Volunteer in or join an organization or get involved in a group comprised of people who are significantly different than you

5/5/08 - Diversity Day

On Saturday, May 3rd, I attended Goshen's Diversity Day at Maple City Chapel. I went with a few friends, and we had a lot of fun. In the two hours that we were there, we tried lots of different foods, watched different dances, had our hair braided, and got henna tattoos, all from different people from around the world. I think the food and dancing were my favorite parts. We tried food from Russia, Germany, Ethiopia, and Mexico. Some of the dancing was from these similar areas as well.












I love attending events like this because I am very interested in the world, and I want to travel everywhere. I also love learning about where people are from and hearing about their different experiences. I took a couple of pictures of maps that had tacks that showed where everybody was from. I liked the building that Diversity Day was held in because it was big enough for over a hundred different people to enjoy the same space, and I was happy that I was able to attend this event and enjoy it with all of them.















5/13/08 - Laundromat = diversity?

Yesterday, Deanna, Katie, and I went to a laundromat downtown, instead of using the one on campus. We went to try and experience a different atmosphere, and observe the amount of diversity that occurred here. While it was obvious that we went during a slow time of the day (bad judgment on our part), it was also obvious that there was diversity that went on at this laundromat. There were several examples that I witnessed...

One feature that I picked out was the lack of signs in Spanish on the machines. I understand that there is a relatively large community of Spanish-speaking members in Goshen, and I was kind of surprised that there weren't any instructions in Spanish for how to use the various machines. One wall had a board where individuals can post advertisements, and there were many advertisements in Spanish. When I saw this, it made me wonder even more why there weren't more signs in Spanish.

Another visual example was the different people that were present. There were a few people who were Caucasian, some who were Hispanic, and I think maybe one who was African American. There were a couple of different languages spoken, including English and Spanish, and also a variety of attire, where the clothes differed in tightness, color, and style. It was clear that many of these people didn't know each other, and it was interesting to see how they each went about their business, while being aware of the other individuals.

When I thought about how this laundromat compared to the laundry room that is in the connector of the dorms, I realized that there is diversity in both places. Goshen's campus is pretty diverse, with many different individuals, styles, and languages, to name a few examples. However, I think I was more intrigued by the local laundromat, mainly the interaction of the individuals. At the campus laundry room, there is diversity, but all people who use this laundry room are students, so we all have that common ground. Also, this laundry room is the only one in dorms, so unless students in the dorms want to go elsewhere, they use this one. At the laundromat downtown, individuals don't have to go there, but they do. They enter this diverse place and interact with other individuals, whether they realize it or not. These kinds of places can open up interaction between different races, ethnicities, cultures, etc, and it's up to us to take advantage of those opportunities.

5/16/08 - Wal-Mart...Offering more than just cheap stuff...

The other day, I made a quick trip to the Wal-Mart in Goshen to pick up a few things. My friend and I quickly picked out the needed items, and went on our merry way. Later, I told my friend about my blog assignment, and she said "write about Wal-Mart". At first, this struck me as odd, but after thinking about it, I realized she was right. The Wal-Mart here in Goshen is filled with a diversity of people from many different backgrounds. Thinking back, I do remembering realizing this feature at the beginning of the year when I went to this Wal-Mart, but it seems to have sunken into my view of this Wal-Mart.

I'm from Vermont, and in our area, it's not really diverse. At least to me, it seems that we're mostly white up there. Anyways, when comparing a local Wal-Mart in Vermont to the one here in Goshen, you see a big change in races and ethnicities. The one here is so much more diverse. When walking through the sliding doors, you can be sure to see people from backgrounds such as Amish, Hispanic, African/African-American, Asian/Asian-American, and many more. If you stop and listen, you can here many different languages and dialects being spoken at one time, and I love it. I love seeing all the different people coming to one (big) store in order to care for themselves and/or their families.

That's what makes me part of this group: we are all trying to survive. We are all going to Wal-Mart (the best place) to pick up the items that will get us through a few days, weeks, months, years. We buy items for ourselves that we like, or we buy things for others. Either way, we're all trying to get along in life, and that's why we're at Wal-Mart buying food, clothing, pharmaceutical items, etc.

Wal-Mart isn't the best place to go shopping, but it will get you by. It's a place to buy needed items at a cheap, or reasonable price. And, at least here in Goshen, it not only offers this, but it offers a quick glimpse into seeing how we are similar to others - we work hard to make money in order to survive. It also allows you a place to mix with others and feel a sense of diversity around you, which I think is so important in everyone's life.