Interconnection
February 8, 2012

The world is populated with approximately 7 billion people. To some, our world may only seem as big as the city we live in or the community we are surrounded by. When we expand our horizons and look at the bigger picture, it is very apparent that we are only a small part of something so much more. This can be very overwhelming. You can feel isolated and small. In reality, there are so many ways that each and every one of us are connected to the world we live in. How would we live without these connections? Without exploring this idea many people can be ignorant to the impact other countries have on our lifestyles. Connections that I have with the world come from technology, food, and friendship.
To begin, my life is laced head to toe with technology. I watch TV, I use my cell phone, and I go on the computer – just to name a few. If I look on the boxes of all these products I will notice a common trend: “Made in China, Made in Japan, Made in Mexico”. Very rarely will I pick up a piece of packaging and notice the word Canada. These days, so many of the products we use daily are made overseas. Unfortunately thriving nations such as Canada and the United States take advantage of developing countries. Looking at China specifically, they are abundant in natural resources and they have a high population. This allows them to produce high-tech products at low-budget prices. I feel I take these things for granted. I use these things every day and not once have stopped to think of where they come from.
To continue, one of my favourite things to do is cook. I’ve been in the kitchen with my mother as long as I can remember. We make lasagna, carbonara, arancini, tiramisu, cannoli – the list goes on and on. Clearly, a common trend in our kitchen is Italian food. Not only is it delicious, but it is one more way I see myself connected to another country. My mother was strongly influenced by her Italian culture and she continues to pass it down to her children specifically through cooking. Without these recipes and traditions of other nations it is hard to imagine the cuisine of Canada. In other words, a mosaic country like Canada would be lost without the inputs of multiple cultures. I don’t even know what kinds of foods I would cook that weren’t influenced by another place.
Lastly, I have friends that connect me to the world. There are people that I know that have family that come from different countries. They have taught me all about their culture. Recently I met someone who lives in Italy and was in Windsor for a few months staying with family friends. He told me a lot of things about the Italian lifestyle and how it differs from Canadians’. We were able to teach each other things about our lives. Since he has returned home we still keep in contact via Facebook. I think we will continue to share things and learn from each other. There is no better way to learn about a country than from someone who lives there. Although I have never gone to Italy I still feel like I have a tie to the country because of our friendship.
My connections to the world are clearly visible through technology, food and friendship. The life I live today, as well as other Canadians, was built through the relations of many different countries. Exploring these connections can really open your eyes. I now see the world in a new perspective. We should not be ignorant to the things going on around us. Whether we know it or not, we are affected; we are connected. As Armand DiMele once said, “When people go within and connect with themselves, they realize they are connected to the universe and they are connected to all living things.”