Instead of a class discussion in GRS, one night was dedicated to bringing people together regardless of age or faculty. A dinner was organized and many in the class, other professors, alumni, and organizations came together to discuss important issues facing the world. I found this to be such a rich experience to learn about a diversity of topics while also getting to know more people within my community. One of the things I enjoyed was just being able to sit down and eat together with people. Often times, it is hard to schedule a meeting, let alone a dinner, to spend time and connect with people while talking about issues such as sustainability and food security. It was also really neat hearing peoples’ personal experiences and how it related to where they are today.
The various issues brought up during the dinner were also fascinating and gave me an amazing opportunity to learn about new organizations. For instance, I never realized that immigrant workers had such difficulties receiving proper medical attention and that there was actually a clinic that set out to address this issue. I was so surprised to learn that this was something occurring locally, but also so proud that some compassionate individuals took it upon themselves to initiate something that could help these immigrants. I also learned more about the issues of fair trade and the benefits of community farming. Previously, I knew fair trade was beneficial to many rural farmers but I did not realize what strategy utilized the process best for the locals. After some discussion with people involved in that field though, I was happy to learn that those farming in a community were more successful since they were able to have a larger say and have a stronger collective voice. Moreover, this also allowed for more support and connectedness among the farmers, which I also believe is a key aspect to successful farming. In this sense, the dinner was a great night which facilitated many great conversations and got many brains thinking!
Just before the end of the night, I remember being able to draw with my group on the paper table covers as well as on the blank canvas, which ended up being one of the many highlights of the night. Our group member ended up drawing some (fair trade) fruits around the earth to signify the importance of fresh, wholesome food. As well, one of the people in my group wrote in Chinese characters, “Do you know where your food comes from?” which is an important question that everyone should consider. Where one’s food comes from not only affects you and your local surroundings, but also situations worldwide. I also want to note that the group member who wrote in Chinese was not Chinese but took it upon himself to embrace other cultures and languages – truly inspiring and a great example of what GRS is all about!
All in all, the night was a success and such a fun way to learn and connect. I hope that I can continue to make time to learn more and share more ideas with others in order to move forward and make more sustainable choices that better the world.