EDUCATION
3. We realise that the misconceptions we have about a country are just that.
Often people who have never visited a country have preconceived notions about life in that country and what its citizens are like. Tis problem is not new but, since the Internet has become part of our lives, we are inun- dated by information 24/7, much of it “fake” news. A misconception about a country or culture can be cre- ated in seconds and disseminated to millions of people who, without checking, believe it to be true. Te best antidote is travel. Once we visit a country and have a genuine experi- ence with its people, we are less likely to believe inaccurate or untrue infor- mation. No matter how young we are when we travel, it seems that the memories of our trips never go away.
4. We become more curious. I love to visit new countries and the more dif-
ferent it is to mine, the better. Why? Pure curiosity – the excitement of travelling is coupled with the chal- lenge of discovering new places and new things. For me, a country in Asia will always be more interesting than a country in Europe because it will be more different from my beloved Spain. Maybe it is also because of the distance I will travel to get there. Rather than satisfying our curiosity, travel often whets our appetite for new experiences and cultivates a life- long interest in learning about the world and all that it holds.
5. We develop independent thinking. Tis skill is acquired over time and
If we do not travel, we develop the tendency to think that everything we do or think is the best and the only way to do things.
travelling helps by introducing us to new perspectives. By distancing ourselves from the place we nor- mally live, we are given the power to admire and criticise – at the same time – our own country from a different point of view. In some ways, it is a waste of time to com- pare countries. I always say that you can find 10 good things and 10 bad things in every country. However, the beauty of that com- parison is that it often highlights those things that are unique to each country and culture.
Te adjective “global” became popular at the beginning of this century when everybody talked about the ‘Information Society’. We may think we are global be- cause we know almost immediately about events that are happening on the other side of the world, or because we can buy a product made in China online and have it delivered to our front door.
But what makes us truly global is the possibility of travelling, visiting new places and meeting people from differ- ent countries and cultures. By opening our eyes, our minds and our hearts, we can learn to appreciate and respect the customs, views and values of others in the same way we want them to respect ours.
Angel Lozano is the director of institutional advancement at TASIS The American School in England. Find out more about this international school at
www.tasisengland.org
www.focus-info.org FOCUS The Magazine 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
