My International Practicum Experience - Week 4
June 26, 2019 | 2:00 PM
Colton Pettyjohn '19, Social Work Major
Welcome back to my crazy life in India! This week I worked with children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities as well as other forms of disabilities. The students learn a mixture of daily living skills along with the school curriculum. This experience has been amazing, and I’m getting field training while working with this specific group of people. I was also able to attend a few spoken English classes sponsored by a local non-profit which was a great time meeting and getting to know new people.
Another lesson I’ve learned throughout my time in India is the importance of how we treat one another. Growing up in the United States, we’re raised to follow the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” or “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” However, I feel we take the weight and importance of that rule for granted. For example, in the United States, when someone tells a “white lie,” it’s often not seen as a big deal. No one really bats an eye and no one really gets hurt. However, in India, it could cost someone their life. So, we often take for granted the privilege we have in the way we treat others. If one had to abide by the Indian standard treatment, we would say it’s unfair and unjustifiable, but here, they accept it and move on.
Life is hard for everyone, but we seldom put ourselves in another person’s shoes to take a moment to see what they are going through. Instead, we belittle them and ignore the Golden Rule. We often resort to making others feel bad so we feel better about ourselves, but this is something that needs to stop. We need to be kind to one another because everyone deserves to be treated well. So, let's make a promise to start treating others with the respect they deserve.
