Stories, experiences, and human relationships are what shape our world. Our societies may be shaped by governments and politics and regulations but at the base of all of that is people. Every single person views the world through a unique lens shaped by their experiences. It is impossible to understand everything about another person and see through their lens. But that isn’t the goal. There is power in perspective. Yours is just as important as anyone else’s. You can’t see through someone else’s lens, but you can learn from their perspective and their experiences.
Being open to listen to someone else’s stories and experiences without judgment and criticism is a skill, and a very important one for social workers. While I may not be studying social work, I take this class because of how much I value human relationships and helping others. Anyone in a position where you serve others in the way that social workers do, vulnerability, lack of judgment, and openness are critical for finding the best solution or resources for others. Values vary with different demographics and different groups of people. They can vary widely person to person. As a social worker it is important to recognize, acknowledge, and respect these differences in values.
My inherited place in life was in a white middle class mixed family household. Growing up I didn’t have many informal multicultural experiences. I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and went to a small K12 school where the majority of students were white. While I was used to witnessing other cultures from afar, I didn’t grow up close to anyone with a culture different from mine and therefore my knowledge was limited. It still is. Most of what influenced my perspective and knowledge of other cultures was through movies and TV and a little bit in school. But again, those were things I watched or were taught, not anything I had experienced firsthand. My first time not being in a dominantly white culture was when I spent two months total in two villages along the Yukon River doing day summer camps for kids that focused on promoting personal and community health and wellness. My second time was when I lived in Puerto Rico for five months this year.
My summer living in rural villages along the Yukon River was one of the biggest influences on my personal values. I went into it with a very open mindset ready to learn as I was aware that I did not know much about the culture and really couldn’t until I was there. I was lucky to be sent to one of the most welcoming places I have ever been for the first month. Every single person in the village would smile and wave at me as I walked by, regardless of if they knew me or not. Every single person I interacted with was kind, willing to help me, and most of the time willing to share with me; whether it be a story, information, or some food. It was a very different environment than the one I grew up in, and one I embraced.
I learned that human connection, and the openness to it, is incredibly valuable. I watched and noticed how people acted towards me and each other as well as how good it made me feel. I learned to actively listen when others are talking instead of thinking about my response. People shared stories and always offered to help. In my first week there I was invited to a birthday BBQ, given local foods, and an elder even brought me and my coworker salmon and told us stories of her growing up there. The openness and kindness people showed me before knowing a single thing about me is something I now place so much importance on. It is something I strive for in myself every day.
Puerto Rico was a very different experience for me. Not only was it a very different culture, but I also did not speak Spanish well when I arrived. I understood almost nothing my first month. Everything felt twice as hard as it did at home. Outside of America, Americans generally don’t have the best reputation. In my first lab for a plant biology class the groups were randomly assigned by the TA. I had previously talked to the TA about not understanding Spanish very well but trying to learn it. He came over to my group and told them I might need extra help because of it and to make sure they included me in the process. Not a single person from the group spoke to me other than one girl who had arrived late. I tried to help, to ask them questions. I asked in both Spanish and English and was ignored every time. I ended up doing three labs entirely on my own until someone noticed and offered for me to join their group.
It was a struggle for me to form human connections and relationships like I was used to. There were times people would automatically speak to me in English because of how I look regardless of the language I was actually speaking. There were people that refused to speak to me in Spanish my first two months because I was still learning a lot. The other Americans and I were excluded from activities or trips all the exchange students went on. I was called a “gringa” and told to go home by people who didn’t know me. I felt like being a white American was the first thing people noticed about me, and also the first thing they judged about me. One person who I had gone on a date with at one point said to me “You are a pretty, white, blond girl who leaves in a few months. You’re what every Puertoricam guy wants.” He might have meant that as a complement, but to me it just furthered my feelings of being an outsider who didn’t belong there.
I had both good and bad experiences in Puerto Rico. While I am glad I went and don’t regret it, I know that some of my experiences really hurt my self worth and my ability to form human connections. I am still going to therapy to work on processing it all and regaining the same self confidence I had before. The confidence that allows me to go into any situation with an open mind without judgment. Sharing these experiences and being conscious of your perspective and lens of the world is important regardless of who you are or what you do. Hearing other’s stories and reflecting on them as well as your own allows us to widen our viewpoint a little bit. Human relationships are critical to expanding our viewpoints and knowledge. They also provide us with a sense of community and belonging.
Kaylana Nations
Hello Katherine,
I loved hearing about the experiences you had with different cultures and different locations. I can relate to you in the sense that I didn’t grow up around people who had strong cultures. I had never gone to another country or went to any native villages or anything of that sort. I don’t think it was until I went to Figi just this summer that I truly experienced a different culture. The people there were very welcoming. It was definitely different than America and especially different than Alaska. I feel like in Alaska we are all very private and isolated in our day to day. For me personally, in Alaska, I usually try not to make eye contact and just go about my day. This was much different in Fiji, no matter what island I was on EVERYONE would say hi. They would go beyond that too and have full conversations just passing by. We also went to the villages there and saw how they lived and what clothes were worn. At the village as well all the kids would come up and say hi and give hugs. I feel in America a lot of kids are much more shy. The whole village would pitch in to make meals for everyone. I also learned that if one person was having a birthday EVERYONE was invited. It was very community-based. I hope that I can create a community here in America that will allow people to simply share knowledge and stories with one another. In regards to your story about feeling like you didn’t belong in some places and being treated differently, I can’t relate to it as of yet. My sister did travel abroad to Japan and experienced similar dilemmas. Some people wouldn’t speak Japanese to her even if she spoke it to them. She said sometimes when the trains were packed people would stand up and not sit next to her. I can see how that could hurt you mentally for sure. I hope that I can travel around and learn more about cultures as well.
Katherine
The empowering and friendly energy I found in smaller communities is something I also want to help create here. From my perspective it is very hard to create a similar environment in a larger city but I would like to find a way around that. I know one way to go about it is smaller groups within communities that all have something in common (for example a sport, hobby, language, or culture). However, while the sense of community can be built within those smaller groups I would like to find a way to expand it and create a strong sense of belonging for everyone in my communities whether it be that they have lived here their whole life, go to college here, or are only here for a week I want people to feel welcome.
Tesha Hudson
Hi Katherine,
I truly enjoyed reading your blog post because there were multiple situations that I could relate to. The town that I’m from in Upstate New York is predominately white, everyone knows everyone because they have all lived there for many generations. I didn’t get to experience other cultures until I joined the military and moved away. One of my favorite memories of human connection took place while living in Okinawa, Japan. I was at a playground out in the local community with my daughter who was then just 4 years old. She began playing with other children even though they could not speak the same language.They were giggling and laughing and just having a wonderful time. I watched with the other parents who I also couldn’t communicate with, but the moment just felt incredibly peaceful. With the history of WWII and the Battle of Okinawa, it could have been easy for those local families to pull away from spending time with my daughter and I. But during that time at the playground, I felt connected to a culture completely different than mine.
Katherine
Thats a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing. I want to help create more positive interactions like that and make sure people feel welcomed in my communities.
Myah Sundby
Dear Katherine, I absolutely adored this post of yours! The two opening paragraphs truly blew me away. You wrote them so directly and delivered a powerful message. I ended up re-reading those paragraphs one more time. For that alone, thank you for sharing! I enjoyed the colors of your text matching your photos and changing as your topic changed. Overall, I loved that you redirected to the main focus – people. I agree. You have an essential and beautiful understanding of this topic, which will serve you well in life! I was surprised when you said this isn’t your degree because your writing was so good. I am so happy to see that we have people such as yourself to shine bright in other professions! I feel that is a part of social work, regardless of your degree or job title. Social work can be adopted as a way of life, and that is what I learned from you today. Thank you for sharing your personal story; it was special. I can relate to your trip to Puerto Rico, as I live in Japan. I experience much of the same and miss the inclusivity, kindness, and human connection of returning home. Thank you again; I look forward to learning more from you this semester.
Katherine LeBlanc
Myah, thank you for your kind words. I also believe that topics central to social work, such as multiculturalism and others I touched on in my blog, are skills that can and should be applied outside of social work. To me it is a way of life, and I appreciate you noticing that. I think that more people should learn and understand how to view things from other’s perspectives and go into situations with an open mind.
Rayanne Alick
Hi Katherine,
I just want to mention that your blog is extremely relatable for me. I have always felt out of place because I am half white and half Yupik, and we moved around A LOT during my childhood. I adore your openness about your experiences.
On another note I will mention that I have a lot of relatives along the Lower Yukon, and in one of your photo’s I can see my beautiful cousin and aunt yuraqing (dancing) <3 Which made me very happy! Thank you for sharing.
Katherine LeBlanc
Hi Rayanne, thank you for taking the time to read my post and sharing how you relate. It makes me so happy that you were able to recognize your cousin and aunt dancing! Many of those I met in Russian Mission were some of the kindest people I have ever met and inspire me to be the kindest version of myself every single day.
Olivia Taylor
Hello Katherine, thank you for acknowledging and appreciating the importance to recognize and respect the different values in different cultures. Apon reading your blog, it brought back many traumatic and upsetting memories. First off, I want to say I am sorry with how disconnected you felt in Puerto Rico. I Grew up in the Virgin Islands and would visit Puerto Rico monthly and sometimes weekly. So, it’s fair to say I’ve been there more than a few hundred times I have also traveled to many other countries from Uzbekistan to Peru and so on. From my experience this behavior that you encountered could be qualified as a sort of defense mechanism. In our own communities we are usually familiar with how we are expected to conduct ourselves within social gatherings and in public, but when we see something, unfamiliar this is when problems may arise; but once we get to know each other these problems get alleviated and that’s what you have done and that’s amazing! Coming into countries with different cultures, religions, backgrounds and ideologies can be difficult, but making the effort to interact on their own terms can definitely pay off. I would like to share an experience I had. When I was traveling between Tarapoto and Yurimaguas Peru I found a town called Pamashto. I fell in love with it and wanted to live there. I made friends with one of the elders but everyone else in the village besides the young ones were very stand off and unfriendly. They would repeat the same thing to me every day, and I thought they were saying good morning, but come to find out they were really saying, “What the heck are you doing here?” It turns out I was just such an oddity to them; they were being defensive and protecting themselves. It took several months before I began to understand the language, they spoke (Quechua) and build meaningful relationships. This led to a six-year relationship and now I am welcome any time to their village. The more upsetting memories I have are growing up in the Virgin Islands and seeing how the tourist which were from every background(origin) visit and did not respect the island. We would go to the beach on Sunday and it would be full of garbage from the cruise ships that would bring the tourist to the beaches Monday-Friday. This is just an example of things that accumulated through time that may have caused locals to have prejudged you and I am sorry for that! After reading your blog you also reminded me of a theory that you may enjoy reading called Intergroup contact Theory, if you get a chance to read it you may find it interesting.
Katherine LeBlanc
Olivia thank you so much for your perspective on it as well as your similar story. At times I really do wonder what it was that made people take so long to accept me or not at all. I read a bit on the Intergroup Contact Theory and I think lack of common goals and cooperation are two points from it that definitely came into play.
Hailey Luder
Hi Katherine, I really agree that human interaction & our experiences shape our world. I also loved all of the pictures you put into the post, as they really brought your words to life and doubled down on your meaning. I love that you opened up about your life, and your childhood in Anchorage & villages on the Yukon river, and I want to say that I think going there with an open mindset really encapsulates you as a person, and I think that’s the best choice you could have made. Human connection is extremely important & valuable ,and I’m glad you know that and get to experience it. Good post!
Danni
Thank you for sharing your experience, that was a very insightful perspective. It reminds me when I lived in California, I worked at a hotel and many of the workers only spoke Spanish, I found that to be very stressful for both parties. However, it never occurred to me until reading your story how isolating and difficult it probably was for the people I worked with. For the most part I was surrounded by people who spoke my language and they weren’t. I wish that was some perspective I had at the time, I could have been more compassionate and accommodating to bridge the language gap between us.
Katherine LeBlanc
Hi Danni, thank you for your response. I’m glad hearing about my experience has helped you gain some perspective on a previous experience of yours. Being able to look back and reevaluate situations with a broader mindset is important to gaining understanding that is essential to being a successful social worker.
Joshua Escobedo
Hello Katherine,
I truly enjoyed reading your blog, especially the part about values. Understanding how deeply ingrained someone’s values can be is crucial. In today’s world, the term “woke” is often used, but I believe it primarily reflects people expressing their ideas and beliefs rooted in their values. While we might not always agree with these values, it is essential to make an effort to listen rather than just wait for our turn to respond.
Your mindset during your Yukon trips was insightful. We often form preconceived notions about how situations will unfold, limiting our ability to fully immerse ourselves in the moment and have the best experiences. On the other hand, your Puerto Rico trip may have reshaped your perception of the culture and influenced your outlook for the future.
I have been fortunate to travel around the world, and although I have not been to Puerto Rico, I’ve heard incredible things about its beauty. This is my second time living in Fairbanks, which has been a much more fulfilling experience. I spent most of my first time living here trying to adapt to the environment, but now I have developed the skills to enjoy all that Alaska offers. Have you considered where you’d like to go on your next trip?
Katherine LeBlanc
My mindset and perception of the world is constantly changing. You were right that both living on the Yukon and in Puerto Rico have influenced me significantly. I think that in the moment how Puerto Rico impacted me and my mindset felt negative. However, after being home, going to therapy, and finally having time to look back and reflect on everything I believe that it is slowly turning into a positive thing. I am settling back into my positive mindset that I developed living on the Yukon River but this time with more perspective and understanding as well as with a stronger sense of self.
Katherine LeBlanc
I forgot to respond to your question in my first post. I am headed back to Puerto Rico later this week to visit my boyfriend and some friends I did end up making. As far as another trip to somewhere new or somewhere for longer I am unsure right now. I think after my undergraduate degree I would like to potentially join the Peace Corps and go somewhere in South America where I can strengthen my Spanish and immerse in another culture again.
I would be really interested to hear about what specifically feels more fulfilling being in Alaska the second time. I want to learn more about what it is like for people coming to Alaska and the faces they struggle. I want to be able to help people feel welcomed here in the ways I wasn’t in Puerto Rico.
Regan Gray
Hi Katherine, I like how you shared two different experiences one good, and one bad, that helped shape who you are today. I am also not currently pursuing a degree in social work but wanted to take this class because I knew it could benefit me in the career path I am looking to go into. Learning about how impactful a small interaction or conversation can be is valuable knowledge. I believe that our words and actions hold energy that can be passed on to anyone we encounter. People hold onto good and bad experiences throughout their whole lives, which indeed can shape a person’s outlook.
Michelle Trahan
Katherine, thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your experience with us. I loved reading about the love and connection you felt in the village. It is amazing how different cultural experiences can shape our minds. It’s beautiful to have people welcome you with open arms and take notice and care of you. Hold on to that experience.
I empathize with you about the experience you had in Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans have a vibrant culture that is full of love and joy. However, that same love and joy become distant intangibles depending on who and where you are. I once had a heartbreaking experience with a group of Puerto Rican women. I won’t go into too much detail, but I basically found myself isolated in a community working environment due to not being Puerto Rican. At that point in my life, I had both the wisdom and flexibility to remove myself from the setting, but it caused a lot of mixed feelings. I had nothing but positive experiences with Puerto Ricans prior to this fiasco, so it was hard for me to process why things happened the way they did. It wasn’t until my friend, who is a Puerto Rican from Puerto Rico, explained to me that Puerto Ricans raised in America are not the same as those raised in Puerto Rico. She said that Puerto Ricans raised in Puerto Rico are not very receptive to outsiders, including Puerto Ricans raised in America. That was an eye opener for me, as these women were Puerto Rican women from Puerto Rico. Did it make me feel better about what happened to me in the workplace? No. However, did it provide insight and leave me with a valuable lesson? Yes. Not all Puerto Ricans think this way, but it is acceptable in their culture.
Katherine LeBlanc
Being an outsider or odd-person-out is hard in most circumstances. I think it is important to not generalize groups of people based on certain expectations or past experiences. Every single person has their own experiences and influences that have made them who they are. While I had certain disheartening experiences in Puerto Rico I also had many lovely ones and met many individuals who are close friends of mine today.
Michelle Trahan
I agree with your sentiment of not generalizing groups of people based on certain expectations or past experiences. I, too, have many beautiful friendships with individuals from Puerto Rico. Many have visited my home and vice versa. They are like family; our children are “cousins,” and we refer to one another as brothers and sisters.
David Shelton
Hey Katherine, this is amazing, Your reflection on the importance of being open to listening to others’ stories and experiences without judgment is spot on. Indeed, this skill is critical for social workers and anyone who values human relationships and helping others. Creating a safe and non-judgmental space is essential when serving others, as it allows for better understanding and finding the most suitable solutions or resources.
Your acknowledgment of the diversity of values among different demographics and groups is very important. People’s values can indeed vary widely, and as a social worker, recognizing, acknowledging, and respecting these differences is fundamental to providing practical support.
Your journey from growing up in a predominantly white middle-class environment in Anchorage, Alaska, to experiencing different cultures in rural villages along the Yukon River and living in Puerto Rico for five months is incredibly enriching. These experiences have had a profound impact on your values and perspective.
Your description of the warmth and openness you encountered in the Yukon River villages highlights the transformative power of immersion in different cultures. It’s through firsthand experiences like these that we can truly appreciate and embrace the diversity of the world around us.
Katherine LeBlanc
Hi David, thank you for your very thoughtful comment. I appreciate your insight on the different topics I talked about. Safe and non-judgmental spaces are something I want to create in many more situations that I am in. I want people to be able to ask me hard questions and I want to be able to disagree in a manner that allows us to learn as opposed to argue. While this is critical to social work, I think it should be applied more interdisciplinarity.
Kaylila Johnston
Hello Katherine,
I really enjoyed reading your blog. Seeing the cultural differences between the two places was very eye-opening. I do think that the photos of the different locations could be a good example of people seeing things differently from their own perspective. I felt disheartened while reading about your experience in Puerto Rico but it was very courageous of you to tell your story. I am sure not all people are the same so don’t let this one experience weigh you down. If you are eager and you did seem eager to learn the Spanish language, keep going.
Katherine LeBlanc
Thank you for your words of encouragement Kaylila. Both experiences were very eye-opening for me and have allowed me to grow a lot as a person. While I spoke on my more difficult moments and experiences in Puerto Rico I did have some that were very positive. After a while I did end up making friends and finding little places where I felt I could belong. I found that most of my negative experiences came from strangers making judgements about me before allowing me to even make an impression of my own. I am very eager and am still learning. I am heading back to Puerto Rico this week to visit the friends I did make and while I do have some anxiety, I can’t wait to see them as they were the people who helped me get through it.