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Changing Ourselves, Changing Our Communities

Enas  Sabbah  Yes ’15  Gaza     Unrwa Event  Hand In  Hand

By Enas Sabbah, YES 2014-2015, Gaza, hosted by AYA in Florence, SC (pictured on the far left)

As an exchange student, I have always been encouraged to speak about my home country in an effort to break stereotypes and unite the world. As a YES student, I managed to break many stereotypes Americans had about my religion and my country, so of course when I came back from the U.S., I also worked to break stereotypes my home community holds about the United States.

Since I returned to Gaza, I have been trying to deliver the message and the vision that Americans have of the world in any conversation I am in. Stereotypes that prevent peaceful resolutions come from a lack of communication and contact, or the refusal to actually listen to what the other side has to say. When citizens hear opinions and views from people that are either from their community, or are non-threatening- like exchange students- they are more willing to accept and debate opposing ideas and beliefs.

When I think about breaking the stereotypical image of an American in my society, nobody seems better fit for the job than exchange students. We exchange students have seen sides of the U.S. that the media never shows, yet we are a part of our own society. We know the views, faith, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses that lie in our home community. We can use all of that knowledge to empower and strengthen communities to break stereotypes and bring the world closer together.

I was never the type of person who would start a conversation with a stranger, but in the U.S., I had the chance to dig deep into American and Middle Eastern issues with strangers from all backgrounds and ages. The evolution in my communication skills strengthened my ability to suggest and implant new ideas in both my host and home communities with confidence and determination.

My experiences in the U.S. also inspired my views on gender roles. As a female, I was able to do almost everything a male exchange student had the chance to do, and that made me wonder, what makes this impossible in my own country? Before going to the U.S., I used to always give in to what my society would tell me about my role as a female. Now, I only settle for what I believe is my right.

The unfair gender role in my society is one of my major concerns that I plan to fight my entire life. I know this will not be fast or easy to change, but change surely is possible. The many debates I went through in the USA - whether it was regarding my country, my religion, or problems with my host family - have increased my knowledge and skills in effective debating.

Enas, sitting on the far right, volunteers with a number of projects in Gaza.

Before travelling, I did community service and kept all the details to myself. However, my exchange experience showed me that sharing my community service experiences is not bragging, but inspires others to give back to their communities more often. Living in the USA helped me gain the confidence and courage to bring change to my society, through both words and actions. I have always been the type of person who doesn't easily open up to everyone, but this was not a choice for me when I was put into a new environment where I had to communicate with everyone and make new friends. Moreover, I was in the south, where people literally tell you about their lives in the pizza line, and you can't just stare at people and say nothing, right? This has now allowed me to be able to talk and engage with strangers more easily and more effectively create lasting relationships and transform conversations.

My exchange year affected me by helping me form the following outlook: You are not alone and what you want to do is shared and will be praised by so many people. People are still looking for others to break the mold and bring change, so don't wait! Be that brave person. Be that person who help everyone achieve and prosper.

Everyone has a dream, and together, those dreams will create a force greater than wars, greater than arguments and disagreements, and greater than labels. We, together, can create a force that can break down all the barriers that are meant to keep us apart, that are meant to keep us living in one planet yet in a million different worlds. We might speak different languages, and wear different clothes. We are labelled as Arab, Asian, Black, White, American, but we forgot the most important label of all: human. You can live in the far west of the Earth and I can live in the far east of it, but we all came from the same human body.

My exchange year has told me that I am not just a citizen of Palestine. My exchange year has taught me that I am a citizen of the Earth, and we are all made of bones, blood, and muscles that should ache for everyone’s pain, and enjoy everyone’s triumph because after all, we only have one planet to call home, and it is our duty to make sure every corner of our home is safe and happy.
 


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