Friendship is one of those words that feels simple until you try to define it across borders. What does it mean to feel close to someone you’ve never met in person? How do you build trust with someone whose language, culture, and daily reality look nothing like yours?

On World Friendship Day, we asked two Global Nomads alumni to reflect on exactly that. They are Aydin from the United States and Mosa from South Africa. Through their time in the Content Creation Lab, both experienced what it means to collaborate, create, and connect with young people from around the world. In their own words, here’s what friendship across difference has taught them.

Check our the course they and their peers have worked together on which was Neurodiversity, Leadership, and Belonging here.

When you first joined the program did you think you would connect with anyone?

Aydin: I was thinking at first when the program [Content Creation Lab / Neurodiversity, Leadership, and Belonging course development] first started, I thought I would make a few connections but never thought that I would have as many people bond with me as I thought. I would at least connect with a few people but still thought it was gonna be hard at first.

Mosa: Honestly yes! I had already been part of two other similar Global Nomads youth programs and so I knew that the environment is one that is conducive to getting to know people from around the world. There has always been a focus on getting to know each other on a deeper level, so I kind of expected to make some good connections.

What’s your first memory of meeting the other person?

Aydin: The best memory that I had meeting Mosa and everyone involved for the first time was when we did our ice breaker together and from that moment on, along with getting to know each other back when it first started, I knew that this program [Content Creation Lab / Neurodiversity, Leadership, and Belonging course development] together was going to be something special.

Mosa: My first memory of meeting Aydin was in a breakout room for one of our first ice breakers. I don’t remember what the game was, I just remember having so much fun talking to him and engaging with him. I think what caught my attention is that he matched my energy so perfectly.

Was there a specific moment during the program where you thought, “I’ve made a new friend”?

Aydin: Yes. When we got deeper into the program [Content Creation Lab / Neurodiversity, Leadership, and Belonging course development] in February or March, I felt like I made connections with lots of people like Rainy, Mosa, Iffu, and so many others that were in my video group. The fact that me and Mosa had lots of things in common, that’s what made me feel happy I did the internship by the friendships and connections made while still working on our project.

Mosa: There isn’t one specific moment that I can point to. I knew that I would like Aydin from the first moment that we interacted with one another, and I just hoped that he enjoyed interacting with me as much as I enjoyed interacting with him. It felt like it was gradual, then all at once. It got to a point where Aydin and I would always talk to each other in pretty much every meeting we ever had. We were friends.

What’s one thing you learnt from each other?

Aydin: The first thing we learned from each other was that we all enjoyed working with each other and just from that, it made the course development for our work much more enjoyable and from help from Kat and so many of the program managers involved that helped all of us make this project powerful to an audience that can resonate with our stories. I think all of our stories made us show that it’s okay to be who we are as people who are neurodivergent.

Mosa: One thing I learned from Aydin is how the American schooling system works and how it differs to what I am used to in South Africa.