wessam hazaymeh

Studying abroad is an experience that will push you beyond your comfort zone and have you questioning what it means to live a life with the purpose you have in mind. I’ve always been a goal-oriented person, planning out steps and still leaving room to be flexible with changes. At least that’s what I thought. My leadership insight into my study abroad pathway is one that is based around self-reflection, cultural awareness and problem-solving. All of the mentioned are closely related to my leadership growth and how I perceive my leadership. 

My study abroad journey started in August 2019, before I arrived in Greece, my study abroad location. I had to take it upon myself to do the necessary research and learning prior to choosing a location. I realized, in that process, that leadership does not begin during the time the actual experience does, but rather from the beginning of the process. My perception of the process of leadership changed when I began to reflect and consider how I would recount my moments in Greece. I spent my days there exploring the city, talking to Greek and other international students, connecting with my professors and overcoming the cultural differences in education, conversation and way of life. The overall experience, while having some aha moments, was the insight into what studying abroad means and how it shapes the leaders of the world — not just at VCU or in the United States. 

This insight and experience during my leadership journey at VCU LEAD opened my eyes to the understanding of a leadership theory that I hold close to my values, especially as an immigrant. This theory is cross-cultural leadership. Cross-cultural leadership brings upon a level of self-awareness about your own identity and privilege. At the center of this theory is a focus o self-awareness of one’s privileges ad identity as a means to solve problems, live in a diverse space and embrace the challenges that come with it. Study abroad experiences offer all of that to a student, but the leadership part comes into play based on how the student chooses to embrace the study abroad experience. My study abroad experience in Greece opened my eyes to the differences in American culture and Greek culture. Greece has more of a collective society whereas, in the United States, we have a more individualistic society. In Greece, time is slower. You are not rushed to do things, you enjoy the simple things in life like drinking your coffee, and you go about your own day without a need to prove anything to a complete stranger. In contrast, here in the United States, everyone is always in a rush and you drink your coffee while walking or driving. That was a big lesson. Greeks valued living life to the fullest whereas in the United States leadership looks more like a constant turning of gears. As a result of this experience, I became more aware of my place in the world, how I can add to conversations and when it is the time to step back and hear from others. 

The things we hold on to from experience can draw us back to a particular moment that is reflective of the entire experience. My artifact is a journal.  This small, brown, leather-bound journey was a gift from a friend given to me before I was set to embark on my journey. I began writing in the journal while on the plane in Washington, D.C., waiting for take-off.

This artifact holds stories in which I spent the time to reflect on interactions, conversations and observations. I’ve pressed flowers into from island trips, clipped tickets into the zip-pocket, folded pieces of paper with my thoughts when I did not have the journal to write in but had something to say that I would want to reflect on and so much more. This artifact encompasses the entire journey from beginning to when it was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic to the time I spent at home, still keeping up with classes in a different time zone. This journal represents my dedication to embracing experiences and taking the time to think about what happened. So many moments go unseen or forgotten, but I want to be able to hold onto moments and not forget the journey that brought me to where I am today.