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12 days ago, a year's worth of rain fell in Valencia, Spain. the heavy downpours, which in some areas measured around 490 liters per square meter, devastated local towns, killing over 200 people, many of whom suffocated after being trapped in the thick mud that came from the flooding. Images of piled-up cars and broken buildings are pouring in from various sources. Protesters have taken to the streets, criticizing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the regional president of Valencia, Carlos Màzon. They believe officials have taken too long to respond, calling for Sanchez's resignation. Right-wing new sources claim "If Spaniards today weren’t so lily-livered, we’d be hanging them and quartering them and putting their remains on display in the public square so they could be bait for flies and carrion feeders, as should be the fate of tyrants." They berate the entire government for wantonly dealing with the floods. Some news outlets also note a string of deleted tweets about Valencia's weather forecast coming from Sanchez himself. While responses are extreme, they are not without reason. Warnings were too late and did not emphasize the nature of the emergency enough and response to the floods was too little and too late. The real response force was the civilian volunteers who began searching for missing people immediately after the flooding ceased. "Strangers aid the needy by diving into the muck and, with each scoop and toss, inch towards a distant renewal." Three days ago, the king of Spain, Sanchez, and Màzon visited areas affected by floods and were met with angry protestors who threw mud and hurled insults at them. Outside of Valencia, hundreds of thousands of protestors in the streets chant "We are stained with mud, and you are stained with blood" as well as "Murderer" at PM Sanchez. While many different opinions and a lot of false news is being circulated about the floods, there is one very clear thing: the people in Valencia are suffering, and should not have to deal with lazy politicians as they wait for aid. While leaders failed initially to send in help, it is now up to them to make sure the damage is resolved quickly. Sources: https://apnews.com/article/spain-floods-protest-valencia-897877bed9379462c06ea00ec24b7fd7 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/10/spain-floods-valencia-political-fallout-government https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/09/the-images-of-spains-floods-werent-created-by-ai-the-trouble-is-people-think-they-were https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/11/10/the-devastation-brought-by-spains-floods-of-the-century https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4n614v32o https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/04/world/video/woman-strips-underwear-iran-ldn-digvid?dicbo=v2-dvbqQog&hpt=ob_blogfooterold https://www.npr.org/2024/11/02/nx-s1-5176508/spain-valencia-chiva-flood-map

My Facing Global Issues class had an amazing learning opportunity this past Wednesday. We were lucky enough to host Professor Mietek Boduszynski for our class and gain an understanding of his past work in foreign affairs as well as his view on the current Israel/Palestine conflict. Soon, a year will have passed since the October 7th attacks that started the current conflict, and sadly, an ending to the death and suffering does not look close. We need to learn from people like Professor Boduszynski; awareness and education are the best prevention of human suffering. Although a somber conversation, Professor Boduszynski used his knowledge of foreign affairs to teach us more about a topic that we have already spent a week closely studying. A history of allies vs. partners on the international politics scale allowed me to understand the gravity of the situation further, and how the relations the US must maintain with certain countries means that our government will look the other way (breaking our own laws) when handling human rights violations in certain countries. Boduszynski also impressed me when I asked him what his opinions on the current leaders of Hamas meeting in China were. Even with little knowledge about China's role in the situation, Boduszynski's vast knowledge of foreign affairs helped him infer what he thought China is trying to do--become the largest player in the Middle East and Africa--dethroning the US. But even with such a knowledgeable speaker, I left the room with questions. Why is so much money sent to Israel when they are killing innocent people in broad daylight? If we violate our own laws by looking the other way in India, why shouldn't we do the same to defund the IDF, saving innocent men, women, and children in Gaza? There are ways to reach peace without leaving Israel vulnerable to its neighboring countries and without the deaths of thousands of Palestinians. Again, the best prevention to violence is through education and awareness. We must educate ourselves if we want peace for the future. Left Image: Prfessor Boduszynski Sources: https://polytechnic.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/270/download/download_9842917.pdf Professor Boduszynski's slideshow https://www.economist.com/briefing/2024/07/18/optimistic-plans-for-post-war-gaza-have-little-basis-in-reality https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/23/china/hamas-fatah-palestinian-factions-beijing-intl-hnk/index.html

This past year I have had two amazing travel opportunities. One was to go to Cambodia and learn about culture, food, music, and nature; the other led me to a 30-day canoeing trip in Central Québec. While both experiences were on opposite sides of the spectrum, the similarities in the two regions is insane. In Cambodia, the temperature is hot in the morning and hotter during the day. The city was loud and busy, and clean drinking water was scarce. Canada was almost the complete opposite, cold and colder during the day, silent except for the sounds of birds or paddle strokes, and the waters of the lakes and rivers were so clean that we did not boil nor filter them.  However, the similarities in the two landscapes are what fascinated me the most. How it could go from sun to rain in a matter of minutes, how once you stepped outside of the city, lush greenery covered the entire landscape, and although I was barely able to speak to the people of Québec, just like the people I met in Cambodia, they were welcoming and kind, even with a language barrier separating us.  World travel is an amazing experience and privilege that I am so blessed to have, it has changed me for the better, and I hope that everyone can experience immersing themselves in a completely different culture as well. Me and my friend Ronen with our Cambodian guides Pum and Silong, who were two of the kindest and most welcoming people I have ever met. Waving goodbye to the resupply pilots on my Canada trip. They flew to us a day early; they had to be evacuated from their airbase due to fires, and instead of immediately flying away, they decided to overpack the plane with our resupply food and get it to us before saving themselves.

I was fortunate enough this summer to travel in one of the most remote places on Earth. For 30 days, I canoed through central and northern Québec, a place few have ever visited. Birds, fish, bears, trees, the wilderness there was thriving and untouched. We began on the Pekans River, paddling upstream and poling and lining through rapids*. While the days were strenuous and long, it was there that I truly felt like I could relax and reflect. That far north, we were almost completely secluded, save the two resupply pilots on day 15 and the three fishermen we ran into on day 6. You build an insanely strong bond with the people around you when you are secluded and depending on each other to survive. We brought no gas, stoves, only two lighters, and some axes and saws on our trip. We depended on a certain amount of us searching for and chopping firewood, someone setting up a dinner station, and two people baking and cooking. And because of our dependencies on one another, any walls or barriers between us were gone by the third day. When you rely on the people around you as much as they rely on you, the respect everybody has for each other grows exponentially. After 30 days of travel, I felt healthier and stronger than I had ever felt before. I had grown accustomed to a healthier, more simple lifestyle; similarly to everyone on my trip, I did not want to leave. I remember seeing our van driver arriving on our last day, and even though we were still secluded at the end of a random dirt road, as soon as he stepped out, it felt like we had been transported back into society. immediately we were hit with news of assassination attempts and sports victories, and immediately we wanted to be alone again. While wilderness travel might not be within everyone's comfort zone, I hope that everybody gets a chance to experience it once in their lives. When all you have to worry about is what you are eating for the night and if it rains or not, life becomes simpler and more enjoyable. *Poling: Similar to this photo, we used the poles by jamming them into the riverbed and pushing the canoes upstream. The only difference is that we made our poles out of young spruce trees. There was also another person in the canoe who sat down in the front and kept it straight against the current Lining: our lining was the same as this image. When going upstream (against the current) the person in front keeps the boat close to shore and pulls it up while the person in the back either takes or gives slack to keep the boat straight. When going downstream (against the current) the person in the back keeps their end closer to shore while the person in the front pulls.

As I returned from a trip this summer, the Olympic Games were already underway. Excitedly, I messaged my friends for updates and began watching the highlight clips posted all over social media. One post, however, caught my eye in a way deeper than just an electric sports highlight. A news clip from a UK tabloid talked about the "controversy in the Olympic Games opening." I was intrigued, so I researched by trying to find articles from more trustworthy sources. Here is what I learned. On July 26th, the Paris Olympics was opened. Vibrant displays of art and culture illuminated the Seine River, introducing the dozens of countries involved. But it was not the countries involved that caused an uproar, but rather an artistic display of the Greek God, Dionysus. A god of wine and celebration, he intertwined French culture with the spirit of the Olympics. Painting a man blue, and indulgently feeding him grapes and food, was originally meant to be a nod to Greek mythology; the Olympic Games is a Greek tradition, after all. However, this image caused an uproar in Christian communities around the world, who claimed that the display was reminiscent and mocking of the famous painting "The Last Supper." Figures from around the world voiced their opinions, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump who called the display "a disgrace," but many also voiced opinions rejecting those claims. After all, the display was never meant to cause emotional harm, its original purpose was to unite people of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and genders in celebration. The Olympic's official Twitter account stated " The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings." It is disappointing to see how a display meant to contrast the strife in the world ( the performer, who starred as Dionysus (Philippe Katerine) played his song "Nu" or, "Naked," as a response to the conflict in Gaza) through excessive celebration backfires to cause dissent and anger in the thousands. Although the display was reminiscent of The Last Supper, it is imperative to understand that the display is not intended to be mocking nor is it taking direct inspiration from the painting. In my opinion, the greatest disappointment to arise out of this controversy is the way humans polarize each other in response to it. As we speak, dozens of conflicts are harming other humans across the world. It is horrible to see that an event dedicated to uniting and celebrating has become a cornerstone for more separation. Another major issue I see is the way religion and controversy have managed to turn the Olympics political. with world leaders criticizing and appraising the show, an event meant for the people now feels corporate and distasteful. Somehow, these leaders have managed to make the Olympics about themselves and their opinions. We must be better about not taking these displays so personally and truly seeing them as what they are intended to be, not what we interpret them as. Sources https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/29/sport/blue-man-olympics-opening-ceremony-spt-intl/index.html https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-slams-opening-ceremony-2024-paris-olympics-thought-disgrace https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/28/sports/olympics-opening-ceremony-last-supper-paris.html https://x.com/Olympics/status/1816929100532945380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1816929100532945380%7Ctwgr%5E9e9209f4e18308e2a500cb54875444338f672c0a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fmedia%2Ftrump-slams-opening-ceremony-2024-paris-olympics-thought-disgrace https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRoXoLNh/

Justin Worland's accomplishments are nothing short of phenomenal. From Poly to Harvard to Time's Journalist of the Year, Worland educates people from all walks of life. Specifically, he focuses on the issues of climate change around the world. I enjoyed listening to Mr. Worland speak at Poly and had a few takeaways from his presentation. His call for us to take action. Worland brought up a few staggering statistics. The US contributes a major role in greenhouse gas emissions, which build up in our atmosphere and trap heat, causing the phenomenon we call global warming—however, Mr. Worland also brought up another key statistic-- the vast majority of the US's population is unaffected by this issue. These stats created empathy with the audience- or at least it created empathy with me. It is ignorant and wrong to sit idly as we directly contribute to issues that other humans face. Issues such as mental health, dehydration, disease, and more. While not exactly directly correlative to climate change, I was impressed with the way Mr. Wroland spoke. Unlike most presenters, he did not have a video or slideshow, he just spoke calmly and clearly into a microphone. And from how he spoke, I could tell he was speaking on an issue that he felt emotionally connected to. From statistics to stories, Mr. Worland has an aura that makes his audience more comfortable with heavy topics, more willing to be educated, and more willing to make changes. Lastly, I was thoroughly impressed with Mr. Worland's ability to merge humanities and STEM. From reading a few of his articles, I could tell that Mr. Worland does a huge amount of research and ensures he is extremely knowledgeable about the topics he covers. For example, in a more recent article concerning deforestation in the Amazon, Worland brings up foreign policy and finance with environmental science. Together, they make a very thought-provoking and involved article that educates and rationalizes different ideas. Thank you Mr. Worland for coming to speak to us! sources: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/does-it-matter-how-much-united-states-reduces-its-carbon-dioxide-emissions#:~:text=Even%20though%20the%20United%20States,countries%20in%20the%20European%20Union https://time.com/author/justin-worland/ https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/ https://time.com/6977021/conservation-milken-conference-nature/

I learned so much from this event. While most of us are educated on the pressing matters of global warming, I don't believe that there is enough information given about the adverse effects it has on our health. Dr. Sayeed's engaging presentation gave me a lot of insight into this pressing issue. I think what stuck with me the most is that while the United States is a leading country in greenhouse gas emissions as well as adverse effects on our health and environment, we receive less of the detrimental effects. Dr. Sayeed inspired me to be more mindful about what I do to contribute to these issues because our actions can cause drastic changes in health for others. For example, some mosquito-born illnesses that were only a problem for the warmer months have now become a year-long issue. thousands more become infected, and in turn, thousands die. In fact, some sources report that illness has increased by 700%. Not only does climate change affect physical health, but its detrimental effects hurt us mentally as well. statistics show that mental health issues as well as violent crime can be linked to climate change. Overall, climate change is not something we need to solve to save our planet but save ourselves as well. Unless all of us pitch in to help, this issue will hurt us, our children, and their children as well. sources https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/news-stories/stories/explainer-how-climate-change-amplifying-mosquito-borne-diseases#:~:text=The%20Early%20Warning%20System%20for,ten%20times%20the%20usual%20estimates. https://www.epa.gov/climateimpacts/climate-change-and-human-health#:~:text=The%20health%20effects%20of%20climate,and%20overall%20poor%20mental%20health.

According to Human Rights Watch, "in the last two and a half years after regaining power in Afghanistan, the Taliban, have created the world’s most serious women’s rights crisis." Jennifer Hall Lee, with the help of Afghan university students, aims to ameliorate the poor situation of thousands affected. What I was most impressed with from this event was Lee's unwavering bravery, traveling to a village that was only a few miles away from a Taliban camp. When asked if she was afraid of the risk, Lee replied while she understood the danger, she wasn't going to let it stop her from spreading advocacy for what she cares about. Lastly, what I was very pleased to see yet again from a GIP event, was how similar we are to people all around the world. through language barriers, religious barriers, and geographical barriers, I have continued to see the breaking of these barriers, and from them, the similarities between us all. While our thoughts can differ at times, we argue for the same ideas and wish for every voice to be heard. A great example of these barriers coming down was when Lee shared with us her memory of introducing Afghan Muslim feminists to America, specifically, Los Angeles. As they drove around and began experiencing our culture, Lee remembered how the women began to see that the stereotypes they believed in Afghanistan were not true at all; the people here were very alike to them. Sources: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/06/taliban-and-global-backlash-against-womens-rights https://wwb.org/

In the later 1970’s Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime overtook Cambodia, renaming the country to Kampuchea, and creating an authoritarian state of fear, pain, and death. Pol Pot’s regime would capture anyone they deemed as “new” (anybody who they deemed educated, or Western in any way, artists, teachers, doctors, lawyers, people with glasses and soft hands) and murder them in their infamous killing fields. The rest of the population, farmers and laborers, were rounded up and sent to work in rice fields for up to 20 hours a day, working the men, women, and children to death. In 4 years, 2 million people were killed, including 90% of Cambodia’s artist population. Arn Chorn Pond, a master flutist, aims to revive the arts lost during this horrible period in his country's history. An ex-child soldier and survivor of the labor camps, he resonates with the pain of those affected by the genocide. Most interestingly, Arn’s talent for the flute, specifically the piccolo, saved his life. He volunteered to play for the Khmer Rouge, giving him more food, and privilege, which would be a key factor in helping him pull through. Over the years, Arn has created his nonprofit organization, Cambodian Living Arts, to revitalize the art scene that once flourished. On my GIP trip this year to Cambodia, I had the pleasure of meeting graduates from his program, a player of the Chapei dang veng, a two-string instrument, most similar to a banjo, and a player of the Khmer Harp. I was truly impressed with their ability to master instruments that almost completely disappeared less than half a century ago. As the Chapei dang veng was played, the musician began singing, and although I cannot understand the Khmer language that well, the meaning and emotion behind his voice were enough for me to understand the impact of Cambodian Living Arts. They are not just teaching music, they are changing lives. Sources: https://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/en/ https://www.britannica.com/event/Cambodian-Genocide

Deep in Cambodian mangroves, fishermen and women live off their land. They catch fish, crabs, snails, and more, and because of this deep connection, they have come to love their land. Unfortunately, due to dredging, millions of acres of land (around 59 million tons in 2020 alone) have been taken from these people; as a result, fish and crabs have scattered, forcing people to go farther and farther every day, sometimes coming back empty-handed. Not only does the dredging make work harder, but after some searching I also learned that people's huts have collapsed in on themselves due to sand dredging affecting the landscape so poorly. Another eye-opening story that Mam told us is how Ka Min (the person whom this documentary follows) used to travel to an island to be alone at night. However, due to the insane amounts of dredging that occur, her island has disappeared. In this story, land is not just a place where people live, it is a part of their identities as well. the horrific dredging has forced people to move and caused them to earn less as a result of fewer fish to catch. As I watched this documentary, I realized how important it is that we educate ourselves on these issues; nothing can happen if we don't speak about it. Sources: https://news.mongabay.com/2022/08/mining-the-mekong-land-and-livelihoods-lost-to-cambodias-thirst-for-sand/ https://www.mekongeye.com/2023/05/01/cambodias-appetite-sand/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk6_XjUR1mQ

As of 2022, Germany hosts almost 1 million Syrian refugees. A Step Without Feet illustrates the daily life of these displaced people through interviews and videography. Around 8 different refugees speak about their situation and story. While this does not speak for the entire refugee population, it does give us a glimpse into average daily life. What I loved most about this documentary was how it differed from other films about refugee journeys. Instead of focusing on the horrible situations that the refugees had to experience and the hard journey they made to get into Germany, the film centered on daily life and the way immigrants settled into daily life. This new perspective felt more vulnerable and a great deal more personal. In turn, when the documentary unveiled the sadness many refugees had kept in, such as the grief of losing a friend or family member, I felt more connected as it invoked an actual sadness in me that I had not been expecting. In addition to how intertwined the film made me feel with the people, I also noted the stark contrast between the two living environments that these people had been through. On one hand is their first home in Syria which they described as full of sun and warmth. On the other hand, is Germany, cold and gloomy. What seems like such a small detail to us can be a massive difference for someone else. Overall, I thought that this documentary not only met, but also exceeded my expectations. The storytelling and videography were excellent. However, I do wish that I would have had the opportunity to speak to the refugees themselves instead of just the director, Jeremy Glaholt. Sources: https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Migration-Integration/Tabellen/rohdaten-auslaendische-bevoelkerung-zeitreihe.html https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2023.1100446/full#:~:text=Hosting%20over%201%20million%20refugees,Syrians%20(UNHCR%2C%202021). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAta4QeR5_4 (to be clear I went to the GIP event, this is just a link to the documentary I found on youtube so I can cite it)

What experiences have awakened your interest and will help you contribute to and lead the Global Initiatives Program at Poly? Two experiences last year left a deep impression on me. The first one was the GIP event where we listened to the testimonies of the Uyghur people. This experience made me realize that we live in a very safe and privileged world, and it really made me want to explore other countries and cultures. While it is a very heavy topic, one that caused speakers to break down in front of the audience, I was inspired to learn more about the horrible mistreatment of Uyghurs. The second really meaningful experience was my trip to Kazakhstan. There was so much to learn and so many discoveries (big and little) throughout my short stay there. I kept comparing my world with the world I was visiting, and this comparison brought up such interesting realizations and questions. I am really inspired by the opportunity to engage with other cultures and learn from them. In what ways do you hope that the Global Scholars program will expand and deepen your global perspectives? I think that this program will allow me to learn more about other countries and different cultures. Each GIP event is an opportunity to go towards something that I don’t really know very much about–my hope is that I will take in these experiences and learn from them. I am thinking specifically of speakers that the GIP program hosts. If accepted, I will also be working on a specific topic of my own choice, which is yet another way to learn deeply and engage with respect and empathy. Finally, how do you hope to develop as a global citizen through this program? While I know that teaching others is a cornerstone of the program, I also hope to learn. I love meeting others who come from backgrounds very different from mine and connecting with them on a human level. I truly loved meeting the people in Kazakhstan. I was able to connect with the French and Italian exchange students last year, and these encounters were really enlightening–we watched each other speak, eat, joke, and thoroughly enjoyed each others’ company. I hope to become more educated about other people, but most of all, I would like to be able to build friendships through the many connections and opportunities that Poly has offered me. These small connections can become the foundation for the big changes we need in the world.