Jordania – Eu Aid Volunteers

Por Johan

I grew up in a world with the main idea was that the countries located in the so called west was superior to all the other continents and countries of this world. Obviously, there are a lot of aspects to be a proud of if you are from a European context. On the other hand, there are some other aspects that could be questioned, not to be proud of, where Europe could learn a lot from its counterparts in places considered to be widely different from Europe.

I am not sure in which direction I want to take this article, but I want to say is that Europe is not everything. However, for many of us, Europe is a place which many people I have met consider to be home, consider to be a safe and secure place where few surprises erupt since you are so familiar with your surroundings and what is going to happen. Therefore, the people that impresses me the most are the ones who leave this safety, safety of having family and friends close by. Because these people decide to leave a context they know, to experience a new place of the world, a place they do not know anything about except for what they can google. In many new places, there are a completely new culture, new religion, new personal characteristics, but at the end of the day, many things are just the same. I have now lived outside of Europe for quite some time, in a Muslim Arab-speaking country, and all I can say to people that has not been, please come. But you need to come to be able to understand what makes this place great, what makes our world great. This has been one my biggest internal challenges during the latest year. To explain to people in Europe what makes Jordan and the Middle East, when they have never left the continent. I feel speechless, insecure in which words to use. I love this place but is truly difficult to explain to someone that has never been.

Our world is beautiful. Not only due to one specific characteristic. It is beautiful because of its endless nuances. That is what have shaped this world and made it into a great place. Therefore, we cannot speak about Europe as superior to other places. Perhaps some people can, but then I assure you that these people have not been to too many places of this world. Europe is great, trust me, but other places are also great. It is just that we need to experience them to be, see them for what they are. This will help us build bridges between cultures, between citizens of this world. Because we are just the same, no one is superior to the other. We all have characteristics to be proud of and others not to be proud of. So, what I want to say with this article is that it could be scary to leave Europe for another place outside of it, but trust me, it is all worth it. You will discover things about yourself, meet people you from that point onwards cannot picture your life without, and in the meantime see places you did not knew existed. Therefore, I would just like to urge everyone that perhaps is reading, there may not be many, but for those of you taking the time, please go to a new place when you have the opportunity. It does not need to be long, but do it, it will be worth it, and it will even make you appreciate Europe more.