A Desire to Think Globally

When I was younger, I loved to move. Whether it is through walks around the neighborhood or plane rides across the world, I always loved moving around, and I still do. I never understood that restlessness as a child, but now I can see that this was the beginning of my desire to think globally. Having been born in Vietnam and immigrating to the United States at 5 years old, I have never really considered myself as an American citizen, Asian American, and definitely not 100% Vietnamese. When I look at the local “categories” that I potentially fit into, I don’t see my place anywhere.

The first home I lived in when my family and I first moved to the US was Los Angeles, one of the most diverse cities in America, so I grew up with many different cultures around me. After Los Angeles, we moved to another multicultural hub: Houston, TX, where I grasped a greater understanding of more cultures and traditions. So, when asked about whether I identify as a global or local citizen, I lean more towards global citizenship not only from my experiences of living in the centers of diversity, but also my innate curiosity to learn more about the world and its various cultures.

By developing a global mindset, I was able to empathize with others whose opinions may differ from mine as well as become more aware of issues where global collaboration and cooperation is necessary such as climate change and even COVID-19.

I choose to be a global citizen and strive to become a better one because it has shown me that even though we currently live in a time of chaos and polarization, through global citizenship, a harmonious world can (hopefully) be achieved. So, I guess this desire to think globally isn’t going away anytime soon.