Five Ways to Be a Global Citizen in the New Year

Resolutions 2009

As the year 2008 draws to a close, we typically turn our thoughts toward making resolutions for the New Year. Traditionally, many of us choose the same old resolutions —managing debt, losing weight or engaging in regular exercise. In 2009, consider eschewing these garden variety resolutions in favor of one that will transform not only yourself, but also the world: Make a commitment in 2009 to raise your cultural awareness. Globalization, one of the greatest macro-economic trends of our time, has created a tremendous need for people all over the world to better understand and interface with different cultures during the course of their work and travels. In today’s world of shifting borders and economics, we all can use a boost in cross-cultural understanding.

Acquire another lingua franca. International trading, economic globalization, rising immigration, and the limitless boundaries of the Internet have given us greater accessibility to new cultures and created a worldwide environment where we all come into constant contact with people who speak languages other than our native tongue. Livemocha (www.livemocha.com) offers language learners a FREE and fun way to learn a language while practicing with a global network of native speakers around the world. It combines instructional content in 11 popular languages — English, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, Russian, Icelandic, French, Italian, Portuguese, German and Hindi — with the opportunity to practice with native speakers from around the globe through live audio and chat. With over 1 million members, Livemocha has quickly become the world’s largest online language learning community.

Volunteer beyond your borders. Give the precious gift of time and make a difference by volunteering in a local community. Whether you choose to cross the county border or the country border, you’ll develop a better understanding and respect for other cultures through volunteering. If you wish to travel abroad, then consider the field of international volunteerism with Cross-cultural Solutions (www.crossculturalsolutions.org), a non-profit organization that brings people together to work side-by-side while sharing perspectives and fostering cultural understanding. You can volunteer in areas such as social services, education, and health in one of the many local communities in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe or Latin America.

Feed your cultural appetite. Fascinated by the cuisine of a faraway country? If so, then consider learning how to cook! Head to your local library or neighborhood bookstore to find your cookbook of choice. For the more adventurous chef, consider a cooking class or a cooking vacation where you can work side-by-side with an instructor to learn how local ingredients are used in recipes while also discovering the cooking traditions that have helped shaped that country’s history. In doing so, you’ll enhance both your palate and cultural awareness.

Adopt a foreigner (temporarily). Become a host family and open your door to a foreign exchange student and watch as your life as well as the life of another is enriched. As a host, you will be responsible for your student’s room and board, but you’ll also be responsible for sharing your own values and traditions. In return, you’ll have the chance to learn a foreign language, sample exotic cuisine, discover different customs and much more just by welcoming a foreign student into your own home. The rewards of being a host to a foreign exchange student are endless — an entirely new perspective on a foreign country, a sense of fulfillment and most importantly, a lifelong friendship.

Scale your family tree. Look no further than your own ancestry to learn more about a foreign country or culture. There are myriad resources for researching your ancestors’ journey, but Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), an online source for family history information, is one which can help kickstart your search and even house your family tree online. Along the way, take some time to learn about the history, genealogy, culture and life of those ancestors who came from remote places. As a result, you’ll develop an awareness of cultural differences and similarities — both past and present — thereby giving you a deeper understanding of how the world is truly interconnected.

Contacts

Atomic PR
Sara Long, 415-402-0230
sara {at} atomicpr(.)com