwatering paella was ordered (shrimp/seafood over rice and chicken/meat over rice) and our respective drinks were poured into dewy, sweating glasses. We talked, laughed, completed our nightly card game meant to reflect on the day/trip, and took countless photos. There was a slightly somber energy surrounding it, with us knowing that it would be the end of our final full day in Madrid. Dinner was, without a doubt, incredible.

After our eventful day, we followed up with some last minute souvenir shopping. Everyone made sure to pick up any and all remaining gifts and knickknacks for the people back home awaiting our return. It was a little chaotic, with many of the shops that we wanted to visit being closed for the night, but we all managed to make it through with at least a few gems to get excited about. Admittedly, we were relieved to have finally washed our hands of brightly lit souvenir stores and 7 for 10€ deals on magnets. We dutifully dragged our tired bodies back home, aka our AirBnB. Though we were exhausted, we were still buzzing with nervous energy and excitement, knowing our time here would be coming to an end in just a few hours. So, myself, Xavier, and some of us set out to watch a movie for our final night. Pulling our blankets behind us from our beds to the couch, setting a bowl of salted sunflower seeds on the coffee table, and arranging the various throw pillows accordingly, we cozied up on the couch and queued up one of my all time favorites, Coraline, on Xavier’s laptop. Some of us, like Abdullah, had never seen it before and I was excited to see first reactions and carry out this final night with everyone else. Unfortunately, I felt myself dozing off embarrassingly shortly into the movie’s runtime, easily losing my fight with exhaustion. I remember myself debating if I should try harder to stay awake. On one hand, I had seen the movie before so what was the harm? On the other, this was my last night in Madrid; how could I possibly let myself sleep through it? Ultimately, sleep won above all else, regardless of my efforts. In the end, I remember myself thinking to myself, enveloped in that heavy, warm, and silent night, comforted by the eerie sweet soundtrack of the movie, I couldn’t imagine taking a trip like this anywhere else with anyone else.

-Esther Eboh from Bronxdale High School

[globalkids]

Day 4 in Madrid. Today was a pretty busy day. We did so much. We started by attending a New York University Politics and Climate Change class. This was an amazing opportunity to be able to attend. Not only because the class was on climate change, but as high schoolers we are allowed to be exposed to how it may be to study abroad in college. I take a philosophy course with NYU in New York, so I was used to the school’s overall feel but to be in Madrid in classes made my experience with this institution all the better. Unfortunately, the Politics and Climate Change class was on its last day of the course, so we weren’t able to see the professor in action. Nevertheless, the students were presenting on either specific countries or regions and how climate change as been affecting those areas. They used vocabulary such as “thesis” and “biomes” that we were able to add to our vernacular. Students had spoken about countries such as Greenland, Brazil, Russia, and China. We overall had a very good, insightful time at NYU Madrid and are deeply grateful to be given this opportunity. 

After the class and lunch, we headed to COP25 to see an event on youth empowerment that Greta Thunberg would be attending. She wasn’t able to attend COP25 today, but the event without her was still very empowering. Throughout the event, some GK members spoke on the lack of diversity in panels and the intersections among race and who is in the frontline of activist movements. This made a very interesting way of viewing these events and exhibits at this convention. While waiting for our next agenda, attending and speaking a side event, we were interviewed by a reporter from the BBC. During this interview, we were able to discuss our views, opinions, and critiques on the conference as well as the press following the event. After the interview, we took several cute photos and the Global Kids student representatives, Esther and Abdullah, became prepared to become speakers at this panel in the Moana Pavillion. 

Esther and Abdullah did very well while speaking. Not only did they speak at a good speed and volume, but they were also extremely clear about what they had to say and sounded extremely genuine while doing so. Esther had talked about stories of people on the coast of New York being affected by climate change. Also, Abdullah had talked about climate change in his motherland, Bangledesh, and how there needs to be a change. 

After the side event at the Moana Pavillion, we headed home. The majority of the group went back outside with Isa to have an adventure, around the neighborhood, and buy souvenirs. While doing so, we found a lot of interesting places we had never seen before. Also, Isa, Yohany, and I rode a local carousel and had a fun time. 

While the day was very long and busy, we had a grand time. It was definitely a night to remember. 

-Xavier Baptiste from Hudson High School of Learning Technologies 

[globalkids]

It is currently day 3 in Madrid. Today I must say it was the longest day of them all. We did benefit from all the side events and the press conference and some were quite interesting. For example the SCI ( solar cookers international) press conference caught my eye because solar cooking needs zero fuel since it depends on the sunlight, it also reduces deforestation which is extremely beneficial to the environment.  SCI is a nonprofit organization and I’m still so curious on where they get there funds and why they use Africa and Nepal so much when they aren’t the only countries who need saving. Then when we attended the Fridays for future event which consisted of all different people from Chile,Korea,Tasmania,Canada, and Nigeria. One country that stood out to me was Nigeria because lives are being lost due to cyclones, and heatwaves and we can’t wait 4-5 years we need to take action now! One last thing that a youth member from Canada had said was “There is no climate justice without indigenous justice” and for some reason that stuck to me because the way I see it is that indigenous people are the ones who go through and are more affected by it. Moving further into our day we had some gelato mine was dulce de leche flavored...pretty tasty. As we took our small break we met Licypriya Kangujam who won the World Children Peace Prize and I got the most personal conversation with her focusing on why she cares so much especially since she’s nine years old, her response was that back home in New Delhi, India there is smog which is surging air pollution and she has seen scary things going on in her country on TV which she said it makes her sad and want to cry so she wanted to do something even if she is a minor. When she told me this, I realized how passionate she was and it really does frustrate her so much that she wants to make a difference. She was honestly the highlight of my day. She got so comfortable with me that she began to do my hair and played games with me, in all she is just that inspiring bundle of joy we need because looking at youth like that makes me feel influenced and empowered. To top everything off we had dinner at Los Gayos next to our airbnb and it was pretty fancy, I say that because in Spain they have water in a big glass bottle. Our food was interesting because we all had something different I had fried squid and when I got my plate I saw this black paste and the entire time we were all wondering what it was and a few minutes pass by the waiter comes back and mentions it’s squid ink and most of us tasted it and it tasted very sour and salty but it was honestly funny seeing all of our facial expressions. I was extremely happy that the restaurant was next to the airbnb because we were lacking sleep so I’m glad we were able to get it. Anyways my day was long since I took in so much knowledge from the side events in Cop25 but it ended off great!

-Yohany Meneses from Union Square Academy for Health Sciences

[globalkids]

Asking questions at COP25 sessions

Day 2 in Madrid. Thanks to the dark, somber lighting and severe jet lag, we all woke up a little later than we should have. But we promptly got ready and headed out. We had breakfast nearby and made our way to COP25. After getting there, we registered, got our badges and headed inside. We had already decided on one of the side events and joined in. The event was introducing a Platform of Science-based Ocean Solutions. The people there talked about a platform which was started in Chile called PANORAMA. The panel talked about what kind of shape our oceans were in and some solutions that the platform came up with. Honestly, the side event was very vague and we didn’t get any solid solutions for the ocean pollution. After that we went to have lunch. We were to go to another side event by Peaceboat. But we had time left over so we were walking around the COP25 place and taking pictures. We got our free metro cards and free COP25 water bottles. Soon it was time for the second side event. Peaceboat brought some Chinese speakers who spoke about China’s role in adopting renewable energy sources for the Belt and Road Initiative. What stood out to me from their presentation was the plan of afforesting deserts by placing photovoltaic solar panels with a built in irrigation system. The irrigation system would make it possible to grow plants in the desert. China planned to do that in multiple deserts across Asia. But what was more interesting was a Tibetan woman who raised a point saying that China built roads in Tibet to supposedly help them but in the end Chinese trucks eventually started invading Tibet and monopolizing the trade routes. She raised a question in everyone’s mind that what would happen if China became too powerful after this initiative. I asked a question about how these plans could be expanded outside the Belt and Road Initiative and who they thought would spearhead this. They replied that they believe that China’s in first place in renewable energy research and most likely they would go through with renewable energy. Immediately after we left we fell into and argument about if afforesting the deserts would be a good idea. Saheedah and Xavier believed that afforesting the deserts would mess with the ecosystem of the area. I believed that it would be an added bonus to the renewable energy from the solar farm. We argued and debated and we finally came to a compromise---that having food crops in the desert would be good but not to graze domestic animals there. After all that, we made our way back to the apartment. We decided to cook dinner tonight so we went grocery shopping and whipped up some spaghetti and salad. I started writing this while everyone was cooking and finished after dinner. That was my day today and it was just AWESOME!

- Abdullah Mazumder from William C. Bryant High School

[globalkids]

Global Kids Youth Leaders land in Madrid

Today, December 2nd, has been a whirlwind of multiple activities throughout the day. Today was when we touched down in Spain! After we landed in Spain, we went to where we are staying at the Plaza Mayor in the neighborhood of Sol. Sol is a beautiful place, it was like a mini times square. Throughout the day, we tried and tasted so many foods. For example we went to VIPS, where I tried raw salmon for the first time. It tasted weird honestly. However I did get an opportunity to try something new. Then later on for dinner we walked through the Plaza Mayor and El Sol where we went to Rosi La Loca. In the restaurant we tried Tapas which consisted of meat and seafood. Then for dessert we went to eat churros dipped in hot chocolate which was a perfect combination for the cold weather. Therefore throughout the day I experience different types of food through Spain’s culture. I will never forget this experience.

-- Emily Amachee from John Adams High School

[globalkids]

Challenging Stereotypes in Japan

Choosing photos that better represent their communities

Yesterday, we visited Futuba Mirai High School which proved to be an amazing experience. Together we performed a workshop which was focused on demonstrating the way biases are presented by the media. Many of our neighborhoods have been affected by negative perceptions which will lead to the creating of judgmental labels. Learning about what we see in media about where we live compared to what we see with own eyes, showed me that not all information in the media is accurate. Therefore, we set a goal to instead take pictures of how we truly see our neighborhood and post them to give a more accurate representation. In the main activity of the workshop, we all chose a photo that stood out to us that demonstrated a positive perspective. Together we shared our thoughts and comments revealing how we can truly change the way media presents information to the public. Spending time and interacting with the students was an experience to remember.

⎯ Reflection by GK Leader Khalil Lovick from High School for Medical Professions

[globalkids]

Remembrances and Memorial

Learning about the devastation from the tsunami and earthquake in Onawaga

Since coming to Japan I've visited many places that were affected by the tsunami and now I know the devastation caused by the tsunami. Half of Onawaga was gone.  We visited an elementary school where we learned that so many kids lost their lives because they couldn’t escape. It was heart-breaking. I can’t imagine how the parents who lost their kids coped.  I have a little brother in elementary school and I can’t imagine if that happened to him.  The emotions I would feel if that happened would be overwhelming as I wouldn’t know what I would do without him. However, the fact they left the remains of the school standing in memory of the children is so brave.  Toshiro Sensei lost his daughter in the storm and never wanted her memory to be erased, so he convinced the community to keep the school grounds as a memorial.  I deeply respect and admire his bravery for being able to help keep their memories alive. I could only wish that event like this will never happen again. The future will be a better and safer place. My condolences to all the families who their loved ones.

⎯ Reflection by Amy Mbodj, formerly from High School for Medical Professions in Brooklyn, but moved to Detroit in fall 2017

[globalkids]

First Day in Japan

GK Leaders in the “minka” in Fukushima

Today’s my first full day here in Japan, I learned about Fukushima and how many of its people want to re-build their community.   I was captivated by a traditional Japanese house, a minka, and I felt that really had a positive impact on the community.  It was such a unique house and I felt an instant connection to it, I felt right at home. The co-owners of the minka told us stories and neither of them mentioned giving up on their community despite the struggles they’ve endured since the tsunami and earthquake.  I learned that no matter how hard fear hits you, there is always space for healing and growing. Fukushima is such a beautiful place, but at the same time I saw the scars from the natural disasters on its buildings. Seeing all the abandoned houses made me wish that I had all the money in the world to speed up the process of clearing out contaminated zones. Looking at the damage and seeing that the the people of such a beautiful place was hit so hard by natural disasters all at once made me sad. I wanted to use to describe the feelings I have about Fukushima, “Visions that are blurry to one, could be clear to the other.”

⎯ Reflection by GK Leader Ousmane Diallo from Transit Tech High School in Brooklyn

[globalkids]

Tsunami Stories and Human Centered Design: My Journey Creating a Geo-Locative Game in Tohoku

Global Kids students hearing stories from survivors of the tsunami in Japan

Throughout the trip in Japan the experience has been fantastic, from the culture, ecology of the region, and even the food. But the most powerful part of the trip so far has been visiting the coastal towns of Onagawa and Ishinomaki in Tohoku. Listening to the stories of those who have suffered from the tsunami, and making a game that can possibly save lives should another tsunami occur is both terrifying and stressful but deeply rewarding. 

The geo-locative game that I am making with Global Kids in Japan will be a fun game that young people can play while at the same time memorizing a route to safety when an earthquake causes a tsunami.

One story that influenced me to make sure the game is successful is that of Toshiro Sensei. His tragic story of losing his young daughter when the tsunami of 2011 hit her elementary school was depressing and left me feeling angry, but also inspired me to help. Toshiro told us how the teachers failed to take the students up the mountain that was right next to their school and instead ran to the road landing them in the worst position possible, head on with the terrible wave. Because of this fatal error, 74 elementary school students and 10 teachers died. That influenced me greatly as it solidified my devotion to make sure the story is both entertaining, educational, and that It especially ingrains Toshiro’s message of making sure no one loses their life to a tsunami because of taking a bad route that could have been avoided. Of all the stories I’ve heard that have brought tears to my eyes, Toshiro’s spreads a strong message and I hope that the player’s life is guided to safety during the tsunami as it will be in the game. My goal as a game designer is to guarantee that players know what happened behind the beauty of Tohoku and to assure that their lives are safe in the future.

--Reflection by Victor Salinas, 15 year old Global Kids Leader and Curtis High School student

[globalkids]

Feeling at Home in Japan

GK Leaders Umamah and Sabeha with their homestay family

Tokyo is a big, bustling city, much like New York, but clean, VERY clean, which of course is amazing but trash cans are rare, so I’ve found that I have to carry my garbage. Everyone is conscious of others, so it is rare to find someone practicing small bad habits like littering.

Japan is not only clean, but I noticed that the Japanese have an eye for detail that makes a huge difference. For example, to prevent major flooding there are little holes in the concrete sidewalks for water to flush through into the sewage. On some streets mist is sprayed to keep pedestrians cool. Small ideas like those make everyone’s day a little better.

After a week of getting to know the other Global Kids and the B-Lab students, we spent a weekend with a Japanese family. We were all excited to meet our families.  I missed a family atmosphere, and it was a nice time to slow down our pace. My partner was Sabeha, and our family had a total of five in their household. The mother, father and three sons (ages 10, nine, and one). The first night was a little awkward because we were still getting used to each other. The mother spoke English well, so most of the time we spoke to her. 

GK Leaders Umamah and Sabeha meeting with B-Lab students in Japan

On our first day, they took us to their grandparents’ home. We tied on kimonos, and since the grand father's hobby was photography we went to the park and took pictures. Then we went to two different festivals and museums. As the day progressed, so did our relationship with the family. By the end of that day we were playing games with the kids and dancing with the grandparents. The family took us in and in one day made us their own. I was homesick during some points throughout the week, but the homestay made me feel at home. I got to understand the culture and practice my Japanese too.

Before I got to Japan, I expected many stares from people on the street because of my hijab, and I was worried about how my host family would perceive me-- would they be afraid or would they be closed off to me the entire time? Thankfully my host family was nothing like that. They were open to me and wanted to learn more about who I was as a person.

The mother told us it was a treat for them to spend time with us because they never met person who is Muslim before, so it was much like a cultural exchange for them as well.  She would ask us about how we pray and what kind of clothing is popular in our culture. I felt accepted in a home parallel to mine.

It was amazing because they were learning from us and we were learning from them. I will always remember them and their hospitality, it just goes to show that anyone can become your family.

--Reflection by Umamah Masum, Global Kids Leader and incoming Curtis High School senior

[globalkids]

Adjusting to a New Culture:  First Days in Japan

I’ve only been in Japan for two days, but I’m already gaining some insights into their culture.  When I saw that people line up to get on the train, I understood that Japanese people are respectful of others around them, something I don't often see in New York. 

The food in Japan is also very different than what I’m used to.  I haven't really tried the Japanese food yet, but I will. Food is important to culture because it reflects our backgrounds. When I don’t have my Spanish food in front of my face, I feel out of place, and because of that, I'm reluctant to try new foods.  I’m going to change that on this trip.

I've learned about how to pay respect at Japanese Buddhist temples.  Before entering the temple, it is customary to wash one’s hands and rinse one’s mouth. In New York, as a Catholic, I usually make the sign of the cross when I enter a church.

Washing hands before entering a Japanese temple

The Japanese way of living is different, but I’m observing some similarities. The streets of Japan remind me of the streets of New York. The packed train cars remind me of New York. 

The people here are so respectful and willing to help that it opens up my eyes to see there are other people in the world that are nice and love to accommodate others, even if they don't speak their language.

Trying new things is a part of experience.  If you don't like it then maybe a different meal will suit you, but always try something new.

When we left New York, my mindset was “try everything because this is a once in a lifetime experience and I'm fortunate enough to be traveling to Japan at my age.” Trying everything means I get to deeply experience their culture for two weeks, and that's amazing.

--Reflection by Kiralee Contreras, Global Kids Leader and 11th grader at Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists

[globalkids]

Coming Home:  A Reflection

Joyful D’Nae

Where do I begin?

Looking back at the entire Peace Boat experience, there is so much that comes to mind: the scenery, the people, the lessons, the connections, and so much more. It was so jam packed, but I must say I wouldn't have had it any other way!

I learned so much during the trip, I do not even know where to start. There was the Kuna indigenous community homestay where we got to meet other young people and paint a mural. There was the exchange with students from the RET (Nationwide Results in Colombia), Colombian youth refugees living in Panama who are trying to make a safer environment for themselves and their community. There was the Japanese Cultural Exchange on the ship where we got to do so many things like trying on a kimono, which a lady was generous enough to give me as a gift. There was hanging out with the members of the Venezuelan Youth Orchestra where I got to be an English teacher. There was the meeting with the Communication Coordinators, translators on the ship, who came from all over the world. There were workshops about intercultural communication with Dr. Daniel Yalowitz, the former Dean of the Graduate Institute at the School of International Training that helped us be more connected to each other. And that's only just a few of the things we did.

I might say I was surprised by how the Peace Boat was able to incorporate us into their community.  We had our own translators, and they had some American foods.  They were so considerate with us since we did not know Japanese, although we tried. On my last day on the Peace Boat during lunch, one man taught me and my friends numerous Japanese words, much more than I learned the whole boat ride!  I wish I had met him earlier!

I cannot fully explain in words how much this journey has changed me. I have been able to travel to three countries, sail on the Peace Boat, and meet amazing people from all over the world!

D’Nae wearing a jacket given to her by a new Venezuelan friend that she met on Peace Boat

One thing that, for once, I am grateful for is social media. Before this trip, I deactivated my social media because I didn’t use it often, but when I went to the Kuna community, spoke with students from The RET, met the met the Venezuelan youth, and got to know so many other people I met along the way, I realized we had so much in common, and we continue to be able to communicate through social media and the Internet.  I learned that we can use social media for good. Instead of posting dumb memes and criticizing others, we should take advantage of social media to link us. The Internet has allowed us to easily connect with people around the world. I hope to keep this network of new international friends that I never thought I'd ever have. Who knew we'd have so much in common? That is what I loved most about our group and the people we met. We were all like-minded people yet with different shades of creativity.

The biggest thing that I got out of this trip is to get out more and explore because the best thing could be right outside your door.

-- Reflection by D’Nae Wint, 17 year-old Global Kids Leader and John Adams High School student

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A Full and Amazing Day in El Salvador

My experience in El Salvador was amazing-- I had a great time. El Salvador was the third Spanish-speaking country in Central America that I got the opportunity to visit with Global Kids. I was very excited when I learned that I was chosen to attend this adventure, especially because I didn’t even have a passport before! It was awesome to be able to go across borders and see all the new stamps.

Peace-building panel discussion at the University of El Salvador

We did so many fun and interesting activities while in El Salvador. I had the chance to be a part of a discussion on peace-building processes in Colombia and El Salvador at the University of El Salvador in San Salvador. Since both Colombia and El Salvador (and even Guatemala, where we were the day before) have been recently engaged in civil wars, the panel discussed ways to attain peace in those regions. They spoke about the differences and similarities between the countries and the way they are trying to create a peaceful society after the wars. The panelists and faculty at the university were very kind and honorable people and I learned so much from them.

Afterwards, we ate lunch at El Volcán, which means “volcano” in Spanish.  It was a restaurant with the most beautiful view of the city because it was on top of one of the mountains that surround San Salvador! We also visited a site where you could hike up steps to view the crater of the volcano. There we met three young children.  The oldest child told a story about living in a village on the volcano and then they performed a dance for us.

Performance by local youth youth in San Julian

We spent the evening on a trip to the town of San Julián where we met with the Mayor.  We didn’t just meet the Mayor, we had a whole performance set up for us! Everyone in the town welcomed us with open arms, and they were happy that we were there. During the visit to the town, in the town center, a group of girls performed a dance routine. Also, another group did a performance based on a play. Afterwards, we took a rocky and bumpy ride up to a ranch that was part of the town that the Mayor wanted to show us because it had the most beautiful view.  You could see miles and miles of mountains, and we got to watch the sunset.  It was a great way to spend our last night of the trip.

Watching the sunset in El Salvador

I enjoyed my time visiting El Salvador, and even though it was really short, we did so much!

--Reflection by Kelley Hodges, 17 year-old Global Kids Leader and John Adams High School student

[globalkids]

GK Leaders experiencing Japan! Here they are at the River Festival in Ishinomaki. Stay tuned for their reflections about their trip on our Tumblr blog.

[globalkids]

Mangroves, a UNESCO site and History:  Discovering Guatemala

Guatemala is a beautiful country. It has many rich stories about the past, and we got to learn a lot of the history.

On the first day in Guatemala, we went to a small village called Monterrico where we went on a tour of the mangroves. The mangroves are trees that look very unique because they have long, tall roots that grow out of the water and stick out. We took a boat to see a mangrove forest, since they grow in the water, and we were surrounded by them. There were so many trees and greeneries. It was beautiful and so different. We learned about the ecosystem of the area that is being affected by climate change and how the community is trying to help save the mangroves. 

Exploring the mangroves by boat

After the boat ride, we had traditional food from the ocean since the town is right along the beach.  We also got to make arts and crafts with a local artisan who uses materials like shells and coconuts to make crafts like animals and wind chimes.

On the second day, we went to one of the most famous cities in Guatemala called Antigua. Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which means that the UN protects the area so that people can continue to learn about the history of the area by preserving it. It was such a beautiful city and people from many different countries come to visit.

The beautiful ruins of the San Jose Cathedral in Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua was the first capital of Guatemala, and it was founded in a valley between four different volcanoes. The buildings are hundreds of years old, and many are in ruins because there were many earthquakes. Many buildings were never restored, but that made them interesting to look at. Antigua is important because of its history. It was a very important city because they had many old government buildings and landmarks. Antigua is a tourist attraction, so it helps to increase their economic development since many people come to visit and spend money.

Being in this country makes me feel like I'm back in my home country, Bangladesh, because there are many things here that are similar to things in Bangladesh. In Guatemala, villages and towns look a lot like Bangladeshi villages because in both places there are big fields with cows and small, simple houses. Of course, they are different because they speak different languages and wear different clothes, but there are still similarities.

It's an awesome country for travel, and I learned many things from my entire trip. I would love to come back to Antigua in the future because I love that place, the people, and the food.

-- Reflection by Segupta Nasrin, 16 year-old Global Kids Leader and John Adams High School student