This is the third in a series of spotlights on our spring 2017 student interns. Learning Life’s students this spring are translating documents, conducting research, fundraising, doing outreach locally and internationally for our Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI), and other work. Rahila Olanrewaju, interviewed below, is helping with CDI program evaluation research and Learning Life educational content development, among other activities.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, but moved to the state of Maryland via the U.S. Diversity Visa Program. This program provides visas to countries with historically low rates of immigration and gives individuals the opportunity to become U.S. citizens. Since relocating to the U.S. at age 7, I have lived in Maryland.
What school do you attend, and what is your year and major there?
I am a freshman Banneker/Key Scholar in the Honors College at the University of Maryland, and am studying Economics, Government & Politics with a concentration in International Relations.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy watching movies with my family, watching Ted Talks, writing poetry, practicing yoga and attending spin classes!
Is there a life experience you have had that has particularly shaped you as a person thus far? If so, what is it, and how has it shaped you?
Relocating to America from Nigeria has opened a world of opportunity for me, at the same time it has exposed me to challenges unique to immigrants trying to adjust to a new world. Living in the United States I have also observed many of the difficulties disadvantaged families face here and have volunteered with non-profit organizations such as the Manna Food Center, Interfaith Clothing Center, and the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless in order to serve families in need.
With the opportunity to live in the U.S. and receive an internationally-focused education, I am reminded each day that no dream is too large. I hope to someday return to my country of origin and engage in development efforts in West Africa.
What are you career plans?
I plan to pursue a career in global economic development and policy. As a Nigerian-born American, I have a keen interest in social inequalities within America and West Africa and would like to work with an international organization where I can impact lives. My current interests lie in food security, poverty alleviation, and gender and racial equity in access to education.
Why did you choose to intern with Learning Life?
I saw an opportunity to connect individuals across cultural lines, something I’ve been trying to do as an immigrant myself. I also wanted to engage with underprivileged communities in a different way than I had in the past, and the Citizen Diplomacy Initiative gave me the opportunity to do so on an international level. It’s also pretty awesome to be part of a team where everyone is aware of the need for global interdependence in addressing social concerns. Each of the interns on the Citizen Diplomacy Initiative has contributed to their communities in a unique way, and it’s inspiring to discuss topics like inequality and development from different perspectives with my peers.
What is the most beautiful place you have seen on Earth, and why is it so beautiful?
The most beautiful place I have seen on Earth is my grandfather’s village in Abia State, Nigeria. He serves as king in his community, located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, and it is amazing to visit with him every few years and see the changes he has been able to drive forward with the support of his community. It is such a beautiful place to behold, still one with nature, where the roosters still crow to signal the new day, and the streams run clear, with birds darting from one perch to another.
Intern Spotlight: Amit Gerstein
This is the second in a series of spotlights on our spring 2017 student interns. Learning Life’s students this spring are translating documents, conducting research, fundraising, and doing outreach locally and internationally for our Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI), and other work. Amit Gerstein, interviewed below, is helping with CDI fundraising and outreach to potential partners in the Middle East, among other activities.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Rockville, Maryland, about 40 minutes away from Washington, D.C.
What school do you attend, and what is your year and major there?
I am a freshman at the George Washington University studying International Affairs with an intended concentration in Global Public Health. I am planning on also minoring in Psychology, or Women’s, Gender and Sexuality studies.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I read and binge-watch shows on Netflix. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is my all time favorite book (see my favorite show below) and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close my favorite movie. I love exploring D.C. and trying new foods. If you haven’t tried a sushi burrito, they are an absolute must.
Is there a life experience you have had that has particularly shaped you as a person thus far? If so, what is it, and how has it shaped you?
After high school and before attending college, I took a gap year, and I went to Israel where I spent the year working, learning, and volunteering. It was an amazing experience living in Israel and witnessing the interaction of different religions, cultures, and people. In fact, for part of the year I lived in Jerusalem, right next to the tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper and only a few minutes away from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Arab market, Temple Mount, and Western Wall! Being in one of the world’s religious and cultural epicenters was an incredible experience, and being able to spend my year learning and volunteering made it all the more meaningful. Over my year, I met and spoke with people from diverse backgrounds – Jews and Arabs, Christians and Druze, Palestinians and settlers, secular and Hasidic – and that opened my eyes to the complex and fascinating dynamics within Israel and the Middle East.
What are your career plans?
I’ll let you know as soon as I know!
Why did you choose to intern with Learning Life?
I wanted to be able to work with an organization that truly makes an impact on its community. I have done internships in the past where I was working on larger projects without seeing the results of my work and with no interaction with the people who I was helping. The results of my work with Learning Life, on the other hand, are tangible, and I know and can even meet the people who I am helping, which makes it so much more rewarding.
What is the most beautiful place you have seen on Earth, and why is it so beautiful?
The most beautiful thing I have ever seen was the theatrical production of Mark Haddon’s book, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The way that the story and the emotions of the characters were visually conveyed through the stage-work and lighting was incredibly powerful. The show is told from the perspective of Christopher, an autistic boy, and the way the story is told, the audience can experience the world as he does, feel the emotions that he does, and see the world through his eyes.
Learning Life Holds First Live Middle East Dialogue
Samya: “I like that they [USA] have freedom of speech, and also, I don’t like that in some states they have police brutality.”
Basma: “You have to come to Jordan first, and then decide about police brutality.”
(Laughter all around.)
This brief, softly-spoken interchange occurred between Samya, a 14-year old American girl, and Basma, a 12-year old Jordanian girl, who on Saturday participated in Learning Life’s first Middle East “virtual exchange” or live internet dialogue between families in Washington D.C. and Amman, Jordan.
Not all of this first Middle East dialogue broached political topics. Indeed, much of this introductory dialogue – between three family participants in Amman, and six in Washington, plus observers and staff – focused on learning each other’s names, hobbies, and aspirations. Basma, for instance, learned that 11-year old James also likes to draw, and asked him what he likes to drawn, so James drew a neighborhood road to show her.
Kaliah and Kristin, 7 and 8 respectively, spent much of their time during the dialogue drawing, and Kaliah also presented her drawing for the Jordanian family to see.
Basma and Samya also learned that they both want to become doctors, though of different kinds: Basma, a pediatrician because she loves children, Samya, a plastic surgeon because she wants to help people with deformities.
But the conversation did occasionally turn toward social and political issues as the families answered the questions we posed, particularly “what do you like about your own country?” and “what would you like to learn about the other family’s country?” On the Jordanian side, Fawwaz, Basma’s uncle, and on the American side, Janelle, Kristin and Bianca’s mother, expressed their respective views on how children are and should be raised. As one might imagine, there were differences.
Fawwaz noted that while American children are expected to strike out on their own upon finishing their schooling, Jordanian children are expected to live with their parents until they marry, and the expectation is often stronger for daughters than sons. This is sometimes borne of economic necessity, as Fawwaz noted, but it is also expressed as a social custom intended to protect still young and vulnerable children. Janelle, in contrast, expressed her interest in instilling independence in her daughters, to find gainful employment so that they “do not have to settle” for a partner who fails them or mistreats them.
This first Middle East dialogue was part of Learning Life’s Citizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI), which engages lower-income American families in live, internet dialogues and project collaborations with similar families in other nations. Learning Life launched CDI in August 2016 with a series of introductory dialogues between families in Washington D.C., Porto de la Libertad, El Salvador, and Dakar, Senegal.
This year, we are working to carry out the first project collaborations between families in D.C., Dakar, and communities to be determined in El Salvador, Jordan and/or Palestine. Through CDI dialogues and project collaborations, Learning Life aims to nurture more informed, skilled, connected and caring global citizens in the long-term.
Stay tuned for more international dialogue news!
Thanks to Omar Batterjee and Sarah Bel Hadj Nasr for assisting with language interpreting and photo/video recording, respectively, during the dialogue. Thanks also to John Mathena for connecting us to, and helping Learning Life to win a State Department grant to bring our Middle East dialogues to life.
Seeking Foreign Partners to Co-Organize Live, International Dialogues
About Learning Life & Its Citizen Diplomacy Initiative
Based in Washington DC in the USA, Learning Life is an educational nonprofit that seeks to spread learning in everyday life beyond school walls. Learning Life’sCitizen Diplomacy Initiative (CDI) engages lower-income American families in live internet dialogues and project collaborations with similar families in other nations free of charge. Through these dialogues and project collaborations, Learning Life aims to nurture more informed, skilled, connected and caring global citizens in the long-term.
How CDI Works
CDI puts eligible American families, starting in Washington, D.C.’s Wards 7 and 8, in live video dialogue with families in other nations. The dialogues occur about twice times per month, usually on Saturdays or Sundays, and last about two hours. The dialogues take place in the families’ homes, or in a quiet place nearby (e.g., library, office, community center) if more than one family is participating in the same locality.
The families first engage in a “get to know you” dialogue in which they introduce themselves and are free to ask respectful questions to learn more about each other. After this introductory dialogue, the families have the opportunity to collaborate on varied projects (e.g., a photo album offering their international perspectives on community change) intended to develop their knowledge and civic skills (e.g., photography, video, research, writing, public presentation, event organizing) as they work together locally and internationally.
Learning Life volunteer dialogue moderators, language interpreters and project consultants support the families in their dialogues and projects. Families that stick with the dialogues and projects over months and years gradually build a portfolio of project experiences and products (e.g., photo albums, videos, articles, reports, art, events) that document their developing local and international interests, knowledge, skills, and social connections.
Parents or families are not paid to participate; they must be interested in participating for the benefit of their children. Benefits include the ability to practice English, learn more about American society, make valuable social connections, and work on skills-building and resume-enhancing projects that can open doors to better schools and jobs.
Seeking Partners & Families
Learning Life is looking for interested (a) community organizations outside the USA willing to co-organize live dialogues between American families in the USA and families in their own community, and (b) families abroad willing to participate in the live dialogues.
Families must have:
(a) At least one parent/legal guardian or mentor, and one or more children ages 10-18 willing to participate.
(b) A total household income of less than their country’s median annual household income.
(c) Parents with less than 4 years of university leading to a degree
(d) Taken no more than two vacation flights outside their country as a family.
(e) Have few or no contacts (family or friends) outside their country with whom the family communicates.
For more information, contact Learning Life’s Director, Paul Lachelier, via email at paul@learninglife.info. Please include a telephone number and/or Skype address at which you can be reached, and best times to call.
Where were you born and raised?
