“The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.”
― St. Augustine of Hippo
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1 sec. = 1 year
Global Citizen
My mother loved to travel. She spent her junior year abroad in Madrid and backpacked across Europe with her girlfriends. The stories she told me of being an American in Franco’s Spain during the US involvement in the Vietnam War were really interesting to me.
She wanted me to become a “global citizen” and to experience being a Black man overseas to contrast with my American background. As soon as I was old enough to travel, she planned trips for us. I have fond memories of our travels together.
Unfortunately, many of the people in my inner-city community never take the opportunity to travel and, subsequently, miss out on these experiences. I know people from my hometown who have never been on a boat or a plane, don’t have a passport, and maybe have never even left the state. Because my mother loved to travel, she wanted to share this love with me.
People always asked her how she did it, as if there was some secret. Her reply, “Just do it!” Everyone had so many excuses for why they couldn’t possibly travel, but my mom believed that where there’s a will there’s a way.
My most lasting memory is the year I lived in India when I was 14 (sans mother.) By necessity, I learned a lot about myself and the world around me without her daily guidance.
Cultural Ambassador
When I travel to some places, I realize that I may be the first Black American man the local people have ever seen in person. Many of the perceptions overseas people form of Black men have been introduced to them from the mass media they consume. My being there in person is an opportunity for me to combat their preconceived notions by presenting a living alternative.
Economic Research
I learn so much from traveling, including the economics at street level. When possible, I like to engage with the local people about their feelings on the state of affairs in their countries. Our conversations are profound because I’m hearing about the reasons for the country’s current predicament from the people themselves. Then I contrast the information from our domestic media with the perspective of the information they receive in their media..
Cultural Sensitivity
I seek out every opportunity to learn about the countries I visit. I especially love visiting museums and sites of historical and cultural significance. Often times these are the usual “tourist traps” and I have to wade through loads of other foreigners, but other times I get to wander off the beaten path and explore areas that aren’t in the guidebooks.
The museums are great for a number of reasons depending on the focus of the museum. At art museums, I can study the artistic sensibilities of their artists and their uses of patterns and colors or the types of art they create. Pastoral paintings of their past helps me imagine the clothing and rituals as they used to exist before the global monoculture creeped in (sometimes, that’s the only way to see how people used to dress before t-shirts and basketball shorts invaded.)
I believe this understanding of peoples and cultures helps me relate with the various teammates and classmates I’ve worked with over the years. These relationships are a two-way street because I’m also asked to share the US rationale for certain policies around the world or give an American’s perspective to the questions of “Why does America…?” I always try to give a non-biased response, but sometimes I preface my replies by stating that my opinion might be separate from the rationale that was given for global US activities.
What does this mean for your organization?
The world feels more connected than ever before. With easier international travel and increased multinational collaboration, organizations of all sizes are thriving in global markets. It’s crucial for companies to hire employees who possess cultural sensitivity, empathy, and a global mindset to effectively collaborate with colleagues and clients across borders.
I feel fortunate to have been introduced to the gift of travel by my mom as a child because it opened my eyes to the beauty and diversity of the world, instilled in me a sense of curiosity and adventure, and played a crucial role in my journey to adulthood. Traveling naturally fosters empathy, as it opens my eyes to people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Despite our differences, at our core, we are all the same.
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