Student profile
It is a simple concept: if we are not willing to ask questions, we are not willing to grow.
As a young girl, I was fixated on the radio morning line-up of BBC Newshour and Morning Edition at the breakfast table. Everyday, I listened to the questions and observations of analysts from universities, government, and think tanks. Over time, names such as Peter Kenyon and David Greene became not just part of my morning routine but also eventual role models.
As I grew, I switched from letting the words drift over my ears to wanting to understand the stories behind the conversations. I began to appreciate that some interviewers had a knack for asking the “tough” questions and I began to follow the news story with my own set of questions. Rather than “What is happening in Afghanistan?” or “Is North Korea eliminating its nuclear weapons?”, the better questions would be “What can we achieve in Afghanistan?” and “How should the US react to North Korea’s actions?”.
And so, as I grew older, the list of questions grew along with my appreciation of world politics.
At 5 am, on my way to cross country practice, I am now the one turning on NPR before the sun rises and while the streets are empty. These stories, along with their questions, flow through my thoughts while I run, dodging bikes, javelinas, and other runners along the way.
Last summer, a classmate, an immigrant from Mexico, told me that she had just received her US citizenship while we were on a creative writing trip in Ireland. This sparked a list of questions, some of which I could ask but perhaps others I could not. Perhaps she had been undocumented, and possibly someone in her family still was. I soon found out that the questions surrounding immigration policies were no longer abstract. It was difficult to not help but see my friend in another light for what she, and perhaps her family, had gone through.
After this incident, I found that the “tough” questions were not without a starting point. Rather, the questions revolve around the ability to balance the needs of a country’s citizens while still supporting basic human rights for all. The chance to answer such questions is not only given as a privilege but also an obligation. Often they are difficult or uncomfortable. However, if we choose not to answer them, they will be answered for us.
We will never learn from each other’s differences if we do not have the curiosity and strength to question but also listen to the answers. By contributing to such dialogue, I hope to pursue a career in international relations.