As part of my country, war has always been near me. The war between Iraq and Israel, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine, everything comes down to us, the future generations. How are we supposed to grow and develop adequately when we are being exposed to all of this at such an early age? Organized and targeted violence, promoted bloodshed, continuous conflict, disruption, ceaseless conflagration, and most importantly vigorously broken households. This is a purposely set example showcasing that no problem can be resolved by anything but experiencing the severity of violence. This is familiarizing us with war, making it perfectly normal for children to be able to comprehend everything while living everyday life, making us aware that in order to secure our place in society we must hanker after the methods employed by the leaders of great countries.

In August 2008 I along with my family had to leave home. There was an attack on my village; CNN reports that during the five-day conflict, 170 servicemen, 14 policemen, and 228 civilians from Georgia were killed and 1,747 wounded. Tens of thousands of people were involuntarily displaced and taken away. Children were parted from their families, facing the consequences of something they had never once known in their entire lifespan.

Now, imagine being a child, rejoicing in your early years of life, yearning for nothing but a strive-free childhood, when one day was chosen as a display of cruelty. American Psychological Association states that Death, injury, sexual violence, malnutrition, illness, and disability are some of the most threatening physical consequences of war, while post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are some of the emotional effects. And with all of this comes a strong feeling of confusion and uncertainty, not knowing what stands behind everything.

How are we, just teenagers, supposed to find an answer to a problem that has existed in the world before us and will inevitably exist after us? This can come to the one and only conclusion: If you do not have the ability to alter the world, change the small environment that is around you. Rather than exhibiting misleading and imprecise facts about the whereabouts of our current circumstances, why should we not implement new and enlightening ways for our younger generations? Instead of allowing them to narrowly express their opinions behind a screen, why do not we encourage them to take measures and become actively engaged in today's politics? Giving ourselves the ability to acquire certain knowledge about politics will result in less vulnerability and greater control of the current situation, making it simple for us to confidently state our depositions and refrain from stepping into a constant lack of certainty.

First and foremost, we should attempt to raise awareness of all the opportunities teenagers have the ability to access in their countries. For instance, the majority of people in Georgia are not familiar with Young Ambassador programs, political science clubs, camps, etc. By presenting to them the possibilities of gaining a deeper understanding of politics, we ensure that young generations have an adequate level of education in one of the most critical fields of today's world.

And, moreover, we should create the opportunities ourselves. I believe there should be at least one class at every school regarding nowadays politics. YES, history is extremely valuable, although continuously filling our heads with facts from times that do not exist anymore, will make us lose the remembrance of today. An immense amount of high school students do not have knowledge about incentives for war, methods to avert it, and most importantly they do not even have an apprehension of a conflict occurring next to them. Forming clubs and activities that encapsulate the principles of modern government and facts about the current political situation will inevitably result in bright young minds who have enough power of knowledge to go out into the world and confidently present themselves.

I believe being an exchange student in the United States will give me an opportunity to go back to my country and implement ways to improve the political understanding of the students in my village. As a participant in the FLEX program(future leaders exchange), I expect to acquire sufficient knowledge and experience to give new and exciting opportunities to children, inspiring them with the hope of doing something, they never thought was possible.

I strongly encourage every youngster steeped in modern politics and international relations to take a new step in their life, share their knowledge, and never be afraid to express their positions freely and confidently. If the world surrounding you requires a change, do not hesitate to strive for that change.