The World is His Neighborhood

Background information:
One of my classes this semester is The Dynamics of Social Change taught by Arvind Singhal.
Dr. Singhal has done a lot of traveling.  A lot.
My classmates and I are all thinking about our upcoming International Public Service Projects.

During our most recent class, a little over a week ago, we went around the room updating one another on the countries we'd be working in and the projects we'd be doing.  For nearly every person in the room, regardless of the country they'd be traveling to or the group they'd be working with, Dr. Singhal was able to say, "I know someone in that country or someone working in that field and I'd be glad to connect you with them."  After we'd gotten nearly halfway around the room, one of my classmates leaned over and said, "The world is his neighborhood."  We were both amazed at the breadth of his experiences and his ability to name everything from people to restaurants in the various countries.

I've spent most of this first year looking for specific public service goals.  One of them came to me in during that class:  My goal is to be a resource for folks who are trying to better the world.  My goals is to be able to do for others what Dr. Singhal did for my classmates and I; he said, in effect, "You want to do some good in this world?  Here's a place or person that can get you started."

I still don't know where I'll be for my IPSP, but wherever it is, I'm eager to be there, expanding the size of my neighborhood.