travel

Public Health Abroad: Finland and Estonia – Part 2

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

Day 7 marked the halfway point of our study abroad program. In the morning, we took a bus to the Estonian Open Air Museum, designed to resemble a real-life rural village in the 18th century! This was one of my favorite parts of the program. This museum included 14 different farms to show aspects of village life. I saw cottages, a teepee, a giant windmill, a church, and more. One path lead to the seashore where my peers collected seaglass and waded their feet in the water. I really enjoyed this opportunity to be immersed in nature.

Cottages were primarily made of wood and hay, both of which are extremely flammable!

The group had a guided walking tour of Old Town; Joosep was a wonderful human encyclopedia as he showed us to spots we had not been to before. He taught us what the colors of the flag of Estonia meant: blue for the sky, black for the dark forests and the dark times Estonians have been through, and white for purity and hope for a brighter future.
2018 marks a special year of celebration for Estonians because this is the 100th anniversary of their independence as their own republic, free from endless rule by different countries.

The symbol represents 100 years AND 20(18). Great design.

I boarded a tram by myself to a nearby cat cafe. I have never been to any cat cafe before, and I wanted to see if cat breeds differed in Estonia. When I went to Nurri Cat Cafe, only five other people were present, with about 10 cats in the room. I did not see any unfamiliar breeds. My time at the cat cafe was very therapeutic for me. Although I did not get to pet the cats much, I enjoyed eating my pesto pasta and watching the cats interact with one another. I even witnessed the cats at dinner time (6 pm) and they each pounced their tiny paws over to their own bowls to feast.

Two cats were perched on top of the table where I was sitting. It takes a while for cats to get accustome to you and be comfortable with you approaching them to pet them.

Day 8 meant traveling to another city. We hopped on board a train from Tallinn to Tartu! Tartu has 99,000 people as of this year. This sleek train got us there in less than two hours; I napped the majority of the time. After setting down our belongings, we had a quick walking tour and lunch.

The Town Hall is a landmark of Tartu. Bells ring from the hall each day. The fountain of kissing students is in the lefthand corner of the photo; the fountain was erected in 1998.

We spent an hour at the KGB Cells Museum, which showcases the basement of a building that was used to house prisoners! Men and women alike were put together in a cell. Cell walls were so thick that no noise could be heard between rooms. Rooms lacked lighting and ventilation, and often had as much as 30 to 40 people within such a confined space and with just four beds!

For the rest of the day, I browsed around souvenir shops in Tartu. We were conveniently located right across from a University of Tartu building, and right by the town square. Tartu sidewalks are very wide and can fit three to four people in a row. After popping into a small bookstore, we went to the Botanical Gardens, which was founded in 1803. It is such a beautiful place and I would have liked to see the greenhouses but we were running out of time. Nevertheless, the grounds were great and the garden included a pond. We saw people taking photos for graduation and weddings here. For dinner, the class ate at Meat Market, which does not solely serve meat.

A classmate took a beautiful portrait photo of me in the gardens.

Gardens are a valuable part of any city. People need green space for not just oxygen but for stress relief.

Day 9 was a free day for everyone. Two friends and a program coordinator/graduate student accompanied me to the Upside Down House that was about 30-45 minutes away on foot. We crossed the river and went into the outskirts of the city of Tartu. The house was built upside down AND on a slant, so it was disorienting and dizzying. The house included a sauna and that was neat!

This house stood out from its surroundings in remote Tartu. There was an abandoned aircraft hangar in proximity, and also a designated walking path among some trees. Buses do run along the street but not frequently.

 

This photo can confuse people at first glance! There are actually some Upside Down Houses around the world, such as Germany and America. (I had no idea they existed in my own country!)

Nearby was the Estonian National Museum, which is a tremendous facility where we spent a few hours looking at artifacts related to Estonian life. We paid 10 euros as a student discount and could access the entire building. We received cards encrypted with a technology that allowed us to swipe the card over a screen connected to an exhibit/piece. The screen would then automatically translate to English. This is so innovative and I hope that museums elsewhere in the world could incorporate this! I enjoyed viewing prehistoric and Metal Age tools. Estonia has been inhabited by people for the last 11,000 years! My favorite exhibit hall was the one featuring Uralic people, a people I had no knowledge about beforehand! They lived between Scandinavia and the Ural Mountains, so were primarily in the forests. They carved symbols into trees and their tales often involve bears and other woodland creatures. The exhibit showcased a people and facets of their lifestyle, but this was just one small sliver of Ugric studies. Also in the museum was an exhibit about 19th century clothing. Women’s clothing was preserved more because not only were they more beautiful and colorful than men’s clothing, but they also reflected diversity among different regions of Estonia. I learned about the usage of headpieces and necklaces. I am glad to have visited this museum! The facility was marvelous.

After our fun free day in Tartu, I worked on a homework assignment that addresses how walkable the city of Tartu is. Now that I have been to the more touristy areas of Tartu and the more remote parts, I was able to come up with a convincing argument for how well-designed the city is so that people can enjoy it whether they walk or use a wheelchair. Sidewalks have ample space and curbs/ramps have good inclines. When you get to the less-inhabited parts of town, some sidewalks are harder to tread on, but it still is pedestrian-friendly. After returning to the hotel, I got dinner and dessert with other friends and then about half of the class played games in one of our rooms.

(Please see my assignment on the walkability audit of Tartu here:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EG8vBf1EuKn0Uz01klxOo9fXyKOzhBr_r0CJsku_0Hg/edit?usp=sharing)

I was also able to complete another homework assignment comparing cigarette sales in America, Finland, and Estonia. Throughout the program, we were expected to observe how cigarettes were sold (where and for how much money) and what the packaging looked like, including what information or graphics were put on the warning labels.
(Please see my work here:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kR8W4sjJjBN53qEh1lHJvOIS9BMUfnb9Uz_z770khhs/edit?usp=sharing)

For Day 10, the class visited the Ahhaa Science Centre, which reminds me of COSI in Columbus! I love science centers and this one has four floors! The ground floor had a LEGO town of Tartu and exhibits related to water. It included tech spaces, a play area with giant building blocks, music/acoustic space, and tanks with real fish in them. In a dark room were lifelike animatronic aquatic creatures such as dinosaurs with fins and a whale shark. There are some steps leading up to a balcony that had ant farms and an incubator for chicks! This was the highlight of the science center for me. I love baby chickens. The chicks were either a day old or two days old, and some eggs were close to hatching!

FUN FACTS: Jellyfish have existed even before dinosaurs roamed the planet. A group of jellyfish is called a bloom.

FUN FACTS: Whale sharks are the largest fish. They are giant but gentle and eat plankton and small fish. Their skeletons are made of cartilage, not bone. Female whale sharks are actually larger in size than male sharks.

On the second floor of the science museum were glass jars containing human and animal body parts and embryos so visitors could learn about anatomy but also body anomalies. For example, there was a goat skull with four horns. The third floor had interactive activities testing health, from grip strength to memory to balance to processing speed. (I performed poorly on all of these, and despite appearing healthy, I have to make dramatic changes to my lifestyle and actually exercise in order to be fit).

When our group returned to our hotel, we met with another tour guide who took us around the University of Tartu. The different buildings are within walking distance; sometimes it seemed like a hike. She also led us to cathedral ruins. One interesting part of our tour was going into an attic of the main building of the university; this attic served as a lock-up for students who misbehaved and did not conform to student conduct. Students could be sent to this room for cheating or for disrespecting a woman on the street. Punishment could mean just a few days in the lock-up to a month! There was no supervision for the lock-ups, but students were still expected to serve their sentences and actually be in that space.

The attic can become humid and balmy in the summers but leave people trembling in the winters.

After our tour, we had another group dinner in a restaurant that looks like a wine cellar.

On Day 11, we traveled to Parnu, an even smaller city with 40,000 people. It is a summer resort town so it is more heavily populated during that season than others. It is located by the water so people frequent the beach. The water is shallow for an extended distance before it gets deep. Our hotel was a resort & spa in one, and we were able to use the sauna, pools, gym, and spa. I did not take advantage of these amenities but I did go outside to the beach to dip my toes in the water and step in the soft sand.

Our other completely free day was Day 12. I went to the mall by myself, and the trek was not scary as one might perceive. Parnu is tiny and quiet, and I do stick out as a foreigner among the mostly blond(e) Estonians, but I was safe. The walk from the hotel to the mall was about 20 minutes, and it was pleasant. The mall was actually a complex made up of about three tall buildings. One building had a grocery store and a few beauty stores. Another building had most of the clothing stores and restaurants. After making a few purchases, I headed back to the hotel and stopped at a woman’s home business, where she operated a beauty & hair salon. She offered manicures, pedicures, and hair styling. After getting a manicure, I had lunch at an eco-gourmet cafe with some friends.

On Day 13 (May 31), we had a short visit to the University of Tartu-Parnu to learn about their Spa & Wellness management program. The program director and a graduate student explained that the program is offered at a master’s level and it encompasses not just spa design, but also financial accounting, visual communication, and even the history of wellness.

The two-year program offers not only a strong theoretical foundation for students, but also opportunities to put the skills and knowledge into practice!

After the informative presentation, the group packed up and took a charter bus to Tallinn. From there, we boarded the ferry to return to Helsinki. Once we were all checked into our hotel, the program officially ended. Students were free to go back to the United States after the experience, or continue to explore Europe. Some of my peers stayed in Europe and traveled to multiple countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic, and England. My intention was to go straight home, but I had a stop in Iceland on my way to Cleveland. That 50-minute stop transformed into a 48-hour detainment in that country, but thankfully I finally made it home to America! What matters is that I am home safe and sound.

Our group had reserved seats that gave us up-close views of the Gulf of Finland!

I appreciate this opportunity of a lifetime because of the myriad of experiences and memories. I also am more well-informed about Finland and Estonia and am better prepared for future international travel. To my surprise, I was independently exploring and still survived.

I would like to thank the Office of International Affairs for executing this program, for providing me with a few scholarships, and for assisting me when I was temporarily stranded in Iceland for two days. I am glad that OIA has emergency hotline in place for students who find themselves in difficult situations. Thank you to @osuglobal for liking my photos and featuring one of our class photos on the Instagram page!

Thank you so much to Dr. Wallace and Amanda Jovanovich for coordinating the program’s activities and guiding us throughout Finland and Estonia. It was a wonderful class that had structure but still plenty of free time for us to explore. Thanks for showing us a part of the world that many people do not visit.

Thank you to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion for your scholarships and support for my study abroad. Thank you to my family and friends for your never-ending support as I navigated this adventure with equal amounts of trepidation and excitement.

Thank you to Finland and Estonia, for everything you have to offer to the world. Thank you to Iceland for also being a wonderful country. Everyone I met was friendly and willing to help.

If it were not for STEP and for the three other scholarships I received, in addition to some grants and gifts from loved ones, going abroad would not have been a possibility for me. I would not have fathomed the idea. I am forever grateful for this chance to take part in the Public Health Perspectives: Finland and Estonia program. I truly hope that other first-generation college students and first-time travelers such as me will have opportunities to study abroad as well. The Ohio State University’s education abroad office offers ample resources for interested students, so take the leap and venture into the unknown.

Go Bucks!
Xoxo
Melinda

P.S. To see hundreds of photos taken along the journey, my comprehensive PowerPoint will suffice! It may take a while for it to load, and this could mean refreshing your page to view the entirety of it. It runs close to 300 slides!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZadYR7-uztv6jY9-VD06o8QwYZijtWDAhAiN8taGPN0/edit?usp=sharing

P.P.S. Here are some photos of my stop in Iceland:
While I was there by myself for two nights and a day, I was not able to do much to lack of funds. I walked around to the seashore by my hotel and was captivated by the water. I saw some species of birds frolicking around. The Elder duck is common in the area. Although I wanted to step down and get closer to the water, I was wearing flats and also did not want to slip on a wet rock and get injured. I even saw a bright mustard-orange lighthouse that was used before and is now sitting stoically overlooking the horizons.

This was the plane I boarded from Helsinki Vantaa Airport to Reykyavik Keflavik Airport.

 

From my hotel room window, I saw a gorgeous sunset and could see edges of the water that surrounds the island of Iceland. Also, the country gets so much sunlight that the sun does not set until close to midnight.

This location was breathtaking and I am eager to return to Iceland.

Public Health Abroad: Finland and Estonia – Part 1

And then I realized adventure was the best way to learn.

For my first time traveling abroad, I participated in The Ohio State University’s College of Public Health’s Public Health Perspectives in Finland and Estonia! This education abroad program counted as my STEP project, which is a transformational experience done after my sophomore year of college. I explored the two countries of Finland and Estonia with the College of Public Health! In both places, I studied public health initiatives as well as the education systems and cultures. It was an informative ‘education vacation.’ I applied to the program in January and was informed of my acceptance a week later. Fifteen students participated in this year’s program, and we met twice during the school year in orientation sessions to prepare ourselves for travel.

Prior to travel, we also attended a week-long on-campus course called PUBHLTH 3189.04, which counts for three credits, and is graded A-F. This course was from May 9th to the 15th and provided us in-depth information about Finland and Estonia, from the history and cultures to the health challenges these countries have dealt with. I enjoyed this course because not only was I able to get to know my peers better, but I also gained considerable background knowledge before stepping foot into Europe for our field experiences. The class involved individual presentations as well as group presentations. We had an actual exam that was completely essay-format, so that we were not tested on memorization but on analysis and critical thinking. Right after our exam, I hurried to pack up my belongings and a classmate drove me home to Cleveland on her way back to Boston. I am touched by how I barely knew this classmate yet she offered a ride home (her route home involved passing through Cleveland, so it was not a trouble to her at all).

Just from what I witnessed in the class alone, I could tell that my peers are incredibly bright and passionate about health. Not all of us are public health majors; some are biology, biochemistry, and biomedical science. One is a data and analytical science major. The class is divided into two parts: the on-campus class (65% of our grade) and our in-country travels (35% of the grade). For Part 2, we need to pay attention on our field trips and create 10 Instagram posts in addition to completing five Instagram assignments.

During the couple of days back at home, I prepared for the trip. I packed one suitcase and stuffed my backpack until it puffed out to maximum capacity. On May 18th, 2018, my parents drove me to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. We went at 5 pm, after I scarfed down Chipotle, my last meal in America for a while. After baggage check, I exchanged $300 US dollars for euros, and this came to about 219 euros, I believe. The coins and paper money were shiny and colorful. My parents hugged me and left, and I proceeded through the security check. I was seated by my gate almost two hours early, so I began journaling. When I boarded, I did my best to sleep on the plane. There was a stop in Iceland, when I ran into another classmate who’s in the program with me. Then I was on my way to Helsinki! We arrived in Helsinki, Finland, at 1:50 pm. Everyone else except for one person had already made it to the city and were out exploring. After checking in, we took a bus into the actual city to look around as well.

Helsinki Cathedral was opened to the public in 1852 and is an evangelical Lutheran church! The public can walk around inside the lovely church, which is actually painted shades of gray, not white.

This square has so much space for pedestrians. It’s common for tour buses to line up all around the perimeter.

The sidewalks in Helsinki are much wider than American sidewalks, and there are also designated bike paths next to sidewalks. The bike paths are colored brick red. I also noticed a plethora of cultural restaurants such as Nepalese, Indian, Lebanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants. My friends and I explored the town square of Helsinki, including a cathedral and an outdoor marketplace, and then Stockmann mall. We took a train back to the airport, and I admire Helsinki’s train system. The train was very clean, modern, and efficient. Helsinki is the capital of Finland and it was indeed bustling, as I expected; the population is about 600,000.

The train system in Helsinki is well organized, just like the rest of their transportation.

After spending one night in Helsinki, our group went to Petajavesi for a few days and nights. Some of us played a Finnish card game called Musta Maija on the 2.5 hour bus ride to this rural municipality, which has a population of almost 4,000. We were in Central Finland. We stayed at Kumpunen Family Organic Farm, and it was very tranquil and beautiful there. The class was split up into different cottages and cabins on the farm. It was an experience unlike any other.

I especially liked the warm orange-red buildings on the farm. The building on the far right is called the barn and it was where we ate breakfast and dinner.


Here in Petajavesi it is mostly forest (Finland overall is covered by forests). We were by a lake and could swim and row boats in it. We also had access to a sauna; in Finland, saunas are ubiquitous and are part of people’s lifestyles. Finnish saunas are hotter than American saunas and people usually spend one to two hours in there. People can make it steamier and hotter by adding water onto the coals. People can warm up in this small house and then run into the cool lake, then repeat this. It is said to be good for the immune system and perhaps the metabolism too. I only lasted five to ten minutes in the sauna. I wore a tank top and leggings though, so that could be why I did not stay in the sauna for that long.

 

The food served at the farm is so fresh and healthy. I was eager to try Finnish food, and it was all buffet-style. Dinner included salad, pickles, onions, mashed potatoes, reindeer and elk meat, fish, breads and spread (always provided with each meal), and dessert. Dessert was rhubarb and potato powder topped with whipped cream. It was a fuchsia pink liquid and it was sweet but not overbearing. I tasted the beer and I still do not like any liquor or alcohol. I just like juices; the juices at the farm tasted great. For breakfast, the farm served us yogurt, oatmeal, berries, eggs, ham, cucumber, bread, apples, and bananas.

The farm staff members were all kind and encouraged us to eat up!

Just 15 minutes from the farm is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Petajavesi Old Church! It was built from 1763 to 1765. This magnificent structure is gorgeous and we had a guide tell us about its history and its current usage for holiday services and tours. I am amazed at how well-preserved it is despite it being made out of wood!

On day three, we went to Jyvaskyla for the day. It is just 30 minutes from Petajavesi and holds about 140,000 people. The group walked up a hill to the University of Jyvaskyla. We had free time to explore the campus grounds and later we all had lunch together in their student union. The campus is walkable and includes trees. Part of it was like a mini-forest on the school grounds! There were some hills and stairs outside. The lunch here is very affordable and also buffet-style, and the cafeteria area was bright white with lots of natural sunlight filtering in from the windows.

Tuition at the university is affordable, even for international students!

Nine of the 15 students followed one of the program coordinators, Amanda, to the free observatory tower that looks over the city of Jyvaskyla! From our view, we could see over the red-roofed homes and see the interconnected lakes.

I never found out why some houses have extremely tall ladders extending from the roof to the ground. This could be for fire safety.

Back in Petajavesi, the group changed into nicer attire to eat dinner at Pappilan Pidot with students from Keuruu High School. The school is in Keuruu, which is also about a half-hour bus ride from Petajavesi. The restaurant was fancy and we had a wonderful, filling meal there. I especially liked the pork, potatoes and carrots. The students were eager as well as anxious to meet us, and vice versa. My two friends and I sat at a table with three young women. They were great to talk with, and I learned about their high school experiences as well as their own personal hobbies. We discussed how they see America and what they do for fun. I learned that 18 is the legal driving age in Finland, that the students have three years of high school (Class 1, 2, and 3), and that students begin learning English in the third grade. Finns are also instructed in Swedish. Being multilingual is such an important skill in an increasingly interconnected world. I believe that American students need to begin language instruction at earlier ages so that they can better retain not just the actual language itself, but to also instill more self-discipline and respect for different cultures.

A handdrawn map of Keuruu was blown up.

The morning of Day 4, the Buckeyes traveled to the town of Keuruu, which has about 10,000 Finns, and is very quiet and walkable. We met with the 15 Keuruu High School students who volunteered to have us shadow them. They were able to miss class in order to show us around. The school is clean and neat and comprises three floors; it includes a gymnasium and auditorium. High school students have metal racks they can use to hang their jackets and place their motorcycle helmets. Motorcycles/scooters are more prevalent here, and I was surprised to see teens use them, but they are allowed to drive these at an earlier age than driving cars. Outside were plenty of bike racks; nobody needs to lock bikes up since there is no threat of thefts.

We had lunch in their school cafeteria. They use trays, cups, and metal utensils which can all be washed and reused. The only items in the lunch room that are discarded are the napkins. The fact that Finnish schools are more environmental conscious than American counterparts does not surprise me. The school offers plenty of food options: lettuce, shredded carrots, steamed potatoes, meat sauce/gravy, fish balls, and bread and spread. The cafeteria always provides milk and water, both of which are dispensed by simply putting a cup underneath a spout and sometimes pressing a button.

Eating and conversing further with the students provided me with additional insight into the lives of Finnish youth and people. Another fact that stood out to me was that the students must decide on a major before applying to university; there is no option for those who are undecided! The students also have a wide array of subjects to study in high school, and are required to take some classes such as philosophy, psychology, English, math, and chemistry.

(See this PowerPoint for my assignment comparing American high school lunches overall and Keuruu High School lunches: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kZahSIg7DW8EiT_pHkf25PK0ISqjotOBlAZMRPCwyTA/edit?usp=sharing)

According to the students, the school day can start at different times for them. It could be 8, 9, or 10 am, depending on the student’s schedule, and school ends around three p.m. There are two lunch periods. Nextdoor to KHS is an elementary school; KHS actually contains grades 7 through 12, with a student body of about 200.

The Buckeyes were split up into groups and we rotated to different classrooms for different student-facilitated sessions on Finnish popular music, cuisine, holidays, and more. While walking through the hallways, I found it interesting that none of the classroom doors had windows. However, hung on the walls were student artwork, which were all impressive; some drawings were of Sponge Bob, Princess Belle, and Gunther the Penguin. This demonstrates the influence of American pop culture.

 

Overall the visit with the Keuruu High School students was a great intercultural exchange. Then we were on our way to Helsinki again; our bus ride was about three hours long. After we arrived, we had the rest of the night free, so some friends and I explored the city. We tried Finnish fast food chain Hesburger for the first time. To me, it tastes better and healthier than McDonald’s. My meal consisted of a cheeseburger, fries, and Coca-Cola. We walked around Helsinki and I fell even more in love with the architecture.

 

The morning of Day 5, we visited the Finnish National Institute for Health & Welfare (THL). This is like the Finnish version of the United States’ CDC, as this facility has a strong focus on research and provides communities with education and resources. We listened attentively to three presentations from researchers at the center. One was a Ph.D. student who was to defend her dissertation a week from our visit! These presentations provided me with much insight into the health challenges Finland faced in the past, and what they are currently trying to tackle. Some issues discussed were the rise in obesity and depression rates, and the fact that blood pressure levels are still not within target levels.

The class took a group photo in front of the Cathedral. What a striking shot.

We boarded a ferry from Helsinki, Finland to Tallinn, Estonia. The ferry ride took about two and a half hours as we sailed through the Gulf of Finland. This was my first time on a ferry! After our buffet dinner, two friends and I explored the ship. The ship has a gift shop; a shop with brand-name handbags, perfumes, and sunglasses; some restaurants and bars; and casino-like games. The sundeck was available for people to go on top of, but it was very windy and colder than I imagined it would be.

Tallinn is another beautiful city, and you can see evidence from history and medieval times all over the town. With 450,000 inhabitants, it is of moderate size. That night, everyone explored the Old Town area, which has roots from hundreds of years ago. Stepping lightly on the cobblestone streets, we hiked up to two lookout points to catch glimpses of the rest of Tallinn. The sights were simply unbelievable.

For day 6, we spent more time in Old Town. My friends and I went into an old pharmacy museum to see what an apothecary shop was like. I learned about medicinal practices from centuries ago: health professionals used dried up toads, hedgehogs, and bats for some treatments, in addition to using herbs. Apothecaries placed glass jugs filled with liquids to represent what specialties they addressed in their care. This shop displayed jugs with red liquid and blue liquid, which stood for blood and phlegm in accordance with Hippocrates’ humors theory.

Our group had a special visit to the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia. We spoke with two generalists and one specialist; these three folks were Americans like us and were happy to discuss their experiences with foreign service. It helped me clarify what embassies do and what the process is like for becoming involved.

Afterwards, we went to Hotel Viru for their KGB museum. Our tour guide explained to us what it was like under Soviet rule; in that hotel, the KGB spies set up secret microphones and cameras in certain rooms and areas. It was very eye-opening and we went into a room that was once the office for KGB officers. The door to that room had said “There is nothing to see here” and hotel guests apparently obeyed this saying. This tour gave me insight into history and I realized that this happened not too long ago. The tour guide told us that Estonians do not like talking about the KGB or remembering what else happened during Soviet rule.

The uniforms were left behind in the office when the KGB dismantled their headquarters literally overnight. The office was set up to recreate what it would have looked like leading up to 1971.

For dinner, we ate at MEKK, a classy restaurant serving modern Estonian cuisine. I finished clean every plate for all three courses! It was a very delicious meal. I am impressed by the quality of food we have been eating here. I never eat at such high-class settings in America, and abroad we have plenty of group dinners at fine establishments.

To be Continued in blog post Part II

Tips on How to Prepare for Travel

My carry-on was my backpack. The contents of the carry-on should include passport, emergency cards, insurance cards, cash, debit and credit cards, accommodation information, contact details of fellow students, any prescriptions you have, a change of clothing, and cell phone and chargers. I had one checked bag, which was my suitcase. Be aware of weight restrictions. See packing guidelines from OIA and also adhere to the rules and regulations set by specific airlines and by the TSA.

Helpful hints in terms of safety are to connect to secure sources of WiFi. Do not connect to free WiFi if you do not trust the source. Do not post your location haphazardly because someone could be following you as you travel around. They could catch up to you and do something. Post your photos at the end of the trip, once you return home.
Carry money wisely. Keep your wallet and passport on you at all times. Have emergency numbers written down too in case your phone dies. Use the buddy system and try not to go alone anywhere. Always be aware of your surroundings. Do not have your eyes fixated on your device. Wear comfortable shoes.

Going abroad for the first time was a worry of mine ever since I was accepted into the program. I felt unprepared and nervous that something would go wrong. Indeed, mistakes and mishaps occurred, but they were all learning experiences. They also make for interesting conversations with my loved ones now that I have returned home. Please do not hesitate to talk with peers and OIA staff about your feelings. They can help ease your tensions and fears.

MUNDO – Autumn 2017

I learned about MUNDO before coming on campus my freshman year. While perusing the student organizations directory, I stumbled upon this organization committed to Service, Learning, and Leadership. I attended a few meetings and my interest for diversity and cross-cultural learning only grew from being a member of MUNDO. In the spring of freshman year, I applied and was selected as an executive board member.

As a first-time executive board member, this caused me to be apprehensive when the 2017-2018 school year rolled around. Being on e-board is not as easy as it sounds. Prior to the academic year, during the summer, extensive planning occurred, such as creating posters for the year’s events. Our program coordinator Julius sent us a list of tasks to be completed, with deadlines attached to them. It was up to the e-board to divvy up the responsibilities. We also finalized what our Mondays with MUNDO meetings would entail, from making the budget to managing the resources like requesting rooms to creating programs that people would be drawn to and lead them to join our organization. This is what my first year as an executive board member for MUNDO looked like. (Our e-board is called ODNUM for some reason, which is just our name backwards.)

Twitter: @MUNDOOSU1
Facebook: MUNDO at The Ohio State University
We are always accepting members, no dues ever

The Ohio State University – Involvement Fair – August 20th, 2017 

Four executive board members for MUNDO!

I was stationed at the MUNDO table from 6 to 7 pm. I spoke to several people, even OSU employees who wanted to learn more about the organization. Employees are allowed to attend meetings, but cannot accompany us on any MUNDO trips. Some students rushed to the booth and eagerly signed their names and emails on our list to receive our updates. I was glad that there were hundreds of people who seemed interested in the organization, but I realize that after a few meetings, attendance does decline as students decide if they want to stay in MUNDO or not. It is about finding the right fit and experimenting with student orgs. Our table and poster were decorated beautifully. We had fortune cookies to distribute and we had three different messages. One that I recall was “Community service and global travel are in your future”, and all messages contained a link to MUNDO’s website! Furthermore, we had tiny button pins with different country flags on them! We passed out papers about our London & Rome trip as well as our calendar of events for the fall. At the end of the day, the e-board members emailed students reminding them of the event the next day.

One of our Spring Break 2018 ACTION Team Leaders, Nick!

Welcome Week Event – August 21st, 2017

The Welcome Week flyer I created for the event

This event was at Curl Viewpoint from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, and our first meeting of the year! We had music and an ice cream sundae bar catered by the university. We also had plenty of drinks like ice water, orange juice, apple juice, and lemonade. We had a few people come half an hour early, which I appreciated. On the tables were MUNDO calendars detailing our meetings/events, and fortune cookies. In total we had about 30 to 40 attendants. The executive board members introduced themselves to the crowd. We scattered among the tables so we each took a table to sit at and mingle with the students. After an overview of the organization, we played Cultural Pursuit. Each table was a team (of up to 8 people) and filled out a BINGO sheet together. The sheet had questions to answer and the team(s) with the most correct answers would earn prizes. Two teams tied for the most number of accurate answers. We had 25 questions and those teams had 24 points, which was impressive! They received MUNDO drawstring bags.

Community Commitment 2017 – August 26th, 2017
MUNDO had a large group volunteer with OSU’s annual Community Commitment event! This is how OSU pays it forward to the surrounding areas. MUNDO was transported to a community garden.

MUNDO had a strength in numbers when we volunteered cleaning up a garden!

Let’s Get Things Started! – August 28th, 2017
For this meeting, held in the Great Hall Meeting Room #1 in the Union, we brought in two representatives from Student Leadership Advocates to facilitate a session: Elysse and Ashley! They used Tinker Toys for our activity, and the students were divided into four groups. One facilitator, Ashley, created a structure outside of the room, and she instructed the room to recreate this piece exactly. The game was called Sabotage, and apparently some people in each group were supposed to sabotage the team. If we suspected someone of being that person, we would have to call them out and then the rest of the group would agree to out that individual. Only one person per group could get up and go look outside at a time, and there was no talking permitted at all! It was a difficult task, and I have poor spatial awareness. The fastest team finished in about 8 minutes, while it took my team the longest time of 12 minutes, close to 13. This activity allowed us to learn about how we need to trust in one another. In the end, it was revealed that nobody was given the role of Sabotage!

Tinker Toys, a vintage game, allows you to build whatever using rods and different shaped pieces.

A Meal and Some MUNDO – The Columbus Greek Festival – September 4th, 2017
At noon, about 23 MUNDO members met at the Brutus statue in the Ohio Union to take the COTA together to the annual Greek Festival! MUNDO covered the $5 admission fee for each of us. Once we were there, we were free to explore the grounds on our own. We first went inside the Cathedral to listen to a talk and spoken tour of the room. I spent time with people I already knew, so in the future, I should hang out with people I do not know. I tried Greek coffee (I still prefer my Starbucks), as well as Greek foods such as spanakopita, tiropita, and a platter of desserts.
I watched dance performances from younger children and from teenagers. I also listened to women singing.
This experience allowed me to learn more about Greek culture, from the dancing to the food and religion.

We utilized public transportation to go to this community event.

Greek Festival Flyer

ODNUM Meeting #1 – September 5th, 2017

The executive board members and Julius and Ryan met to discuss updates and trip planning. We talked about trip budgets and agendas.

General Body Meeting – United We Stand – September 11th, 2017
A representative from CRIS (Columbus Refugee & Immigration Services) spoke to us about what CRIS does!
We collected a few boxes worth of household item donations for refugees in Central Ohio. We had over 30 people come to this event and learned about how refugees are being settled in the area and what services are available to them to aid them in adjusting to America. Please see www.crisohio.org/ for more! Thank you to Tyler Reeve, Community Engagement Coordinator, for presenting for us!

We had boxes of donations for CRIS.

Education Abroad Expo – September 14th, 2017
MUNDO was at the College of Education and Human Ecology table to share with students about our Multicultural Histories and Legacies of London and Rome experience 2018. This counts as a STEP project and as part of the Leadership Minor at OSU! There were also 100 other education abroad options at the expo.

What Do You Stand For? / Guess the Straight RA – September 19th, 2017
A controversial event with Baker Hall West, this meeting allowed us to celebrate OSU Ally Week by exploring and discussing ways to challenge the stereotypes or biases that affect the LGBTQ communities on campus, and beyond.
The Hall Director for Baker West coordinated the event along with MUNDO.

A flyer that a Baker West student created

STAR HOUSE Service Night – September 25, 2017

This service night benefitted the organization Star House, a crucial resource for youth experiencing homelessness in Columbus. It was my first time going to this place. We took Lyfts and Ubers to get there, which wasn’t too far from campus. We spent about two hours organizing donated clothing in the warehouse section of Star House. We refolded clothes and made sure that the clothes were in the appropriate boxes, labeled and separated by size and gender. A nice volunteer explained to us more about Star House and even showed us around the facility. There was a new kitchen, a living room area with a TV, and a computer room.

MUNDO regularly returns to Star House to complete service.

Please visit www.starhousecolumbus.org to read more about what they do and see how you can help! They accept donations and you can also volunteer, work, or intern with them.

Strange Foods – October 2, 2017
I enjoyed this workshop! It is MUNDO’s spin-off of the show Bizarre Foods. So did the other members! We had a good attendance this day, about 20 people. Julius had a Powerpoint and a table filled with unfamiliar snacks. We began with biscuits – not like the fluffy, buttered ones from Kentucky Fried Chicken – but British biscuits that resembled cookies. They were slightly sweet and like thin discs. American biscuits and British biscuits contrast greatly. Julius asked “Is a biscuit a biscuit?” and “Is a cookie a cookie?” to get the group thinking about how these definitions vary depending on the culture. In waves, we passed out items including Yucca chips, plantain chips, seaweed (one was prawn flavored and the other was wasabi flavored), pork rind chips, green tea Kit Kat, and ginger Kit Kats. We discussed how we felt about each foods’ texture and taste. We ended with kimchi, with both vegan and meat versions passed around. Ways to comment on a food are “This is interesting… I like the color of it… What do you like about this food?… How often is this eaten?…”
The lesson learned here was to try foods, even a tiny bite of them! I ended up semi-liking or tolerating the Kit Kats, but I would not actively go out and buy them. I really liked the yucca and plantain chips the best.

Foods that may be strange to us can actually be normal in other countries.

Involved Living Organization Panel – October 4, 2017
I volunteered to serve on a panel for the First Year Collegian learning community at Siebert Hall. The Hall Director Kyle invited the six Involved Learning Organizations (ILOs) to come talk to freshmen about our respective organizations. Some of the other ILOs are Off the Lake (a student-run theater production organization) and National Residence Hall Honorary. As the only MUNDO executive at the informal panel, I made sure to be armed with promotional flyers, both for MUNDO in general and for our London & Rome trip. This session only lasted an hour, with some structured question from Kyle and then time for us to interact with individuals. I discussed how I found out about MUNDO, what we do in the organization and what my specific role is, and how MUNDO has helped me become a better leader. I made a few connections from the panel but I do not think that any of them attended future meetings.

I prepared an index card with notes for what I wanted to say during the panel. I wrote about how students can learn about and be part of social change at local, national, and global level while exploring this school year’s theme concepts of freedom and citizenship. Our organization meets on Mondays 6:30 to 8:00 pm and we do educational road trips, study abroad, workshops, multicultural nights, service nights, and even host Strange Foods sessions in different residence halls. We go to Detroit, Circleville Pumpkin Show, Greek Festival, see Broadway shows, Cincinnati, Louisville, Memphis, New Orleans, and many more cities/events.

Urban vs. Rural – October 9, 2017

When comparing and contrasting the city versus the country, we opened our minds to new perspectives.

This event was discussion-based and allowed members to contrast the city and the country. We wrote down what came to our minds when we thought of urban and rural, and walked around the room to different blank posters and placed sticky notes on the sheets. I learned about how urban and rural environments have much more in common than we realize. When people think of rural, words that come to mind are corn, quiet, community, space, farm, underdeveloped, white, poor, and Amish. Actually, 2 to 3% of people in rural areas are farmers. Corn is among the top three crops grown in Ohio. The speaker who came to talk to us spoke to us about Amish gangs, which another ODNUM member chimed in on, saying that she saw a documentary about these gangs who try to create a sense of community and belonging while staying out of poverty. Furthermore, guns are so accessible today in both rural and urban areas. In rural places, you can obtain guns from flea markets, gun shows, and even Craigslist! Everyone in rural country has a gun, for hunting or other purposes.

On the other hand, urban life is viewed as full of traffic, a busy, fast-paced city life, diverse, and with more opportunities. Our speaker reported that 24% of homeless people are in the city; the majority are in rural places, finding refuge in abandoned buildings, barns, and sheds, and cars. More members thought that urban areas have a problem with heroin overdoses, but it happens in rural areas too. Crowdedness and segregation is not just an urban issue. We also discussed gentrification. For example, Columbus Upper Arlington neighborhood still is segregated because no people of color are allowed to own homes, a member brought up. Other Columbus neighborhoods are segregated usually by race/class, and there are countless similarities in other cities across the nation.

I was happy to hear member input. I learned where some members were from. One was from a rural place with many overdose incidents and one was from Milwaukee. Both urban and rural neighborhoods have drug use, poverty, guns, food deserts, and in general, a lack of resources in some way or another. I believe that actually spending more time in areas that we are unfamiliar with will help us increase our knowledge of those places and dispel preconceived notions regarding that area.

The 111th Circleville Pumpkin Show – October 21, 2017

This festival has everything pumpkin-related that you could imagine!

On this Saturday, we took a charter bus of 50 people to Circleville, Ohio! The students were excited to have free transportation to and from this tiny city of 13,000.  We attended their 111th Pumpkin Show. They are well known for having contests for biggest pumpkins (by pound), tastiest pumpkin pie, and best painted pumpkins (by age category). In addition to artwork from children, there are pumpkins carved in various shapes and designs, like a Medusa pumpkin. Tons of carnival-style booths offered a variety of fare: pumpkin tacos, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bubble tea, pumpkin pizza, and more. Boutiques selling clothing, home wares, and crafts also were present. There were carnival games and rides as well as a hog-calling contest which was interesting to see and hear. People stood on a stage in front of hundreds of spectators to call out and squeal “Here pig, here pig” in the hopes of winning. I enjoyed this festival!

The site www.pumpkinshow.com is where you can find more about their spectacular annual show!
Next year, they will have their show October 17-20, 2018.

Justice for All? – October 23nd, 2017

Discussing the book Just Mercy was a requirement for incoming freshmen. According to the Buckeye Book Community, here is a synopsis of the book:

“From one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time comes an unforgettable true story about the redeeming potential of mercy.

Just Mercy tells the story of Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system.

One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machinations and legal brinkmanship – and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.”

The book covers topics like criminology, decision-making, mass incarceration, and justice. The author Bryan Stevenson also came to campus to discuss the book and sign copies of it for readers.

“Controversy” – October 30th, 2017

We need to be comfortable with talking about uncomfortable situations.

This event was a requirement for the NY experience. Our program coordinator Julius started by playing the Michael Jackson Thriller video, which actually sparked controversy itself at the time of release because it raised concern that it had ties to the occult. We then read lyrics of Prince’s song “Controversy” and interpreted what the meanings behind the words could be. Julius’ PowerPoint walked us through some other polemical topics and how to address them when interacting with peers or older adults.

“Life as a Student Veteran” – November 6th, 2017

We thank our veterans for serving our country.

We brought in actual student veterans to talk about how they see service and leadership. According to www.veterans.osu.edu, there are “1,800 current veterans, dependents, and Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members attending as under-graduate and graduate students.” I myself do not have much knowledge or personally know more than a couple student veterans. I am hesitant to bring up their past service since it will most likely be hurtful to recall memories of war. I did not attend this session but I wish that I did so that I could have heard the perspectives of fellow students.

MUNDO Takes on Mo-Town: Detroit (Classic Edition) – November 10th, 2017
MUNDO explored the Motor City from a multicultural insider’s view and in terms of African American History.  We were able to see from some Michigan natives’ perspectives at Wayne State University. Stanley, on the far left in the gray hat, was originally from Flint, Michigan, and said there had always been problems in the city even before the water crisis. One student was studying urban studies and currently works for the city; he knew all these facts and figures about the area, even down to the square miles!

A panel of Wayne State University students and staff spoke about what they love about Detroit and what they’ve witnessed in the city and on campus.

The WSU students are studying public affairs, criminal justice, and urban studies. All of these are important fields that contribute directly to the community! Hunter (the girl in green) wants to be a police officer!

I enjoyed every part of the day – I was pleasantly surprised that a handful of other Young Scholars from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion joined MUNDO for this special trip. The Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History is a wonderful resource that we spent three hours exploring, with the group being split up into two.

My tour guide was animated and she captured me in with how she described Africa and the experiences the people had to go through. This museum does a fantastic job of portraying these event from history; the walls are painted with vivid scenery and there’s sounds to make it more realistic. At a few points in the tour, my throat felt like it had a knot in it; I was hurt and felt pain as we heard about this sad history.

We ended by looking at art galleries. Additionally, I went to the basement to see student-made art and how African-Americans shaped our world with their inventions and other contributions in science and technology. Their accomplishments are often not praised enough, if at all. America has a long history with exploiting them, like in the case of Henrietta Lacks; her stem cells were used for research and it’s an injustice to her and her family. I actually read about her in a book called The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and there’s countless other examples of exploitation like the Tuskegee Syphilis Studies.

The art galleries provoked my mind and made me analyze what the pieces were trying to evoke. A quote on the wall that I liked was “There is always fire in the most beautiful beginnings.” I also augmented my knowledge of riots and rebellions, and after the trip, I can now say that I can distinguish these two terms. Instead of saying Detroit riots, it may be more appropriate to call them the Detroit Rebellion of ’67, because a rebellion is acting against injustices and oppression, against imposed limitations that people refuse to accept. It is resistance.

This experience will aid me in planning the Spring Break civil rights trip to Memphis, New Orleans, and Birmingham. There is so much to history that I have not heard about; many details are hidden or just glossed over, and I desire to know more. Some quotes that I noted from the museum that I hope to carry with me throughout my life include: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” and “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” Both of these were said by Martin Luther King, Jr.

World Kindness Day – November 13th, 2017

This special day, we joined forces to prepare meals. Student athletes, alumni, and organizations came together to make over 200,000 meals in just two hours. Half of the meals were donated to local pantries while the other half was donated to people affected by Hurricane Maria. The entire week, the OSU community engaged in acts of kindness. For example, at the Union on Wednesday the 15th, free Jeni’s ice cream was passed out, as well as some gift cards! KIND Snacks also collaborated with OSU to provide free granola bars to students.

Global Celebrations – November 20th, 2017

Holiday celebrations involve more than just Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

MUNDO explored how different cultures around the globe celebrated fall/winter! Christmas is such a well-known holiday but there are countless others that should be acknowledged. Tyler and Emma, two ODNUM members from the New York ACTION Team, presented to us. (Emma is also treasurer and Tyler is the non-traditional discovery opportunities coordinator.) To begin the presentation, there is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which occurs in September for two days. Chinese/Lunar New Year is another huge holiday. This one spans about two weeks and often other countries partake in festivities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Lunar New Year will be February 16th, 2018 and it will be the Year of the Dog. We also learned about secular new year celebrations from different European countries. Then we ended by reflecting on common themes and practices we saw among the different celebrations. We had tasty snacks to sample like Chinese dumplings. We did not have time to create crafts for children.

Boricua (NY Pre-Travel Meeting) – November 27th, 2017

Our pre-travel meetings help our participants get an idea of what to expect on the trip.

During this meeting, we handed out packing lists and a booklet breaking down each day of the winter break trip. Another version of the packet, with updated information, will be provided moving forward as we get closer to the trip date. Ivanna and Jose had a PowerPoint for the day-to-day activities to give us a sense of what we would be doing. Some planned activities include visiting Ellis Island, seeing two Broadway shows, touring El Museo del Barrio, and Chinatown. They will also book a private salsa dance session for MUNDO! The meeting culminated with the New York Action Team creating a GroupMe group chat so that all New York participants have a way to communicate with the group.

Fall Pinning Ceremony – December 5th, 2017
One of my favorite events that MUNDO puts on is the Fall Pinning Ceremony, where we recognize our members who were most involved throughout the semester. Those who have earned enough points (24) will receive their own MUNDO pin and certificate of achievement. Danny, the MUNDO president, and I planned this ceremony. We met a week beforehand to negotiate the tasks; we chose the menu together, and he ordered the food. I designed the certificates and flyer, and made major contributions to the PowerPoint, which had photos from the semester and listed the names of our active members AND our outstanding member of the semester!

I presented for the first time in front of the general body. I began with thanking people for coming and provided an overview of the presentation: a slideshow of photos, then certificates and pins, then the MUNDO pledge, then food, mingling, and games! We had popcorn, chicken tenders and sauces, a vegetable platter, and a dessert bar for our members. We borrowed games like Connect Four from the Union’s Resource Room so that members could unwind before finals officially started. We had 11 active members for the semester, not including ODNUM. Our Outstanding member was Victoria, who had 36 points, which means that she attended 12 of MUNDO’s meetings/events!

MUNDO is grateful to have members who are the future leaders in social change!

December 15th-21st, 2017
The NYC Winter Break experience 2017 (Deluxe Edition) focuses on the Latinx experience in NYC and beyond. We will visit the museum El Museo del Barrio and experience comedy from John Leguizamo.  We will explore global citizenship with a visit to the 9/11 Memorial and the United Nations building.  As a part of the experience,  we will have the chance to analyze the importance of breaking down racial, ethnic and cultural boundaries in order to truly live together as a community.  In celebration of MUNDO’s 21st anniversary,  we will be re-creating our first group photo at Rockefeller Center. The New York City Experience is a substance-free (no tobacco, alcohol, etc.) for all participants regardless of age.

I will post a blog post dedicated to the NYC Experience after the 21st! Please return to my e-portfolio then to read the details!

I made a New York promotional flyer. We had difficulty recruiting members for this trip, which was a surprise to me.

MUNDO is excited to bring more educational and transformative experiences for Spring 2018!

Below are the ODNUM members who were spotlighted during this semester:

Nick always brings fresh ideas to our group and is active in a business fraternity outside of MUNDO!

 

MUNDO has our first ever Service Chair, Celine! She is also an Honors Community Advocate for Lincoln Tower. She is great at working with people and is a valuable part of our team.

Get Globally Engaged: OH-IO Education Abroad Scholarship

Coming into college, I knew I wanted to study abroad at same point during my undergraduate career. However, I did not expect to come across the opportunity to apply for the O-H-I-O Education Abroad scholarship, which was established in 2016. “The OH-IO Education Abroad Scholarship supports underrepresented and diverse student access to Ohio State education abroad programs. The inaugural scholarship competition resulted in 11 first and second year students from the Young Scholars Program being selected to receive a $2,000 scholarship to apply toward an Ohio State education abroad program of their choice.” I decided to apply and weeks later, discovered that I was a recipient!

I thank Ohio State’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion as well as the Office of International Affairs for making this possible for me. I have never been to any other country before so this is truly meaningful and will help enable me to go anywhere I want to! I eventually want to travel to every single continent.
This scholarship will most likely be applied to one of the College of Public Health’s Public Health Perspectives trips! I am aiming to embark on the China trip in May 2018 so I can employ my Mandarin skills and learn about public health in a nation of over 1 billion people!

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Thank you to the photographer, Victor van Buchem, who is Senior Communications Specialist for the Office of International Affairs.

I will keep everyone updated on my travels and am so enthusiastic about my future endeavors!

Links:
Press release – https://oia.osu.edu/news/4639-oh-io-education-abroad-scholarships-awarded.html
https://oia.osu.edu/

Celebrating Diversity with MUNDO

A craft I made for a James Cancer Hospital patient. I initially started with a big red blob of paint and it became the state bird of Ohio, a chubby, chirpy red cardinal. People say that if you come across one, it is good luck!

One of my favorite experiences in college so far has been joining the student organization MUNDO (Multicultural Understanding through Nontraditional Discovery Opportunities). I first heard of this club during the summer when I was researching OSU clubs online and checked out MUNDO’s website. I was drawn in by the field trips abroad to places like Rome and London. As I attended more meetings (I should have gone more frequently), I realized MUNDO is much more than simply going to new countries and sight-seeing. They do workshops that really make you learn and engage with people of different backgrounds. For example, we had presentations about homelessness, Islamophobia, a brainstorming session about how to address global issues, as well as excursions to the Greek Festival or Amish country. MUNDO also does trips to theaters to see shows like Rent. We also volunteered and made crafts for patients or visit Star House during a few Service Nights. Overall, I learn how to be an active participant in the world around me and contribute to my community!

Getty Art Center in L.A.

Venice Beach! This was the first time I saw the ocean and the view was gorgeous. We arrived right when the sun was beginning to set, and watching it recede into the horizon was gorgeous.

I discussed my L.A. trip with MUNDO  in a previous post (see “What I Did Over Winter Break”). That trip was the first time I went across the country and so far from home. On the trip I did not know anyone, being a new member and a freshman. But I was exposed to new foods and cultures and a different vibe in L.A. This trip sparked my fire for becoming involved with MUNDO on a deeper level, and I want to plan one of their future trips!

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I continued my involvement with MUNDO and exploration of the country in Spring 2017:
The Multicultural Leadership MLK Experience on Saturday, January 14, allowed me to learn more about what comprises leadership through exploration of African-American history and the Civil Rights movement at both the Muhammad Ali Center in Kentucky and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. This trip only costs $8 and was worth every penny! (Lunch included)

I was drawn in by these murals illustrating Ali’s six major pillars to life: confidence, spirituality, respect, conviction, dedication, and giving.

Around 10 am, the group of 25 students (undergraduate and graduate) and staff members took a self-guided tour of the Muhammad Ali Center, a museum about Muhammad Ali, the boxer and activist. I learned that his real name is Cassius Clay Jr. and he participated in his first match at age 18. He did not drink soda, and he trained vigorously. He lived and breathed boxing. He had a signature shuffle, which I saw in videos that were displayed on screens throughout the museum. There were also several art galleries dedicated to Ali, and a number of art pieces intrigued me. Not only did the museum include parts of Ali’s life, but it also incorporated information about inventors who were people of color and/or women and did not receive widespread recognition (if any) for their contributions to society. It opened my eyes even more to how I had not heard about this individuals, and how some people fail to see people-of-color as human or as valuable contributors to society.

At noon, we departed for Cincinnati for the National Underground Railroad Museum/Freedom Center, which was equally captivating and interesting. We had a docent walk us through the museum, exploring slavery and walking through rooms with the walls painted to make it look like we had stepped back in time to the 1800s. The kind, wise docent told us stories with much emotion. We learned about how people fought to end slavery. For example, one brave man was one of the few in his community to have a printing press, which he used to help spread the message against slavery. Opponents dumped his machine into the Ohio River a couple times. When he kept retrieving his machine and remained determined to print about and advocate for this movement, locals in the community shot him to death. Another heartbreaking story was when a woman slave murdered her children (including slashing the throat of her toddler) because she was caught escaping with them and did not want them to ever be slaves and live through that experience.

Each pebble in the column stands for a life lost to slavery. According to my docent at the Freedom Center, if the Middle Passage was spread apart like the Red Sea, bones of the deceased would completely cover the path from Africa to the Americas. That is how many people died along the journey as well as when they arrived by force.

At the Freedom Center, I also learned facts about modern-day racism towards African-Americans. When Obama was president, the amount of hate groups actually increased 830%, according to our docent. That number astonished me because I had no idea that there was so much hate after he became our president. I did not expect that number to be that high. I believe that most of the reason for the sudden skyrocketing in hate group formation is due to the fact that they are judging Obama by his appearance without taking the time to get to know who he truly is. I have encountered hate and disrespect for my skin color and differences. (Mini anecdote: When Obama was inaugurated in 2008, I remember watching on a TV in my elementary school gymnasium. I was in the fourth-grade, and although I did not know about his platform at all at the time, my class did a mock-vote and I still voted for him.)

In summary, this day-trip exposed me to new facts about the sad history Africans had to endure and how we are feeling aftereffects still. Racism exists, even more so in subtle ways built into institutions. They, along with other people of color, feel inferior. What I can do after this experience is to continue to document my travels and spread more awareness about these issues. I can talk to my friends and classmates about how I feel and what I think can be done to prevent similar instances from occurring ever again. Despite that I cannot change history, I have responsibility to affect how the future turns out. What’s a little intimidating is that I am at a ripe age and now is the time for me to take action.

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At our last meeting for the 2016-2017 school year (4/17/17) This is the aftermath of celebrating the Mexican Easter tradition of using cascarones (eggs filled with confetti) and smashing or crumbling the eggs over the heads of friends/family to wish them good luck.

As the spring semester continued, I decided to step up and take on a leadership position in MUNDO! On their executive board, I have the honor of being the Social Media and Marketing Correspondent for the 2017-2018 year. This role entails keeping social media pages for MUNDO (Facebook, Twitter) updated, regularly emailing members so they stay informed, and designing graphics to promote our group and gain new members! I want to thank everyone in MUNDO, from the members to the advisors, for making me a better person inside and out.

What I Did Over Winter Break (L.A. and a mini internship!)

The first winter break away from home can be weird – you may have plans to vacation with your family or you might have nothing in mind to do.

Ideas for what to do over the three weeks you have off from classes: do an alternative break trip like Buck-I-Serv; volunteer; sleep in more; go travel; read books; pursue a new hobby; learn a new skill like driving; or practice new language skills, etc.

For the first week of winter break, I participated in an alternative break trip with MUNDO, an OSU student org. I went to Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

Santa Monica Pier (5 minute walk from the hostel where we stayed)

To summarize the week-long adventure, I learned about the environment in which immigrants grew up and what they faced as newcomers to America in the 1800s. I witnessed the diversity of L.A. just by looking at people passing by on the street. Many people were dressed in nice clothing and had great sense of fashion. The culture here is more laidback and casual, but I still feel out of place among the people because of the heavy importance they put on wearing good clothes and having makeup on. Many people walked dogs outside, which I do not see a lot of in Ohio! Things are also more expensive in L.A. than in Ohio (tax was 9 or 9.5%)
As for the more grim concepts I came across, I realized homelessness was a more prevalent problem in L.A. I frequently saw homeless people, almost on a daily basis, around the shopping centers.

I stayed at a hostel with other students. (I learned so much from the trip, and it was a very different experience for me and I was constantly encountering things and people I had never seen before. I was the only first-year on the trip and the only one who had never been on a plane before!)

We went to:

-Hollywood Walk of Stars (I saw stars of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Halle Berry, Muhammad Ali, etc.) ,
-Griffith Observatory (panoramic view of the whole city),
-Grand Central Market (food stalls),
-Fashion District (clothes and goods for cheap in an outside marketplace),
-Universal Studios CityWalk,
-Warner Bros. Studios (we got a tour and I saw Harry Potter props and Bat Mobiles, to name a few things),
-Museum of Tolerance (eye-opening three-hour long interactive tour that made me cry multiple times and taught me so much about the Holocaust and hate crimes in modern days),
-Chinese-American Museum (self explanatory. Free admission)
-Chinatown (Learned how there was a historical Chinatown and how it had to be rebuilt, relocated to new place. Also learned discrimination of Chinese since they came to Cali. for gold rush.)
-Olvera Street (one of oldest neighborhoods in L.A.)
-HomeBoy Industries tour (a place that helps people in gangs and who often used to be in jail turn their lives around through classes, job training, GED prep, etc. Heard stories firsthand from people who actually were involved in gangs and drugs and illegal activity)
-L.A. Regional Food Bank to volunteer (we sorted 6,900+ pounds of produce within 3 hours! We learned about the food insecurity and hunger issue in L.A.)

+other places. See more in my PowerPoint.

This link brings you to a 200+ page slideshow on Google Slides documenting more details about my trip across the country.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-VpA2QI_Zkl6Qx8FvsTSPXI5QhycIVZQawiyYYlZL3s/edit?usp=sharing

The trip was a mix of fun and education. I would recommend this trip to others because you will see different cultures and how their established neighborhoods have changed over time. You learn about how diversity can result in conflicts when people get frustrated with economic and social changes.

My second week of winter break, I finally went home to Cleveland, my hometown!
Then I had the chance to submit my grade reports to the scholarship committees I received scholarships from. I also worked on applications for my major, for a sophomore class honorary, for a study abroad scholarship, and more. This gave me the chance to read magazines and watch movies to relax.

It is immensely helpful to make a To Do list of what tasks need to be completed over break, to keep yourself on track!

My third and final week of winter break, I continued to work on applications and resumes. I actively searched for job and internship opportunities for the upcoming summer, and made copies of what each application required. Some internships only seek junior or senior students. As a freshman, I had a hard time finding companies or programs that would accept me based on my rank in school.

I also had an interesting time engaging in a three-day mini internship right before I had to go back to OSU!

Front of Care Alliance Health Center – St. Clair Avenue (downtown Cleveland) branch

I have a mentor for my entire undergraduate career thanks to College Now Greater Cleveland, and she is in the health education field, which relates to my interest in the public health field. As part of a scholarship program I am in, I have to meet with her a few times a year and also regularly talk to her online. She reached out to me via text during my break to see if I wanted to intern with her at her workplace, a nonprofit health center that’s served Cleveland since 1985, mostly the underserved populations, including the homeless and poor and those without health insurance.

My first day at the health center, I got a tour of the facility (one hallway is for dental services, like x-rays, oral surgery, etc.) There’s one section of the building dedicated to primary care (family medicine, child health care, women’s health, chronic disease management, physical therapy, annual physicals) There’s also behavioral health specialists for people struggling with substance abuse, mental health problems, or other issues.

This health center is so great because whatever problem a person comes in with, the professionals can help or at least find and connect the patient with a resource in the neighborhood! Patients often come from low-income backgrounds, and they aren’t forced to pay for treatments if they really are not able to. Care Alliance has a sliding fee scale for payment. For example, if a patient has trouble finding healthy food, Care Alliance actually can provide assistance with that as well, so people can get vouchers for food at farmers markets twice a month.

Also, they have a Mobile Clinic (one van). They send a team of specialists out and about in the city to build relationships with the homeless and persuade them to get treatment. There’s outreach for people who live in shelters, treatment centers, or transitional housing! I had no idea health centers could be so comprehensive and that involved in a person’s life. I also gained knowledge about the existence of this service and became aware of the shelters and housing in Cleveland.

One specialist has been with this team for 20-30 years! I am glad to have the honor of being around employees who care about the health of Cleveland’s citizens and getting them the access to healthcare they are entitled to have.

Care Alliance offers free confidential HIV testing as well as HIV/AIDS medical treatment.

After my tour, I spent three-four hours entering in data into online spreadsheets. The data involved patient/client demographics (zip code, race, ethnicity, gender, and a risk behavior profile, asking if they engaged in sexual behaviors with males, females, or transgender people, or used intravenous drugs and/or shared a needle with someone. It was interesting to get a quick glimpse of what kind of population of patients Care Alliance dealt with. I learned more about people’s sexual behaviors. Patients ranged in age from 16 to 61. I spent the entire day doing this, and in total I entered in 50 or so sheets of data.
Fun fact: In 2016, Care Alliance had 7,600+ patient encounters for free HIV testing!!

The second day of my internship, I focused on two major projects: Sock Kit Making, and Donor Letter Mailing. In the morning, I prepared Ziploc bags with heavy winter gloves and pairs of socks for homeless people. With one pair of gloves, I put two pairs of socks. However, there were more socks than gloves, so some kits had four pairs of socks. I produced 90 bags total, helping out 90 people!

A cart with sock and glove kits, all of which I assembled.

A cart and box filled with sock and glove kits, all of which I assembled. (Apologies for the sideways photo!)

In the afternoon, I assisted an external affairs associate with researching donor addresses to add to their online database. The addresses were put onto labels that would then go onto envelopes. I assisted with placing the printed labels on the envelopes and stuffing inside donor receipts. Care Alliance has an annual Let’s Talk Turkey fundraiser around Thanksgiving time and at this major event/fundraiser, people bid on items during the silent auction portion, and the funds go towards Care Alliance to continue to serve people with medical and dental needs, among other health-related issues. In 2016, they raised $115,000! There were 508 bidders, 94 donors, 44 staff, and 46 sponsors, like Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Botanical Gardens.

The third and final day, I helped an HIV specialist with preparing HIV test sheets that are filled in with patient demographics and test results. I also sat in on a session that a few staff members were conducting to prepare for the GRE test for graduate school. I got to learn more about the staff and their goals. Two of them were biology majors during their undergraduate years; one also minored in Public Health. The staff in Care Alliance all work very hard, and almost all are minorities! This inspires me to keep working hard because I too can be successful like them, and this health center is a friendly welcoming environment that I would feel comfortable in. I enjoyed getting to know the people here.

This mini-internship was an unpaid experience but what I learned about health access in Cleveland and how nonprofit health centers operate and the scope of their services will be invaluable to me and a price cannot be put on knowledge. My mentor, Carly, invited me to come intern with her anytime I was back in Cleveland. For spring break, I will most likely return to help out some more. Other staff members told me they will miss me and will be glad to have me back!

Winter break is ending but I know that spring will be just as eventful, if not more!