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The trip was life-changing and we
returned, shocked by the abundance
we Americans have. My students
found new appreciation for other
ways of life and became friends with
people who looked and sounded very
different from themselves.
Unlike traditional vacations to resorts
and museums, this trip provided
opportunities to gain empathy and
perspective by volunteering for local
NGOs, experiencing the country’s
lifestyle, and, more importantly, the
desire to tell the story of what they
witnessed.
The students returned to share their
stories and tell their peers about their
experiences. The class chemistry
changed, and when students pitched
story ideas or developed news
packages, they were now through the
lens of a broader world view and one
of empathy.
The following year, we travelled to
Cuba, following President Obama’s
announcement to reestablish
diplomatic relations. We stayed in the
homes of locals and got to speak with
a former Cuban diplomat.
Turns out Cubans were happy to see
Americans, and didn’t all dress in
military fatigues. We discovered that
politicians and textbooks painted a
picture that my students could see
with their own eyes was inaccurate.
Again, we gained new political,
historical and cultural perspectives.
This year we visited Vietnam, where
the living history was just as rich, the
experience just as moving.
Empathy, perspective and true
understanding aren’t qualities you
can teach. They must come from
experience. Even journalists with the
best intentions can’t parachute into a
location and start reporting. Instead,
they must come to know the nuances,
desires and fears of the people and
culture they write about, and the best
way is by interacting with them.
We owe it to our students to
challenge their misconceptions
through experiences they don’t have
everyday. Through international
documentary trips, I found a powerful
way to recalibrate their mindset and
change the way they view and report
about the world.