How are you a glocal?

It has been a good week, but the last few days have been tough. I needed a pick-me-up and a reminder of why it is I do what I do. That pick-me-up came in an email from Dr. Cristian Lienick from Texas State University. Texas State is using WHERE AM I WEARING? as a common reader this fall. Here’s what he wrote:

Am I glocal? Yes, no – wait, maybe. I don’t know. I think so, partially. I am well-traveled within the continental United States, yet have only been to another country (Mexico) once, and that was on my honeymoon, which probably doesn’t count. I do not speak another language other than English, even after taking French in high school and Spanish in college. If it were up to me, before reading your book, I would easily say that I am a true LOCAL.

Yet after reading Where am I Wearing, it is now much more apparent to me that for one to be glocal, he/she does not have to be well-traveled to foreign countries, speak several languages, and purposely attempt to infuse a daily lifestyle with international and multicultural characteristics. While these activities may further enhance one’s ability to be global, the true essence of glocalism is the simple understanding and true awareness of the intersection between globalism and localism. To be glocal, one can just step outside.

I am glocal because I am now much more aware of how privileged we are to be citizens of the United States and how the things we take for granted are highly coveted, often future goals or even dreams of citizens in other countries. For example – I recently paid to go on a fishing/camping vacation this summer to escape the city lights, television, and other daily distractions only to quickly yearn for a hot shower, air conditioning, and a queen size bed upon my return. If I need something, I go buy it. If something needs to be repaired, I google a service company. If I’m hungry, I only have to search just past my arm’s reach to find something to eat.

Am I glocal? Let’s leave it at this – my 2012 Texas State University Common Experience t-shirt was handed to me out of a large cardboard box during my check-in at a recent US 1100 faculty meeting here on campus. “Cool, free t-shirt!” I thought in the back of my mind. But then something happened – I checked the tag: “made in Honduras.”

I hope that Genesis and Betsabe back in Honduras are ok and are lucky enough to find jobs with credible working conditions, and that Amilcar continues to support his family, regardless of what the note from Jolanis said. I’m taken back for a minute. Free for me, not for them.

Hopefully, we will all endure such a glocal, Common Experience as I did, simply by being handed a t-shirt at a faculty meeting.

Thanks for your time,

Cristian Lieneck, PhD, FACMPE, FACHE, FAHM
Assistant Professor of Health Administration and US 1100 faculty
Texas State University

How are you a glocal?

 
29 comments
Ashley Telfer says:

I am glocal because not only am I aware of my personal surroundings and things going on where I live in America, but I’m also now aware of things going on in other countries. I’m now more appreciative of individuals in other cultures, knowing that they help produce and make the clothes on my very back. It’s somewhat of a butterfly effect; what I do could make a difference in someone’s life, and vice versa. I’m more aware of how what I do can affect others, and I’m utilizing that information in the best way to my fullest potential. This book was a huge eye opener for people like me, who had never even considered researching where their clothes were made, and who personally made them.

Jessica Joiner says:

I am glocal because I know of the struggles of other countries, though I have never traveled to them. While reading the book, “Where am I wearing?”, I have been able to understand the true life of the people of third world countries. And it wasn’t pretty. Living in the privileged world of America has sheltered us from the true reality of life. In America, some can live with their parents until they are twenty-five and never work for anything the whole time. While people like Mari and Ai have to constantly work from an early age and take care of their families at the same time. I am glocal because I can look out to the world, and see that I am blessed.

Sarah Miller says:

I am a glocal because I understand that others aren’t as privileged and struggle much more than Americans. I have never been to a third world country, but I realize that children have to start working at a very young age in order to help support their family. In America, people just put on their clothes everyday without thinking about where it was made, or who had to put in their hard work to provide them with it. I am a glocal because I know what goes on beyond the United States and understand that I have an extremely privileged life.

Jordan Morrison says:

I am a glocal because I have always made myself aware that there are people all over the world that live a more difficult life than I do. No, I have not traveled around the world meeting these people and learning about their way of life, but by reading this book, and educating myself, I am aware of the difficult lives many people live. Reading the book “Where Am I Wearing?” made me remember how good of a life I live here in the United States and for that I am thankful. But for people in Bangladesh, Cambodia and many other third world countries, life is a constant challenge. I always wonder what is being done for these people or what could we could do to help, but my concern has only gone that far. In my opinion, I wish I could do more and that’s why I respect Kelsey Timmerman because he brings awareness to these people’s lives.

Andrez Rodriguez says:

How am I glocal? I’m glocal because im aware of the struggles and the poverty that other third world coutries suffer. I understand just how privileged I am just to be able to live in America and to be able to receive a education of higher learning. Kelsey’s book makes the reader aware of the constant struggles and working conditions others go thorough just to be able to survive and provide what little they have for their families. Though i have hardly been able to cross the borders of my country, the poverty of many others is shown by the media and books just like this. I’m glocal because i step outside everyday, put on a shirt that comes from the other side of the world, and because reading the book “Where am i wearing”.

I’m a glocal because I am conscious of the world around me and how my actions, along with the actions of others can influnce peoples lives and well-being all over the world, I also appreciate the life that I am able to live because of where I live and the country I am from.

Victoria Stark says:

I believe that I am glocal because I am aware of what goes on around me, like my own city and state but also aware of the things others go through thousands of miles away from me. My church raises money to clothe and feed women and children in third world countries, like Ethiopia. My school also does local can drives to feed the locals during holidays.

J Austin Tomlinson says:

‘Glocality’ by any name is something we are inherently afraid of, something we brush aside and refuse to acknowledge. Whether I am living large in Florida as a SCUBA instructor, taking a break from begging on the streets to spend a day at an amusement park, or even cramming 8 people into a tiny room to live for making blue jeans, I am not thinking about the misfortunes of others; rather, I tend to focus on my own. Although this is often due simply to ignorance, to the fact that we simply do not know of the hardships others face, for example being forced to live on and sift through dumps day in and day out from childhood through adulthood just to survive and support a family, occasionally we ignore these facts. Intentional or not, life is more comfortable this way. Passivity in this sense submerges us in locality, allows us to experience happiness and some sort of stability in a world that definitely is not. People attempt to bridge this gap by simply becoming more aware of the issues around the globe, and claim to be global in certain instances: boycotting goods in order to protest child labor. I am a ‘glocal’ because I am not afraid to acknowledge that these children of Bangladesh and Cambodia and countless other places around the globe literally need these factories’ employment in order to survive and support themselves and their family. Child labor is not merely a global issue to them; it is their entire livelihood, and it allows them the opportunity to survive and occasionally succeed and reach their dreams. I can (hardly) put myself in their shoes, and I am not afraid of addressing the truth in this world. Where Am I Wearing has been an excellent starting point for me personally to raise my awareness and openness to the issues of living locally amidst global issues. Opening my eyes is the first step to claiming ‘glocality’, and it is the first step to making any sort of difference in the world. Thank you Kelsey Timmerman for going where nobody else dare go, and opening the eyes of millions.

Shelby Van Deventer says:

Before reading the book I could definitely say that I wasn’t as glocal as I could be. I would go on church mission trips, donate clothes, help with can food drives, watch the news (about whats happening in the world), etc… On the other hand, after reading this book I can’t help but look at where each piece of my clothing is from whenever I put it on. This book has brought to light what really goes on during the manufacturing of these clothes and the lives of the people who make them; which really gave me more of an interest on the topic. I now try to keep up with whats happening in all different countries and cultures because it turned into a new interest of mine. I now know how these people live and I can feel for them. I would like to say that I am more glocal than I ever have been, and I hope that I can help out these less fortunate countries in the future.

Jessica Garica says:

I guess that you could say that I am glocal in the sense of how I see and understand how our politics and government policies affect foreign countries. I would love to say that before I buy a shirt when I go shopping I look at the tag and think about the person or the people that made it and how their lives are but I don’t. Where am I Wearing is a very inspiring book and changed my outlook on a lot of things but not so much about my clothes (which might be bad to admit). It brought my attention to how badly people in other countries need jobs to stay off the street and feed their families, the way a lot of the public see “sweat shops” is different from the people actually working in the factories and the way we think others’ lives should be isn’t necessarily how they want or need to survive and live their lives.

Christine Dever says:

I consider myself “glocal” because I now have an idea of the lifestyles of the people who make the clothing that I wear. I know that the people who make my clothing are less fortunate than I am and I appreciate what they do.

Sean Guion says:

I would like to say I’m a glocal, but sometimes I do not realize the importance of countries other than the great United States of America. I may grab a t-shirt to throw on for the day and see that it says “Made in China” and not even think about how the shirt was made or who made it. But on the other hand I do see people of other ethnicities working their butts off for small pay to feed the mouths of their families. And that inspires me to be a hard worker and be appreciative of all the oppurtunities that I have infront of me. Given that I have been outside of the U.S four times (twice to Mexico, once to England, and once to France), I see how lucky we are to have the countless acres of land. Everything is so tight and compact that it can be very uncomfortable at times. So am I a glocal? Maybe, maybe not.

William Shivers says:

Before reading this book, I definitely could not call myself a glocal. I never wondered where my clothes were made or who made them. But after reading this book, it got me thinking about all of the things that go into making my clothes. Im not sure if this will affect my decisions on clothes, since I do not know enough about this subject to decide what clothes to buy and what clothes not to buy based on what country they were made in. However, this book has got me thinking about where my clothes were made and what the lives of the people making them are like.

Brittany Alvarez says:

Being glocal is something that I have never given much thought to before, per say, but something that I have always known. From an early age I was aware that not many things were actually produced in the US from frequent trips to the dollar store where I would read labels that proclaimed “Made in Tawain” or various other places. This past summer I had a chance to go to Honduras for a medical mission trip and while I didn’t neccesarrily visit a factory where they made my clothes I did visit the people who were always happy to help. Another branch of the mission group I went with was a microfinance education group where they loaned people money to produce goods so that they could make more and continue to better their lives. I really related to the Honduras section just because if the knowledge of the kind and generous people down there. However, his experiences in Bangledesh with the kind people where he went to their homes and villages struck me once again since I could relate to that. I am glocal because I am aware of what I have and where and by whom it is made. What Are You Wearing? reminded me to not forget what I have learned and to remember those I met.

Cheyenne Ahr says:

Before reading the first few chapters of the book “Where Am I Wearing” i never sat back and thought about all the third world countries and how the majority of the clothes i wear are made from humans around the world. I now consider myself a glocal because from this book I realize that every piece of clothing I wear came from a person who has to work all day from a young age to make a piece of cothing that gets shipped to America. I now appreciate more my life style and where I am from.

Cheyenne Ahr says:

Before reading the first few chapters of the book “Where Am I Wearing” i never sat back and thought about all the third world countries and how the majority of the clothes i wear are made from humans around the world. I now consider myself a glocal because from this book I realize that every piece of clothing I wear came from a person who has to work all day from a young age to make a piece of cothing that gets shipped to America. I now appreciate more my life style and where I am from.

Cheyenne Ahr says:

Before reading the first few chapters of the book “Where Am I Wearing” i never sat back and thought about all the third world countries and how the majority of the clothes i wear are made from humans around the world. I now consider myself a glocal because from this book I realize that every piece of clothing I wear came from a person who has to work all day from a young age to make a piece of cothing that gets shipped to America. I now appreciate more my life style and where I am from.

Cheyenne Ahr says:

Before reading the first few chapters of the book “Where Am I Wearing” i never sat back and thought about all the third world countries and how the majority of the clothes i wear are made from humans around the world. I now consider myself a glocal because from this book I realize that every piece of clothing I wear came from a person who has to work all day from a young age to make a piece of cothing that gets shipped to America. I now appreciate more my life style and where I am from.

Cheyenne Ahr says:

Before reading the first few chapters of the book “Where Am I Wearing” i never sat back and thought about all the third world countries and how the majority of the clothes i wear are made from humans around the world. I now consider myself a glocal because from this book I realize that every piece of clothing I wear came from a person who has to work all day from a young age to make a piece of cothing that gets shipped to America. I now appreciate more my life style and where I am from.

Rachel Ambrose says:

I believe I am glocal because I am aware of the struggles that kids my same age and younger are suffering from around the world, I realize how fortunate I am to have the life I do. The clothes I put on everyday are a result of the hard efforts from people all over the world, “Where am I Wearing?” helped me be more aware of that. I believe Kelsey Timmerman has helped me become even more glocal, and I think traveling to these countries to meet these people would be an eye-opening experience. I am glocal because I know I am more privileged than some other people around the world and I greatly appreciate it.

Jessica Vazquez says:

Now that I have read this book my mind was blown away by how much I have been missing out on what surrounds me. Never had I thought about the entire back story of my clothing and all everyday objects, now I realize I am glocal. My room is filled with things made from across the world, and I never bothered to put a slight interest in it. Reading “Where Am I Wearing?” truly opened my mind to a totally different perspective of what also existed in those countries. Im glocal, I have necessities that are covered by store bought items, Im aware of where my clothes and other items come from; Not only that but now there is just more emphasis in my life that shows how lucky we are. I always knew there were people in other countries who made my clothes and probably weren’t being compensated fairly for their hard work, but to actually read a book that makes you reflect on it especially with examples of actual people and knowing their names and what they look like, it definitively encouraged me to appreciate more what I have. Now it just makes me wonder that while I’m here on my laptop watching my favorite shows, theres probably someone across the world the same age as me but they happen to be still working in a factory trying to earn a living without a chance of getting a day off. So yes, I do consider myself to be a glocal.

Nathan Steinle says:

I am a glocal for several reasons. The first is that I wear clothes for the purpose of wearing clothes. Brands, logos of eagles, crocodiles, horses, sunglasses, etc… do not influence my decisions in buying clothes, rather I pay attention to A) do I like the way it fits and looks on me?, and B) does this company exploit cheap labor in foreign countries? I’ve always been very conscientious about the impact American corporations have on countries around the globe, and the book Where Am I Wearing has only enhanced my understanding, and disgust. Although it is indeed work, there is just something wrong about children slaving away in horrendous conditions for fractions of a penny every day.

Katherine Moxley says:

I am a glocal because I have been to so many different places overseas – in Europe, Asia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom – and yet still was born American. Not only have I traveled to these places to visit, but I have also lived in the United Kingdom and two different places in Asia. In fact, I have lived overseas half of my life. Being exposed to – and living amongst – all of these different cultures, I can say without a doubt that I am a glocal.

Carson Cash says:

Usually when I would go to the mall, I would buy shirts, jeans, or other type of clothing without even the slightest thought about who might of made the clothes or where they came from. But since reading the book,”Where Am I Wearing?” I realized that what I buy can impact people from all around the world. I feel like now I am glocal because when I buy something form a popular store in America, that purchase can help young people like me from countries around the world that are working for small pay and have very little.

Letie Rios says:

Before reading “Where Am I Wearing?”, I never took the chance to stop and actually think about where my clothes and/or shoes were made from. After the first few chapters my attention was caught. I am glocal because I am aware of the struggles other people have to go through to provide for their families and themselves. I am very much appreciated of everything my parents as well as life has to offer me. I have a lot of respect for Kelsey going on these trips to other countries! I hope that all the friends he has met along the way stay in contact and continue to better themselves by working hard.

Brittany Barksdale says:

Other than feeling sorry for the children we’ve all seen on television, I’ve never really considered the lives or living conditions of others around the world because I mean hey, Americas doing pretty well. However, after reading the book “where Am I wearing?” I quickly realized the importance and sad truth behind the lives of others around the world. I am and hope to continue to be “Glocal” by realizing the struggles of others and choosing to not just feel sorry for them but get involved! Whether it be by simply spreading the word of the importance of being glocal, or making donations I fully support the “Where Am I Wearing?” movement!

Kyle Terry says:

I feel that I am both a Local and Glocal in many aspects. I would say that I am a glocal because I have traveled all of the world; France, Mexico, South America, Italy, Malta, Germany, Switzerland, and I got to really immerse myself in their cultures and see how they live there lives. I’m also aware of foreign policies, currencies, and the political and social aspects of these countries. Reading “Where am I wearing” really opened my eyes to the lifestyles that many of these people live in currently, and it made me really appreciate where my clothes came from and the people that make them. It really just makes you take a step back and appreciate that these people live less luxurious lives just to make our lives more enjoyable since we outsource to their countries. But, i would also consider myself a local on a small scale simply because I am involved around my community with philanthropy events, and just participating in things around my community and supporting the local people.

Cesar Tavira-Cienfuegos says:

Before i read the book i kinda was fascinated by the tag and finding out where my cloths where from but never thought about how people lived in this countries. i am glocal for the reason that i buy clothes that aren’t always name brand and usually made by small countries and after this i have been searching and tiring to understand how they live. to me this a new and exciting thing to look into.

Umreen Imam says:

How am I glocal? Well I’ve never really thought about how anyone could be glocal, but after reading Where Am I Wearing, it’s all I can think about. Taking in to account that my entire family is from Bangladesh, it was really interesting to me to see someone else’s opinion about it. I myself haven’t been there in about seven years, and reading about how things are now and how things were when I last went completely blew my mind. Although things had significantly changed since I last went, some things were still the same. The traffic for example was the same, same for the crowds of people everywhere and to top it all off, the rickshaws going around everywhere. However, the number who have cell phones has majorly increased since the last time I went and that was nice to read.

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