When was the last time you received an email, or sent a Whatsapp message? I reckon it hasn’t been too long, right? Worldwide communication has changed the world in a better way, and it’s done incredibly well in connecting communities that without these opportunities, probably wouldn’t know that the others even exist. It’s brought people together, made information accessible to almost everyone and connected the world.

When you hear the word “global village”, it sounds like we are all not separated anymore. Because once, we were. Before the worldwide communication, it was hard to get in touch with people that lived on the opposite side of this planet. Now, that’s not a problem anymore. The benefits of this system are endless, but a specific point that I consider very important is to be able to get to know each other. It may sound silly and obvious, but when we take a second to think about it, we see the incredible value it has. Learning about other cultures, exchanging information and knowledge, sharing ideas and working together to change the world for the better. A global village in that sense, doesn’t differentiate between the people that live on this earth, for yes, we are all different, but through communicating with each other, we learn that maybe we are not so different at all.

Yes, it may have been romantic to write a letter and tie it to the leg of a pigeon, letting it do its job and transport the letter to your significant other. But you never know if it decides to just not deliver it, get caught in a tree, in a storm, or lose the letter, essentially leaving the pigeon as a message to its receiver. And even if it succeeds, it will probably take a while. With today’s modern communication devices, messages are being delivered in seconds. Not only messages though, now you can also facetime your loved ones, no matter how far they may be. And besides that, the internet provides a large network of answers to various questions, all you must do is type them in. Another huge change is the easier access to education: you can find thousands of courses of your interests online and can also register very easily.

If I had to pick one thing from global communication that benefited me a lot, it would be staying in touch with friends from all over the world. It’s just so interesting to see how others live and celebrate life, and it made me learn a lot about myself, too. It made me appreciate the opportunities I have, being born in a time where worldwide communication is at its peak. The world seems more connected and together overall.

Jessica Steininger 6M // Oberstufe // Non-Fiction // Article