1.) Give three compelling examples of how cultural issues affect your project.

When implementing my project in Almaty, Kazakhstan, I am definitely expecting to run into cultural problems when trying to collaborate with the local residents. To start, I believe that my nationality may cause some mixed feelings amongst the people of Almaty. I am going to Almaty with the intention of working with them to solve the air quality issue. I know that my intentions are not to intrude or come off superior; however, the locals could possibly view my involvement as some form of “saviorism”. Kazakhstan is a developing nation and I do not want them to perceive my concern and project as some sort of insult to their capabilities. As an American, I need to make sure that I take extra precaution to not invade any boundaries. I have not experienced the culture of Kazakhstan, so I am not completely sure of what to expect. It is good that I go into Almaty with these thoughts though and understand that there is some tension toward the American identity, especially with some of our current political involvements. Another cultural issue is understanding the way the work environment atmosphere is like. During this week’s lecture, Professor Mehta talked about how there could be a lot of miscommunication when working on a project with locals. I could say, “Could you please work on this for me?”, while the locals could possibly take that as an “Oh, I don’t really need to do it. It was not commanded”. I have to make sure to have patience and make sure that I make sure that both sides understand what is exactly wanted from each other. Last but not least, on top of my American identity, I am also very different physically. Just like the United States, there is much cultural influence on the way people dress, speak, and overall present themselves. I need to be aware of these different cultural expectations when possibly viewed in a negative way due to something I did or say. I will most likely embarrass myself, so I need to embrace those moments instead of letting them negatively impact my experience.

2.) Have you experienced or observed any of these social situations at home? Describe at least three sich situations.

I have definitely observed and experienced these social situations at home. Although I am at home, not everyone grew up around the same cultural and social values. I have observed “saviorism” being done in my neighborhood from outsiders. There is an opioid epidemic that has been devastating in my neighborhood for decades. As a result, there are many nonprofits that have a focus on addressing this issue. Most of the workers and volunteers never lived in my neighborhood, which automatically causes a distance between them and the locals. Of course, some of the workers have no intention of making the locals feel inferior, but it can sometimes look like the outsiders are crossing boundaries. They have to understand this and be aware of it. In addition, I have also embarrassed myself at Lehigh. I sometimes forget that not everyone grew up in a place that was anything like my hometown, Philadelphia. I sometimes act a certain way that is understood by the people back at home but ends up embarrassing myself here at Lehigh because of the lack of relatability. I just have to remind myself of possible differences and be patient. I have also observed miscommunication amongst Lehigh students. Some Lehigh students are experiencing American culture for the very first time. My one friend was extremely offended by her international friend that made a comment on her eating habits. The international student was having a hard time understanding what was wrong, which irritated my friend even more. I had to intervene and remind them to calm down and try to understand that they were both from two extremely different cultures. The clashing of cultures are common, an individual just needs to know how to address these sometimes embarrassing and even triggering situations.

3.) Give three examples of cultural practices that can be leveraged to address community/market problems.

One cultural practice is to have more collaborative projects with other countries. I am sure that GSIF is not the only one, but this type of collaboration can definitely address the community/market problems as described. Working on impactful projects will benefit both sides’ communication skills and even strengthen the project itself due to the diverse group’s different perspectives. Another cultural practice is to have workshops built into the school curriculum that is similar to the one of GSIF. We are learning about the need for global collaboration as we enter a time of many new conditions that need to be considered. No country is alone when facing issues like Almaty with its air quality. There needs to be workshops that emphasize the need for global collaboration and have young adults/teenagers realizing that as soon as possible. Lastly, similar to the previous one, there should also be workshops provided that make people aware of the different cultures around the world. The workshops should consist of learning about the different expectations, work environments, and overall lifestyles around the world. If individuals are exposed to this starting at a young age, they will be able to better approach cultural clashes.

I enrolled in this course because I have always been passionate about impacting on a global scale. My project is Community Engagement and Environmental Initiatives in Kazakhstan. I grew up in a community that is unfortunately forgotten and does not have a lot of power to voice out for themselves. My community consists of a lot of people who are trapped in the poverty cycle, so they are constantly in survival mode. Pollution and overall environmental neglect are common in my community due to the lack of resources, finances, and education. The Global Social Impact Fellowship (GSIF) program’s mission resonated with me because I thought of how I want to be part of the solutions to the issues that communities who lack a voice are dealing with.

I aspire to become the person that my community is in desperate need of. My enrollment in the program will give me the tools that I need to heal and collaborate with communities like the one I am from. I will be able to gain hands-on experience that will actually have an impact on the world. The course will allow me to be innovative and act upon my ideas.

I envision this course making me a better student because of the real-world challenges that I will be navigating through. I have sat through many lectures that repeatedly told me what the issues were and how action is immediately required.

I am now being given a platform to do something about the presented issues. The experience will also allow me to sculpt myself to be a more innovative and creative thinker. Those traits are desperately needed because I will be solving issues that have never been figured out or encountered within my future career. The fellowship will allow me to get involved and experience with issues that I am passionate about and begin my mission and journey of life: making a change for a better future. In addition, the GSIF program will make me a better student because of the realistic experience of trial and error. My project is new, so my team will have to navigate through the issue without any work to use as a format or guide. We will need to learn how to be patient and embrace failure. These projects are addressing issues that have not been solved yet so I will be gaining an understanding of why failure should not let you down. Without failure, there will be no improvements. This first-hand experience will build a student who thinks out the box and acknowledges that the process to success is not a smooth ride.

The global issue of over one billion people not having access to a pair of eyeglasses, according to the World Health Organization is an alarming issue that needs to be addressed. The way I would address the issue is by setting up a global recycling program that allows people to donate their old pairs of eyeglasses. According to Jobson Research, about 177 million people in the United States need some form of vision correction. Of those 177 million people, 64% use eyeglasses. Eyeglass users are constantly renewing their pairs of eyeglasses throughout their lifetime due to minor scratches, prescription change, etc.

The recycling program will allow eyeglass users to recycle their old eyeglasses instead of tossing them out or just letting them sit in a drawer. The program will need to be a collaborative system that connects as many pharmacies and eye doctor offices. The process of donating would simply consist of a drop box located at as many locations as possible where an individual can give as many old eyeglasses as they can. The recycling program will be based in the United States. There will be monthly pick-ups from each donation box so that the used eyeglasses can be sorted out by prescription and sent out to the places that are in desperate need of this medical attention. Kenya was an example that was given as a nation that is in need of eyeglasses. Therefore, there would be offices scattered throughout Kenya where they can fill out an application explaining their need for a pair of eyeglasses. After the application is submitted, there will be an eye evaluation. The eye evaluation will allow the office to provide the individual with the most convenient prescription.

A problem that I may encounter with this recycling program is the funding for the abroad offices that will be in charge of equally distributing eyeglasses to people in need. This global issue will also need to be addressed by making the public aware of the issue. Along with the recycling program, I would utilize social media as a platform for making people aware of the issue and motivated to participate and contribute. With education and awareness, the recycling program can be even more successful and impactful.