I've always considered myself a globalist. Since I've returned from a whirlwind trip to Germany earlier this year, I believe this now more than ever. I say this having never even lived abroad - in spite of always wishing I could do so one day.
What defines a Global Individual? Is it reading The Economist? Watching Deutsche Welle? Vacationing in London ? Is it being an ex-pat or on a global assignment for one's firm? Not necessarily.
To me, this comes from having an understanding of and respect for other peoples and cultures, and as much as possible, having a sense of empathy for their history, ethnicities, languages. Not only that, but wanting to know more...
It's the greatest disappointment of my professional life that I never developed the international career I sought for so long. Living and working across the globe. Tuesday in London, Thursday in Brussels. Two weeks later in Chicago and LA. Next month, Seoul and Shanghai. That sort of thing. I wanted it so badly, I could feel it. Yet, I still consider myself a Global Individual. I maintain a large network of friends and contacts all across the world. Even though I am many years outside of high school, I *still* practice my German and French language studies on an almost daily basis. I skim the local news in London, Berlin, and Paris too. On October 3, Reunification Day in Germany, I was exchanging thoughts with my friends who were in Berlin when the wall came down. Am I a 'global citizen' ? To some, perhaps not, but to me, as long as I remain open-minded about the fact that there are others I share this planet with, and I care about how the other 90% live, yes.”
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