From Study Abroad to Social Action

A conversation hosted by Social Edge in July (www.socialedge.org/discussions/philanthropy/bringing-the-world-home) asked the questions:

How has walking across differences made you more open to addressing the world's problems?
Why is international experience such a motivating factor in working towards global change?

My first longer stay abroad was directly after high school graduation at the age of 19. I left high school with report comments such as “Frauke will never take over the lead in English conversations” and grades that could have been one grade better, if I had participated in class discussions. Staying in the US for a year taught me to be independent and self-confident.

Having volunteered in the international student organization AIESEC for 7 years, I have worked in an inter cultural network with more than 85 countries. Being active in such an organization has helped me to get a clear view on my personal values and vision.

Staying abroad, I gained an outside look on my own country and the possibility to compare it to other countries and how foreign countries dealt with solving social problems. A question that constantly came up while in India, for example: what can Germany learn from developing countries on how to take personal leadership for solving personal and local problems? What can Germany learn from the Indian education system and the entrepreneurial risk-taking of Indian slum dwellers?

Working for Greenpeace International in Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to take part in the basic action training of the Dutch office which exposed me to the philosophy of non-violent direct action and bearing witness. In addition, I joined the international learning network Pioneers of Change. Involved there has helped me to step out of the usual employment circle to start working as a free agent within the social movement We Are What We Do. Working with a Dutch coach, I developed my own job description “Initiator & Facilitator of Change Networks” to start out as a freelancer in Germany which has attracted me already to paid work for We Are What We Do Germany and within the new selfHUB in Berlin (self-germany.de/pageID_2681939.html)

On my list still is a longer stay in the Kufunda learning village (www.kufunda.org) in order to get some answers to my question: what can Germany learn from Africa?

But why is international experience such a motivating factor in working towards global change? Two days ago, I was part of an international conversation here in Berlin. The topic was “What makes you feel like you belong?” One aspect of the conversation was “what makes you feel that you don’t belong here?” We came up with characteristics such as isolation, discovery, adventure, freedom, confusion, etc. All this is part of an experience abroad, as well. And I realized that I need that feeling of not belonging for empowerment to take social action.