Labib Amin

Economics

To be honest, I am not great with introductions but it is nice to meet our professor and all of you. Going through the syllabus and attending the first class of the semester for this course was not as bad as I expected. It seems like the course will prioritize in shaping our understanding of different cultures by human interactions, thoughts, and the way they live their lives. The course is pretty hands-on and engaging; we will be not only reading articles and writing but research ideas through observation and real life interactions. Ethnography is something that caught my eye and seeing how it will allow us to connect with communities and better understand various perspectives. Revision and improved college-leveled writing are skills that we would be trying to attain in our journey through this course which are great to have for students. Overall, just hoping to have a great semester with all of you.

To understand a group or certain behavior tendencies, we all have tried peering in with our own reflection or observation. For me specifically, observation has come easier than reflection. Having various groups of people and being connected to them for different persons has led me to acknowledge dynamics, different values & traditions, and see different perspectives. In real time, I understood that the day-to-day interactions were severely important in observing cultures, and history.

Currently as of right now, immigrants are the main focal point for me. I understand majority of us are first generation, maybe even second or third college students coming from families of immigrants. Immigrants are the backbone of almost everything in this world. The interactions, connections, cultures, and etc. have all shaped the world we live in today. Seeing what is going on in the world socially regarding to the  cruel inhumane measures of targeting this group of people has altered my mind. It is imperative we observe and reflect on this current issue and seek to understand what we can do about it. Having immigrant parents myself makes me understand they are the same people who have sacrificed everything to make my life easier and better at succeeding. The research and understanding we can accomplish should help us voice our own thoughts regarding to the issue in knowing what is right vs. wrong.