Beyond Borders, Beyond Stereotypes by Madeline

Beyond Borders, Beyond Stereotypes by Madeline - March 2016 Scholarship Essay

I had always thought of myself as the be-adventurous-travel-the-world-learn-every-language type person. However, until the age of 16 the only foreign language I knew was mediocre Spanish and the most exotic place I had been was Boston. Traveling was great but my worldly experience had been limited to the US until the summer of 2014.
I first left the country when my family and I took a trip to London. Being immersed in the ways of a completely new country was eye-opening, to say the least. I then realized that my perception of other cultures had been limited to what I had seen through media, most of which being stereotypes. It is for that reason that I believe all students should study abroad.
Through television humor and the internet, people of different nationalities have been reduced to little more than stereotypes. Due to lack of education of other cultures, some people have no choice but to believe in these stereotypes. During my entire time in London I never once heard someone say “Cheerio!”, a phrase I believed was quite common. The stereotypes are not all quirky slang, some can and do cause serious tension. The belief that some cultures are inherently violent causes unnecessary fear and discrimination which damage our society. To live sheltered in the same social norms for an entire lifetime leads to the intolerance of cultures outside of our own. However, students and educators alike have the ability to change this.
Students are at an age where they are still developing opinions and beliefs about the world. My generation has the moral duty to put an end to intolerance due to ignorance of those unlike ourselves. Immersing oneself in a new culture is the most effective manner to turn stereotypes into acceptance. It should be encouraged and required for all students to experience our world and break the stereotypes we have been taught.