Sustainability in the Dominican Republic

My STEP signature project entailed an education abroad trip to the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic. While here for eight days, we focused on development and agriculture through the lens of sustainability, and interacted with locals to learn how they earned a living.

During my time in a foreign country, I learned many things that disproved previous notions that I held. First, I learned that sustainability on the smallest scale matters a great deal. While I initially believed that sustainability was some buzzword that was created in response to environmental problems in developed nations and could only be implemented by companies or big government, I learned that is not necessarily the case. In a less developed country like the Dominican Republic, the farmers have known no other way than to plant and grow in a responsible manner. Also, in relation to the social and economic aspects of sustainability, we learned that farmers form co-ops and export their products together so that they have more leverage in markets and therefore earn more for their commodities.

In the rural mountainous region of the Dominican Republic, we were able visit a cacao plantation, which is the base for consumer milk chocolate, and learned how the Dominicans responsibly care for their crop and product to ensure that they can earn a living for the foreseeable future. While here, we learned about different growing and processing techniques used by the local growers. In addition, we got to plant a cacao tree and eat fresh chocolate in its most basic form.

Another event on our trip in which we learned about the smallest aspect of the community portion of sustainability was at a ceramic facility. Local people, both young and old come here and create their own ceramic artwork for personal enjoyment, and it can even be sold to markets. The important thing here contributing to sustainability is that young, aspiring citizens can create artwork to sell, and this will help them pay for their schooling. In addition, a local artist set up this facility many years ago, and provides all the supplies necessary for the artists to be successful; moreover, he even uses recycled tools and utensils for production. Visiting this specific place allowed me to think differently about sustainable development, and one of the last things I would think of would be an art facility. This further expanded my knowledge that many sustainable opportunities exist, you just have to seek them out.

The island nation of the Dominican Republic is listed as the 8th country to be most affected by climate change, according a local environmental expert who lectured to us during our time here. He also informed us of water, forestry, biodiversity, emission, and waste issues which are considered the most important by the country and its government. We visited Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, or the Ministry of the Environment, and got to see a little of what was going on behind the scenes in an important building. It was rewarding and a little relieving to know that these problems are not going unnoticed, and the people of the Dominican are developing initiatives to protect their environment.

As an EEDS major, I hope to one day land a position in corporate social responsibility. I have now seen sustainability in action with my own eyes, and I believe that this will make me more credible when looking for future internships and jobs. I also now understand what sustainability looks like on many different levels, which I see as important when attempting to solve complex issues.

STEP Reflection- Internship Abroad in Madrid

  1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

 

My STEP Signature Project gave me the opportunity to live and work in Madrid, Spain for a small millennial consulting firm. There, I was able to practice skills from both my business major and Spanish minor working on various projects to help companies (both large and small) reach millennials more effectively.

 

  1. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

 

During my time in Madrid, I gained not only a lot of insight on myself and my professional aspirations, but gained a broader global perspective and a true appreciation for other cultures. By working in the professional business world for the first time, in a different country, I was able to narrow my focus and learn more about what I value in the workplace and what type of career I want for myself in the future. For example, I learned that I enjoy working in teams with more relationship focused work, but that I also really enjoy crunching numbers. I gained a variety of soft skills, and especially strengthened my communication skills (both in English and Spanish, professionally and casually). I also became much more independent, navigating a foreign country on my own and conversing in Spanish fluently.

 

Prior to my internship, I had a global perspective, but I had never lived and adjusted to a different culture as an adult. By the end of the summer, I had fallen in love with the lifestyle in Spain and hope to move back for a few years post-graduation. I made some very strong relationships with people in Madrid, and I learned from them that we are more alike that I at first thought. I also discovered, however, that other countries are much more focused on world politics and world news than in the U.S. and while in Spain I became much more interested in global affairs. To this day, I strive to read more global news in order to expand my perspective beyond the U.S.

 

 

  1. 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? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

 

My most noticeable transformation occurred in the workplace. As mentioned above, I became much more aware of what I want in the workplace. I did not get the opportunity to work with a lot of numbers and really missed doing that by the end of the summer. I did, however, get the opportunity to work on a close knit team every day and discovered that this is something I value in the work place. At my internship, I also had to conduct client outreach and was able to speak via email and Skype with professionals all over Spain and Europe (including Belgium, Ireland, and the U.K.). I loved getting the opportunity to meet and work with these people from all over, and these global relations would be ideal in a future workplace. Through these calls and working in a Spanish and English speaking workplace, my communication skills improved immensely.

One of the most influential relationships I had in Spain was with one of my bosses, Irene. She was a very motivated person who inspired me every day at work. Though many view the typical Spanish workplace as laid back (and I know this is true in some cases), my company, being a startup was very fast-paced. Irene constantly pushed me out of my comfort zone, spoke to me in Spanish to help me practice (even when my coworkers sometimes spoke with me in English), and challenged me with new tasks. Her high expectations of me pushed me to become a better professional and a better person.

 

Outside of this transformational relationship, I had many transformational experiences throughout my summer in Madrid. From navigating a foreign to tackling new projects at work, I developed in many ways. Outside of work, I also learned a lot on the weekends when I was given the opportunity to travel to Valencia, Toledo, Barcelona, Seville, and Grenada; as well as Budapest, Hungary; Dublin, Ireland; Lisbon, Portugal; and Rome and Florence, Italy. By travelling to so many different countries, I gained a new appreciation for the various cultures and people I met in each one. Back at home, I am more knowledgeable about these places when it comes to cultural things you can’t learn in a textbook and I hope to visit each city again down the road.

 

  1. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

 

Between strengthening my soft skills and widening my global perspective, this past summer allowed me to grow and develop as a person beyond the walls of my internship. Professionally, I have gained more insight into what career path I would like to take in the future. The new global mindset I acquired will also benefit me in a job setting. Personally, I made lifelong friendships with students from around the U.S. and my coworkers and others I met in Madrid. Each person I met taught me something different that I would take with me back home to Columbus and wherever my life takes me in the future. I hope to not only one day travel back to Madrid, but live and work in Europe full time as I learned to love the lifestyle, culture, and people I encountered while interning abroad. The transition moving back home to the U.S. was not an easy one, and now I find myself longing for two places at once, having a home both in Ohio and in Spain, and missing one while I’m in the other. But I know that I will eventually go back and the experience I had this past summer is not one I would change for anything.

OSU Interns in Palacio Real de Madrid

View from Círculo de Bellas Artes (my favorite spot in Madrid)

Me and my Pangea coworkers at lunch

My Transformational Experience: Barcelona 2017

For the fall semester of 2017, I studied abroad at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. I studied Spanish language and culture while living with a host family in the city, in addition to traveling to various parts of Europe and Morocco in order to gain greater insight and first-hand experience with other cultures and lifestyles.

Castells- a Catalonian tradition

This project led me to a greater understanding of other cultures and lifestyles and enabled me to expand my worldview and my fluency in the Spanish language. The world feels so much smaller now, and my confidence in speaking Spanish is much greater than it was before I embarked on this journey. I am more understanding, accepting, and curious about other cultures, belief systems, and ideas. Besides these anticipated changes, living in Barcelona also sparked some unexpected but just as valuable transformations that have changed the way I think, budget time, and interact with others for the better.

View from Montserrat

My time in Barcelona also enabled me to gain a greater understanding of myself as an individual and as an introvert. As someone who enjoys and needs time for thinking and reflection, I have also struggled to find a balance in a world that seems to favor extroversion. Finding a balance in a completely new, unfamiliar, and at times intimidating environment was the biggest challenge I have ever encountered. However, knowing that I succeeded in this endeavor abroad, I am even more confident that I can find a good balance in my career and personal life. As a twin I have often been seen as part of a pair, and I’ve never spent more than a few days away from my twin. Living away from everyone I knew for a few months gave me a new sense of independence and individuality.

As a twin, I had lived my whole life with my sister at my side. Making connections with new people who had no idea that I was a twin was a refreshing new experience for me and allowed me to be more in touch with myself as an individual. This has changed how I approach everyday life and interactions, and has brought me a greater sense of individuality and independence.

The biggest challenge I faced abroad was finding a balance as an introvert. As someone who needs quiet time for reflection and thinking each day, exploring and navigating a new environment in my second language, meeting all new people, and adjusting to a different lifestyle were often daunting, frustrating, and exhausting tasks. The first few weeks in my new home, I was often tired, stressed, and determined that being an introvert in today’s society was a mistake. Indeed, going into this project I had hoped that I would become more extroverted: that I would need less quiet time and be more adventurous and outspoken.

It was in the Sahara desert of Morocco that I came to the realization that this was not what was going to happen. This was the most difficult realization I made on the entire trip. The day the plane took off, I was so physically and mentally exhausted that I debated staying in Barcelona. I didn’t think I could handle the stress of travel or of interacting with so many new people at once. Spending several nights in a desert and having to navigate another new country after I’d just adjusted to Spain sounded like insurmountable obstacles. However, I decided that morning that this was not an opportunity I was going to miss; I was going to pack my things and take on the adventure. I decided at the same time that I would stop trying to ignore my need to reflect; I would make an effort instead to be more aware of my energy level and sense of well-being.

That week ended up being the most incredible and changing week of my life thus far. I challenged myself more than I ever had before, riding camels over endless stretches of sand dunes, sleeping in ‘haimas’ under a sky full of stars, eating Moroccan food and immersing myself in a culture even more unfamiliar than that of Spain.

Camel ride to the big dune

I was able to challenge myself to this degree because I also took time to be in touch with myself. I woke up at 6 am to the prayer calls from the nearby village, watched the caravans inch over the dunes in front of a red sunrise, sat in awe of the number of stars that were visible from our camp, and wrote in my journal religiously. It was in these times of reflection that I realized that introversion is neither better nor worse than extroversion. I don’t need to change it; I just need to find a different way to balance out my time.

Sunrise in Morocco

So, while I became more daring and confident, I also became more comfortable, happy, and balanced as an introvert. In addition to meeting an excellent group of new friends, exploring incredible new places, and challenging myself in the classroom, I began to write more in my journal each night and to take time alone to enjoy the beach, a sunset, a local band, a museum, or a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop.

Olivemoon- a local band

In Spain, I overcame the challenges of life in a foreign country, lived outside of my comfort zone a bit each day, and gained so much insight into my own identity. I feel much more ready to conquer whatever challenges my future holds. Having found a balance abroad, I am very confident that I will be able to carry this balance over into my professional and personal life in the future. I am more confident, independent, and fearless.

Sunset by the beach

I am eager to continue learning about not only the Spanish language and culture, but also of cultures and people all around the world. The world has suddenly appeared in my eyes so much more diverse and rich in ideas, and yet so much smaller and interconnected than I’d ever imagined before. Overall, study abroad has helped me to become not just a better speaker of Spanish, a better communicator, and a better global citizen, but also more understanding, accepting, independent, confident, and daring. These qualities are essential for success in my future career and happiness in my personal life. The challenges I faced abroad were not easy to overcome, but the transformations they have brought about have made them all more than worth the struggles, and I would not trade my time in Barcelona for anything.

¡Emma en Ecuador!

For my STEP Signature Project I spent a semester studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador through the University of Minnesota Studies in International Development Program. Throughout the semester I was immersed in Ecuadorian culture by participating in a home stay, taking my classes entirely in Spanish, and having an internship at a government agency dedicated to providing resources to victims of interfamilial violence. To conclude my experience I wrote a 30-page research paper in Spanish about the interseccionality of gender-based violence in Ecuador.

I believe that a quote I found at a museum in Quito explains how both my understanding of myself and my worldview changed during my time spent abroad. “Yo lloré porque no tenía zapatos hasta que vi un ninõ que no tenía pies” // “I cried because I did not have shoes until I saw a boy who had no feet” This quote left a huge impression on me as each day in Ecuador I evaluated my privilege in new and critical ways. It can be all too easy to feel bad for myself for small reasons and then I walk outside of my apartment and see a woman holding her baby in the middle of the street selling apples or a disabled man begging on the sidewalk. Additionally, my privilege of being a U.S. citizen holds so much value. I have realized during my time here that one’s citizenship can determine so much about the opportunities that are presented to them in life. One day at my internship I was at an elementary school giving a presentation and when the students found out that I was from the U.S. they thought I was so cool and begun to ask me a plethora of questions. Then my supervisor told the class that if they studied hard each and every day that one-day they could go work or study in the U.S. The kids were all thrilled to hear this, but it made me so deeply sad because I know the reality is that even as hard as lots of people work there are just too many structural and political barriers in place to allow for this immigration to occur. While studying in Ecuador, I often felt guilty for the opportunities I have been given when so many other people just don’t have the same chances in life. Because of this I feel highly motivated to use my position and privilege in society to work for more equity.

Throughout my semester I had many experiences that exposed me to distinct cultural practices, which enriched my understanding of world cultures and traditions. I visited many indigenous communities and got to experience the rituals that are an important part of life. In one community called, Agato, our group had the privilege of eating dinner and learning traditional medicinal practices from the locals. The dinner started a few hours before we actually ate with a ceremony to bless the raw produce through a traditional Kichiwa song, then the vegetables were placed in a deep hole with hot rocks from a fire. This hole was then covered and we all danced around it while the vegetables started to cook. While the food was cooking we got to witness a very sacred and traditional medical practice. It involves the killing of a guinea pig by rubbing it with lots of force on the body of a human and then the dissection of the guinea pig to see what it died of. According to traditional medicine whatever was wrong with the body of the guinea pig is what is wrong with he human it died on. A girl in my program eagerly elected to have this traditional practice done to her and before it began many people choose to leave the room because it is quite graphic. The live guinea pig was brought into the room and we could hear its’ squeals as it was rubbed against the body of my classmate. After about five minutes of rubbing the animal all over her body the guinea pig become lifeless and was promptly cut into and skinned. Every organ and intestinal part was examined to see what was abnormal. The final verdict was that the guinea pig had bad circulation, stiff joints and hard ovaries, which insinuates that the girl has and should treat herself for these same bodily problems. It was fascinating to observe this medical ritual and partake in a night of cross-cultural learning. This experience, among with many more really gave me an appreciation for indigenous culture and their traditions that are so important to appreciate and preserve.

Beyond learning about traditional culture practices during my time in Ecuador, I also learned about the realities of life for many people. My internship at El Centro de Apoyo Integral de Tres Manuelas, a government agency that provides resources for women and families who have been victims of interfamilial violence, showed me the harsh conditions that many people live under. The area of Quito where Tres Manuelas is located is one of the poorest in the city where many people don’t have a steady job or income and violence and drugs are commonplace. The internship I had was centered around creating a curriculum to present to school groups during November, the month against violence. Through a variety of short films, activities and discussions I led hour long sessions for kids that come into the center throughout the month. During my time at Tres Manuelas I also visited many schools and houses in the area. Oftentimes the schools didn’t have an adequate amount of supplies and the houses or apartments had large families living in just a few small rooms. I also talked with and heard the stories of women who had been in or were currently living in violent situations. In Ecuador, “machismo” or male dominance over women is quite commonplace and sadly it is accepted as normal in many communities. Observing all of these environments and hearing these stories really gave me perspective on the privileges that I am so accustomed to having.

During my internship experience I also wrote a thirty-page research paper based on my experiences at Tres Manuelas. My final paper analyzes intimate partner violence against women through lenses of identity and history. I interview university women to find out about their experiences with violence and recovery from violent situations. My research strives to holistically analyze violence as a universal experience while also differentiating how identity impacts experiences of violence. To tie my research together I relate the experiences of violence to the attempts to control the actions and bodies of women. Writing this paper entirely in Spanish was a huge challenge for me and I learned a lot about the varied experiences of women who have been in violent situations.

This experience of studying in Quito for the semester was very transformational and significant to my life. Each day of living in Quito I did things that were outside of my comfort zone, sometimes small things like taking the bus by myself or other times they were larger like  presenting a program in Spanish to 50 children. My internship experience made me realize that I really want to have a career where I can work closely with community members. I now want to go forward with the intention of getting a job in the nonprofit or public sector. Personally, I got to travel to many different parts of Ecuador and it sparked my interest to travel and see more of the world. Overall, I believe my semester abroad made me a more well-rounded person and a led me to realize I definitely want to have a career where I can help others and give back to the community. 

Dominican Republic Service Excursion

The study abroad adventure was in the Dominican Republic. This trip was a service learning experience, that focused on Agricultural Sustainability and Environmental Resources. The program was an action packed nine days that allowed 16 fellow voyagers and I to fully immerse ourselves in the rural countryside of the DR.

One word comes to mind when thinking about how my view of the world transformed as result of this program—privilege. Prior to this excursion, I had partaken in many privilege workshops at Ohio State. However, these workshops determined privilege between peers at school, peers who were American citizens. By traveling to another country, I saw, first hand, how under privileged another area of the world was in comparison to my home. I saw poor waste management, loose chemical restrictions, and a lack of water treatment availability.

I was blown away by the concept of not having clean water. How could something so accessible be so difficult to utilize? This was one of the most transforming aspects of the trip, for I saw how difficult it was to live in a world with unclean water. The daily struggle, hardships, and inconvenience were visible each day. The experience has stayed with me longer after my return home, and I am still pondering ways that I can contribute to the efforts that are combating this country’s issue.

The interaction that led to my transformation would be the service project that I took part in while abroad. I traveled to La Piedra, a local community that my main guide had created and works with to improve. The project was running 600 feet of pipe from a pre-dug well all throughout the community to provide water for the local people. The work was exhausting, as it required digging a trench with a pick axe in extremely rocky terrain. When I first began working, the local people did not seem interested in helping; however, after just a brief period of watching, many of the people began to pitch in. Before I knew it, the entire community was taking a turn in the strenuous work.

The work and ability to help was tremendously rewarding, yet the local community still treated me in a way that made me feel so welcomed. They prepared a delicious lunch and encouraged me to view some of their forms of entertainment around the community. This made the work even more worthwhile, as I could see the appreciation from their actions. These people were astounding excited about the idea of having running water, and I could not wait to help them finish the project.

Upon completing the well, digging the trenches, and laying the pipe, the last task was to connect the pump to the make-shift transformers that powered the community. Although this task was completed after my departure, I was still able to see photos of the flowing water from the pipes that I assisted in installing. The overwhelming feeling of joy has furthered my transformational experience. Overall, this service project in total is what led to my transformation. I saw the water scarcity issues in the country, and I could aide in fixing the problem for one community. This may have been a small-scale fix, but I believe it has instilled in me a sense of hope that this issue can be resolved soon.

This abroad journey was my first international adventure. Before this trip, I had only considered traveling for vacation, which I believe most people do. Often, I feel as if it is far too easy to get caught up in the idea of deserving a vacation, but going to a new location to complete a service project was eye opening. I saw some of aspects of life, that I take for granted, that are inaccessible in other areas. More importantly, I learned about matters that I can hopefully educate others about to find solutions for the problems.

I believe this transformational experience was very valuable for my life, as I am majoring in Agriscience Education. This degree will allow me to instruct an agricultural based curriculum at the high school level. Along with being an Ag teacher, I will have the opportunity to be an FFA advisor. The National FFA Organization is the largest youth-led organization in the nation. Today, over 600,000 members across the United States, including Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, are working hard to advance our nation’s most valuable industry—agriculture. By having this opportunity to educate youth, I hope to inform them about the issues that lie just outside of our borders. This education will empower students to seek positions that fix or send aide to these areas. Overall, my second-year transformational experience in the Dominican Republic enlightened my career path by providing me with a stronger purpose—a purpose that will lead to a better world.

Priceless Peru: A Semester of Self Growth and Reflexion!

My STEP signature project was a semester abroad at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru located in Lima, Peru through the ISA program. My semester involved taking four literature classes completely in Spanish with natives, making new Peruvian, US, and international friends, as well as experiencing the diversity of Peru through visiting different regions of the country.

My semester abroad can only be described as life-altering and transformational. I have always been fairly self-aware but being in a foreign country for such a long amount of time deepened my understanding of myself and challenged me to grow and change. I have always considered myself a half introverted and half extroverted person who is good at talking to strangers but being in such a large city and having to make all new friends made me completely clam up in the beginning of my study abroad. I found the city difficult to navigate efficiently and was put off by the Peruvians’ seemingly unfriendly and somber personalities. My assumptions about Peruvians ended up being completely wrong, but it took me some time to understand why they seemed so serious. I had to push aside my timidness and get to know some of my classmates to see that strangers versus people you know better will treat you differently and that it was not meant to be taken offensively. This revelation came after I learned about the history of Peru and it’s experiences with a corrupt government and terrorism. In the end I realized that while I can become more timid in challenging times, I’m capable of pushing through it and accomplishing what I thought was scary and nearly impossible. I made friends with classmates and was able to better understand how different countries in the world and their citizens are affected by their government’s actions.

Two events helped me overcome my timidness and realize that I could thrive in a big city. The first event was when I took the bus by myself to the district of Miraflores. With the help of google maps, I was able to find the store I was looking for without walking too far or getting lost. While this may seem like a small accomplishment, for me it was huge and gave me more confidence to start exploring lesser known parts of the city. Another big event for me was going to a hair salon and having my hair dyed. After serval months of being away from home it was starting to loose its color. I walked into the salon without an appointment since that is acceptable in Peru, successfully communicated what services I wanted, chatted with the hairstylist from Venezuela, and left the salon with a great looking haircut and color and a new, confident personality to match.

My friendship with a local Peruvian girl who was in two of my classes was a relationship that also gave me more confidence and changed my assumptions about Peruvians. We were able to help each other out in class by sharing notes, studying together, and going to extracurricular events. When I first starting talking to her in class to try and get to know her and other students she was always incredibly nice. As I got to know her and her friends more I realized that you just have to give Peruvians time to open up. My host family was also very welcoming and showed me a lot of acceptance. These relationships made me feel more at home and showed me that I can fit in while living in another country. Also, I was struck by the fact that friendship and love really do cross all borders. People are people no matter where you go; we all want the same things in life. As I realized this and bonded with locals and people in my program I grew my confidence and learned to see cultural differences as just that, a difference, not good or bad, and not something that has to separate people.

Additionally, an activity that helped changed my assumptions and widen my world view was going to an exposition on terrorism at LUM(El Lugar de la Memoria, la Tolerancia y la Inclusión Social) or The Place of Memory, Tolerance, and Social Inclusion. I learned that the Peruvian people faced horrible violence by their own government between 1980 and 2000, which is not that long ago. I got to listen to and watch actual videos of several victims’ family members who had even seen their relatives killed. I also got to read about the history of how violence began and how the government responded equally violently. To listen to and read about these murders was extremely sad and made me realize why Peruvians, especially those on the street, are not trusting of strangers. People are not trying to be rude they are just being cautious. In fact, I had a conversation with one of the on site program coordinators who is Peruvian and he said that my observations were not surprising. He said that if he and his friends or family were walking on the street and saw trash bags laying on the ground or an abandoned car was parked on that street they would cross the street to get away from these items just in case there was a bomb in them. After learning more about the history of Peru and getting to know more natives I became much less judgmental and more inquisitive about my host country and other countries in the world. I tried to learn even more by going to see La Hora Final(The Final Hour), a movie about terrorism in Peru. I discovered that my world view had broadened after I realized that many other countries have faced similar issues with corrupt governments and that a nation’s citizens act a certain way not only because of the country’s culture but because of its government.

The changes in myself and how I view the world are incredibly important as I continue to develop myself and a career. Academically, I am now even more sure than ever that I want my future career to involve the Spanish language and culture. I am also positive I want to make an impact in the world and protect the groups of people with less power and representation in society. When I realized why Peruvians are more reserved I was much less quick to judge them. Being slow to make assumptions will help me in the future because I want to work with diverse groups of people from different backgrounds. Now, I will be more competent at understanding why people act the way they do and better able to relate to everyone I work with currently and into the future. I will be more able to understand their unique history and look to their past as a means of how I can help them in the future. For example, say I want to help create a program that promotes healthier eating habits in Peru, but I don’t take into account that Peruvians are accustomed to drinking pop or any other drink but water. Without that background information I could not address a huge health issue of drinking too many sugary drinks. Similar ideas about the use of background information to solve a problem could also be applied to environmental and many other health issues. My new understanding of the importance of people’s backgrounds and the history of a country will be very valuable in my future career. On a personal note, I am always striving to learn more about other cultures and to understand them, and my STEP project and personal transformation have helped me learn so much about another culture and how to be a better global citizen. My STEP project took me out of my comfort zone, helped me develop a better understanding of myself, and will aide and guide my professional goals. In the future, I will continuously challenge myself to grow and to gain as much insight into other people’s cultures and history as possible. Here is link to my blog of the first four days I spent in Lima.  https://jravlin.wixsite.com/jackietravelblog/single-post/2017/08/27/Bienvenida-a-Lima-The-first-4-Days

Machu Picchu

 

Learning about dying Alpaca wool!

STEP Reflection: Japan: Architecture/Landscapes/Urbanism

My STEP Signature Project was an architecture study abroad to Japan. Throughout the trip, we travelled all over Japan, observing architecture and landscapes. We were able to see both modern buildings and landscapes in addition to ancient temples and gardens.

While completing my STEP signature project, I was surprised to recognize that I was not so quick to adapt to a new culture as I had originally thought I would be. Before going on this trip, I thought that I would fully embrace the culture, especially the food. I realized quickly that this was not the case. Although I liked certain aspects of the cuisine, I missed my own familiar food enormously. The food was not the only culture shock I experienced. Basic Japanese etiquette and simple ways of conducting day-to-day life, like walking and driving on the left side of the street, was difficult to grasp in the short two weeks that we were in the country. Recognizing my own inhibitions when it came to acclimating to a new culture has allowed me to see more clearly how set I am in my own ways. This experience has increased my ability to realize when I am being too rigid in my behaviors. I could benefit from a little flexibility in my life.

There was not one outstanding food-related experience abroad that forced me to come to terms with my insufficient ability to adjust, but rather a culmination of meals. Fish is eaten widely and often in Japan, which I was aware of before travelling. However, simply being aware did not completely prepare me for how nearly unavoidable it was. If there had been more options of things to eat besides fish, I like to think I would have had an easier time with the cuisine. However, because most of my diet is fruits and vegetables, this was not the case. There was lack of fresh vegetables in Japan, and when the vegetables were fresh, they were likely mixed with either pork or fish. A common meal was a rice bowl with an assortment of pickled vegetables on top. At first, this was a delicious and interesting choice. After so many rice bowls, however, I was longing for something filling that didn’t have a pickled or fishy aftertaste.

Another part of Japanese culture that I found challenging to adjust to was the simple act of walking on the left side of the street. There were plenty of instances in which I thought at first that I was the polite pedestrian and people coming the other direction were out of control, when in fact it was I who was walking on the wrong side of the street. Escalators were another setting in which I accidentally impaired the movement of the those around me. In Japan, people who wish to stand on the escalator do so on the left side, and allow those in a rush to scale the stairs on the right. Repeatedly, I found myself standing wherever I pleased on the escalator, with people behind me trying to get by.

Besides the mostly-clear rules regarding which side of the street to walk on, there are several subtler forms of etiquette in Japan that I was

slower to grasp. For instance, I was unaware until halfway through the trip that it is impolite to talk on the train. Even after I had learned this piece of information, it was something that I would frequently forget, being wrapped up in the excitement of traveling abroad. The Japanese attitude towards jaywalking was also exceedingly difficult to come to terms with. In the United States, people typically will cross the street whenever there are no cars coming, even if there is a “do not walk” symbol. This is not the case in Japan. If the sign says not to walk, people will not walk. Those who do are “publically shamed” according to our tour guide. Despite initial difficulty, I, for the most part, succeeded in resisting the urge to rush out onto the street with no walk signal.

By recognizing my own weaknesses regarding acclimating to a foreign culture, I’m slowly seeing how these faults could manifest in my day-to-day life. The trouble I had adjusting to the Japanese way of walking down the street could have been minimized if I had been more aware of the people around me. Being more observant of my surroundings would help me academically especially. Not only would I be able to pay better attention in class, but I would also be more attune to upcoming deadlines and happenings around campus.

Professionally, I believe that acknowledging and acting upon my own shortcomings when it comes to adapting to unfamiliar situations will be an enormous help when I obtain my first professional job. I know that, whatever the job may be, it will be exceptionally different than the academic environment I’ve grown accustomed to. I will have to navigate my way through uncomfortable situations, just as I did in Japan. I will need to adjust to routines and expectations that which I’m unfamiliar. Although I’m sure that my trip to Japan has not fully prepared me for this steep learning curve, I believe I have a more comprehensive understanding of what lies ahead.

Shonandai Cultural Center

Ginkakuji Temple

STEP: Ben in Barcelona, Study Abroad

  1. Please provide a brief description of your STEP Signature Project. Write two or three sentences describing the main activities your STEP Signature Project entailed.

My STEP Signature project was a study abroad program in Barcelona, Spain at the Catalan Institution called Universitat Pompeu Fabra. I studied at this university for a semester and I was in Catalonia for nearly 4 months studying Spanish, learning more about the culture, and expanding knowledge about politics and international diplomacy. In general, it was a very life-changing experience because many Americans never study abroad let alone travel outside the country (64%); furthermore, I learned more about myself and what I want to do in a future career.

  1. What about your understanding of yourself, your assumptions, or your view of the world changed/transformed while completing your STEP Signature Project? Write one or two paragraphs to describe the change or transformation that took place.

When I was in Barcelona I had an amazing experience. I lived in an Alpha-city. This is a global city or a world center that has an important node in the global economic system. It is a link in a major economic region of the world economy,  it has superior infrastructure, many businesses and corporations, and is an area that is diverse and multicultural with many immigrants. Nevertheless, I also learned more about Spain, Catalan culture, the EU, and spent a lot of time with the Erasmus generation (Young European Union citizens that are studying abroad at other state member colleges). I practiced my Spanish way more on a regular basis, whether it was with my friends, reading, watching movies/TV, writing, or thinking. I truly learned how to immerse myself into a society that is not my homeland, learn the local expressions, and handle situations in a language that is not my native tongue which was really interesting and satisfying. Not only did I learn more about Hispanic/Catalan language and culture, but I also learned more about politics.

The current situation of Catalan independence movement is a bit messy right now. While I respect the desire and want for autonomy and freedom, I also learned the importance of the European Union. The EU is a massive semi-federal and international organization that is one its own kind created to ensure political and economic unity after the destruction of WWII. Globalism and internationalism triumph nationalism according to this unique project. Furthermore, a good portion of European citizens identify as global citizens.

After this experience, I definitely identify as a global citizen. That is a realization that truly changed my identity that changed my perspective on my nationality. As Thomas Paine once said, “my country is the world, & my religion is to do good.” I truly know this is my mission in life. We live in an age of globalization and we have solutions to world contemporary issues regardless of social geography. My mission is to help promote world peace and reduce poverty. I know that good diplomacy can achieve these goals whether it is working for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), (United States Agency for International Development (USAID), European Development Fund, etc. World citizenship places an emphasis on helping humanity and improving our world regardless of nationality.

  1. 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? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

My interactions at school, with my friends, and family all helped me grow. The biggest impact I had while in Catalonia was when I attended the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. This institution is ranked number two in Spain. So, I received excellent instruction from very qualified professors. I studied literature, cinema, and art. Additionally, I took a globalization and social cohesion course and European Union and Society class. These two political science courses made me more knowledgeable about the world, political institutions, political actors, official development aid, etc.

Not only did I learn much from class, but I also made many new friends. They helped me broaden my horizons with international perspectives. I had friends from Spain, Catalonia, and the EU, and the US. My European friends definitely told me about concepts I would never have learned. For example, the complexities of laws between member states and the EU, the perks of being an EU citizen, and reasons for why Brexit happened. This knowledge cannot be simply found on the news or answered from google sometimes.

Finally, I also had my host family. While they were American expats and not Spanish, they lived in Barcelona for 30 years. They gave a good comparative perspective and two kids born and raised in Spain. I spoke Spanish often with my host mom to help practice and enjoyed talking to her about culture. They gave me great advice about what to do and see in the city and in the region like museums and parks. Overall, my social interactions helped me with my personal development.

 

  1. Why is this change/transformation significant or valuable for your life? Write one or two paragraphs discussing why this change or development matters and/or relates to your academic, personal, and/or professional goals and future plans.

 

Originally before the trip, I wanted to work for domestic politics or to be an immigration lawyer in the USA. Now I would say that I view my future career differently. Due to current events and a changing political atmosphere, I want to keep more of my options open. I would love to keep my career more related to international affairs, foreign policy, and poverty reduction with official development aid.

After my experience, I would definitely consider myself a big advocate for free trade, yet also reducing poverty and inequality. While globalization does make everyone better off, it also increased relative inequality in the world. My goal after college is to try to reduce this contemporary world issue. I can see myself working at multiple places such as think tanks in Washington D.C., the UNDP in NYC, the European Development Fund, or the USAID. I want to work on official development aid reforms to help ensure that there are increased funds and effectiveness of the money that we spend to reduce poverty on a global scale. I also realized the importance of American diplomacy in foreign policy. American influence after the Cold War has been to help develop other nations and to make the world a safer and prosperous place. Overall, I am confident that I can accomplish these goals and I am glad that I studied abroad to change my perspective and career paths to a more concrete route.

STEP: Semester Abroad in Bangkok, Thailand

My STEP project was a semester abroad in Bangkok, Thailand. I went through the Fisher College of Business and had the opportunity to take business classes at Thammasat Business School and live in Thailand. I was also fortunate enough to travel around Southeast Asia quite a bit.

This STEP Signature project taught me more about myself and about the world than I could have ever received in a classroom. I learned so much about myself and my ability to deal with problems and how to handle conflict. For example, Thailand works a lot slower than the United States, and has a term called “Thai Time” for when they complete things later, and rarely follow deadlines or set times. For me, I am a very anxious and very on time person so learning to slow down and adapt to Thai time was an incredibly difficult process. Once I started to see how much less stressed Thai people were, I understood the appeal of Thai time and forced myself to slow down and enjoy my time rather than trying to rush through things. I also learned so much about the world by living in Thailand. Living in a developing country is such a different experience and really makes you thankful for all the amenities that we have in the United States. I took for granted food security, food regulations, having access to clean water, having access to strong public transportation, and being surrounded by people who speak your language and can communicate with you effectively. I had so many challenges to deal with, and it was only one semester abroad. It really made me think about how lucky I am in the United States and how many resources I have that make my life easier and conflict-free. It was transformative, and I came back to the United States with a completely new appreciation for the life I’ve been living.

 

There are so many factors that were responsible for my transformation during my STEP Signature Project. One of these was the complete immersion that I experienced. Not only did I live in Thailand, but I studied at a renowned university, and was given lots of respect by the local people. Not only that, but we lived outside the city and lived amongst the locals, who really taught me so much about their culture and their character as well. Getting to experience life as a local and taking public transportation as well as eating Thai food every day was something I hadn’t really ever had the opportunity to do when I’ve traveled in the past. Not only that, but the relationships that I cultivated with the other exchange students around the world also had a huge impact on my transformation. I learned so much about the world from my friends and they were able to learn so much from me as well. We shared our cultural differences and what our homes were like and came to such a deeper understanding for what the rest of the world is like and also how similar we all are. I lived with people from all over Europe, United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and all over Asia as well. Every day we talked and during that time I learned something new about somewhere that I had never even thought about.

 

Another part of my study abroad experience that was transformative were my travels in Southeast Asia. Since I only had class 3 days a week, I took many weekend trips and had once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to travel to countries I had dreamed about. I got to visit the ancient temples of Cambodia, hike in the Vietnamese mountains, dive all throughout Thailand, and visit a village in the waters of Myanmar. I never imagined I’d have these opportunities, and getting to backpack and travel taught me so much about myself and about my environment. Before I left, I was a big shopper and spent a lot of money on things I thought I needed. Once I came back, I started to become a minimalist and really consider what I need to survive. So many of the people in these countries are suffering from extreme levels of poverty, many nearly impossible to describe to people in the United States. When I was backpacking, there was only so much that I could bring with me so I was forced to strategize and pick things that I knew would give me value. This really taught me to prioritize things and pay attention to what brings value to my life. Backpacking not only exposed me to the beauty of travel but also the comfort that minimalism can bring. As I traveled more and more, I started to bring less, and I found myself freed by the ability to not have to carry around too much and still being able to get by. It also made me look at the United States and our consumerism in a different light. We’re trapped in a vicious cycle where we’re consumed by goods in a way that no one else is. Other countries, like Myanmar, are in such poverty that they don’t have that luxury so consumerism isn’t a big problem there, and it was here that I started to see how different life can be when you’re not in a constant state of buying things. When I came back to the United States, I immediately flushed out 90% of the things I owned that I knew I never used and would never bring me value, and removing that clutter has allowed me to see clearly now.

 

Another specific activity that had a profound effect on me was when I got to go diving in the south of Thailand. Although the experience was wonderful and amazing, what was most important was how the diving instructors spoke about the natural ecosystem and what their concerns were for the future of the waters. They frequently mentioned that the coral was getting depleted, that there was constant littering and pollution in the water due to tourists and locals not caring about the environment, and how these interactions were making the environment almost uninhabitable. For example, one of my dive instructors told us about Maya Bay, infamously known for being the filming location of “The Beach”, and while it used to be a beautiful beach, it is now getting destroyed by littering and uncaring tourists. This really got me thinking about how to be an environmentally friendly tourist, but also concerned me that nothing was getting done to help the environment. After I thought about this for a while, I started to get inspired and began designing products that I believed could be useful. It was at this point that I realized I was interested in product design, and now believe that will be part of my future career. Had I not gone to Thailand and experienced these unfortunate situations, I’m not sure I ever would have found my passion.

 

Studying abroad in Thailand was amazing because of so many things: it helped me find my passion, it helped me learn so much about the world that I never could have imagined learning about, and it grounded me and helped me figure out who I really was. I truly believe it was the most transformative experience of my life and has affected my perspective on everything I do moving forward.

 

I also blogged for Fisher if you’re interested in reading that too!

Beginnings of my study abroad in Thailand