I appreciated listening to Dr. Chen’s Zoom video discussing climate change and migration. I found her research very interesting and empowering. I was especially motivated by her detailed information and advice at the beginning of her presentation.

Regarding her research, I found her dialogue on ‘temporary’ versus ‘permanent’ migration really interesting. Her description of these two categories was very interesting and a lot more complicated than what I could have imagined.

Dr. Chen related the importance of this research as it relates to censes surveys. Interestingly, the blurred understanding  of ‘temporary’ and ‘permanent’ migrants makes this data collection process even more challenging. Before Dr. Chen’s video, I didn’t grasp the  impacts of under-representing and ‘double-counting’ populations as well as I do now.

Another interesting research subject that Dr. Chen mentioned in her presentation was the impact of migration. Beyond the statistical burden of a census survey, I enjoyed learning about the economics intertwined with migration (and how that relates to climate change). Dr. Chen’s presentation encouraged me to think about the economics of migration is a completely new manner. I believe, after watching her video, that I’m much more conscious and aware of migration and their associated economic impacts.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been participating in bilingual research through Ohio State’s School of Communication. This fulfills my International Affair service requirement for the Spring Semester.

As part of this research, I spent 90 minute sessions in the journalism building helping researchers defend their hypothesis, taking tests, and filling out surveys. The research was very interesting. Its focus was to determine wether or not bilingual individuals interpret messages (mostly political ones) differently depending on which language the messages are presented in. The hypothesis of the sturdy declared that individuals were more like to agree with a statement in the native language, compared to their second language. I was only one of over one-hundred students involved in this process.

Undoubtedly, participating in research was wildly interesting. The researchers tracked our eye-movements as we read statements in English and Spanish using an infrared eye-trackig device. Afterwards, we would take ‘tests’ over what we had read. Then we would complete surveys. Participating in this type of research was definitely an educational experience. It was quite fun too!

At the same time I was giving my time to help a team of researchers, I was also able to practice my Spanish skills. Reading policies and political messages in Spanish is not something I’m very used to. Without a doubt it was a learning experience I would love to do again.

For now, I will await eagerly the results of the study. I’m extremely interested in what the data may say. Looking forward, I believe I will help the School of Communication with other research projects. Wether they focus on bilingual students are anyone, I believe there is a lot to be gained from these unique experiences.

Participating in this research has only excited me more about conducting my own. Research is definitely something I’m interested in.

On October 22, I attended a graduate school panel hosted by the College of Education and Human Ecology in the PAES Building. This academic event was extremely educational and very helpful to me since I am seriously considering furthering my education through a graduate degree. Currently, I am interested in pursuing a M.Ed. in World Language Education. The panelists at this event were all members of the College of Education and Human Ecology, including recruiting, admissions, and fellowship experts.
I was very fortunate to have had this opportunity that put me in contact with such esteemed staff within the College. Luckily for me, the turnout of the seminar was smaller than expected so I had plenty of time to ask individualized questions to each one of the panelists and had all of my remaining questions answered.
During this event, I learned a great deal about writing my letter of intent, which has been causing my a great deal of stress recently. The panelists all reassured me that this letter takes time to write and that it is never perfect after the firs draft. They encouraged me to write multiple iterations of my letter and ask for peer review. This was great advice, but couldn’t compare to what they had to say next. They proceeded to inform me that the admissions office wasn’t looking for a statement that was simply my backstory. The panelists encouraged me to write out my purpose clearly and reiterate it throughout my letter, supporting it through my history and backstory. By doing this, they assured me that my essay would be stronger in the grand scheme of things.
In addition to helping me prepare for the application process, which they advised me to get a big head-start on, they also taught me a lot about financial aid/support opportunities for graduate school applicants. This was almost as helpful as the first half of the experience. Now, I feel much more confident and prepared to begin my application for graduate school.

On Tuesday, October eighth, I attended a “Leading Expeditions” seminar hosted by the Fisher Leadership Initiative in Fischer Hall. This event will serve as my International Affair’s Campus event for this semester. During his presentation the speaker started off by asking us what it meant to be a good leader. He encouraged us to work hard and strive towards leadership opportunities. He commented that this would help us to further our future careers, since many employees are promoted bases on leadership abilities. Following this, he described Fisher’s Leadership Initiative. As a result, I learned the importance and value of leadership in relation to my future. Additionally, I learned a lot about the many programs they offered, including “The Leaders Summit 2020” which is a once-in-a-life time opportunity to go on a journey of self-discovery and elevate my leadership skills. Following learning about their programs, they brought in a leadership expert who discussed the role leading may play in our futures. He elaborated on when to lead, when to follow, and then he shared a video of himself climbing the Teton mountain in Utah. Through this, the presenter taught us the value of overcoming our fears and taking initiative.
In the near future, I can apply what I learned at this seminar in a plethora of different ways, in order to achieve future success in my personal and academic endeavors. Primarily, I learned how invaluable leadership skills are in the work force. Additionally, I received many useful tips on when and how to take initiative. More so on the expedition experiences, I learned how I may apply in the future as well as how to effectively plan for these kinds of immersive experiences. I also learned about how to mentally and physically prepare myself for such endeavors. In conclusion, this was a very educational experience that resulted in a lot of personal reflection regarding leadership, initiative, and mindfulness.

Today, the ninth of September, I attended a professional development seminar held in the glass classroom inside of Smith-Steeb Hall. The title of this seminar was “How to Land an International Internship”, hosted by Katie Riczko. Panelists for this event featured International Affair Scholars and their expertise regarding acquiring an international internship. After attending this event, I came out knowing a lot more about what to expect from an international internship. Additionally, I was provided with specific examples on how the IA panelists found their individual internships.
This seminar had a direct connection to international affairs since many of the panelists were discussing their experiences abroad; their experiences included working with foreign governments, international organizations, as well as the state department in Washington D.C. Overall, there was a wide variety of international experiences being presented to the audience. This reinvigorated my excitement towards traveling abroad and pursuing an internship or additional education somewhere in Latin America.
Professionally, I came to this event hoping to learn more about landing an international internship. Although I feel much more knowledgeable on this subject, I still am unsure of the next steps I should take in order to pursue my goal of landing an internship abroad. Unfortunately, the panelists were only able to speak to their own professional experiences and couldn’t provide me with the resources I had been hoping to find. Although this seminar was not as educational for me in this specific regard, I do feel that I left knowing much more about what to expect from an international internship and how to better prepare myself for such a tremendous experience. Ultimately, I was very thankful for having such wonderful IA upperclassmen who were willing to share their experiences with me.

Yesterday, the sixth of April, I attended a service event in between Smith-Steeb Hall and Park-Stradley Hall. This event was a party/ carnival that catered to The Ohio State University’s siblings weekend. Attending and volunteering at this event fulfilled my International Affairs service requirement for spring semester. For this event I helped tear down the equipment and pick up litter around the two buildings. There was a shocking amount of trash to be picked up.
I am very passionate about the environment and many environmental injustices prevalent in today’s society. Seeing the truly outrageous amount of trash produced from this one event was honestly quite frustrating. Luckily, several other volunteers and I were there to help clean up. Unfortunately, this called my attention to many of the environmental crimes that occur far too often on Ohio State’s campus.
On a daily basis, I see liter. I see countless pieces of trash and garbage all across campus. Repeatedly, I have heard multiple students complain that there are simply not enough trash cans on campus, but this doesn’t excuse littering. I think a step in the right direction for our campus would be to increase awareness for environment injustice and to add more trash and recycling bind across campus. These two practices will aid in the pursuit of creating a more green campus.
This semester, I am enrolled in an Earth Sciences class. This course along with my previous knowledge and experiences have made a profound impact on my current lifestyle. I proudly would classify myself as a green buckeye. What does this entail? Well, for starters, I take steps to reduce and eliminate my waste every chance I have. While some students throw all their garbage away in the trash, I deliberately sort through my waste to make sure I am recycling and composting every chance I get.
Another more recent endeavor I have undertaken to reduce my footprint on the environment is my new job at the Heirloom Cafe. Working at the Heirloom Cafe has been nothing short of inspirational. Three times a week, I am surrounded by coworkers that are as passionate about preserving the environment as I am. Some steps we take on a daily basis to help reduce waste include, using reusable plates and silverware (unlike many campus dining locations), preventing food and water waste, and buying locally grown products. These waste reduction strategies all make me feel better about where I work and the global impact of my job.
Prior to having this job, I was employed at Mirror Lake Eatery, another on-campus dining location. On a weekly basis, Mirror Lake Eatery threw away hundreds of pounds of cook and uncooked chicken. Working there taught me a lot about food services and food related waste. Because of this experience I am thankful for where I work today and am proud of where I work and the values my coworkers and I uphold.

Recently, I attended a Global Fluency Training. This event was on February twenty-first and was led by Brad Gosche from the Columbus Council of World Affairs. Furthermore, this event satisfied my academic  requirement for IA. I really enjoyed this event and honestly wish it would have lasted longer. I found the training both educational and interesting. I was fascinated by all the stories Brad had to share and hope to talk to him more. He was an excellent speaker who was both very entertaining and informative. I believe that I learned a lot from this training.
This event had a very significant effect on me. While attending this event I slowly realized what Brad was doing was my “dream job”. After the training I asked him about potential internship opportunities with the Columbus Council of World Affairs and plan on applying for them. I also sent him an email in hope of setting up a meeting with him and learning more about what he does. As an education major, the idea of teaching individuals the value of global fluency is very fascinating. Additionally, as someone with a Hispanic background I can clearly see the value of this training and only hope more people attend a training session.
I found this event incredibly helpful for me, both personally and academically. During this training we did a simulation of two opposite cultures trying to interact with each other, I found this experience both frustrating and enlightening. I was frustrated by how difficult it was to try to communicate with someone with completely opposite cultural norms but found this struggle educational . From this experience I learned that I want to learn more about being a more globally engaged and educated citizen.
This experience is extremely relevant to the topic of international affairs because global fluency teaches us that we always have to be conscious of our actions and furthermore how people from other cultures may perceive them. This is an extremely valuable skill in an increasingly diverse world. As the demographics of 21st century classrooms continue to evolve and welcome more minority groups into the picture, this skill is more useful and relevant than ever before.
I hope to continue my global fluency training on my own and plan on pursuing an internship at the Columbus Council of World Affairs. I believe this training was extremely beneficial for me and hope that it sends me in the right direction. The idea of both traveling and being able to teach its truly captivating and a new potential career path. In the coming weeks and months, I hope to begin to hone my skills of global fluency. I understand that mastery of this skill is impossible and that there is always more to learn; I find this both extremely interesting and enticing. Knowing that I want to both travel and teach in the coming future, this global fluency training was invaluable. Lastly, I would like to reiterate the importance of this training in todays world and encourage everyone to take this training.

For my Non-IA event of spring semester, I decided to attend a bullet journalism seminar. This seminar occurred on Monday, January 19, 2019. This event was held inside of Smith-Steeb Hall. I found this event very impactful and inspiring. Throughout the seminar, the speakers raised questions about our organizational and planning skills. Quickly, I realized I had fallen short of the mark and that I was much more unorganized than I had imagined myself to be. The presenters taught me the importance of goal setting and it’s significance to my wellbeing inside and outside of the classroom. The acronym they taught me was SMART. This stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based. The speakers taught me that for my future goal setting endeavors, I should use the acronym SMART to ensure that my goals are realistic and well thought out.
During this session we were encouraged to make a goal; my goal for this semester is to search the Honors and Scholars weekly newsletter for scholarship opportunities each week. When I find potential scholarships I am eligible for, I will apply. I believe this is a good goal because it aligns with the SMART acronym as well as encourages me to move away from my weekly routine and challenge myself. This goal is specific because it isn’t too broad or demanding. This goal is measurable because I can get in the routine of checking for scholarships every week. This goal is attainable because I have a lot of free time on my hands and am looking for a way to spend it. It is realistic because it is not too intense of a work load. Lastly, this goal is also time-based; every week for the rest of the semester I plan on reviewing the weekly newsletter for scholarship opportunities. I decided on this goal because I recently came across a scholarship opportunity in the Honors and Scholars weekly newsletter. Shocked by this amazing opportunity, I decided I needed to capitalize. I hope to successfully apply for and receive scholarships with this goal.
This is just one goal that I have set for myself so far. In this seminar, they provided me with a bullet journal where I can continue to write down my goals and challenge myself. Already this bullet journal has helped me tremendously. In the past I have found myself to be a serial procrastinator. But, with this new method of organization I have thus far been very successful in all of my endeavors. In my bullet journal I have planned out my weekly plan, my plans for the upcoming month, and my possible summer activities. I have found this very useful and that it encourages me to be productive.
With a new method of organization I feel prepared for anything life has to throw at me. I have already applied for a job, cashed my check from work, and set new goals for myself for the upcoming weeks. I see the as an opportunity to turn a new leaf in my college career. My first semester here at The Ohio State University I found myself to be happy but lacking the stimulation and daily challenge I desired. With this new project I hope to challenge myself more frequently and grow more as an individual.

For my last International Affairs scholars participation requirement of the fall semester, I decided to volunteer. I volunteered with The Ohio State University’s Spanish and Potuguese department for my service event. This event took place on November seventh at Thompson Library and Lazenby Hall.
The purpose of this event was primarily a “test run” for the university. What I mean by this is that we invited Whetstone High school students to our campus and provided them with access to our campus’s extensive resources, such as the Thompson Library. The goal of this was not only to provide the high schoolers with access to our library, but also to see if this method of outreach to urban school districts was plausible, and it was. The event ran smoothly and was extremely successful due to the volunteers (including myself) from the Spanish and Portuguese department.
This event was more than just helpful for the students, it was a very empowering and stimulating experience for me as well. Working with the kids made me realize I had a passion for it. That day, I sat down with my Spanish professor (another volunteer) and discussed my plans for the future with him. He helped me realize that I can do anything I wanted to do and still be happy. This conversation was invaluable to me, and I will never forget it. A couple weeks passed by and I decided to change my major to Foreign Language Education.
I was inspired by the sense of accomplishment working with the high schoolers that day gave me, and I wanted to learn more. I knew I wanted to use Spanish in my future job as well, so I have now set my sight on being a Spanish teacher. I believe I would truly enjoy my job and feel satisfied with myself. This job is more important than just making me happy, by choosing to be a Spanish teacher I have a lasting impact on the lives of the kids I teach. With the Spanish language and culture spreading rapidly through the United States, the US needs more passionate teachers to get kids excited to learn Spanish. I believe this is a very important job in the topic of International Affairs because accepting Spanish in our country is a serious issue today.
This experience was one of a kind and truly life changing. I believe when I look back on life and ask myself why I decide to become a teacher, I will recall this day I spent working with inner city high school students. I enjoyed every moment of the day and would gladly do it again.
I consider myself very thankful to have had this wonderful opportunity and I believe OSU is a unique school for being able to cater such an experience. I don’t think I could have had the same experience at many other universities and for choosing OSU , I am grateful. In retrospect, I am very glad I went to this event and I wholeheartedly believe it has changed my life for the better.

On October 25th, I attended the mini involvement fair outside of Smith-Steeb residence hall. This fulfilled my International Affairs academic requirement. Despite the wind and frighteningly chilly temperatures, several student organizations/groups from around campus gathered outside Smith-Steeb Hall to showcase their organizations. There was so much variety there, I learned about the anthropology department here at OSU and what kind of classes they offer as well as leadership skills taught to me by leadership oriented organizations. These were valuable to me in particular because I was interested in Anthropology as well as leadership opportunities on-campus.

Specifically I learned a lot about ANTHROPOLOGY 2202 which I have been considering taking. Learning about this class both helped me personally and academically. Personally, it is a relief to find a science course with a lab that interests me. Academically, I am now considering the value of anthropology as a second minor which I had previously never even thought about.
Amoung the many groups there, two others stood out in particular. The Alexander Hamilton Society and Project Nicaragua. I have heard the former club’s name mentioned several other times in my classes around campus such as my scholars class and my first year survey class, so The Alexander Hamilton Society caught my attention. I learned about upcoming events and debates going on and was excited to hear about so many cool opportunities where I could listen to scholars invited from other colleges discuss pertinent issues. The latter club, I had never heard of. This club was Project Nicaragua. They focus on outreach, education, research, and expanding quality healthcare in Nicaragua. I was really interested by this because I had been looking for a nonprofit student volunteer organization. I also found this very appealing because if I were to go on one of their trips to Nicaragua I would get excellent exposure in both Spanish and Social work, my two intended majors.

I saw this as a great opportunity. My initial interests in the club were immediately intensified when I learned that the trip to Nicaragua would, in theory, be a real world application of my course work and what I’ve been learning. Applying Spanish outside of the classroom has always been a passion of mine as well as helping other people. Furthermore, such an endeavor would reflect extremely well on my professional resume when applying for graduate school. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn about this club and am very interested.

After I attended this event, in retrospect, I wish I would have ask more questions at the Project Nicaragua table. If given another chance, I would have asked what the estimate cost of the trip would be. I also would’ve liked to know when the trip is. Despite not having the answers to these questions right now, I do have their meeting times and contact information which I will be sure to use.
In conclusion, the event was a success. I’m glad I made the trip out into the cold and the free pizza was a plus. I was also glad to support Sam Harris because I know she worked very hard on putting the event together.