Why Israel

On Friday night after work, I was thrilled to have a big reunion with Tenzin ever since the summer of 2008 when we met in the Alliance for Global Education in Shanghai. She hasn’t changed much, neither have I. We quickly recognized each other at Dupont Circle and went to diner together. When talking about the plan for this summer, I told her I was going to Hebrew University of Jerusalem for a summer course. “Israel” indeed was a surprising word. Nearly all my friends were astounded when they heard it from me. Some of them even sent me latest news about the tensions and anti-Chinese racism there to me, which I considered to be very considerate and caring, so thank you so much! And they’re also very curious of the reason why I want to go there (they knew that I’m always on the travel, so they just ask me why this country).

Yeah, why Israel? One of my classmates went for an exchange program in Tehran University for a whole semester and I was super jealous of her. I’ve always wanted to go there too! She told me if I had a Israeli visa stamp on my passport, I could still go visit Iran; but if I’ve been to Iran, Israel would definitely reject my visa application. This really tells us something. I sort of believe her firmly.

But that’s not the reason.

Why I want so much to go visit Israel and stay there for a whole month and even take a course about international relations from a middle eastern perspective (although I doubt that Israel will represent and present the “middle eastern perspective”, if there’s such a thing at all)?

My major is Communication and on the ever-growing reading list, I was extraordinarily attracted by the great works of Edward W. Said: Orientalism, Culture and Imperialism, Culture and Resistance, Covering Islam, etc. In his books, I encountered a large sum of descriptions and strong arguments about the Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, about how innocent Palestinian people were killed and expelled from their lands, and about how difficult it is to propel the peace process when the two parts are not on the equal dialogue. Complication.

And I believe if I can do anything to learn more about it, I should go there. I’ve read a lot from the Palestinian perspective (which is supposed to be on a highland of morality), I need to know something from the opposite part, from the Israeli perspective. That’s why I’m going.

I’ve traveled to many places in and out of China. I speak English, a little Japanese, and can understand limited Cantonese and French. I have many friends from foreign countries. I’ve studied and worked out of China. In the past four years I always heard the term “global mindset” and gradually I became interested in it. I’d like to explore a little more about it.

What does it mean by “global mindset”?

The term “globalization” has already become a suspicious cliché and has raised supports and controversies at the same time. So what about “global mindset”? Does it mean for someone who traveled a lot, who speaks several foreign languages, who has rich experience abroad and has friends all over the world? I don’t think it’s that simple.

From my own humble opinion, global mindset means to think globally in a cosmopolitan way. One with global mindset should have a broad view and relatively objective perspective to see and interpret things. I know it’s extremely hard to be objective, but at least it should be balanced. One with global mindset may not have their own distinguishing standpoint, but s/he understands things and is always willing to learn more about it.

Therefore, I’m not with global mindset because I have biased viewpoint on many issues. Sometimes I just can’t jump out of the box to see the things from a different/another perspective. Sometimes I know little about what are the things going on. But at least I’m aware of it and I’m working very hard to improve and enrich myself, to broaden my horizon by reading more, thinking more, traveling more, and talking to more people.

That’s why Israel is on my map.

I know the whole thing may sound weird and I can’t change the world, but I take control of myself.