Steves preaches global community

Having lived almost one third of his adult life out of a suitcase, travel guide and entrepreneur Rick Steves has learned that traveling means more than being a tourist. During his lecture in Pigott Auditorium last Friday, Steves told students and faculty the art of travel is to become a "temporary native."

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Steves said he made it his mission to make sure Americans didn't become afraid of the other 96 percent of people living on this planet. He continued to travel abroad and air his television shows highlighting his adventures while encouraging Americans to go on their own.

Steves said if people are staying home because they are afraid, they are part of the problem.

"There are 1,500 deaths caused by handguns in the U.S. each year," Steves said. "No Americans have been killed in Europe during terrorist attacks since 9/11."

Steves believes the most important part of travel is coming to understand other cultures, learning what motivates people rather than spending the entire time lying on a beach. Through his program, Steves aims to respect the intellect of his viewers and empower them to be engaged in the culture and history of other nations.

"Embrace the fact that some people are more sophisticated than you," Steves urged his audience, speaking of the importance of celebrating a diversity of interests.

But Steves admits this lesson of understanding is an ongoing one. He encouraged the audience to use Europe as a wading pool for world travel, a springboard to move toward other destinations.

"There's something more important to travel than packing a bag and getting on the train […] It makes you more of a global citizen, more than just an American," Steves said.

Many Seattle University students have already put Steves' message into practice through study abroad programs, service immersion and far-reaching global humanitarian efforts.

During the 2007-2008 academic year, 500 Seattle University students earned credit toward their degrees outside of the U.S.

Senior finance and international business major Leah White recently returned from spending fall semester studying abroad in Puebla, Mexico. Reflecting on her four and a half months there, White used her experience as a step toward understanding what it's like to be in a minority group, she said.

White said her experience in Mexico helped her gain a fuller understanding of the Mexican culture specifically and helped her recognize Seattle U as a great center of cultural diversity.

"It was a blend of two experiences. I met students from Mexico, Switzerland and all across the U.S.," White said.

Also venturing south of the border, Campus Ministry annually hosts a week-long mission trip to Mexico where students help build homes for under-privileged Mexican families with a service organization called "Esperanza," Spanish for "hope." The organization functions similarly to Habitat for Humanity in that families gradually pay for their houses and are required to be active members of the community.

Stacey Hirst, a senior general science major employed at Campus Ministry, has gone on the mission twice, first in 2007 and returning as a group leader in 2008. Hirst found that returning a second year made the trip even more rewarding. On her second trip, she was able to see several projects completed that were in progress when the group left her first year.

"It was my first encounter with actual poverty, and it horrified me. I've taken 'Poverty in America' but this gave me a tangible experience to relate to my studies," said Meaghan Driscoll, a junior English major and member of Hirst's 2008 mission team.

Many involved have found themselves inspired to participate in "after action" by continuing to be involved in social justice in Seattle as well as exploring other possibilities to go abroad.

Another option for students wishing to serve abroad is Engineers Without Borders, a non-profit organization that focuses on strengthening infrastructure, sustainability and self-reliance in developing nations. Last year, engineering students from Seattle University completed five projects in three different countries.

During 2008, students built a footbridge to connect a dormitory to a church and community center in Thailand and created a clean water system for a Thai medical center. However, their action is not wholly restricted to foreign countries. A small crew ventured to Curtis, Wash. February of last year to help with flood relief after heavy winter snow. This year, EWB has taken on four projects, three of which involve water purification.

Rick Steves summarized the sentiments of the students best in the final moments of his lecture. "[Travel] is about celebrating the planet, coming to understand other cultures and then coming home [or going abroad] to make a difference," Steves said.