This week one of the groups gave a presentation about public diplomacy. I really enjoyed the presentation because they actually got me thinking about my role as an international student from Nigeria. I still remember when I came to the US as a freshman in college. I was excited for the opportunity to learn in an healthy stable environment with access to so many resources. Leaving Nigeria, I knew I wouldn't have to deal with strikes, religious riots etc. For me, the purpose was to get as much as I could from this new educational experience.
But little did I know that to my classmates, faculty and staff, I was more than a international student who was looking forward to a great educational experience. To them, I was a student from 'Nigeria' with a lot to contribute. As I learned about life in the US from my American friends, they also learned about life in Nigeria.
As I reflect on the exchanges I still have till date with some of my colleagues, I realize that consciously and/or unconsciously I have been a tool for Nigeria's public diplomacy. I have been the face of Nigeria for some of the people that I have met who might never be able to make it to Nigeria. It is really important for international students to understand that they play a role in their country's public diplomacy. I had never thought about it that way. I not only representing me but my nation as well. Of course, I represent my country whenever I can, but it is more than that.
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Thanks for sharing your insight into your personal experience! I to was surprised to find that I was constantly asked to be the 'spokesperson' for the US on many occasions while abroad. ("Why did you guys vote for Bush?" or "Why did you guys vote for Bush a second time?") I found myself explaining in a macro way what I felt to be the situation/ opinion of the rest of my fellow citizens that would lead them to 'vote for Bush' and trying to be sensitive to other viewpoints Americans may be brought up with (but mostly just making excuses for why someone would vote for Bush). It was often uncomfortable and a lot of pressure to be a constant 'diplomat'. But, I am also 'guilty' of automatically allowing one international student to become 'the face' of their nation too. Especially if I have never been there or met another citizen of that country before. I suppose it is human nature, to rest all your opinions on the one tangible thing you have in front of you, with the lack of anywhere else to put them. While this person-to-person public diplomacy is effective, it cannot be the only way a country works to create its image.