Land as Identity

Special Contributor(s): Razaan Abnowf

Have you ever considered how much of your identity is derived from your connection to land? Considering your nationality and ethnicity, your connection to land could be thoughtless or one of pride, struggle, economic gain, spiritual connection, cultural isolation, or many simultaneously. Not only the land itself, but the people and culture that inhabit it. As a first generation American, I have come to understand land as simply an inhabitance that can be changed at any time, but, it is so much more than that. Through my education abroad program, I hope to make sense of this. Drawing on my experiences abroad, I will explore the diverse human connection to land, all while taking into account my identity formed from my own connection to land.

My name is Razaan Abnowf (she/her), and I am honored to be the 2021-2022 recipient of UNC Charlotte Office of Education Abroad’s Odyssean Scholarship. I am currently a junior double majoring in Economics and International Studies with a minor in Arabic Studies. Like many people, I have always had an affinity for travel — to form a connection with foreign land and its citizens, which is my intention throughout my semester abroad in Meknes, Morocco with International Studies Abroad (ISA). Not only to work towards my undergraduate degree with cultural and language immersion, but to gain exposure to new perspectives. It is with the help of the Odyssean Scholarship that this intention has come to fruition. I hope that you will join me on my journey through my blog posts and reflect with me on your connections to the world.