Jonathan Sebastian Global Connections

            My travels to Taiwan presented some very real challenges I never would have expected. Being in a place where everything is so different becomes very stressful very quickly, and while you often hear travelers talk about the thrill of experiencing a new culture, it is less often that you hear how difficult it can be emotionally. Not understanding the language made me feel very isolated, even when surrounded by people. Not being able to read menus was scary, there were points where I was afraid I would not be able to feed myself appropriately. The differences with weather, diet, and sleep cycles all put stresses on my body that made things that much harder for my peace of mind. During stressful times, I became very grateful for the level of global interconnectedness our world has today.

              Being able to communicate so freely and easily with friends and family back home has been such an incredible boon to me. Having access to a familiar face being so simple as reaching into my pocket and pulling out my phone meant encouragement was never far away. The fact I could share my experiences with those on the other side of the globe by taking pictures and sending messages helped so much. I am extremely thankful that technology allows this sort of interconnectedness, and to think that it was not so long ago that such a thing would be impossible makes it all that much more wonderful. Even across the world I am never too far from those who are close to me.

              Global interconnectedness allowed me to take solace in familiar things in an unfamiliar place. A very simple example that brought me a lot of comfort is the fact there was a McDonalds right by campus. Though trying all sorts of new foods has been very exciting, sometimes a taste of something familiar can go a long way towards putting your mind at ease when you are feeling out of place. With so much unfamiliarity all around me, I was happy to have an American restaurant with a familiar menu and familiar tastes to fall back on.

              My favorite experience with global interconnectedness came when I decided to visit a card shop. Ever since I was very young I have loved card games, and have spent a great deal of time in shops just like the one I visited. Though I was very nervous, I tried my hand at entering a tournament being held for my favorite game. I was surprised by how easy it was to play despite the language barrier. I managed to take second place despite being unable to communicate clearly. Though my opponents and I did not share a language, we shared a game, and that helped me to feel very comfortable. It makes me very happy to know some hobbies can transcend borders, and allow people around the globe to connect without sharing a language.

              Global interconnectedness is a huge step to experiencing new cultures. Even though so much can be different, there are still points of commonality. I was able to find things I was familiar with all the way on the other side of the planet. Completely unfamiliar territory can be very frightening, but having these points of familiarity to work from makes all the difference. 

----Jonathan Sebastian