All Corners of the World

Can one person unite the world? Is it possible for the short-term actions of one individual to make a lasting impression on the global community? Like every other human being, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a dream. A dream in which opened the door to many strong and personal beliefs that would soon lead to a world of healing and peace. His dream was born from the horror of WWII, wanting people to realize that while we are all very different, our values, goals, and desire for life are very much the same. In order to fulfill this dream, President Eisenhower, in January of 1956, started an organization called People to People. Simply, Eisenhower hoped the people of different nations would come together for cultural exchange. His mission was to give ordinary citizens the opportunity to talk face to face, share activities, and learn about each other’s cultures. As a young person who knew nothing about Eisenhower or his mission, but who is always looking to make a difference in the lives of others, I found the People to People Program to be a natural fit for me.

I joined this program looking to not only share the extraordinary experience of creating life-long bonds with my fellow ambassadors, but also with the families who would host me abroad. In summer of 2009, I made my first trip to Asia with a group of forty-three other delegates from different states throughout New England. In two weeks, we visited five cities in Japan, starting in Tokyo and ending our journey in Osaka. I had the pleasure of climbing Mount Fiji, despite the pouring rain (and no umbrellas allowed), visiting the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, and watching a Geisha girl perform a live, traditional dance. Towards the end of my trip, I spent three days with a local host family being treated as if I was one of them. On the first day, I carved my very own pair of chopsticks, using them at every meal throughout my stay. It was certainly challenging, but rewarding to be immersed in their everyday life. The impact of this trip was so great, I did it again the following summer, but this time as a Junior Leader traveling to five different countries in Europe.

Here’s the difference between myself and the forty-three other delegates that I traveled with. They come home with stories and souvenirs and new friends, while I came home with a completely new and exciting future ambition of wanting to be a global journalist. Looking back, this trip had a profound impact on me as it helped me shape what I want to do for the rest of my life. This personal ambition of mine consists of seeing and accepting all that the world has to then writing about those experiences and sharing them with whoever is willing to listen. This ambition was developed through the people I met, places I visited and events and activities I participated in. With wide eyes, I plan to travel to all the corners of the world, immersing myself in many cultures with the hope of creating intrigue and satisfying cultural curiosity. I want to make a positive impact both on my reads and on the personal relationships I will develop. It would be an honor and a privilege to play a role in helping President Eisenhower fulfill his vision of cultural unity in the world.