During my STEP Signature Project, I traveled abroad to Brazil to complete an immersive language program. I stayed with my host mother in the city of Curitiba where I took Brazilian Portuguese and Geography of Brazil classes at the federal university. I was also given the opportunity to travel around Brazil and learn about the rich and unique societies that each region of the country was able to offer.

I had no expectations of the country before arriving which, I think was a good thing as I had no preexisting stereotypes about the people or the culture. This allowed me to really understand and connect with the people and learn about the country on a level that was so fundamental because my experience was so pure and not biased by any other aspect. Being a child of Indian immigrants, I did not experience a huge culture shock because I have traveled to different parts of the world before that differ greatly from Western society; however, I was able to appreciate the common sentiment to enjoy life and appreciate the ones you love that the Brazilian people have adopted. This attitude was one of the most important things that I have learnt and really differed from the cultures I have experienced before. Another thing that brought more depth to my understanding of the world was the ambiguity of people’s appearance. There were so many different types of people in Brazil, mainly due to the numerous waves of immigration and refugees that have found their home in the huge country. This really redefined my thoughts on race and cultural barriers. It also made me feel less concerned about how other people perceive me due to the color of my skin; something that I find myself having to do many times in the United States.

My classes, meeting other students and travelling were the factors that really allowed me to initiate and follow through with my transformation. When I had arrived in Curitiba, it was really nothing like I had expected. The city was very big and I realized that almost no one spoke English. Not having any previous knowledge of Brazilian Portuguese, I quickly discovered that I would have to develop my language skills very fast in order to do something so simple as just ordering food. This determination really fueled my interest in paying attention in class, practicing the language and building my vocabulary with every chance I got. The first month of my exchange was very mentally challenging as I felt very isolated to others due to the language barrier. My host mother also only spoke Brazilian Portuguese so I had to communicate with her using a translator. This was something that really inspired me to learn the language rapidly as I wanted to avoid the translator and really get to know her and connect with her on a level that required the intimacy and emotion of the direct, spoken language. I was able to start picking up the language within a month. This linguistic knowledge really allowed me to understand the Brazilian culture on a closer level as I learned many slangs and words that were exclusive to the country and the people. Through my classes I was also able to meet other exchange students from places such as France, Spain, Croatia, Ireland, and more. This gave me another aspect of cultural learning that I really wasn’t expecting. I was able to connect with people from all over the world. I also made many Brazilian friends through the university and the program. I was able to spend time with them in different social setting and circles that let me explore Brazilian pop culture and youth culture. My connection with Brazilian people my age really allowed me to immerse myself in the language as I began to participate in conversation and learn how to speak Portuguese informally, expanding on my base of formal/ didactic Portuguese.

I began to travel with some English-speaking friends and families to see the breathtaking beaches and views that Brazil had to offer. Within two weeks of arriving in the country, another exchange student’s host family invited me on a family vacation to the coastal beaches of Parana. Although I still was not able to speak much of the language, I was able to observe what a typical getaway to the beach would entail. I was able to enjoy some tasty barbecue, churrascaria, and beautiful waves. I also traveled with some other exchange students or Brazilian friends to places such as Rio and Sao Paulo. I went to Sao Paulo to celebrate Carnaval and it was one of the most culturally enriching experiences I had. Being able to celebrate life with Brazilian people is really something that I will never forget in my life. I even began to feel comfortable enough in my language skills to begin traveling on my own. This was one of the most rewarding and transforming experiences for me because it really forced me to practice speaking and I also connected with so many people that I never would have imagined. For example, one night I had dinner with an older couple from my host city of Curitiba who had moved to the coastal village of Pontal do Sul. They cooked me dinner and we had a wonderful conversation about my life in the US and their life in Brazil. Towards the end of my exchange, I did a 2-week solo backpacking trip through three states within the interior of Brazil. Here I met even more interesting people and other foreigners who taught me so many things about their home country, themselves, their viewpoints and their traditions. My Brazilian geography class really enriched my journey as there were many things that I learned in class that I was able to witness and observe in real-time. For example, I traveled to the city of Uberlandia to meet with my friend and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend’s family was in the agricultural business. After learning extensively about this industry in my class, I was able to understand better the nuances and social aspects of this business after visiting Uberlandia. This is just one of many examples where I was able to have such a rich immersion within Brazilian society while traveling.

Not only did traveling and connecting with different types of people help me gain a comprehensive knowledge of the country but it also allowed me to develop a deep and passionate love for Brazil. I had made so many friends and such a strong personal connection with host mother that it really was difficult for me to return to the United States. I know that I will return to Brazil very soon. My experience also helped me gain a newfound appreciation for myself. I was met with many obstacles during my trip that I was able to overcome. By not being shy to practice the language, I was able to make the most out of my exchange in terms of forming connections and discovering the country. Also, my penchant for trying new things really opened my horizon for new foods, friends and experiences. During my time in Brazil, especially while backpacking, I appreciated my courage and motivation in learning about the country. The experience really made me a more confident person and I find myself less afraid to take risks and more inclined to enjoy life.

Lastly, my experience also helped me academically and professionally. During my time studying at the federal university, I was able to connect with a pediatric nephrologist that worked for the university hospital. I was able to shadow and meet with her on numerous occasions which not only expanded my Portuguese vocabulary into the field of healthcare, but it also allowed me to understand Brazil’s public system of healthcare. This opportunity allowed me to expand my options in career choices and also confirm my interest in the field of global healthcare and health policy. As a senior, this is rewarding as it helps me on my career path and path to medical college.

I attended a study abroad experience in South India to learn about the health and mental healthcare systems and how social work and social welfare activities operate within the country. We visited NGOs, hospitals, rural community healthcare centers, and economic empowerment programs, among other locations. I learned about how they are attempting to serve vulnerable populations and implement universal healthcare for over one billion people with increasingly limited resources.

My entire trip, from start to finish, was extremely transformative. I believe I learned a great deal about India while also learning quite a lot about myself also. I thought that the extremely different culture would create challenges that would overwhelm me or ruin my ability to have an enjoyable trip. I began to realize that I am much more capable of handling high stress environments and problem-solving with a level head than I previously thought.

I learned a lot about how much social welfare work is being done with so little resources. This altered my view of what is possible in the fields of social work and health and mental health care fields. Additionally, my ideas of how a social problem such as domestic violence can present differently based on family norms and structures, as well as how it will be remedied by social workers, healthcare workers, legal professionals, law enforcement, and society as a whole. Another perspective of mine that was greatly altered pertains to health, mental health, and the connection between the two. Eastern cultures have a different approach that appreciates and accommodates the interconnectedness.

My personal growth was related to learning in a class room or agency visit setting, but I also believe I learned a great deal about my abilities to exist and thrive in a new environment. Many of the challenges we faced while abroad were related to transportation, crowded environments, language barriers, and differences related to cultural norms and practices. They required staying calm, patient, and vigilant of your surroundings. The chaos of a crowded city like Bangalore was easy to navigate because I picked up quickly on how to navigate the world around me. I could negotiate with street vendors and auto rickshaw drivers and understand that personal space and orderly lines are a western custom or expectation. This showed me that I am capable of international travel, which motivates me to do so in the future.

Much of our trip focused on social work duties and how they are performed in an Indian context. We had lectures on the structure of the health care system, gender-based violence, HIV/AIDs care, child welfare, and social work as a profession. We visited a domestic violence shelter, a public housing facility, a residential facility for people living with dementia, and a rural community health center, among others. I learned a great deal about how the government is involved in financing and promoting such programs and what types of priorities they hold. In the U.S., funding for social welfare issues may be available but is hard to come by due to restrictions on use. In India, funding is just as scarce, but philanthropic causes are less driven by political expediency. Their goal of universal healthcare is becoming a reality, despite their 1+ billion population, whereas the U.S. does not see it as a feasible task. The way things are done in India may not always be plainly better than the way they are done in the U.S., but I learned that often the concept of U.S. superiority clouds our ability to take into consideration that we may be able to learn from other nations.

Several of the visits to healthcare centers and many lectures touched on the concept of maternal and infant health and how these indicators paint a picture of the overall health of a nation. The government hospitals and rural community healthcare centers we visited exhibited the programs and policies they have in place meant to focus on maternal and infant wellbeing. This issue manifests very similarly in India as it does in the U.S. and indicators of health and wellbeing are measured in the same ways.  Maternal and infant health is an issue I am very interested in and to see it was a focus of many health care services was very heartwarming and inspiring to me.

Through lectures on the major religions of India, yoga, Indian psychology, and mental healthcare, we learned a great deal about how Hinduism is related to the practice and lifestyle of yoga, as well as how it can be used to benefit the mental health of many groups. We also visited an ashram, many temples, and other facilities where the philosophy and practice of yoga is utilized daily to help vulnerable people. Through the lectures mentioned above, as well as an additional lecture on homeopathy and visits to different specialized mental healthcare agencies, I became aware that Eastern cultures pay much more attention to the wellbeing of an entire person as well as to their social environment. Family values and the acknowledgement of the mind-body connection make wellness a more robust issue. This was something I knew little about since our healthcare and social work fields often must focus on specialization due to funding concerns.

Everything I learned will be beneficial for growth and development in my personal life, my academics, and within my career. I have a better understanding of India, its people, and related cultures. I feel that I am better equipped to handle stressful situations where calm and quick thinking are needed. I seek to experience new cultures and learn about peoples’ lives while in their environment.

I have a better understanding of how universal healthcare in practice could function, as well as how to utilize resources with scarcity in mind. These will be important pieces of knowledge for my career as a social worker. I am empowered to work to increase access to health and mental health care for new and expectant mothers here in the U.S. I am also interested in considering this type of career abroad. It has motivated me to get training to become a doula and to seek out specific master’s programs that will aid in my career development in the field

I also have a great appreciation for the mind-body connection and have decided to do more research on how to best incorporate a yoga lifestyle into the westernized life I have. I want to be more in tune with my emotions and believe that this self-discovery and growth will not only make me a better person, but a better activist and social worker.

1. My STEP Signature Project was an education abroad trip to Panama through the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Science. The program, titled “Panama: Through the Lens of AgriCulture, Diversity, and Sustainability,” was intended to help students study the differences between the agricultural industries of Panama and the United States while exploring a new culture and discussing sustainability efforts. We traveled from Panama City north to Boquete, visiting many different farms along the way. 
2. I learned a lot about myself on this trip based on assumptions I made about the types of interactions and relationships I would encounter, as someone who felt I was in a very different place than the majority of the students and the resident directors of the trip. As an Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS) and Spanish dual degree student traveling with mostly people with animal science and meat science backgrounds, I assumed that I would have a hard time getting along or agreeing with many of the students. I felt this way because of my lack of an animal agriculture background and because I am a vegan- which I did receive backlash for from the first day. Ultimately, we needed conversation to engage with, understand, and learn from each others’ perspectives, and I found that I judged some people too soon. 
3. My interactions on this trip that led to my transformational experience began with group meals and farm visits. My background in environmentalism and sustainability is part of the reason I am vegetarian, meaning that I look at the meat industry with a wildly different set of eyes than the animal and meat science students. I was feeling very frustrated because I felt like I couldn’t express my true opinions, beliefs, or knowledge set in front of people who did not want to hear me discuss the environmental and moral issues I have with the agriculture industry. This created a somewhat toxic environment for me if I am being honest, until we were all able to have our viewpoints understood and until I was able to accurately convey the fact that I had never seen the agriculture industry from this side and that I wanted to learn from and engage with my peers. My perception is that we both saw each other as close-minded about an issue that we learned about from different perspectives, and I’m glad that this is something I recognized and tried to reconcile. 

   I began engaging more with my peers and asking them questions about processes I didn’t understand and that not only helped me grow and see both sides, but also by asking questions I think I helped redeem myself from a somewhat stand-offish outlook I may have projected about the topics. After engaging more with my peers and showing greater interest in the things I didn’t learn about from their field of study, that opened up two-way conversations. People on the trip asked me why I ate the way I do and why I felt the way I do about certain things. After I was able to share my opinions in a more open environment, people began asking me questions about things they didn’t understand either from the point of view of my field of study. All of my interactions and relationships ended up being positive, and several of my peers and I thanked each other for the interest in the other side of an issue that we each conveyed, even if not from the get-go. 

4. This experience helped me grow by reminding me that even though my beliefs may be firm, discussion and engagement is crucial to positive relationships, to fully understanding issues, and that I don’t actually know everything about everything. I learned more about farming and Panamanian culture, but the interactions and relationships I encountered on this trip were truthfully more impactful for me than the bulk of the information I learned. I am a very opinionated and strong-willed person, but this trip reminded me of the importance of seeing the big picture and grounded me in new relationships and ideas.

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

For my STEP Signature project, I studied abroad in Warsaw, Poland, where I conducted independent research in the social science field and also took a class on Data Analytics and a class about the history of Eastern and Central Europe. My research project studied how opinions about state paternalism have changed over the last 30 years on the basis of age, gender, education, and income, using the Polish Panel Survey, or POLPAN.

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.

Even though the duration of my study abroad trip (5 weeks) seemed short to me prior to leaving for my trip, a lot changed during that time! The number one change I would say is how adventurous, fearless, and confident in my own abilities I became after successfully studying abroad. I truly could not have expected a smoother trip and being able to navigate myself both geographically and also through my classes (with tons of awesome support from my professors, peers, and program coordinators of course) showed me that I am capable of a lot more than I previously thought I was capable of. My STEP Signature Project also helped me to re-evaluate what “home” really means. Before this trip I still considered “home” the house I grew up in but in just 5 short weeks Warsaw felt like home and once I got home, my childhood home felt foreign. The confidence I gained on in this trip translates not just to my desire to travel more in the future but also in my ability to feel like I can take on any challenge now.

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.

Many aspects of my program led to the changes and transformations I talked about in the previous question. First and foremost, the supportive professors and program coordinators that I had in-country played a huge role in me feeling confident to step out of my comfort zone and take on new experiences. This is because I always knew that any time I needed advice, support, help, or guidance as a I experienced new things, I could turn to them. During orientation for my trip, held at OSU, one of the professors from my study abroad trip came to go over the program with us and told us, “while you are in Poland, we will look out for you like our own children”, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the level of support I received from my professors while I was in Warsaw. I think it is possible that if I didn’t have professors I could always count on during my program, I would’ve felt more afraid to step out of my comfort zone. I feel like I truly gained a new family amongst my Study Abroad peers and professors and this is why I feel like my understanding of what “home” truly means changed from this trip.

My newfound confidence comes from various aspects of my STEP Signature project and a major part of that was the content of the program. This program required six credit hours of independent research as well as a Data Analysis class. I have previously taken Data Analysis for my other major on campus and found the class quite difficult and I had never done independent research before. Needless to say, I was fairly nervous about the classes. But, my professors went above and beyond to explain concepts in a way that made sense to me and with a class size of 8, I felt comfortable to ask questions until I understood the concepts. Successfully completing the Data Analysis class and watching my Final Research Paper come together showed me that I am capable of more than I previously thought I was capable of and this played a huge role in how confident I am now in tackling new challenges.

Lastly, traveling through Poland also played a huge role in becoming more confident in my ability to literally navigate. Prior to this trip, I always felt that I had poor navigation skills and being in a foreign country on my own forced me to work on these skills. As a part of my program, there were weekend trips to different cities in Poland. During the day, we visited museums and other historical sites with our professors but in the evening we had free time to explore on our own. During our first weekend trip, I felt nervous during our free time and always stuck with someone else to do the navigating. By our last weekend trip, I was the one navigating the group around and taking the lead on figuring out how to get from one place to another.

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.

The changes and transformations that I experienced are significant for my life because I can honestly say, as cliché as it sounds, that I am a different and better person after going through my STEP Signature project. Being abroad pushed me to face fears and take on challenges that I wouldn’t have had to had I not participated in this project and I have grown as a person because of it. Traveling to a new country and experience its culture made me fall in love with experiencing new cultures and traveling is now very important to me. In fact, I have already booked tickets to travel to another location in a few short weeks. Further, as the new school year starts, I am more confident that ever in my ability to take on challenging classwork and succeed at it because I can remind myself that I was able to do just that in the summer. Moreover, studying abroad has made me begin to think more so about where I may want to go to graduate school. Prior to this experience I planned on staying near Ohio but I now want to explore options in other parts of the country and possibly even abroad.

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

Through my STEP Signature Project I studied abroad in Siena, Italy. I received a greater understanding of the language and culture through traveling and classes taught in Italian.

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

I came into this experience not knowing anyone or what to expect and I could not be more grateful for that. While I am a person who loves to plan in advance and is reserved, I had no choice but to be flexible and outgoing in this situation. From the start, I adapted to the new experience I was about to face. I was presented with new friends and even a new family with whom I stayed with for four weeks. There were communication differences between us but together we had to work through them. I truly appreciated the importance and difficulties that come with adapting to a new culture and learning new languages.

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?

The primary interaction I faced during my STEP Project that led to personal change was staying with a host family. I quickly had to adapt to a new environment, living style, and people. There were differences that I took for granted living in America, like air conditioning and a filling breakfast. One of the greatest challenges I had to overcome was to realize that the differences between our cultures are not negative. One is not more correct than the other and each has their own pros and cons. From that I opened my mind to change and chose to adapt to what I was given. I learned to live without air conditioning and a smaller breakfast. I also was willing to try every dinner that they cooked for us, even if I did not like the food before. I adapted to their lifestyle and communicated in Italian with all members of the family. At times, we faced cultural barriers. However, together we learned to work through our differences to promote our communication.

There were many activities during my STEP Project where I forced myself out of my comfort zone. Personally, I love to have a set plan in advance and follow it perfectly. While studying abroad, I had no choice but to “roll with the punches”. There were times where I never knew what I was going to be doing until I was doing it. There were also many times were plans changed. I learned to be more adaptable to any situation I am in and understanding. I also appreciated taking in every moment while I was in Siena and not worrying about my future plans.

Lastly, the most incredible event I participated in during my STEP Project was the Palio in Siena. The Palio is a medieval horse race that has been happening for centuries. There are neighborhoods called contrada that partake in the Palio. Each contrada receives a horse from a lottery. The passion one has for their contrada is indescribable and their rivalry is even deeper. Coming from an Ohio State football fan who has a strong disliking for That Team Up North, their rivalry is 100x ours. While the actual race is two minutes at most, there is a week of preparing. Whole neighborhoods have feasts and celebrations before and after the race. The winner receives a painting and a year-long worth of pride. The others only celebrate if they beat their rivals. Experiencing this event was incredible and amazing. Witnessing their pride and the Sienese culture is something I will take with me for the rest of my life.

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

My professional goal is to become a Physical Therapist. The primary transformation I received from this experience regarding my professional goals is to be understanding. I learned the great importance of overcoming barriers, whether they be language like my experience, cultural, or personality. Whatever the barrier may be, I will be faced with obstacles when treating patients and the only way to provide the best treatment possible is to overcome them. Communication is crucial in any relationship and is critical in the caregiver-patient relationship. From my experience studying abroad, I am driven to continue my studies in Italian to encourage my understanding of others. I also have learned how adaptable I am able to be. While I can plan my future out, I never know what will happen. However, from this experience I know and have peace knowing everything will find a way to work itself out.

The main activities of my STEP Signature Project, which was an Italian language program in Siena, Italy, were completed in an effort to fully immerse myself in the Italian culture. These activities included taking classes, which were in Italian, as well as various trips around the city and the country.

It’s hard to put into words just how much this experience gave to me. I grew in understanding of myself immensely, in both how I prefer to function, and how capable of adapting to changes I am. Assumptions that I once held about life were certainly challenged while I was abroad, most notably around the superstitions of air conditioning. Although this may seem like a minute detail, I believe that this is a fantastic representation of how cultures can clash. Most Italian homes and businesses do not have air conditioning, and although reasonings may vary, the most common answer that I came across was that air conditioning makes you sick. Coming from an American mindset, this ideology goes against how I was essentially raised. Air conditioning or not, the most important takeaway from this clash is that neither culture is necessarily right or wrong in their beliefs, the only wrong response is disrespecting the choices of others. I believe this to be the most important, applicable, and expansive understanding of the world that one can gain; where there is respect there is less likely to be conflict.

One of the most significant events that I experienced during my project was something that I had read about before my arrival, but I did not comprehend the gravity of the event until I was actually present in it. The town that I stayed in, Siena, holds a world-renowned horse race in their city center every year, in which each “contrada,” or neighborhood, of the town has a chance of racing in. Members of the contrade show an incredible amount of passion about this race, incomparable to anything I have witnessed before – which is a lot to say as someone who attends The Ohio State University. Members of the community spend a great deal of time thinking about and preparing for this race, which may seem like just three laps around the city center, a mere two minutes to an outsider, but the significance of winning and losing the Palio is unrivaled. Winning the Palio is an incredible honor for a contrada, only outdone by the loss of a contrada’s enemy. I never dreamed that I would enjoy this competition, let alone consider it one of the highlights of my trip. This speaks volumes to the importance of respecting other cultures, seeking understanding behind traditions, and keeping an open mind upon entering unknown territory.

A key relationship that was built during my project was one that I was not even aware that I would experience until the day that I arrived, but it turned out to be the home of a majority of my self-growth during my experience. Another girl in the program was also staying with our host family, which I was immediately comforted by – I had someone that spoke the same language as me, and would be experiencing very similar things that I was. She was very friendly, and I honestly don’t have anything bad to say about her. This arrangement just brought me more challenges than I expected in to, as we vary greatly in our personality types. Which I can say that I am grateful for. She is different than any of the friends that I have at home, which pushed me to be more direct in my communication, and allowed me to gain insight into what it is I value most in life and friendships. Being able to navigate both this new friendship (and others) and a new country is invaluable.

A significant interaction that I encountered during this experience was with Italian culture as a whole. As with most comparisons between cultures, there are bound to be similarities and differences. And, as I mentioned earlier, neither is necessarily right or wrong, but acknowledging and accepting these qualities is imperative. For instance, Italians tend to be more laid back and leisurely in their usage of time than Americans are. A 9AM start time does not necessarily mean just that. Initially, this was a difficult adaptation for me, as I have been taught that showing up late is a major disrespect to someone, expressing that the time of others is not valued. However, this is merely an expression of a more care and stress free culture, that places more value on enjoying a journey than it places on production. This may not be the case for all Italians, of course, but in the small town of Siena, this was the name of the game. Interacting with the Italian language, one that I did not know very well before arriving in country, was also a place of significant place of growth for me. Interpreting another language from sun up to sun down could be exhausting at times, but the reward of being able to communicate with others is a great point of pride. Being able to step outside of my own culture and understand that the priorities and values of others are likely going to differ in some way, shape, or form from mine, not only allows for me to comprehend the sheer beauty of worldly variance, but also the comfort of home and familiarity.

The most valuable and applicable transformation that I have experienced is the development of a greater sense of appreciation for the world and its extensive diversity, and I am incredibly grateful for that. This opportunity was also a great leap outside of my comfort zone, and in participating in this program, I have grown much more confident in my ability to navigate the world, and any situations that I may be faced with. And, although the program focused heavily on interpersonal relationships, the times that I was able to function independently and find my way were also absolutely crucial to the development of my sense of self. These various areas of growth are applicable in many aspects of life, whether academic, personal, or professional, and an ability to carry myself with greater confidence and a more well-rounded point of view is irreplaceable.

For my STEP project I studied abroad in Leiden, Netherlands. I was able to immerse myself into the Netherlands culture while expanding my knowledge by taking courses at the oldest university in the country, while also traveling to other countries over the weekends and breaks. 12 countries, 6 months, and the journey I will be discussing is the difference between the two pictures.

Before this project I was a shy and timid person that would rather have others make my decisions for me. After this experience I am walking away a much stronger and independent woman. I was the only one from Ohio State that attended this program. I had to do a lot of things by myself that I had previously had the assistance of others for. I was a worrier that would rather sit out than participate for fear of what might happen. Before this trip I wouldn’t have jumped off a small creek cliff but my last week abroad I jumped off a fairly tall cliff in Croatia. It felt empowering and crazy. I feel like I finally know how to live life and take chances. Even if they are a little scary. I still feel true to my roots and that I am

I was content with my life before I studied abroad. Content can be a good thing, but it’s not how I want to look back and describe my life. I was a shy and timid person that worried about coming across as stupid or silly. I struggled making decisions and I was a people pleaser. Not necessarily poor qualities to have, but it was to the point that it was holding me back from experiencing things in life. Returning from my study abroad that timid, shy girl that was letting life pass her by is gone. I now feel empowered and control of my life. I go after things and do things that scare me a little. Last summer I wouldn’t have jumped off a low ledge into the river, but this summer I jumped off a high cliff in Croatia. I’ve literally taken leaps and bounds in becoming a better version of myself while I was abroad.

A huge reason this transformation took place was because I was alone. I was the only Ohio State student that attended this program. It was very intimidating and caused some really low lows during my time there. I had to do everything on my own. Things I probably should have been doing myself for a long time, but every single aspect of my life I felt alone. I had to set up a new phone plan and get my residence permit. I had to navigate a whole new country alone. My very first day I did not take out any cash at the airport. I went to the grocery with my roommate and they ended up not accepting my credit card. Luckily my roommate was able to spot me, but that was something that hit me really hard. It was something my parents would have normally taken care of. I remember breaking down crying after that experience, I realized I was alone. That I was going to need to do things for myself. There were still plenty of times I called home crying trying to figure things out, but for the most part I picked myself up and accomplished what I needed to do. Being alone really forced me to grow up and become independent. It forced me to make decisions and it was very empowering. I feel much more equipped to me independent in the future.

Traveling to twelve different countries really helped aid my transformation. Many decisions and planning went into traveling. It forced me to grow up and decisions on what I wanted to do. I was content to go along with others plans and take a back-row seat. This experience put me in the driver’s seat. From small things like what I was going to have for dinner each night to large scale what country I wanted to go to – I was forced to step out and up. I had to decide what I wanted this trip to mean and what I wanted to come from it. Doing this for six months has helped me realize that I need to continue with this behavior. I don’t ever want life to pass me by. I want to make conscious change to be in charge of my own life. I feel much more confident in knowing what I want.

An incredibly unexpected aspect that changed my life while I was abroad was transportation. Going into my experience I was expecting to fall in love with so many things. Sights, food, maybe even a boy. What I wasn’t expecting was to fall in love with public transportation. I was able to take a train and be in another city in ten minutes, in a few hours, I could be in a different country. I was amazed by all the different options I had to get places. The metro, the bus, the tram. I conquered all forms of public transportation. My main means of transportation was a bike. I rode it almost every day I was there, and it had many positive impacts on me. Although a slightly silly way to put it, it probably became one of my best friends abroad. It saw my happiest times when the sun was shining, and I was taking it all in, but it also saw my stressed and sad times when I hopped on the bike to try to clear my head. It helped me mentally and physically get in better shape. I have found an outlet for myself that I hope to continue using here in the states.  All these different methods of transportation made me realize how far behind the U.S. is in this area. It ignited an interested in being involved in policy surrounding this topic. I hope to be a part of change and innovation in the realm of U.S. transportation policy.

This trip was truly transformative for me. I feel like I have returned as an enhanced version of myself. All these different aspects I have touched on will lead me to live a healthier, happier lifestyle. I came back with a new love for myself. It has given me the confidence to go after what I want which will assist me in all aspects of life but is especially important as I gear up to start finding a job for after graduation. It has given me a passion area that I plan to pursue as a career path. Overall, I came back with more than I left with. I will cherish these memories forever.

STEP Post-Project Reflection Prompts

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 semester abroad program through International Studies Abroad (ISA) based at the Universidad de Belgrano in the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the Universidad de Belgrano, I participated in an Advanced Spanish Intensive Month, a semester of classes designed for foreigners in Argentina but taught completely in Spanish, and a singular course designed for/taught for/taken alongside local Argentine students. Along with the classes at the Universidad de Belgrano, ISA offered a number of local and regional excursions of which I took part.

2. 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.

In spending six months studying with American, French, Italian, Norwegian, Swiss, Colombian, Australian and Argentinean peers at the Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, I furthered my perspective of and belonging to our globalized modern world. Taking a more humbled position as an American abroad in a globalized world rather than THE “GREAT” AMERICAN in the space, I sat back and learned a lot about those who came from different backgrounds and cultures and what they had to offer. I further accepted my humbled place in our globalized world and further analyzed how I, as all of those around me were doing, could do more to bring those of us from all corners of the globe together in mutual understanding and coexistence. I also gained near fluency in Spanish with my six months in Argentina.

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? Write three or four paragraphs describing the key aspects of your experiences

completing your STEP Signature Project that led to this change/transformation.

Every night at dinner I came home to two lovely host parents who spoke close to no English. I had an American roommate through the program who arrived in Argentina with limited Spanish abilities. Sitting between all of these people every night, I spent a lot of time translating from English to Spanish and back to English and vice versa. This, along with many uber rides with Spanish speakers and a multitude of interactions in Spanish between myself and shop/café/restaurant employees and a number of Argentine/Latino peers helped me realize my place in this globalizing world and immensely helped my Spanish abilities.

Furthermore, every class I took this past semester was taught in Spanish. This allowed me to practice Spanish in an academic setting much more than I have in high school and college with one-two Spanish courses a semester. Watching films in Spanish for class, reading in Spanish, writing in Spanish, speaking in Spanish, and thinking in Spanish for every class I took over the past semester significantly helped my cognitive abilities with the language. Though I was spending a lot of free time with American peers speaking in English, my multitude of Spanish classes and classwork, along with my nightly interactions in Spanish with my host parents and Spanish speakers out and about everyday led me to become nearly fluent in the language.

In studying alongside people from all over the world and interacting with locals and other Latinos, I learned how they not only view Americans in our globalized world, but also learned about their cultures, complexities, and worldviews. I specifically spent a lot of time discussing the crisis in Venezuela with the multitude of Venezuelan Uber drivers I had in Argentina and the neighboring countries I visited. Due to the horrific situation in Venezuela, many Venezuelans who could leave the country have fled and picked up odd jobs all over Latin America and the globe. The Venezuelans I came into contact with and myself spoke about their collective desire to return to their beloved homeland, their collective sense of helplessness with the current situation and their collective hope that the situation will improve.

Lastly, I took a class about Latin American History in the 20^th Century where I learned about Latin America’s historical abuse at the hands of the United States and took that knowledge with me as I analyzed and understood many Latin Americans’ view of the United States and Americans abroad. In Valparaiso, Chile my friend and I happened upon a wall with “Meik Amerika Greit Again: Yankees Go Home” (Yankees being the word that a lot of Argentineans/Chileans refer to us as). After learning that the United States assisted in taking down the democratically elected socialist presidency in Chile preceding the Chilean dictatorship in the 1970s/1980s and played a direct role in empowering the dictator that murdered thousands of Chilean political dissidents, as well as doing similar things all over Latin America, I greatly understood the adversity many Latinos felt towards us Americans.

4. 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.

This evolution in my worldview and betterment of my Spanish abilities helps me greatly as I move forward into this globalized world. Though I am still trying to figure out what to dedicate my abilities to in this lifetime, I am certain that I want to utilize my Spanish abilities and would greatly love to work in relation to or directly in Latin America. Being half Argentina and half Brazilian myself, I feel a connection to the region that was only strengthened with the six months I spent in the city my mother was born in and grew up in. I reconnected to my roots, nearly perfected a foreign language that to me was simply a language in my roots I had lost contact with, and became a more apt citizen of this globalized modern world.

My STEP Signature Project was a 7 week study abroad in Paris, France with the organization IES Abroad.  During this program I lived with a French family, just steps from the River Seine.  I studied grammar and Parisian cinema on the weekdays with other students at the center, and spent my weekends exploring the city and taking day-trips to other areas of France.

I tried to go into the trip without any certain expectations, hoping that would help me to experience the culture and differences.  Because of this strategy I feel that my time in France allowed me to see how French people think about certain issues at different angles than most people I’ve met in the United States.  The images I had previously had of what French people were like weren’t necessarily proven to be 100% lies, but corrected, refined, and explained.

I was also nervous before my trip.  As someone who grew up in small-town-America, big cities are not always within my comfort zone, especially one as big and as well known as Paris.  I had never even flown before!  My trip quickly showed me that I was much more capable than I had imagined and allowed me to grow in—not just my independence—but my confidence in that independence.

One of the courses I had the opportunity to take was a culture/grammar course.  We used discussion, readings, and writings on culture to learn and improve our French grammar.  During these class discussions we learned a lot about how our culture and French culture view differently certain issues, even things as seemingly everyday as driving to work.  Our professor was also a French woman who had taught for some time in the United States.  These discussions and her sharing her own experiences and perspectives were a major contributing factor to me having the ability to see outside of my own cultural perspective.

In my Parisian Cinema course we also got to understand more about cultural perspectives and cultural priority in the art form of film.  We analyzed mainly the choices and decisions of specific directors, but how that reflects on a larger scale the society and culture of France, and sometimes specific areas within France or Paris.  We often discussed the image of Paris in both French and American cinema and how history and cultural shifts affected the film industry.

During my trip I made several friendships.  It was super beneficial because we could encourage each other in our speaking, learning, and our exploration of Paris.  For example a few friends and I would frequently plan and go on day trips on weekends when we didn’t have pre-planned trips with the school.  Planning and communicating what we were doing, when we needed to do it, and how we would get there was another aspect that I think helped me to feel more confident and willing to take leadership.

I didn’t always go on these trips with those friends though.  For instance my number one highlight of the trip was going on a day trip to the beaches of Normandy with a tour group and not knowing a single person.  The trip was really great, and once I got past the discomfort of going solo I not only enjoyed the trip but was able to step up to socialize with those I met and feel more independent than I’ve ever felt before.

This experience of studying abroad has been so valuable!  I truly believe it has opened my eyes to my own potential and ability.  Sure, I will never know everything, but life is about learning and you can’t learn if you don’t leave your comfort zone.  Because of this trip, I will be able to be more confident in my language learning, bolder to make mistakes, and more ready than ever to learn from them.  I can’t wait to use this great experience to fuel my hunger to learn in general and to not be ashamed of what I don’t know or haven’t experienced, but instead to view those as opportunities—to ask questions, to be open minded, to never stop learning.