Michael Romano

Sitting here on our last night here in Puerto Rico, I’m beginning to reflect on the experiences I’ve had over the last week and a half on the island. One of the biggest takeaways I’ll bring back is the influences on my perspectives of global issues. Primarily, the influences of my views of agriculture. Before the trip, when I was to think of the topic of agriculture, the first thing I would think of is a huge corn field in central Illinois with a big green John Deere tractor harvesting the crops.When I thought of the word farming, I primarily only envisioned corn, wheat, soybean, and other midwestern crops. During my experiences here, I’ve been presented a entirely different agricultural system than in Illinois. Before taking this course, I had never seriously considered the types of agriculture in this area. However, after my experiences in Puerto Rico and after studying the agricultural systems in place on the island, I understand there are a variety of other types of agricultural systems around the world.

For example, before coming the the island, I had little idea how coffee was produced or what a coffee tree even looked like. After visiting two coffee plantations, I now understand how rigorous the coffee harvesting process is and how dependent it is on climate and water. This can become a global issue, as it has over the last two years. This is because the climate became unpredictable, as it was raining when it was supposed to be dry, and it was dry when it was supposed to be raining. There were harsh implications  because of this. The coffee bean industry in Puerto Rico could only produce nearly twenty five percent of the island’s demand for consumption. This became an issue that is most likely common throughout the world, because like Puerto Rico, the climatal conditions do not provide for the island’s demands and therefore the island needed to import the majority of their coffee. This leads into the next global influence, quality control.

An important global issue that this trip has influenced my perspectives on is quality control. In the case of the coffee farm Cafe Gran Batey, they only produced their coffee with the highest quality of coffee beans. Then, they sell the lower quality beans to large coffee corporations such as Folgers and Maxwell House. (Sorry to say, but your home coffee brands such as these are lower quality coffee beans :)…) Quality is extremely important in the coffee industry because wealthy people are willing to pay a lot of money for the highest quality coffee beans. In fact, in some areas, these wealthy spenders even visit the coffee farms in order to see the quality of the beans for themselves. This is a common process throughout the entire world. People are willing to pay large sums of money for the highest quality of products. Therefore it is important to have a large focus on quality control as it has a direct relationship with the amount of profit.

Another process I observed in Puerto Rico that changed my perspective on a global issue is waste management. At Cafe Gran Batey, I feel as though their agricultural strategy was very sustainable. This is because they have a use for every part of their harvest and very little goes to waste. First, they sell their highest quality coffee. Second, they sell the lower quality beans to large corporations with lower grade coffee. Then, they use all the natural waste and the shells of the beans as fertilizer for the other coffee trees. This is an example of a system that utilizes almost all of their materials in order to be sustainable and practices like these should be considered globally in order to help the environment.

Coffee beans drying inside of the greenhouse

Cafe Gran Batey

Having lived in Illinois all of my life, upon coming to Puerto Rico it was relatively easy to spot differences between the two, but the longer I have been here, the more and more I notice. The most apparent difference, in my opinion, would be the typical kind of plant and wildlife that is accessible to people. While in Illinois/Chicago, the nearest types of plant and wildlife are those found in a plain ecosystem, such as wheat and corn, along with deciduous trees and woodlands animals. However, in Puerto Rico, most of these are not present. There are far more tropical plants, such as plantain trees, coffee plants, and palm trees. While in Illinois, coconuts are only obtainable at supermarkets or specialty shops, you can literally walk down the beach and find coconuts that are ready to be opened. That would be unheard of in Illinois. Likewise, in Illinois forests you have the possibility of coming across many squirrels and small wildlife that is very uncommon in Puerto Rico. The types of animal life found at each place is quite different. There are hermit crabs, normal crabs, a surprisingly high number of stray cats, and many low hanging trees at beaches, while in Illinois, there are almost no trees with the ability of growing in the sand. For that matter, sand itself is difficult to come across in Illinois, seeing as there is only one river and a section of lake water to break down rocks and dirt to become sand, while in Puerto Rico, the entire island is surrounded by ocean (obviously) and water breaks down many things besides rocks, since there are many coral reefs about the island. The waves crashing upon the rocks are also far larger in Puerto Rico than they are along Lake Michigan, so the rocks and coral are broken down far faster than the rocks in Illinois are by the lake.

Another notable difference between the two locales is the topography and landscape. In Illinois, the landscape is primarily flat, and if there are hills, they are gently rolling and hardly notable. Speaking of, many of the counties in Illinois don’t even have names for their highest points since they are so easy to look over. Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, there is an abundance of mountains and valleys, and even some marsh and desert-like areas. Granted, along the Mississippi River in Illinois there is some similar marshy land, the highest point visible anywhere near the river is actually a rock. In Puerto Rico, you can see rivers that travel from the tops of mountains down waterfalls and rushing streams, while in Illinois the Mississippi generally flows lazily, though there are occasional rapids. One of the coolest experiences I’ve had since coming to the island was at the ecolodge we stayed in one night, which was 5 minutes away from a waterfall/rapids area that was easy enough to climb, and had incredible fresh water pools that were stunning.

Another delightful difference between the Illinois and Puerto Rico is the food that the locals eat, both themselves and relative to each other. In Illinois, there is quite a bit of diversity statewide in terms of what the locals eat. While all over the state, almost everyone enjoys steaks and corn on and off the cob, in Chicago, there are many niche foods such as Italian Beef, Deep Dish Pizza, Breaded Steak Sandwiches, and Giardiniera that can only be found there. Puerto Rico, while quite different from Illinois, eats relatively similar things across the entirety of the island. Plantains play a huge role in the local cuisine, being in multiple items such as mofongo and tostones, whilst also being sliced and fried up quickly. The only item comparable to that in Illinois would be corn, and it’s not used in nearly as many ways. Furthermore, locals incorporate seafood into their cuisine far more extensively than Illinoisans, seeing as they are surrounded by fish, while they are not easily accessible to people in Illinois.

When comparing and contrasting Illinois vs Puerto Rico, there are many different factors to consider. First, I will touch on the variance in agriculture. In Illinois the main crops are corn and soybeans, while in Puerto Rico there are Sugar Cane and Coffee. These differences are results of the environment that each respective crop is produced in. For example, in Puerto Rico weather fluctuates much less on a yearly basis when compared to Illinois. Another environmental difference is in regard to the different types of species on the island. In Puerto Rico there are more ‘exotic’ creatures as oppose to in Illinois there are increased numbers of deer, squirrels and other mammals. Next up is the labor comparison. When labor is compared it brings about an interesting story. In Illinois, given the common crop, there is less tedious manual labor, allowing for increased production with lower manual labor costs. In Puerto Rico, the crops more often necessitate manual pruning and picking; it is less common to see large scale machine based processing. This means more Puerto Rico citizens must work for the agriculture industry in order to maximize production. According to our tour guide, Daniel, at the second coffee plantation, these jobs are very hard for the agriculture company to fill, for the desire to work these jobs is low. When comparing Puerto Rico and Illinois in regards to topography. In Puerto Rico the topography is very diverse, ranging from desert to mountainous rain forests. In Puerto Rico the topography allows for varied crop growth and variation within a single type of crop. When compared to Illinois, the topography Is fairly constant. Illinois is mainly flat with little to no variation in elevation. Elevation allows for variation in a single crop, for example, coffee. In Puerto Rico coffee can vary in levels of moisture depending on the elevation. Next up is the temperature comparison. Illinois has many more highs and lows in temperature throughout a year, when compared to Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricos climate stays at a much higher average temperature, year round, allowing for crops such as coffee, plantains and mangoes to be grown year round. In Illinois the growing season is much shorter, forcing farmers to maximize their growth over a shorter period of time. The climate in Illinois allows for the growing of crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. Another comparison is the cultures of Illinois vs Puerto Rico, perhaps one of the more interesting comparisons. As most know, Illinois and Puerto Rico are in vastly different climates. This causes for the urban planning and housing to be very different in Puerto Rico than Illinois. In Illinois, homes are usually sealed and effectively air proof in order to allow them to last through the four seasons. Although, in Puerto Rico, the heat allows for homes to have no insulation and usually no cooling either. The homes are usually open air with slat windows which are able to be cranked shut. This allows homeowners to be sheltered from the intense heat. In regards to person to person interactions, the findings will be subjective. With this being said, I have found the Puerto Rican citizens tend to be much more laid back and receptive of those around them. The entire environment is much more nonchalant although dress tends to be more formal than usual. In conclusion, Puerto Rico and Illinois have many difference, small and large, but ultimately they are just different. I have not found one to be better than the other. They both have their benefits and drawbacks. Although, in regards to agriculture, Puerto Rico provides a wonderful contrast on the differences in the entire production timeline. When compared to what I have learned of Illinois, Puerto Rico has very much helped highlight all the changes in the environment and has greatly aided my educational experience.

Throughout my life I have found myself privileged enough to travel many different places and view nature from various aspects. Whether it was here in the United States or in Eastern Europe where I traveled last year. I can definitely say that the nature, climate, and landscapes of Puerto Rico are far from what I have ever visited before.

Every year I visit our family cabin in Northern Michigan which lies on the bank or the AuSable River surrounded by dense forestry. You are woken up every morning by a beautiful view of the river and the wildlife.  I truly did not think there was a view that I could ever find better than this one. This is where Puerto Rico proved me wrong.  The nature and beauty of this island was something I could have never imagined. While I have been in Puerto Rico I have been able to experience almost every aspect of its nature.  I have climbed cliffs and waterfalls of the El Yunque National Rainforest. I have snorkeled in the coral reefs of the Caribbean Sea and visited the prettiest beaches I have ever seen in my life.  All of these things are truly what surprised me about Puerto Rico. I knew this was going to be a beautiful place, but quite frankly it has blown my expectations out of the water.  I knew that coming from a Midwestern state, that things would be different but truly not to this extent.  I have not spent long in the state of Illinois but I know from my life in Ohio that much of the extreme and beautiful nature is merely forestry, the occasional cliff, and the gorgeous hundred acre farms where you can look out and see for miles.  This trip has allowed me to leave the norm for what I think nature is and I could not be happier that I have gotten to experience a trip like this.

After roughly two weeks in Puerto Rico I have noticed many things about the people and culture.  Some things being more surprising than others.  The people here are amazing.  The hospitality and generosity of every single person I have encountered has been unreal.  Throughout the trip we have traveled to various locations across the territory and every plantation, business, or university member we have come across has been more than helpful. I knew coming to Puerto Rico that a majority of the citizens spoke English but I have been completely blown away by everyone.  Although I took 4 years of Spanish in high school I was far from a fluent speaker. The natives are very patient with my slow speaking Spanish and are always helpful by communicating in English. It has made the trip so much easier and enjoyable.

The past few days we have spent time at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez and it has been unreal.  Every professor, student, and faculty member has been more than helpful an incredibly interested in our work/trip.  We even got the chance to sit down and speak with the Dean of the Department of Agriculture.  It would be nearly impossible to pick up and have a meeting with a Dean at the University of Illinois.  I am more than grateful for every experience I have had the last two weeks and I cannot wait to get home and share and express what I have experienced.  I can honestly say that I have never been more excited about a project and have such an interest for agriculture. I have experienced so much about the culture, agriculture, and nature of Puerto Rico that I could talk for days.  It is unlike anything I have ever done before and I am excited to share at Engineering Open House.

The whole gang and the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez

A view of from the top of Playa Sucia

The past few days in Puerto Rico we’ve had the opportunity to explore the campus of University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez. The campus is beautiful and the roads are lined with palm trees. The university is made up of four colleges: Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration. We paid a visit to the Agriculture section of the campus and the site was excellent. The dean of the college of agriculture sat down and talked to us about our trip and the possibility of doing a similar study abroad trip with the students of UPR. I enjoyed seeing the campus and living in apartments similar to what the freshman students here are accustomed to.

Visiting Puerto Rico has been a great learning experience and there has been a number of cultural differences that our group has come across despite this island being part of the United States. The easiest thing to address first is the use of the Spanish language here. My expectation when coming to Puerto Rico was that the English to Spanish ratio would be roughly 2:3. But after spending all this time in the territory, I have noticed that Spanish is used most of the time and is used all of the time unless some tourists like us come along and only know English. Being in Puerto Rico for roughly 10 days now has been like a crash course in Spanish that is more real than any Spanish test I’ve taken in high school. It has required me to go back to my basic Spanish vocabulary and pull out any basic verbs and nouns needed in order to get what I need and go where I need to. Thus far I’ve been able to order food at any place I go to, ask where things are, and greet other people. I’m sure if I ended up studying abroad in a Latin or south American country I would pick up the language and/or study it more beforehand. But what I’ve learned so far will suffice for the things we’ve had to do.

Food is definitely an important part of this culture as it is in any culture. My expectation before arriving in Puerto Rico was that the food would resemble that of Mexico or Spain. We ended up learning firsthand what Puerto Rican food entailed before we even got to the hotel. We visited a food kiosk area that was right off Luqillo beach and were free to choose what Puerto Rican cuisine we would be dining on that night. Almost all of the food stands had the same things: rice, pork, chicken, crab meat, beef, empanadas, tacos, beans, etc. The first night I ended up getting a taco and an empanada. Tacos here are different from the American idea of tacos. Here tacos are generally wrapped completely around the selected meat and then deep fried and can be eaten and held in one hand. Nonetheless it was just as delicious as an American taco. Throughout the trip I’ve gotten to experience other types of Puerto Rican food such as mofongos and toastones. The fruit here tastes fresh and they have mangos that are grown here. Mangos are my favorite fruit when I go out of the country and the ones here do not disappoint. Coffee also seems to be very important to the Puerto Rican people and because it is brewed here for quality, it tastes extremely good. A cultural difference when it comes to Puerto Rican coffee is that it is combined with warm milk instead of the American equivalent of cold creamer. Coffee will never be the same to me now because of how good it was drinking it here.

Coffee Beans at one of the coffee plantations we visited.

The landscape in this picture is not something you would find back in Illinois.

I didn’t have too many expectations going into Puerto Rico. Although it is technically part of America, I imagined it to be more so like Mexico, a place I’ve traveled to many times. From our discussions in class, I expected Puerto Rico to have common American food chains, however, it is still much more developed than I had imagined. In most places, there are a few fast food chains on every corner, similar to what I’m used to back at home. Their malls remind me of Woodfield and Hawthorne, two big malls around my home. I wouldn’t expect all of the department stores and fast food chains I’m familiar with to be so prevalent. Despite this, there are also many fast food chains common to Puerto Rico that are nowhere to be found back at home. One chain I’ve seen in almost every mall and on busy streets is El Meson. I look forward to trying this as it seems to be a Puerto Rican favorite.

Although Puerto Rico is much more developed than expected, there are also some very underdeveloped areas. For example, the Kioskos, while great, are something unique to Puerto Rico. It’s quite uncommon in America to see small food vendors like that in my hometown anymore. Most things have developed into big chains by now. The Kioskos contributes to the different cultural feel that can’t be found from large malls and common American chains.

The traditionally Puerto Rican food found at the Kioskos made it difficult to eat there as a vegetarian. I knew being a vegetarian in Puerto Rico was not common, but I didn’t realize how odd it would be for most workers when I ordered things without meat. Although it’s uncommon, I didn’t realize it was almost unheard of. At most restaurants I went to, I would have to specially request something without meat. I used to get these weird looks when I told people I was vegetarian as a kid, however, this has decreased as it has become increasingly common in America. Now as I walk the streets of Puerto Rico, I am once again greeted with these confused looks. The cultural food in Puerto Rico hasn’t allowed for many vegetarian options, therefore people have never been exposed to the idea.

While it has been difficult to find vegetarian food, I have been exposed to a variety of freshly grown fruits. Because of Illinois’s climate, we are unable to produce most of these crops, however, having them in Puerto Rico was a great privilege. Because of Puerto Rico’s year round warm climate, they are able to constantly produce tropical fruits. My favorite fruit, guava, seems to be quite common here. I have also been able to eat plantains and some varieties of bananas. Due to the freshness, these fruits have all been spectacular.

While Puerto Rico is able to produce fruit, their agriculture in general has decreased a lot and therefore they are forced to import many crops that could normally be locally grown. One of the coffee production plants has to use coffee they grow along with imported coffee, as they do not have the ability to grow as much as demanded. Being able to try the high quality freshly grown coffee, I can see why it’s so important to grow crop locally and how much Puerto Rico would benefit from being able to once again grow most produce locally. In Illinois, we don’t have this privilege either, as the only staple crops are corn and soybeans.

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This trip to Puerto Rico has led to many surprises and discoveries. I learned just how prevalent American food chains are to Puerto Rico. Despite this, their traditional food is still quite common, especially in Kioskos. I also realized how uncommon vegetarianism is in Puerto Rican culture. Regardless, I have been able to try many delicious locally grown fruits. What’s most surprising and concerning is the lack of agriculture found in Puerto Rico, a country that used to be thriving off agriculture alone.

Puerto Rico is a predominated part of the United States but it has so many differences by itself. It is an island located between the Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean. Beyond sea sides and beaches, it has ranges of mountains that elevate as high as 4390 feet. In the middle of the island, there are dry lands with cactus. The distinct features of the landscape in Puerto Rico give it a biodiversity that is far way beyond the range I expected.

On the second day of the trip, we visited the El Yunque National Forest in northeastern Puerto Rico. It is a well preserved area with a number of trails from where the beauty of flora and fauna can be appreciated. I was picturing trudging through muddy soils and getting bites from tropical insects like what happened to me in Malaysian rainforest, but the elevation of the El Yunque forest made the entire trip refreshing and enjoyable. Constant and ample rainfall in the forest insures the growth of tropical plants all year round and the existence of several waterfalls. After walking down the trails for about twenty minutes, we came to a prevalent sight of a waterfall and small ponds. In the forest, I did not see many signs introducing the types of trees, but did see many boards to remind people to ponder upon the importance of nature preservation. It was a wonderful picture of people and the nature living in harmony. Though there was a large volume of people swimming and having fun in the pool, they were unanimous about keeping the area clean after enjoying what nature has to offer.

One most commonly found fauna in the forest is coqui. It is a type of neotropical frog known to Puerto Rico. These frogs are well protected in Puerto Rico, but face extinction in other tropical regions. A Puerto Rican salesperson shared about how she was used to hear coqui croaking while sleeping. After she moved to Chicago, she could not fall asleep in silent nights without hearing coqui croaking, so her mother had to put the phone near the yard and let her hear coqui sound before she went to sleep. Coqui has be an important part of Puerto Rican life. The story of the salesperson amazed me by thinking about how close Puerto Ricans are living with the nature.

Three days later, we went back to Fajardo from Mayaguez and lived in Casa Cubuy Ecolodge hidden on the other side of the El Yunque National Forest. It was disappointing that the ecolodge was not as grand as a resort I imagined, but the view from the porch in my room was a surprise in disguise. Ranges of mountains surrounded the ecolodge, everything was almost still, and the effect of the dimming sunlight made the scene look like one from a painting. At night, we walked down a less constructed track. I sat down to lean on a big rock at the bottom of the waterfall and quietly meditated on the beauty of the starry night sky while listening to the cacophony of coquis. The beauty of the scene is indescribable until one truly experiences it oneself. I lifted up my phone camera and tried to keep record of what I was seeing and hearing, while it was an incredible photo, the camera was not able to capture its true beauty. I was wondering how many places like this are left in the world to let us truly appreciate the beauty of nature. The work of man is incomparable to that of the nature. Sleeping with coqui croaking and water gushing down rocks is a rare enjoyment that can’t be found in many parts of the world. With the speed of urbanization, more and more people are looking for natural and undeveloped sites to keep away from man-made noises. The ecolodge is a demonstration of green tourism that the future tourism is diverting to.

Puerto Rico has been a bit different than I expected. I knew coming in that the weather would be nice and tropical, and that the food would be a bit similar to latino foods. I also knew that agriculture would play a far smaller role in the everyday lives of most rural people than it does in Illinois, seeing as our home state has far more land that is viable for agricultural use when compared to Puerto Rico. What I didn’t expect was how heavily they use the plantain in their everyday lives. I had heard it was a staple, but I didn’t realize just how many ways it was possible to use the plantain. I had assumed it was like a banana, sweet and a bit pulpy, but it’s far easier to use them everyday when compared with bananas. For example, there are mofongos and tostones everywhere, and plantains are sometimes even shredded and used like hash browns of sorts in different kinds of meals. Because of the heavy demand for plantains, there are farms with substantial output potential. The farm we visited was far more vast than I had anticipated and had huge sections dedicated to both mangos and plantains. The processing plant we visited while at the farm was also quite sizable, and it was very interesting to see the processes that take place before the shipping of the fruits we eat. I hadn’t really thought about it in depth, so I expected the farmers to be picking fruits when they ripened, instead of weeks in advance, though that makes sense once considering the time it takes to ship the fruits.

Another thing that surprised me was the diversity of ecosystems that the island contains. During our multiple drives across practically the entire island, we saw multiple different ecosystems. When we first arrived, we got to visit El Yunque, one of the largest rainforests on the island, which was quite sizable, and had some impressive vertical drops, all in a tropical, densely forested area. It also had a couple hidden waterfalls deep in the jungle, and though there were some areas which were a bit touristy/well known, there were places very close to them where you couldn’t tell that people had been there at all. One picture I have was taken right next to La Mina Falls, one of the most visited locations in the entire rainforest, and yet the ecosystem looks practically untouched. An ecosystem we saw a good amount of but never interacted with was the more arid, desert-like area. There were huge swaths of desert area clearly visible as we drove across Puerto Rico, and it was clear that the land wasn’t particularly useful, as we saw fewer and fewer towns as we gradually transitioned from rainy to dry areas. Puerto Rico has also been significantly more mountainous than I expected. I knew it wasn’t going to be as flat as Illinois, seeing as our entire state has 10 hills, give or take a couple, but we have seen a good amount more mountains than I anticipated, and we ended up staying in an ecolodge near the top of one. They also take advantage of all the farmable land they have, as there was a coffee plantation that we visited up in the mountains, and we were also told that there were some plantain plantations in the mountains as well. It was interesting to see, considering that in Illinois, if land is remotely rocky or steep, practically nobody considers it farmable, from my experiences. The accessibility of the coral reefs off the island was also very cool, as the trip from our hotel to the coral reefs was under an hour, excluding the wait for our catamaran to disembark, and in Illinois, depending where you are, the trip from a mountain/hill to any substantial source of water is quite sizeable, and it’s difficult to find mountains to begin with.

Through my visit to Puerto Rico, I have vastly widened my perspective on global issues. The reason for my widened perspective is the greatly differed life style and approach to life. I have been able to witness the other side of where many consumer goods come from. This means analyzing every step in the process and finding out, for example, how coffee can go from the tree to ones’ cup, hence I can appreciate the effort put into every cup of coffee.

One occurrence that really made me think was the plantains, intended to be sent to “Costco”. “Costco” is a band which I have always shopped at. Whenever I shopped there, I gazed up at the large quantities of fruit and many other goods, wondering to myself; how could they have ever go this much fruit here at the perfect time in their life cycle. Through this trip I saw exactly where these fruits came from and witnessed every step in the process. The fruits are carefully maintained in an environment which allows their growth to be at the exact specifications of the perspective buyer. Once they are grown, the fruits are pruned off the tree and carefully hulled to the packaging plant, at which point the ripeness and quality is checked. Next, the fruit is washed and checked for any impurities. Then the stickers are put on the fruit, it is packaged and shipped off.

This process is much more complex than I expected and through this process I learned to rationale for the price of the goods. Prior the learning about the process I may have critiqued the company for paying their workers minimum wage, but judging by this factory tour and the guides statements, they need the pay minimum wage in order to keep a decent profit margin. I must take this lesson and accept the there is more to the world’s problems then what may meet the eye. This means that before critiquing a world problem one should be thoroughly understanding of all aspects of the issue to their deepest extent. In addition, one must be able to view an issue from all standpoints.

The next example occurred at the ‘Café Gran Betey’. During our visit to this coffee farm, we learned how complex and intricate the coffee making process is. Our group walked through the different environmental factors which influence the growth and taste of the bean. With this being said, Daniel, our tour guide, also walked us through the labor factors which limit the production of the farm. It was stated that many Puerto Rican citizens did not care to work all day. This is a result of the government benefits for the unemployed. These unemployment benefits allow for citizens to survive with little to no work. As a result of this the company has to work around the hours the citizens prefer to work, for they will otherwise not work.

In conclusion, my trip to Puerto Rico has helped me realize that there is much more to Global Issues then what meets the eye. This can be supplemented by blanket statements and stubbornness. It is important to consider everything involved in an issue and leave room for compromise. One must realize their place in the world and take that into consideration. It is important to consider cultures when approaching an issue and in order to get a full view of an issue, one should consult someone who lives in the issue on a day to day basis. Through this one will be able to see a problem from another person’s eyes and get their opinion, this will allow on to increase their perspective before judging a global issue.