Global Citizens

Brittany B
Before coming to college, I had never moved. I have lived in the same house my entire life with two sisters, one older and one younger, and both my parents in a very small town in North Carolina. Neither of my parents attended college, nor did my older sister, so going to Wake Forest was a very big deal for me. In my four years here, I have experienced more “firsts” than I ever thought I would. My first time living alone, my first college party, my first failing grade, my first love affair, my first time traveling abroad, my first job interview… my first time really learning who I was and who I wanted to be. I have been given so many opportunities that my parents were never able to have, such as attending a prestigious university and traveling abroad. I have always had a passion for travel, and in the last three years I have traveled more than my family has in a lifetime. I’ve seen the Vatican at Christmas and the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night and laid under the stars while watching a meteor shower. The change in my mobility since attending college has been unbelievable and I am so excited to see how much further this life takes me.

Bryan B
I am a sophomore studying engineering and neuroscience. I am from Ridgewood, New Jersey but have also lived in Austin and Chicago. Although moving around a lot can make keeping friends difficult, I found that it helped broaden my perspective by exposing me to different environments and types of people.
Something I love to do is travel. I've been fortunate enough to travel all over the world, making my way to all continents (except for Antartica). Seeing historical landmarks and having a few days to relax is great, but what I love most about travel is being immersed in other cultures. The cuisine, the different social behaviors and norms, interacting with people who hold very different world views and perspectives on life; those are the things that make travel great.
My favorite place I've been is Kenya. And looking back, I realize that I liked it so much because of how different it was from America. The safari was life-changing, but what was equally interesting was the people who lived out on the savannah. We visited tribes who lived just outside of the Maasai Mara reserve, in the middle of nowhere. They wore clothing that was totally alien to my own, had social classes that were very different from what we have in America, and consumed many servings of cow blood and milk every day. It was fascinating to my 13-year-old self that people could live so differently across the world and yet we are all human.
My love for travel explains the most prominent part of my personality; curiosity. I was always extremely curious as a child. To this day, I carry a pen and paper with me and jot down questions when they pop into my head. Looking up the answers to these questions helps build my understanding of the world around me.

Caroline B
I was born in Stony Brook, New York. Although my story isn’t the most mobile, my parents were aware of that, and took me on trips to many different countries whenever we had a break in school. I’m extremely lucky to have seen and done everything I did with my parents, but I think my trip to Alaska was so moving for me because I was with people other than my family, and I was taken out of my comfort zone. I hope to be able to travel and explore more cultures without that family backbone in the future, and really place myself out of my comfort zone more often.

Maria C-P
My story of mobility is of an undocumented person in the United States. I was born in Veracruz, Mexico and before I was even born my biological father disowned and denied me. My mother met her later-to-be husband, whom during that time raised money to help bring my mother, my sister inside her womb and myself to High Point, NC. I guess you can say I came from nothing and scrap dirt to begin my mobility within society.
I was raised in High Point, NC. School was my sanctuary all the years of my child and young teenage life. During our first years in the US, money, paying bills, and having food on the table was a struggle. I remember living in very old homes with holes in the walls and ground. During the winters I slept in one bed with my 4 sisters to keep warm at night! Bitter sweet are such memories in my mind. My parents were heavily dependent on me growing up for translation and communication. This only allowed me to "grow-up" and face the realities of life at 5 years old. During the recession, I had to mow lawns with my step-father, prepare lunch plates with my mother so she could sell at local factories during lunch time, and sometimes provided maid services that I carried out with my mother. My parents always said to me: "Education is everything! If you want out, that is your way out of this life of struggle." They could not have been so right yet, so wrong.
It's kind of tough to speak of mobility, going up the ladder, when the barriers before you hinder your mobilization. As an undocumented person in the US you are subject to live in poverty and conform to low wage and exploitative jobs. You do things that no other person would even think of doing out of desperation. As a latina, with no education you are subject to the same life as your parents; a life of struggle; and so you repeat the cycle. So what's the trick? What is the way out? My education is the most beloved thing I hold dear. But, I have come to realize that it is not education nor money that help you "out"... it is simply the moment you let go of fear. That's when your enemy has lost and no longer has power over you nor HOW YOU dictate YOUR life.
Maybe, in order to mobilize and move up the ladder, you have to skip the the crawling stage and simply grow wings. But, THEY don't want you to KNOW that you can do that; and so the systems put in place by their deceitful wits are built to keep you with nothing and scrap dirt, while they fly high looking down on us scramble for nothing but scrap dirt.

Elina D
I am a junior at Wake Forest University. I was born in St. Louis, Missouri, but Jacksonville, Florida is home. I don’t remember much if anything about living in St. Louis, nor Baltimore, Maryland where I lived right before moving to Jacksonville, but I remember most things about Jacksonville. I am an English major with a Psychology and Writing double minor on the pre-law track. Although I’m not entirely sure what area of law I want to study, I am currently thinking about either contract law or international law, both of which are very different. One of the things I am very passionate about is military support. This is in part because my boyfriend of three years joined the Army last year, and is deploying soon. He, similar to my family, is a huge influence on who I have become, and who I aspire to be. I know this project is supposed to be about our biography, but it wouldn’t be a true biography if I didn’t include him. As of this upcoming weekend, he will begin his first deployment in the Middle East. One of the things we have talked about is, hopefully, him having extra time to explore the countries he is in, even if that means just trying the local food, talking to whatever natives he can, and listening to their music. I am an avid traveler, but the countries he is visiting are places I have never been to, and unfortunately, probably will never visit. In addition to be active with military support, I am also very involved with the student organization, PREPARE, which strives to prevent sexual assaults and educate people about their prevalence on college campuses. Other than my family, these are the main things that have influenced me into who I am today. (Well and the peach buns from May Way!)

Ben F
I was born in Wilmington Delaware and, until college, I lived my whole life there. I always joke that growing up in Wilmington Delaware made me hard since Wilmington is the fifth most dangerous city in America, but I grew up removed from that violence. Delaware can be broken up into four areas: the beaches, the farmland, the city of Wilmington, and northern DE. Northern DE, where I grew up is essentially all old Dupont farm land that was sold away overtime. Everyone in northern DE is friends of friends with each other because DE is such a small state although we have pride in our tiny size.
I have a mom, dad, and an eighteen-year-old brother named Ryan. My father is a lawyer and my mother used to be a teacher, but became a full-time mom when I was born. Growing up my dad used to play games with my brother and I all the time. Our favorite was called ‘Daddy Monster’. I was about four or five and my family had just moved into a new house with an unfished basement that was incredibly creepy with the lights off. My dad would go hide in the basement and my brother and I would sneak through the dark trying to find my dad before he jumped out and screamed “RRRAAAAHHAHAHA”. I think this game gave me a love for being scared which explains why I love horror movies, climbing, and thrill seeking in general.
It would be fair to call me a country club kid. I went to private school and spent much of my free time growing up playing with friends in my neighborhood or going to the pool. One of our favorite things to do growing up was to walk to the 7/11 near our house and buy candy, I have a huge sweet tooth, and then walk back and play call of duty or watch TV. Now my favorite thing to do for fun is anything outdoorsy. I love going hiking and really want to camp again this year. I like nature and when I’m stressed I usually just take walks.

Vanessa G
Moving to a new place creates a dichotomy. On the one hand, moving somewhere new creates new opportunities and adventures: its optimistic and hopeful. On the other hand, a fresh start also means, you lose things in the place you leave behind. Moving causes a state of limbo. You don’t have place to belong in the new place and you leave the place you belong behind. When I first moved to the United States 6 year ago…
Six years ago, my family took up its roots in Singapore and moved half-way across the globe to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Alex G
I am a junior Business and Chinese double major currently studying at Wake Forest University. I grew up in Cincinnati, but I currently live on the east coast of Florida. My friends and family are the ones I hold closest to me, but my dog might be my favorite thing on earth. I love to laugh, and making other people laugh is one of the things that brings me the most satisfaction. I like to think I have a lot of friends, although a few of them may say the opposite. I would describe myself as an includer, that is, one who includes. I absolutely love people, and I find something to treasure in everyone I meet. Everyone, regardless of race, religion, appearance, gender, favorite food, etc. has something to offer, and I sometimes think it’s my job to pursue this kind of equality, and make friends with both the introverts and extroverts that I meet. I am also analytical with any problem I come across. I like to take the time to truly learn the ins and outs of some event, exactly what is happening, and why it is happening. I see how some would say I think too much, but I think that this kind of mindset is necessary for moving forward. I think that the idea of a fun-loving, inclusive, down-to-earth guy is pretty cool, and I am pretty happy with who I have become because of my unique set of personality traits and values. I think that I have used my personal skills to develop a global mindset, and I think this is the reason I am so fascinated by different cultures, why I chose to dedicate my studies to the Chinese language, or even why I joined the Global Village.

Kess M
Kess derives from my middle name Keisuke, but just the easier-to-pronounce version as my name was butchered very often. Keisuke, a Japanese name, was the name given to me by my mother who is from Japan, and Malcolm was given to me by my father who was born and raised in Arkansas. Subsequently, that is also where my childhood played out, specifically my entire life until I left for college, in the not-so-large-or famous city of Little Rock, Arkansas. And yes, Bill Clinton is my neighbor. But all jokes aside, my childhood was pretty amazing. The type of city that Little Rock encompasses is the ideal place that I would like to raise a child. I got to enjoy the benefits of living in a semi-industrial city but also live close enough to nature that I got to enjoy the outdoors thoroughly in my life.
My first words were in Japanese. While I’m not near as proficient as I used to be, my mom exposed me to the Japanese language, culture, and food early on. Being raised in a mixed household, it is hard to identify myself as either completely Asian or completely white but because of my more prominent Asian influence growing up I would honestly consider myself more Asian. I never found this to be an inhibitor to fitting-in during my early school years as I feel most kids couldn’t really comprehend the meaning of racial differences at that age. However, when I went to a nearly all white, Christian private school I first noticed my differences. I would get made fun of for the lunches my mom packed consisting of rice balls and obento’s.

Genereux N
At a young age, I never thought I would be pursuing education at this level, Wake Forest University Level. Education was so rare in my community, that there was only one man that had a college degree. I was born in Congo, but moved to Rwanda, where I attended school at a young age. Though I attended school daily back in Rwanda, I never really thought much about education or what it could do for me because I had no one in my family that could push me toward it; they knew nothing about education. This all changed for me when I first arrived in America in April of 2007.
The fact that I saw education as something that can change my life for the better did change because my parents, or family member all if the sudden became educated, but because I moved to a country that values education. I now had people in my new community and environment that were educated. I found mentors that were greatly invested in helping student of the community progress in society through education. I took this as an opportunity to advance myself in all aspect of life.
Starting in elementary, I start from zero, I had to adjust to the culture here in America, and I also had to learn a new language. I put in a lot of effort to get myself the best opportunity later in life. By the time I reached middle school, I was taking PreAp classes, and was in advances classes. I had achieved so much, compared to what I expected at an early age. This carried on in high school, in which I persistently pushed myself to get into advance placement course, and being involved in as many activities, and programs (that benefited me) that I could get myself into. It is astonishing to think about where I came from, physically and mentally, to where I am now. It is these instances that truly make me believe that the American dream not completely dead.

Habby O
My full name is Habibat Ewaoluwalomo but I go by Habby. Ewaoluwalomo is Nigerian and means Beauty of God and Habibat means Beloved and it’s Muslim in origin. I was born in Raleigh, NC to Nigerian parents. I am the middle child of three, being three years younger than my sister and three years older than my brother. I am a sophomore here at Wake Forest and this is my first year being apart of the Global Village. I am an intended Theater and Mathematical Statistics double major with a minor in Film Studies. I am very passionate about the arts. I love music, theater, film, drawing, sculpture, playwriting etc. I aspire to be in the arts long term but decided to supplement it with math to have better initial job prospects.
On a more random note, I hate the summer time. If I had a choice it would never be over 70 degrees. Winter and fall are my favorite times of the year because I love cold temperatures, the rain and snow. To me, those are also the prettiest times of year because the landscape seems so simplified and natural. I despise the springtime because not only is it hot but it’s humid. It’s also the prime time for bugs which I hate. I also don’t particularly like animals because they freak me out and often smell weird. This is why I’ve never had a pet and probably never will. I’m not a fan of the beach either. I don’t know how to swim and I don’t like the fact that sand gets everywhere and again, there are so many bugs.
Finally, one of my biggest aspirations is to be able to speak as many languages as possible. I only know a bit of Spanish and am somewhat familiar with French but the more languages I can learn, the happier and more fulfilled I’ll be. I think being well versed in multiple subjects is important for one’s worldview.

Alice R
I was born in Atlanta, GA to Russian immigrants who had moved to the United States only three years earlier with the dream of raising a family in a country vastly different than post-Soviet Russia. My fraternal twin Anna and I spent our childhood in the city of Roswell, GA. My parents fostered a creative, stimulating environment for my upbringing from the very beginning, exposing me to books, arts, music, and multiculturality. Russian language and culture was primary to me. Even though I was living an “American” childhood, I didn’t start learning English till the age of 4. From then on, I would grow up weaving the threads of my two cultural identities together, trying to mold the two seemingly contrasting cultures into my own being. My parents instilled in me strong values, grit, and passion while allowing my creativity to grow. Much of my upbringing was spent studying and exploring expression through dance, music, writing, and art. Up until the age of 8, I would go back to Belgorod, Russia each summer to visit the rest of my family. After that, however, international relations made travel to the homeland much more difficult, and hindered us from going until last summer. As my exposure to true immersion in Russian culture decreased, I tried to maintain a grasp on my Russian identity by keeping with my fluency in the language and my knowledge of Russian literature. After graduating high school, I began my next chapter at Wake Forest University, where I am studying sociology with minors in neuroscience, social entrepreneurship, and dance. I am currently involved in a service fraternity, Campus Kitchen, and I do interdisciplinary research that looks at the ways dance helps people living with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. My aspirations for the future are centered around my love for helping others and connecting with the beauty of cross-cultural connection, whether that be working in international NGO’s or for creative businesses that look at global issues.

Clara S
The first three words which come to mind when I ask myself who I am are: Swedish, student, and adventurer. The first word would not help to describe me at all if I was still back in Sweden, since it would not make me stand out among everyone else. Here though, at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the word “Swedish” is a very important word for me to use. Although the culture in Sweden might not differ from the American culture as much as, let’s say, that of Asian countries, there still are differences I am aware of almost every day. My “Swedish” background explains my way of seeing the world, my political opinions and my everyday behavior. I am proud of being Swedish, especially since Sweden is a role model for many other countries in the world. The second word I would use to describe myself is “student”. This does not make me stand out where I am sitting currently, in the atrium of ZSR library. Almost everyone here is a student, but I still think it is an important word to use. For the past 1 year and the upcoming 3 years, being a student is what I will spend all my time being, and everything I do as a student at Wake Forest University is going to shape me into the “adult” I will be when I enter the “real world” at graduation in May 2020. The last, but maybe favorite, word I would use to describe myself is “adventurer”. I have always loved being on the move, and have been lucky to be part of a family who loves to travel. Some of the favorite places I have traveled to is the Arab Emirates, Thailand, Vietnam, the Amalfi Coast and Oman. But apart from these trips, my most “adventurous” journey is the one I am on now, as a student living 4,379 miles away from what I have called my home for 19 years. There is a lot more I could write about myself than this, these three words work well to describe what I find most important to tell others about myself.

Alexander H
I have lived in seven different homes over the span of nineteen years. If this does not say something about my individual mobility, then I do not think anything does. Though my home mobility is not the same as the individuals who have moved from country to country looking for a home, my story of mobility is just as tied to my family's class mobility--or lack thereof.
Like many black Americans, I have been constrained by the circumstances of my birth in a way that has attempted to hinder my ability to rise through the ranks of the American social and economic classes. Because I was born black and because I was born into a family which lives under the poverty line, I was doomed--almost from birth--to contend with the assumptions and judgements of those around me. Furthermore, I was placed into a system that was designed to assure my status as subservient to higher classes of Americans. Although all of this is true, I have worked tirelessly with my family to break those expectations and I have. Regardless of my success, my economic mobility is still challenged by my circumstances of birth.
Earlier, I mentioned that I have moved seven times in the past nineteen years of my life. Unlike higher class individuals, those moves have almost exclusively been the result of being pushed out of my homes instead of being pulled to opportunity as is common for middle to upper class families. Ultimately, each time my family moved, it was because we had to, not necessarily because we wanted to. The most poignant example of my having been pushed out of housing took place during the fall semester of my freshmen year in college. Unbeknownst to me, my mother had to fight a battle with our landlord over paying the rent on the second Wednesday of the month--an agreement that had been made when we signed the lease for the apartment. This agreement was made because my mother is a disabled, former teacher and thus draws disability. Consequently, her check comes every month on the second Wednesday. This, seemingly, was acceptable when we signed the lease. However, the property manager decided that--as we lived in predominately black housing--she could do as she pleased and ignore the contract that all three of us had signed. The result was my mother and I having to move out of our apartment of five years on short notice. This situation is indicative of how my family's lack of economic mobility has negatively impacted my life.
Conversely, my family has provided me with the opportunity to travel on an annuel basis during our family reunion. This form of physical mobility has enabled me to develop a habitus which allows me to successfully infiltrate and thrive in professional and educational environments. In short, by being allowed to travel--even if it was within the U.S for the first seventeen years of my life--I have been abled to develop skills which will help me in my quest to increase my social standing.

Maria L
To me, my most defining attribute has always been my race, not because I chose to be my primary form of identification, but because others chose it for me. Growing up as a multiracial person, I have always struggled with my identity. My father’s side is a mixture of Italian, Irish, and English, while my mom immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines when she was 10 years old. Naturally, my brother and I look like a mixture of both of my parents. I inherited my mom’s tan skin and my dad’s strong eyebrows. While my brother and I look very similar, we look nothing like our cousins on either side of the family. Over the years, I’ve also realized that when I am with my dad alone in public, people often do not register that he is my biological father. The most frustrating part of being biracial for me is the constant need to explain myself. One day I was ordering food with a friend, and the person working at registered asked me, “Where are you from?” I responded Pittsburgh, to which he said, “No, I meant what race are you.” Then I proceeded to give him the standard explanation. My friend looked surprised with this interaction, but I explained to her that this was something that happened to me at least once or twice a month. This interaction is usually followed by a comment like, “Oh that’s not what I guessed,” or “You really look Hispanic!” This situation may seem trivial, but overtime it has become very exhausting to constantly feel obligated to explain my background to strangers who don’t even know my name. However, the one benefit from these interactions is that they have encouraged me to explore and embrace my biracial identity. Over time it has become something that I am proud of and that I feel has helped shape me into the person that I am today.

Beatriz L
and I am a Brazilian that grew up in England...but studies in the U.S. Whenever I tell people my story they get confused because they don't understand why I moved around so much. But my answer to them always is: " I love moving to new places, because I always discover something new about myself when I do it. The decision to move to England came when I was about eight years old, and at the time I didn't really understand the magnitude of our decision, but I just wanted to be where my dad was, so I happily said yes. At that point in my life I was only fluent in two languages: Portuguese and German. German because I used to attend a German school since kindergarten, so my school alphabetized me in both Portuguese and German. But ironically enough, none of those languages were able to help me with my transition to England, since I did not speak one word of English.
Fast forward to a few months later, and we were all moved into a house in the middle of the London suburbs. I remember the weather being horrendous, the people being unfriendly, and the food not very welcoming to our Brazilian taste. I can easily say that the first 6 months of our move, were the hardest months of my life. School was difficult because there were no other Brazilians students around for us to talk to (which was actually a blessing because that forced us to learn English much faster); being at home was difficult because my mom felt powerless and sad due to the clear language barrier she was facing; and just overall unhappiness, because everything around us was so distant from what we called home. We were ready to move back to Brazil after the first 6 months. But we didn't. And I still thank my parents to this day for that decision. I thank them because our perseverance to stay showed each one of us how strong we really were. We had to endure things we never thought we would have to, but because we chose to rely on each other to get through these difficult times, we came out of those experiences much stronger, and with a defined sense of who we were.
Fast forward to almost 10 years later, and what in the first 6 months seemed like a terrible idea, 10 years later we were swearing loyalty to the land of Queen Elizabeth, in a ceremony to claim our British citizenship. Brazil might have been the country who gave birth to me, but England was the country who made me who I am today, and for that I will always be thankful to this little island. Now, coming to the U.S is a whole other chapter of my life, that I don't really have time to write about. But all in all, it has been a chapter of self-assurance and learning how to become the woman I've always aspired to be. Living thousands of miles away from home and learning to rely on others has probably been the best experience of my life, but I still have a lot to learn. With a step at a time I'll certainly get there.

Mohammad M
I was born in High Point, NC. I was born at 4:30 a.m. and I weighed an average 7 pounds 8 ounces. I grew up in a fairly traditional Pakistani household since both of my parents were born in Pakistan. Along with this religion played a fairly large role in my early life. I am Muslim so going to the mosque on Fridays and fasting during Ramadan was expected. As I began middle and high school I began shaping my own identity and I was more influenced by American culture. For instance I began listening to more music and my social life was much more active. Moving on, I went to an overwhelmingly white high school; over 90% white! I did not have a diverse friend group and I was one of 2 Muslims in my class of 190+. I was very focused on special needs children in high school. I would volunteer at dances and summer camps to help out. Furthermore, In high school I had my biggest achievement so far in my life. I applied for the Gates Millennium Scholarship, not even remotely expecting to win. Then, on a hot, humid summer night, while I was keeping score for a softball game, my mom called and told me I had received the letter she had been expecting. At first it didn’t register in my mind but then it really sunk in. I was so relieved to know that my education up to my Ph.D would be fully funded. As graduation approached, I said many goodbyes to close friends. Beginning school at WFU was one of the most amazing and unique experiences of my life. I have found so many amazing friends here and I have had the privilege of studying abroad in London which was the most thrilling experiences of my life. I still love going back and working with the special needs community in High Point. At Wake, I have found that working with refugees is my new passion and I want to replicate the work I did in high school with this community. So far, my life has had many ups and downs. In the future I hope to go to medical school and become an oncologist.

Rav M
The human desire for a better life can come to either manifest in the ones own life or in that of their children. Both of my parents discontinued education prior o ninth grade, with my mother being told no further education is needed for a Sikhi women and my dad being told to go emigrate to go find work in Germany to send money back home. Post arranged marriage, three kids, and settling in Germany, there was continued a continued sense of not “having the right of to have those rights” especially those that should have been accompanied by my own German citizenship. Much of our struggle to advance and hindrances to our living and working situation continued over the years. While it was frustrating to stand in the back of the line when picking up clothes at factories for the flea-market job my father had acquired in Cologne because of being mistaken for a Turkish origin, it was not what caused us to abandon our home in Germany. Rather, it was when my parents saw that our educational opportunities to advance to better schools within Germany were limited for me and my brother’s due to our “mistaken identity.” Looking back, there was no mistake really; there seemed to be rather a browning of the Eastern hemisphere that at the time led many Germans to referring to anyone from the Orient as being Turkish and having long-overstayed their welcome after the labor force was no longer needed post-world wars. Once I had learned enough English, I began to realize the plethora of opportunities that American schools offered me, posing a stark contrast to the limited paths available to me in the German schools I attended. Instead of being criticized for speaking another language at home, teachers complimented by poly-lingual tongue. Only a few days ago did my whole family receive their citizenship, but to my parents, this country always was the dream-land for their kids and encouraged our mobility.

Raven M
My story of mobility, however, starts with my stepfather. My mother raised both myself and my two younger brothers pretty much on her own. She tried to go to school, work a full time job, and raise three children. As you can imagine, this was extremely difficult for her and the three of us. I would come home from school to a baby sitter because my mom would work the third shift, sleep while I was at school, and go to class all night long. I was forced to be "mobile," as the norm is that children are raised by two parents. After my stepfather, who I refer to as my father, came into the picture, I was forced to be mobile again. He already had a child, so I had to adapt to my new stepsister and new life. He and my mom both held jobs, taught us good morals, and raised us to be better than they were. They instilled values that I believe wholeheartedly, which is why I am at Wake Forest today. They taught me that you must work hard to get what you want, to never lose your drive, and to never give up. They are two of the strongest people I know. This was great for me and my brothers, but being forced out of what you know and into another family is another form of mobility that I cannot begin to describe. It is hard to adapt, especially when you see all of your friends bringing their fathers to school for Father's Day brunch. It is hard having to explain that you don't see yourself as having a biological father. It is hard to explain that both of your parents share four children between them, and it is hard to explain the love you can have for family that is not technically biological. Although I have never experienced mobility in a cultural aspect, such as leaving a country or place, I believe that this kind of mobility is also important.

Jeannie S
I am often laughing too loudly. Granted, that is not always a bad thing, but I can be easily identified by my boisterous, highly unique laughter. By easily identified, I mean I can be heard across campus. Out of all my traits, this one I am certain: I am always optimistic, or at least trying to be. This optimism may have sprouted during my childhood, but most definitely developed and grew over time. My mother passed away when I was young, so my dad always motivated me to become the best, most successful, happiest person that I could possibly be. For me, being the best meant challenging adversity and accepting diversity in all walks of life. Brightening someone's day with a simple smile, helping someone in any way that I possibly could - these are my life goals. These goals stemmed from my desire to crush my own unfortunate encounters with adversity. Those who are mobile are no strangers to said concepts of adversity or difficulty, however. I can almost relate to them, those unique individuals with varying stories of mobility. Yet, my story is not one that includes physically moving from place to place. My story does not involve the hardships ensued by leaving a familiar place, those I have grown close to, or even switching schools. Instead, it involves being mobile in terms of my personality. I am constantly changing in order to better myself and to be able to face the many problems that will inevitably come my way. Emphasizing that I am a still a stranger to the concept of physical mobility, I grew up in a small town in West Virginia and have lived there for most of my life. I am fairly certain that this place is where dreams come to die, but mine did not. I "moved" my mindset and my outlook towards life. I established my dream to become an attorney, to advise those in need, and help those who require it. I was mobile, not in the sense that I had a dramatic cultural switch, or that I went abroad for longer than a semester, but instead in how I motivated myself. I moved beyond the stereotypes that cloud the state of West Virginia and those that plague women all over the world. I channeled my mental mobility into becoming a more understanding, compassionate individual. One that recognizes and tries to facilitate those that are different. One that does not back down from a challenge. One that would not be who she is today without the instances of mobility found within her life. I cannot say that my life has been interesting. If anything, it has been quite ordinary. Nevertheless, I have made the most of my life and its experiences through being willing to change and being susceptible to the ever-growing concept of mobility.

Guillermo T
I was born in Pensacola, Florida. My mom’s family had a large history of difficult births, and decided it would be best to give birth in an American Hospital. She moved to the US a couple months after she found out she was pregnant with me, and lived in her Aunts house. Her uncle was a respected psychiatrist in the town and an esteemed friend of his was chosen to be my mom’s OB/GYN. My dad joined her on her eight month of pregnancy and stayed till it was time to move back. After being born, I had an American passport twelve days after birth, and flew internationally back to what would become MY country, two weeks after being born. There I grew surrounded by the beauty of the Hispanic culture, and when it was time for my academic education, I was enrolled in a private American school in El Salvador, where all through pre-k to twelfth grade, all my professors would be American, and I would only speak and learn Spanish during Spanish class. This, although in a very limited manner, gave me a sense of the American culture. Furthermore, through my eighteen years living in El Salvador, I traveled to the United States at least once a year (I have visited 20 states) and Europe a couple times, so my interaction with my “birth” country was there in some sense. When the time to think about college came, I knew I wanted to study in the country that had been present in my development but that I wasn’t really familiar with. Because of this curiosity, and a certain Hispanic trend to group together in specific colleges, I choose one with an extremely limited Hispanic population. This has in fact, been the hardest challenge I have endured, but also the most gratifying, life changing, thrilling, and exploratory one. Adapting to this culture was hard, but I was determined to do so. At this point in my life, while I have an *original* Latino friend group here at Wake, my best friends (besides the ones from back home), suitemates, and close circles, are conformed mostly of American students. This has allowed me to live in a liminal space amongst cultures, and develop a dual identity.

Wubetu S
I was born and raised in Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia, where my family still lives. As a child, I took care of my family’s 200 sheep, a few cows, and horses in the mountains. I spent the days in the mountains with my animals searching for food and the nights sleeping in a cave with them. It was here in the mountains that my entrepreneur mindset grew. I started to make hats and bags from sheep’s wool which I sold to tourists in order to buy more sheep and increase my herd. I would also take tourists for rides on my horses and let them explore the mountains with me and my animals. As a result, I became more independent, creative, adventurous, outgoing, and friendly. At the same time, my passion and love for nature grew.
When I started school, I found similar opportunities for entrepreneurship and engagement with nature and tourism. I had to walk five hours barefoot to and from school every day. As difficult as this journey was, the gorgeous views of the mountains and wildlife motivated me for this long trek. My entrepreneur mindset that started inside the cave followed me to school. I made shoes by cutting and carving old car tires to make my hiking easier. Not only that, but I also made shoes to sell in order to buy school supplies for myself and my siblings. Similarly, on the way back to my home from school, I often would join tourists and hike back with them.I used the long treks as an opportunity to learn English and to improve my communication skills with tourists.
When I was 14, I moved to Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, and then to the USA to pursue my educational goals. Living abroad in the USA, I didn’t have the opportunity to be a shepherd and make hats while living in a cave. However, the experiences I had as a child in the Simien Mountains and the lessons I learned as a shepherd continued abroad with new opportunities for my entrepreneurship. While I was still in college, I started a company that provides convenient, efficient, and affordable tour services in different parts of Ethiopia, especially in the Simien Mountains, for tourists from all over the world. Similarly, my love and passion for nature led me to be interested in nature photography and videography as in an independent filmmaker. Currently, I am a communication, entrepreneurship, and film studies student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, USA.

Hannah V
Reflecting on the only me I know, I cannot understand why I am identified based upon my physicality. I was adopted when I was possibly two, and I am loved by parents from whom I do not share the same DNA. I love them more than anything, and I am beyond blessed to have been adopted into a family with a sister who is my best friend and shares the same experience as I. Had it not been for my parents, my life would likely have amounted to nothing, as I was always hungry, nameless, and I lived among other nameless children in a facility that does not quite qualify as an orphanage. Being a part of a family was not a concern at the age of my adoption because I did not know other circumstances. My story of mobility is one of luck, as my mind was not a determinant of where home would become for me. My mobility is through my adoption. It grows in luck even more, because I was one of millions of abandoned children in one of several Chinese provinces. How I came to be apart of the best family I will ever know is a story of much chance. While I grew up in the United States, I evidently became completely Americanized even though my mother pushed my sister and I to learn Mandarin. (I understand this more now that I am older.) My closest friend growing up had also been adopted from China and we always felt connected by the disconnect that we both share with our birth families. I will never know the parents from whom I am the product of, and I do not mind, for I have been blessed with a the most loving parents and sister. As for my appearance, I look 100% Asian even though I speak 0% Chinese. I am an Asian American even though to any person, and no one in particular, I look like an international student or, simply, just another Asian.

Taylor W
In my youngest years I can remember the sweet smell of the flowers my mama used to plant right outside of our tiny little house on Sun Way Drive. My street showed the signs of age, as did its residents. Across the street was Dick and Rachel, a nice older couple whose grandchildren lived far away. They treated me like their own. I can remember the young puppies in their pin, the smell of cookies and the old television in their living room, and most prominently the pond in the backyard where Dick and I would fish. I’d bring my Tweedy Bird fishing pole out to the pond and spend hours listening to his stories. He smelled like threadbare cotton and fresh earth.
When we moved, the house was no longer small and cozy, but a jungle gym of a two story brick house. My neighbors had kids, the first kids I’d ever really interacted with besides for my cousins. They were cruel, and I soon became an outcast and an easy target for their antics. Kindergarten started, throughout elementary school I was timid and ridden with self-esteem issues, my only solace was my position as a library assistant. I used those tattered old books as an escape, constantly traveling to fantastic places and meeting new characters.
Eventually I blossomed, it took all the way until my freshman year of college. I finally grew into myself. I found a place where I could learn about the world passionately and unapologetically. I took time to learn about myself, who I am, and what I believe in apart from my family and friends. I cut off all of my hair. I started being bold, and only uttering words that I truly mean. I am unapologetically me, constantly changing, but comfortable in who I am.

Andrew W
I am a sophomore at Wake Forest double majoring in physics and economics, and I grew up in the Chicago area. I grew up in an affluent Chicago suburb called Hinsdale and five years ago, my family moved from a sleepy suburb to a bustling Chicago. My family totals at 6 people, my parents and 4 boys. As younger boys, we were active in normal, kid-like things like sports, music, etc. But despite much of our energy being spent on local things like sports teams within the community, my parents introduced me to a much broader community, the global one.
I remember going to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to listen to Yo-Yo Ma play concertos by European composers and ensembles written by composers from Ancient Asia. I remember watching the World Cup 2006 final between France and Italy when Zinedine Zidane headbutted an Italian player. I cried when France lost that game. No French blood, no obvious tie to France or its team and yet I cried in despair. I remember traveling to Cairo with my family when I was mature enough to appreciate the Egyptian and Middle Eastern culture. Our tour guide, Mona, this old, resilient Egyptian woman who had seen it all, helped me understand that there are so many spheres beyond my little one back in Hinsdale. I had a lot of rich, spirited experiences in Europe, Africa, and across the United States.
The biggest benefit from having this exposure became my desire to learn more about others and to understand humanity better. Through my experiences, my parents fostered an insatiable curiosity within me to learn, reflect, and grow. I am at a point in my life in which I understand that I know very little about others, but it least I recognize it. Through experiences like Global Village, I will learn so much about others and will continue to grow my appreciation for other cultures and to me more importantly, the human experience.