Reflection of a Top Finisher: Aubrey Guillaume

Our reactions to the events around us reveal much about who we are as individuals and communities. In a world where challenges and changes happen daily, the way we respond defines not only our present but also the future we build together.

In Buddies Without Borders Online Forums, participants share their lived experiences in their own countries, gain insight into others' struggles and successes, and, finally, brainstorm solutions objectively with a global mindset.

Aubrey Guillaume (The Walker School, Georgia, USA) and her teammates, Mara Camacho Moyano (Colegio Los Sauces Vigo, Spain), Shailee Vatsal (Acton Boxborough Regional High School, USA) and Zaineb Zouaoui (Gems International School, UAE) examplied this cooperative appraoch, and as a result, their team won the title of the Best Team in the Multiculturalism for the Common Good Forum (see the full results here).

The Best Team: Aubrey Guillaume (The Walker School, Georgia, USA) and her teammates, Mara Camacho Moyano (Colegio Los Sauces Vigo, Spain), Shailee Vatsal (Acton Boxborough Regional High School, USA) and Zaineb Zouaoui (Gems International School, UAE)

Aubrey Gullaume is also a Top Finisher in this competition. She was nominated by the Forum Coaches to be the kind of leader we want to see in the future. Here is her reflection:

"On the journey I have taken through this forum, I have encountered twists and turns and run into walls that I could not have ever imagined. At the beginning of this journey, I had minimal knowledge of the countries my teammates were from, whom I was to interview. However, their different understandings offered me a unique perspective and widened my knowledge of countries and places that are different than my own. 

These perspectives have shattered my preconceptions and comprehension regarding these different places. This is because it is challenging to truly understand a place by reading about it in a book, on a website, or watching a documentary. Instead, the direct talks and interviews that I had with my teammates allowed me to deepen my understanding, ask questions, and gain insights that challenged my assumptions and expanded my perspective.

The connection we had the privilege of forming with our teammates that transcends borders, is what has changed me so much and inspires me to learn more, make a difference, and do more in my community.

With this experience, I plan to carry forward the lessons I have learned by engaging with people from diverse backgrounds. I aim to approach every interaction with curiosity and openness, using perspectives I have gained to guide my choices, entering every conversation with a curious viewpoint rather than making assumptions.

I hope to keep the strong connections that I have made with my teammates through this forum, and in the future create more with people the present different prespective from theirs, becasue true multiculturalism is not just about recognizing differences, but about fully embracing them, learning from them, and allowing those diverse perspectives to expand ones understanding of the world and deepen their empathy for others."

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