It’s a small world, and getting bigger all the time.
We think “small” when we realize how close we are to the other seven billion people sharing the planet and how relatively easy it is to communicate and travel around it. But as we come to know more about our world and its amazing diversity, it can seem overwhelmingly large in its complexity.
Our children will likely sense this paradox more as the “shrinking” of our global community continues. In the news almost every day we see stories of conflict and violence. Busy with our jobs, our lives and our families we may desire global peace and cooperation but feel there is little impact that we can make.
Here is a simple suggestion that can address these concerns in a rather exciting way.
Scores of students from other countries attending Arizona Western College are eager to be part of our community. They come from every continent and represent many cultures and countries.
Some of these young people are seasoned travelers, well on their way to becoming global citizens. Others, however, are away from home for the first time. While professional advisors and faculty here on the college campus work very hard to help these students adjust and adapt, there is nothing quite like the bonds of family, the joy of family time and a chance to learn more of what life in the desert Southwest is really like.
Hosting an exchange student is potentially a wonderful, life-changing and life-affirming adventure for a family who has the time and means to open their home in this way. But, for many others who can’t make that rather daunting commitment, some of the benefits of sharing and learning about other cultures and countries can be found by becoming a “friendship family” to a student living and studying far away from their home and family.
Becoming a friendship family requires no binding commitment. Most students and families begin as casual friends who might enjoy an afternoon together at the mall or a backyard barbeque. Thanksgiving is a great time for us Americans to share our traditions with someone from another country and culture. When you meet one or two of our international students, you may consider inviting them to join a family gathering or a holiday meal. This is one way to create a more peaceful world, one friendship at a time.
For further information, contact the AWC International and Campus Life Office at 928-317-6091.
