Connecting Cultures through the Global Studies Program

In the fall of 2023, Riverdale students hosted their exchange students in New York City, and in March of 2024, these students will travel to Valladolid, Spain to complete the language exchange. The Riverdale students showed their exchange buddies their favorite spots and landmarks in the city. Similarly, Riverdale students will be exposed to the Spanish language, architecture, music, and food.

The Riverdale Global Studies program provides students with an experiential education that bridges cultures worldwide. With such an interconnected world, Ms. Chime Dolma, Ms. Christine Osorio, Ms. Asya Reznikov, and Ms. Lu Li recognize the urgency of producing thoughtful learners who seek to be informed global citizens. They aim to foster immersion in different cultures, adding to students’ global knowledge and growing their network of friends. The program also allows students to think inwardly about their purpose as global citizens. “The experiential education enables students to cultivate a sense of not only purpose and meaning but confidence...and helps you get to know yourself in a deeper way...a journey of self-discovery,” says Director of Global Studies Ms. Chime Dolma. Ms. Dolma aims to “create problem solvers who think passionately about the world.” She welcomes all students to participate in the program and “hopes to provide a transformative experience for all students” where all students walk away with curiosity.

While sophomore Avery Osei hosted her student, she found meaning in teaching her correspondent her daily life. The exchange student would shadow her and express how she was shocked but also interested in how someone across the world lives so differently. In response to her exchange student’s excitement, Osei said, “It was special to take my correspondent around New York City to see someone witness cultures and places for the first time.” Osei’s reaction to her experience is parallel to what Ms. Dolma hopes the program impresses on the students. Ms. Dolma believes that “having these kinds of experiences helps students assign and create meaning and purpose.” Even simple things like “playing board games” or “cooking dinner” allowed Osei to become a mentor in sharing a part of herself with her correspondent.

Another sophomore, Sebastian Irausquin-Petit, completed the first portion of the exchange program earlier this school year. He expressed that the process was not always easy. Initially, he struggled to connect with the student he was paired with and affirmed that “it was challenging to learn what he wanted to do because he was very nervous.” However, throughout their time together, Irausquin-Petit happily stated that they “formed a close bond” and learned a lot about each other. Once initial nerves wore off, they were given the exciting opportunity to form a meaningful relationship with someone with different life experiences.

This coming March, students involved in the program will continue their immersion in Spain. The program provides the necessary educational structure while offering the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of different cultures and lifestyles. They will begin to foster global understanding, work on their language skills, and connect with their host family. Osei is excited to navigate new experiences and stated that it will help her have a “greater appreciation for different cultures as [she is] curious to expand [her] lens.” She has just begun to explore the ever-changing world and will continue to do so in the second half of the exchange program.

Technology has allowed the world to become exposed to more cultures. More exposure also requires people to refrain from taking what they view online as factual and to distill biased information. People must independently research different cultures’ values and practices to destroy prejudices in social media and society today. The Global Studies Program breaks down prejudices firsthand by exposing students to different ways of life.

The Valladolid exchange trip is an opportunity for students to discover a city across the world. The students come back from the trip with newfound knowledge and a sense of curiosity to further their exploration of unfamiliar cultures. Ms. Dolma believes that “a sense of wonder is so important and can be cultivated through experiences like the global program. Wonder needs to remain throughout our life, and without the sense of wonder, life becomes meaningless.”