Hey everyone! My name is Jacob and I am a senior political science major at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I grew up in small-town America, moved across the United States for school and work, and am now living at a point where my sense of home is beginning to change dramatically. Thanks to the melting pot of cultures across our world, I recognize that everyone has a ‘home’ that means something unique to them. I look forward to meeting all of my colleagues from the other side of the world and am excited to learn about the different perspectives and backgrounds that I’ll be exposed to through this exciting exchange opportunity!
I grew up in an unincorporated town right on the border of the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania. With a population of around 200 people, I have learned that everyone knows everything that occurs within the town’s limits. The natural environment is focused around a temperate, lush, green area. A fond memory of my childhood was the severe thunderstorms and 100+ degree Fahrenheit heat indexes in the Summer and the sub-zero, multi-snowstorms that would dump feet of snow onto our property in the Winter. Culturally, my town is incredibly conservative and religious. Because of this, I grew up experiencing a community that was not diverse. Until moving to college, I rarely experienced cultural diversity in my everyday life. It goes without saying I experienced major culture shock when I moved to college. I met people with a diversity of identities, cultures, and backgrounds that I had never heard of until then. Stepping outside of my comfort zone and meeting new people was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
The most common view from my hometown in the summer time. (Source)
Sustainability is a complicated topic in my hometown. In terms of elected officials, my county is known for having long-term elected politicians who are incredibly conservative. With that being said, there is very little (if any) promotion of sustainability within my hometown unless it directly relates to economic benefits (like fluctuating gas prices). While growing up, my mother and I worked to introduce Envirothon into my local elementary school and school district. With this came advocacy for recycling, outdoor education, and other various sustainable practices within my community and school district. Since my mom got involved with sustainability education in my school district, my elementary school installed a geothermal heating and cooling system, recycling was established across the district, and both junior high and high school Envirothon teams were established for our district. In other words, when I first started school, sustainability was not a part of the academic discussion or curriculum. Thanks to my mom and a few other influential individuals in my school district, I was introduced to the idea of sustainability before I went off to junior high. What does sustainability look like in your hometown? Let me know in the comment section of the blog!
Joud February 5, 2023
Greetings Jacob !
Reading about your hometown made me more excited to try living in a small place. I have always dreamt of what it feels like living in calm and relaxing hometown.Now talking about sustainability, it surely reminds me of my hometown , Jeddah. Sustainability is represented in Jeddah , especially in the old city where builders used specific materials in constructing a building to satisfy our lifestyle. For example , walls were constructed by coral stones to prevent heat , and large wooden windows show daylight but also prevent heat. I would also like to reply to your question about my hobbies. I actually enjoy drawing and that’s what I do in my free time , it releases all my stress. I also love reading arabic poetry. My semester is going great so far , I hope yours is too ! I would also like to know if your hometown is considered as a touristic attraction , because if it is it will surely be on my travel bucket list !
Joud
Hadi February 5, 2023
Thank you for sharing your background and hometown with us, Jacob. It’s fascinating to learn about your upbringing in a tiny, conservative town and how it affected your outlook on life. Your transition to college and exposure to a broad environment has been a good experience for you, and I can see how it has opened your mind to new possibilities. Your post also brought awareness on the environmental issue in your hometown. It’s wonderful to learn that you and your mother took measures to integrate environmentally responsible habits, such as recycling and outdoor education, into your community. It demonstrates the influence that individuals may have on their communities, even in a conservative setting.
I must confess that I have never had the opportunity to visit my motherland, Palestine. So it’s interesting to learn about the location from your point of view. According to your information, sustainability is not a commonly addressed issue in Palestine. However, it’s encouraging to see that there’s a rising understanding of the necessity of environmental preservation and supporting sustainable practices. People are beginning to invest in renewable energy sources such as solar electricity, as well as sustainable building materials. This is a good indicator since it indicates a desire for change and a better future for the environment. Overall, learning about different regions and their distinct viewpoints on sustainability is intriguing.
What are your thoughts on the role of individuals in supporting community sustainability?
Sarah Abdulazeez February 5, 2023
Hello Jacob! My name is Sarah and I am from the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. I want to thank you for sharing your background with us and for describing what type of hometown you grew up and I also love hearing that you have tried something out of your comfort zone, as I personally believe that it makes people see things from different perspectives in. I have mentioned in my blog that I consider Jordan as my hometown, and I would like to tell you a bit about sustainability in Jordan. In Amman, the capital of Jordan, there is a tucked-away building that was built in one of the oldest neighborhoods, where zero emission future is possible. This building allows different age groups to witness a journey in which sustainability is possible. Also, there has been a campaign that was launched a few years ago back home where we used to collect plastic water bottles caps and use them for recycling purposes. The recycled plastic water bottle caps are used to manufacture hospital blankets and parts of the wheelchair. It’s inspiring to see that there are still people who care about the environment such as you and your mother! I would like to know how can we encourage people to take more sustainable actions that would benefit the environment? Thank you so much and I hope you have a great semester ahead!
Samwilliam September 13, 2023
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