1. During my STEP signature project I learned so many different things about Brazil. I learned about Brazilian history, Brazilian economics and the Brazilian culture before my very eyes.

2. I learned so much during my STEP experience. I learned about Brazil, realized more about the United States and also learned a ton about myself. When I first went to Brazil I didn’t realize there were different systems of running education systems besides the United States way. I also didn’t realize how many Afro Brazilian people there were in Brazil. Lastly I realized how much of a poverty gap there was between the rich and the poor in Brazil. These things really transformed my way of thinking about how I live my life in the United States. I more specifically learned how the United States government is run compared to the Brazilian government and how I go about the every day tasks in my life compared to Brazilians.

3. Two key aspects that really lead to my overall transformation took place in Bahia, Brazil. The third aspect came in São Paulo, Brazil. The first was one day when we were all swimming in the ocean and relaxing on the beach. One of my friends came out of the ocean in a lot of pain. He accidentally stepped on a sea urchin. Luckily there was a Brazilian man on the beach selling souvenirs and he had a pair of pliers on him for a situation just like this. He then proceeded to take all the sea urchin spikes out of my friend’s foot. This really transformed my way of thinking about cultures outside of the United States. It was cool to see a stranger that my friend had never met before help so nicely in an urgent situation.

Like I mentioned above the second aspect that led to my overall transformation also took place in Bahia, Brazil when my study abroad group saw a favela. It was so crazy to see such a different way of life outside of where we were staying in Bahia. It really transformed my way of noticing how impoverished people in Brazil are treated. As we entered the favela our tour guide acted as if we were entering a zoo with people that were on a lower level than us. It transformed my way of thinking about those who are less fortunate. After going through this tour I immediately thought of how I thought of homeless people and less fortunate people in the United States are treated and tried to change any discrimination I had.

The last main aspect that affected my overall transformation was just seeing the city of São Paulo. I can’t focus on one specific moment because really everything in the city lead to a lot of my transformation experience. I didn’t even know there was another city in the world that even compared to New York City but this city definitely did. It transformed the way that I now think about other countries because now I realize that there really are other cities in the world that compare to New York with a different culture.

4. Even though my overall transformation came from many different areas and it lead to a very unique transformation I do believe that this was a very important experience to have. Without going on this trip through STEP I would have totally missed out on seeing my first South American country. Through this experience I now have a new outlook on life. I will be able to bring this outlook into a business when I begin working. Lastly, It is my goal to do an exchange in Brazil or maybe even live there someday. In conclusion, this experience will help with my goal of bringing new ideas and thoughts into the workplace and maybe one day I will bring the American culture into a Brazilian business.

My STEP Signature Project was a Study Abroad trip to London, England. It took place from July 3rd to August 1st, 2016, and I spent the majority of the time going to over 25 plays and musicals in London, writing critically about them, and discussing them critically with the other students on the trip. I also had the chance to listen to guest speakers working in London in many different areas of theatre, and I visited quite a few prominent museums in the city. During this trip I also spent a few days in Stratford Upon Avon, where I was doing all of the same things.

While completing my STEP project, there are a countless number of ways that my own self and my worldview have transformed. Within myself, I have gained a greater, deeper understanding of the culture of British theatre and theatre-going. I have learned that not only is theatre an extremely treasured art form in the United Kingdom, it’s funded by the government and supported by the public in a way that is different from the United States. Theatre is built into the lives of Londoners, acting as a significant part of culture, rather than just an option for entertainment or a cure for boredom, like it can be in the US. I have such a fresh, newfound support for theatre in general, and it has reminded me of the importance of theatre as an art form. This may sound odd coming from a Theatre major, who has dedicated their academic time to appreciating theatre as an art form, but attending a school where theatre isn’t as appreciated as other forms of entertainment, it almost felt like I had forgotten how important it was to me.

My knowledge of British social practices and politics also grew throughout my project. I was living in London right after the UK voted to leave the European Union, creating a whirlwind of discussion about Brexit within the other students on the trip and, of course, among those living in the UK. I also became accustomed to the pace of living in London and I developed sort of a London lifestyle. I had to learn where and how to buy what I needed, how to tip for services, and how to speak using a slightly different vocabulary and tone. My knowledge of the sheer diversity of the British population also grew as well. I had many opportunities to see first-hand how much cultural mixing happens within London, and it was enlightening to see the complexities of what it means to be British.

There were a massive amount of events that proved to me time and time again how much theatre is valued in the UK. There were quite a number of theatres I attended that focus on producing new works, like the SOHO Theatre, the Royal Court Theatre, Trafalgar Studios, and many, many more. Learning about these theatres during our class time and their commitment to getting new plays out into the city was an incredible experience, and a noticeable shift from the way theatre is handled in the US. Another example of this commitment to plays happened when I listened to actor Sifiso Mazibuko, an OSU alum, discuss his experience performing in big-budget musicals in London’s West End. He emphasized that while Broadway musicals in the US can produce or contain the next big television or movie star, “straight plays” are what really defines the actors of the UK, so it’s not good to be comfortable just performing on the West End if you want to have an exceptional career. After having the opportunity of seeing well-known film and tv stars like Ralph Fiennes and Matt Smith perform in plays, I have realized how much live theatre defines the careers of British actors, which in incredibly inspiring.

The overwhelming cultural and government support of live theatre in all its forms was something I was constantly witnessing in my time in London. I saw quite a few shows at the National Theatre, which is London’s largest and most well-funded theatre. Every single production I saw there, including Threepenny Opera, The Seagull, and Sunset at the Villa Thalia, was incredibly enchanting and excellently put together. Here, I saw the best performances from actors I have ever seen as well as immensely realistic and cohesive production design. The dedication to the art and the act of storytelling was so clear and specific through this theatre. And, at every show I attended, there was never an empty seat. Not only was it obvious that there was incredible dedication to the art for art’s sake, but there was a clear positive response from the audience as well. Of course, productions like this happen in the United States too, but there is a much higher stake in making money (since there is no government funding for theatre in the US), and the immense appreciation for theatre seems more like a category of interest rather than part of the population’s culture.

When it came to getting to know London socially and politically, I had one major experience that defined my journey. It was a class discussion on how Brexit affects the citizens of the UK and what it means for the future of Britain. Before living in London, I had my own opinions on the ordeal, and it was difficult for me to see the opposing side. However, I learned that the reasons for why people voted to leave weren’t exactly the ones that the world media had been feeding the general public. Some citizens of the UK had very reasonable issues that led them to vote the way they did, and they were not issues that were sensationalized by the media, like immigration control and British patriotism. In many rural parts of the UK, the European Union was not meeting their needs financially, leading to their desire to leave. In many largely populated cities like London, many had voted to stay because there was a wonderful exchange of art and culture among world artists that would be hindered by Britain’s leaving. Since it would become much more difficult for citizens of other countries to work and live in the UK, there would be fewer opportunities for British theatre to include foreign artists in their upcoming works, which is something that the theatres of London especially pride themselves in. Discussing this topic in particular and how it influences the many different kinds of British citizens was very enlightening and helped me to open my eyes to all of the different experiences of British people.

This entire change in perception and this gaining of knowledge has a number of applications to my professional and academic career. By having a greater first-hand understanding of the professional world of British theatre, I can more easily enter this world with new goals and a clear career path if I so choose. Since I have achieved a well-rounded understanding of what it is like to live and work as an actor in London, I would experience a much less dramatic culture shock and a faster adaptation to their theatrical world. And, by experiencing so much British theatre as an audience member, I am able to take what I have seen and apply it to my own professional work, whether that be in actor preparation or in the beginnings of my own production. By having constant critical discussions of plays with my classmates, I am now much more prepared to analyze theatre both as an audience member and a performer. This is useful in an academic setting when I am asked to discuss how multiple elements of a production influence the storytelling, and it’s also useful to me as a theatre maker because it allows me to take an outside perspective and make sure the messages and themes of the play are clear and effective. In regards to British society, my newly gained knowledge will also serve me well in my future. By constantly witnessing the result of multiple perspectives in British life, it became clear to me how many voices can make something more complex, and thereby deeper and more interesting. When I have a strong opinion about something, it’s easy for me to think my own beliefs are reasonable, but much more difficult for me to realize that to everyone else, they feel the same way about their own values. This is a concept that applies to me professionally, especially in such a collaborative art form, as well as academically, especially on such a diverse campus. Above everything else, what I gained from this entire project was a newfound sense of self-confidence in my choice to be an artist. To be an artist is to always be learning. To make art is to bring alive what you have learned. Thanks to this project, I have taken an incredible journey through what has been the greatest learning experience of my life so far.

STEP Reflection Prompts

Name: Cynthia Jennings

Type of Project: Study Abroad

1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project.

My STEP Signature Project consisted of participating in the Ohio State Global May Hungary Study Abroad Program this past spring. On this trip, we spent roughly four weeks in Budapest, Hungary, and another week in Warsaw, Poland, and Vienna, Austria. From the time I heard about the STEP program I knew that I wanted to apply my funding towards studying abroad, and the Global May Hungary program proved an engaging, unique experience that I am thankful for.

2. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project?

Studying abroad with the Global May Hungary program changed my understanding of myself by exposing me to the history, culture, and politics of a region and people I knew little about previously. Exploring Budapest, from its historic castles and churches to Turkish baths and many monuments, reminded me of my own love of history and fostered a curiosity about how history informs and affects how we experience the world today. I also learned that I am willing and able to take risks in pursuit of these interests. Throughout the trip, I pushed myself to go beyond the regular activities and pursuits of the group and find what I truly found interesting about the city of Budapest and Hungary in general; that is, learning about its roots, from Roman times to the Medieval age, and how they have shaped Hungarian culture and life even today. One of my favorite things about Europe in general is the accessibility and pervasiveness of history. For example, though modernized, many European cities retain the design and layout that they had hundreds of years ago, and while much has been destroyed and replaced from antiquity, much remains, from castles to Roman ruins. For me, taking the opportunity to seek out and immerse myself in this history was transformative because learning about a place or event, researching it, and then visiting it in person was empowering. Since studying abroad in Hungary, I have become much more proactive about pursuing topics or activities that interest me, and my understanding of the past has become more concrete and engaging.

3. What events, interactions, relationships, or activities during your STEP Signature Project led to the change/transformation that you discussed in #2, and how did those affect you?

Living in a historic city like Budapest while learning about the culture, history, and politics of the region presents a wealth of opportunities to experience firsthand what one is learning about in class. Everywhere we went in the city, there was a monument to a pivotal event in Hungarian history or a museum or preserved historic building, ready to be explored. The location of the hostel we stayed in was especially advantageous, because it sat just across the Danube River from Buda Castle, a citadel on a hill dating from the 1200s. I made many trips by bus or foot up the castle hill to wander the grounds and peruse the museums and galleries that now occupy the castle and adjacent palaces. I loved being able to see and experience Budapest’s history in person and on foot, just a few minutes from where we stayed.

On one occasion, I was particularly inspired by a particular work of art by a Hungarian artist while perusing the national gallery of art on Castle hill that depicted the defense of another Hungarian castle, the Castle of Eger, during a Turkish invasion. Upon investigating further, I was able to locate Eger Castle and figure out how to get to it via a train that left from the central train station in Budapest. A two-hour train ride later, a friend and I were exploring Eger Castle, walking the walls where the defenders stood, and imagining the experience of the artist who depicted the event so captivatingly. The process of getting to the castle itself, however, was not without its moments of uncertainty and fear. Traveling by train in a foreign country whose language I did not speak to a destination I had never been to (and was not entirely sure still existed) was a gamble, but one that paid off immensely.

A similar experience was when a friend and I took a train one Sunday to a small village – one that we had previously been to as a group – to visit the open air market held in the center of town each weekend. The excursions we did as a group throughout the trip gave us the tools we needed to be able to navigate the city and public transportation systems by ourselves, and so we were able to travel freely and explore places on our own time that we never would have been able to before. The process of identifying a destination or place of interest, figuring out the logistics of actually getting there, and then spending intentional time learning about it was the key to transforming my view of how we can encounter a foreign culture and history firsthand. It is one thing to visit a place, and another to embrace it and appreciate it.

4. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? 

This transformation is valuable to my life because it has inspired me to seek out more opportunities like it. Looking forward, I hope that whenever I am in a new place or city I am willing and able to seek out what makes it unique and understand the events and history behind its existence today. More generally, however, my experience in Hungary has empowered me to identify goals or opportunities and pursue them fully. Navigating through a foreign city and traveling across a foreign country on my own initiative showed me that I can rely on my own abilities and motivations in anything that I do, be it academic, personal, or professional. Exploring Budapest rekindled a love for history, but also taught me important lessons that I will take into the future, including self-confidence, independence, and a sense of adventure.

With financial support from STEP, the Office of Diversity and the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Science I was able to fund a study abroad trip hosted through Ohio State to New Zealand for my Signature Project. We spent 4 weeks traveling from city to city on the South Island for a program called Sustaining Human Societies and the Environment.

Having the opportunity to attend this trip was transformational for me personally because working to get there as well as adjusting to being there pushed me in a way that I had never been pushed before. While making preparations for the trip; I had a fairly heavy course load, was working as a president to get a student organization off the ground and plan events, and was also working the maximum hours most weeks at a dining hall to save the money I needed for my budget. The journey before the trip alone made me feel a lot stronger, but once I got there it hit me with how incredibly fast paced we were moving both through the country and the course material. I had a lot of anxiety about traveling internationally for the first time and not having any sense of stability. Even with a few bumps here and there, I still managed to get A’s in both courses and can still say overall I enjoyed my stay and would like to return someday.

As far as on an academic and professional level, this trip was transformational as a values clarification as well as by giving me a lot of ideas about where I can go with the degree that I earn at Ohio State. I got to hear from and speak to a lot of really knowledgeable people concerning sustainability, conservation, restoration, ecology and eco-tourism; as well as got a lot of information from residents about development and the social climate in their areas. It showed me what kind of work goes into trying to provide people with the resources and amenities that they need in an efficient way so that future generations can do the same. Of course the country itself is beautiful, and with plans to return for leisure one day and see more places like it the experience created a clearer picture of the natural capital we are trying to preserve by working to combat climate change.

A really useful aspect of this trip for me was the group project tied into our course grade. For the project we were required to interview at least 10 individuals from different cities we staying in throughout the trip. Using their testimonials, we used quantitative evidence to draw conclusions about whether or not the eco-tourism industry New Zealand was economically and environmentally sustainable according to public opinion. We asked them general information like how long they had been a resident, what they did for a living and if it depended on the environment in any way. From there we discussed whether they though tourism was properly managed in their area, what improvements they would like to see in any sector and how they felt about the state of the environment. Our findings largely pointed to that residents felt that tourism could be economically and environmentally sustainable in New Zealand provided the government intervene more to provide the necessary infrastructure and create more restrictive caps on how many people can enter the country and participate in certain activities depending on their impact. Having the opportunity to speak at length with people of various backgrounds there made me feel like I had a strong understanding of some of the neoliberal politics there rather than just being a tourist or a clueless student.

One of my favorite towns we stayed in was Motueka, a small community that many tourists passed through while visiting the Able Tasman National Park or the nearby apple orchards. The settlement was teeming with small businesses owned and run by locals, and the community cohesion was very strong there. One issue in a lot of cities overrun by tourism was that they largely only had low wage service jobs, and the workers were treated very poorly. The owner of a store where local artists and entrepreneurs could sell their pieces told about how campers were provided specifically for service workers if they couldn’t afford anything else, and they had monthly meetings at their church where workers could meet to build friendships as well as discuss any issues they were having. I also was able to speak to an elderly volunteer that worked at a resale shop where a large portion of their earnings were donated to the terminally ill in the nearby hospital. Having taken a course on community development the previous semester, it was really interesting to see some of those concept at play in a real life case study.

Also in relation to community power, at the very end of our trip we stopped in a city called Christchurch that was recovering from a series of earthquakes and aftershocks that had left much of the area inaccessible. The city’s economy previously depended on tourists visiting their beautiful cathedrals and on being a center of trade, but since the earthquakes had to transition to what is called “disaster tourism.” Such a tour entails passing through or near condemned or demolished sites, memorials and temporary structures. To replace one of their cathedrals they had something called a “cardboard church,” made of collapsible and recyclable materials and insulated by cardboard piping. The old mall is now operating solely out of dressed-up shipping crates, and the disaster has created a market for new businesses such as the bar Smash Palace to also profit off of tourism. Most notably, during one of the first earthquakes a poorly designed building collapsed “pancake style” and killed around 200 people inside. Incidents like this are helping to inform officials and architects on how things should be done to better prepare and protect residents from future earthquakes.

A lot of my family and friends encouraged me to wait to study abroad until another semester, and although deciding to do so post haste was challenging I felt it was important to push myself to achieve something other people did not think I could do. The transformation that came from being able to go and coping with being there has improved my confidence in my abilities, and also serves as experience for future trips I hope to plan for work. Now that I have a better idea of how my coursework can be applied in the job market, I will have more direction this upcoming spring as I look into internship opportunities for next summer that will be an asset to my future. Lastly, being immersed in the culture, politics and natural environment of New Zealand has broadened my perception of issues outside the United States more so than before, and in the long term will help me to think critically about matters of sustainability internationally.

For my STEP signature project, I studied abroad in North Queensland, Australia. Throughout the three and a half week trip, I traveled to various bioregions in the country, field exploring and studying under experts. I learned a lot about Australia’s sustainability practices, environment, and history of the indigenous culture.

This was my first opportunity to travel outside of the United States and it was a life changing experience. This trip was a monumental step in my life as it sparked a lifelong interest and confidence in traveling and exploring the world. I am visually impaired and before this trip I feared leaving the country, thinking there may be obstacles that would be difficult for me to overcome. I decided to put aside my fear and embark on the trip to Australia and I am beyond glad I did. I overcame obstacles that would have previously seemed impossible with the support and encouragement of my group. I was able to explore the culture and observe life in a brand new place. I truly loved seeing all that I was able to do, such as hiking down waterfalls and gorges, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and so much more.

I also really enjoyed learning and experiencing first hand. The focus of the trip was sustainability, which involved the connectivity of social, environmental, and economic aspects of life. I was able to see the effects that human life has on the world first hand and learn from experts what can and should be done to slow and/or stop them. I learned a lot about sustainable practices and believe I am more aware of my actions when it comes to practicing sustainability in every day life. I am very eager to continue to put all that I learned in action and to spread the word to those around me.

As I said above, this was my first time leaving the country and I was very nervous. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and jump right into the trip. I went into every day with an open mind and was absolutely amazed at the new things I experienced each day. Befriending my peers made the trip even more valuable and memorable. We were able to experience the events together and support each other along the way.

I had the opportunity of meeting some of the most i incredible people in the world. I was shocked to discover that we were learning from and working with world-renowned experts. I was able to really absorb the content in the course through the lecture and activities led by these professionals. I learned an incredible amount about Australia, its bioregions, its sustainability, and its culture in just the three and a half weeks I was in the country.

Aside from the set lectures and activities, I was able to connect with these amazing individuals personally. They would linger round throughout the day wanting to share with us as many stories and as much information as they could.  I found it so helpful and interesting to get input directly from these professionals. Speaking to them personally allowed to create unforgettable connections and memories. One individual that really sticks out in my mind is Marco. We stayed on an abandoned gold mien in the Outback and one of our hosts and instructors at this site was Marco. I found myself sitting by the campfire talking with Marco for hours. I asked him question and after question and we conversed about many different topics. Marco and I really connected during our time in the Outback. I discussed my visual impairment with him and disclosed to him that I had never seen more than ten stars in the sky at one time. That night, Marco handed me his personal pair of high quality binoculars, hoping I would be able to see a sky full of stars. Not only did I see a wonderful sky full of stars, I saw my first shooting star. I was so happy and emotional and I could not thank Marco enough for being so kind to me. The morning we left the Outback, Marco pulled me aside and handed me a horse shoe that was over 100 years old and came from a horse that worked on mine. He told me the horse shoe was for good luck in my life and in all that I choose to do. He said to always keep it so that the open end is up, to catch all of the bad luck. He told me he will always remember me, and I certainly will always remember Marco, as he left an everlasting impression on me.

As most of the destinations on the trip were remote, we did not much, if any, cell phone access. This truly was one of the best aspects of the trip for me and many other students. As much as our generation is enveloped with our cell phones and social media, it was nice being able to distance myself from messaging and any other distraction. I was a blessing because I was really able to absorb everything and become much more involved in my experiences.

The most important part of this trip for me was stepping outside of my comfort zone and doing something I had always dreamed of doing. I had to put aside my fears and take risks in order to grow and have the personality transformation that I did.

Not only did I make lifelong friends while on the study abroad, I also was able to network with professionals. In one of the service projects we did, I even made it into the local newspaper and on the local news telecast. Also, one of the professionals we worked with told me that he would have a job for me if I were ever interested. These were very influential experiences for my personal and professional experience.

Finally, this trip was very special to me as it was not directly related to my field of studies. My undergraduate degree will be in exercise science, and although I was not able to directly relate to the course, I have a strong passion for public and global health, which certainly relates to the study of sustainability in a region. I believe that it is very important to study a variety of topics at the university level in order to establish a diverse and well rounded education.

Chasing obstacles, networking, and diversifying my education are all important aspects to implement into my life. Growing in all of these ways will most certainly help on the road to achieving goals as I pursue my future.

This summer I used my STEP money to go on the global public health study abroad trip to Finland and Estonia. During this study abroad trip, our group learned about the public health initiatives in two foreign countries and compared them to the public health standards in the U.S. In addition, we had the opportunity visit churches, museums, and learn about each country’s cultures. We also had lots of free time to explore several foreign cities and towns in Finland and Estonia.

My understanding of myself, and my views of the world has changed from this transformational experience. As a pre-medicine student I am very interested in the United States healthcare system. This interest made me want to explore foreign countries with excelling access to health care. Before going on this trip I thought that America had one of the world’s best public health standards. After learning about the initiatives that Finland and Estonia have put into place, I now understand that America is lagging behind the health standards compared to other developed countries. Visiting these two countries made me realize that America can learn a lot from other countries to create a better health care system. Understanding the shortcomings in American public health has made me more aware of the problems in our healthcare system. In addition, this trip has also shown me that it is possible to fix public health problems, if we use other countries as examples. This trip made me realize that in addition wanting to become a doctor, I also want to be involved to health policy and positive public health initiatives as, these as just as important as primary and secondary medical care.  Practicing medicine is now only part of my career goals.  I want to be able to affect more people by being involved in ether health care administration or health care policy.  This trip showed me how broad the field of health care is, and has made me realized the different ways I can become involved, in addition to practicing medicine.

The event that stood out the most on the trip was the visit to the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, The Finnish version of the CDC. While we were there, experts who are involved with Finnish health policy, research and health promotion lectured us about what they do and what makes the Finnish system so successful. These people first talked about the major public health initiatives that worked in Finland in the past such as, the North Karelia Project, which changed the eating habits of the whole country to combat their high rate of heart disease. They also talked how they dramatically reducing their infant mortality rate by giving every new mother a baby box that would provide the mother with the essentials to care for her baby for up to a year. The big take away from listening to these experts was how important health prevention and health education was to the policy makers. By doing so, Finland is a healthier country than the United States because they prevent disease, instead of treating disease. This dramatically cuts their cost of health care, something that America is severely struggling with right now. Finland’s commitment to prevention of disease is one of the main reasons they live healthier lives than Americans and is, in my opinion, one of the major things that The U.S. has to work on. This event gave me more appreciation how important public health is.

Another thing that stood out was the importance of learning about the history and culture of these foreign countries. One tour specifically, that was particularly interesting was the Soviet Legacy Tour in Tallinn, Estonia. During this tour we learned about life in Estonia and Tallinn while under Soviet control. It was surreal to see the old soviet buildings and learn about the way of life that seems so foreign in America. During this tour we also learned about the huge strides that Estonia has taken to dig itself out of the hole that the Soviet occupation created, such as, growing their economy. This is just one example of learning about the history of these two countries. Learning about their history and culture was very eye opening. It was very interesting to be immersed in another countries culture while learning about it. It was also fascinating to see what kind of food they ate, what kind of music they listened to and how they interacted between themselves.

Lastly, the biggest take away for me on this trip was how much healthier the diet in Finland was than America. A healthy diet starts at a young age in Finland. School lunches are much lower in fat and sugar than in the United States. They are also usually made fresh, as opposed to the frozen lunches served at most schools in the United States. We got to see this first hand when we visited a high school in a small town in the middle of Finland. When we visited the school I was amazed at how much work was put into serving these kids a quality, healthy meal for lunch. Healthy food is not just easily accessible in schools. From my observations while eating Finnish food for a week, I found that their food, especially their desserts were less sugary. Their diet also consists much more of whole foods. It was very surprising to me how much healthier the population of Finland was when comparing them to America. Unhealthy food was simply less accessible, even if you wanted it. This shows that culturally, how much healthier they eat then Americans.

This trip has changed my view of health systems around the world. As someone who hopes to become a doctor, I now understand the importance of quality healthy systems to the general public. This class inspired me to learn more about public health and improving America health system. As a future doctor, I hope I can advocate for a change in healthy policy and public health initiatives. I am very thankful for STEP for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip and allowing me the chance to explore foreign health care systems, which ultimately gave me a new view on my future career.

This May, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to cities in Denmark and the Netherlands. The cities I went to were Copenhagen, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. I travelled with 25 other students and the theme of the trip was how various companies in these Northern European countries do sustainability.

This trip was incredible to me for many reasons. One of the most influential of these reasons was the way in which it changed my view on the world. The 10 days I spent in Europe with this program were the first days that I have spent outside of the United States or Canada. Due to that, I admittedly had quite the limited worldview. Everything I thought about I always thought within a narrow American scope. Europe and the rest of the world seemed so far away to me. Any news that would come out of there seemed like nothing that would ever affect me. The ten days I spent oversees changed that view tremendously. I know this sounds funny but I realized that there were “real” people and places there. I guess I could say that I sort of humanized the rest of the world in a way that I had never before. The fact that I could take an 8 hour plane ride and be at a completely different part of the world was something that surprised me as to how much it affected me. As a whole, the trip forced me to widen my view on the world by just showing me that there was more out there than just North America.

One of the places we visited in Copenhagen really initiated the changes in my worldview. This was out group visit to a university in Copenhagen. We went to the university on our first full day in Europe. While at the university listened to lectures about sustainability within Copenhagen and Denmark as a whole. These lectures really provided a great back group to the learning that occurred during the rest of our trip. What changed my worldview in that trip was not the lectures, however. It was the time spent there watching the students. What I saw were kids in the same position as me likely trying to achieve many of the same goals as me. Although they group in a completely culture, seeing kids my age doing what I do every day was amazing in showing me how “real” this part of the world really is.

Another interaction that changed my worldview was about midway through the trip in a Copenhagen coffee shop. When 6 other students and I went into the shop we sparked up some conversation with the barista. Once he found out that we were Americans his immediate reaction was asking us who we supported in the upcoming election. (This was strange to me initially as I really did not realize that people in Europe would be paying too much attention to it.) He then went to tell us that if Trump were to get elected, America and the people from there would be looked at in different and worse way. He even said we likely would not be treated with the same friendliness we were being shown right then and there. This altered my worldview completely by showing me that America is not in a vacuum. All of the good, the bad, and the ugly that goes on in our country is watched by the rest of the world in the same way that we watch them.

The final aspect that really impacted my worldview was my last couple of days in Europe. It all started during our day trip to Amsterdam. While I was walking around the city I started to feel dizzy. This feeling did not stop and I eventually also became nauseous. My group hat I was with asked around for me and luckily there was a doctors office nearby. From there I was referred to go to the hospital in Amsterdam. From there I spent the next two days in Amsterdam and Rotterdam at two hospitals trying to figure out what was wrong with. Although nothing was eventually found and I was cleared to go home, this ordeal did play a huge impact on me. One of the ways it did this was really “normalizing” Europe to me. Up until that point I did and saw most things in the lens of a tourist. When I got sick, however, I got to experience a whole another part of Europe that I wouldn’t otherwise have. I saw their medical centers, I took their public transportation, I experienced being sick in a foreign country. Although I would rather have not gotten sick, I do appreciate the experiences that came from it.

Being able to expand my worldview from this trip was such a blessing to me. It was also extremely necessary to me as a citizen of the world. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and see other parts of the world to see what it is truly like. Because not all of the world is just like America and although I knew that before, it really took this trip to open my eyes and see the world in a truly “worldly” scope.

Name: Eric Wolfe

Type of Project: Education Abroad

This past summer I completed the Engineering of Castles and Cathedrals in England and Wales study abroad program.  This consisted of two weeks of classes on campus, discussing the topic of medieval architecture in England and Wales.  After this, the group flew to London.  We made multiple stops during a loop around England and Wales.  Students were divided into groups and the groups researched a specific site that we would be visiting during the trip.  The students gave two presentations; one on campus before departure and another at the site.

I found this process to be very transformative.  This class was unlike any class that I had previously taken.  There were two aspects of this experience that really stood out to me as valuable.  One was the sense of community built between my classmates and my professors.  The other was the growth of global awareness I saw both in myself and in my classmates.

Due to the large amount of time spent together, everyone in the program became very close.  I was able to get to know a whole new group of students here at Ohio State.  From the beginning of the trip to the end, I witnessed a transformation in the group that went from a cluster of strangers to a tight-knit unit.  These added relationships will not only improve the overall happiness of each of us but could also lead to increased professional connections here at the university.  In addition, I formed a very close relationship with both professors that led the group.  I have never built a connection that strong with a faculty member before this at Ohio State.  I know that if I need a letter of recommendation or just someone to seek advice from, I can reach out to either of them.  In addition to building relationships, I also experienced an increased global awareness during the trip.  I have wanted to go to England for quite some time now and the experience definitely did not let me down.  I feel that travel is a very important aspect in building a global community.  I was able to see how the people of England and Wales live their everyday lives.  I was able to interact with the citizens of these countries and build a better understanding of what it truly means to be a global citizen.

I found that two of the most important relationships I built during my STEP project were the relationships I built with my professors.  These two men were incredibly knowledgeable about the subject of the class.  Many times throughout the trip I found myself engaged in conversation with them about the historical significance of the sites we were visiting.  Not only did they share their vast knowledge with us, but they were also there as mentors to guide us through this experience.  They showed us the importance and enjoyableness of world travel throughout the trip.

Interactions with the locals was a very important part of my experience.  I wanted to make the most of my trip and part of that was striking up conversation with the local citizens.  Whether that was talking to the person next to me on the tube or asking the tour guides questions about the site, I found great value in communicating with the Welsh and English people.  I found that this was the best way to learn about the culture of Great Britain.  Before going over there, I had notions about what I thought the culture was like; however, the best way to learn what it really is was to get past the stereotypes and talk to the people there.

One activity that I found to be particularly transformative was going to the evensong at one of the cathedrals we visited.  This was a short church service when the choir would practice.  I do not consider myself to be a very religious person; however, I really valued my experience at the evensong.  It was a great way to observe the cultural significance of the sites and to experience something unfamiliar to myself.

I believe this entire experience was very valuable for my life.  I was able to gain a deeper understanding of something new which is always a valuable thing to do.  Throughout our life we encounter many different types of people.  I believe it is very important to get to know these different types of people.  By understanding who the person is and what they are like, we can develop deeper connections and grow together.