Final Reflection

Being an international scholar has allowed me to fully develop an international perspective while completing my studies at UF. It has been exciting supplementing my degree with a global lens, and I have gained skills that I hope to carry with me for the rest of my life.

     It may seem odd to want to seek international experiences as an aspiring chemical engineer. Indeed, engineering is often data-centric, driven by numbers and results rather than cultures and beliefs. However, it is incredibly important in any career path to have the personal growth, open-mindedness, and confidence that comes with global knowledge. For instance, taking REL 2300: World Religions enhanced my critical thinking skills by exposing me to a diversity of opinions on spirituality. It is impossible to study other peoples’ ideals without analyzing your own, forcing me to reflect on what I believe is important and better learn how to evaluate opinions. I also took CLT 3370: Myths of Greeks and Romans, which exhibited the rich history and stories told in Ancient Greece and Rome. Although the culture reflected in those myths is not the same as the culture of the current day nations where they originated, the stories still contain themes that can influence daily morals. One common theme is that hubris can lead to your downfall, which is true in real life because hubris often encourages someone to take on a problem they cannot handle.

     Perhaps the most impactful experience I had was studying abroad in Singapore. A key skill I enhanced while there was communication, which I practiced during my internship and during daily life. Not only did I have to learn new words and phrases, I also was exposed to a new way of thinking that I had to learn to interact with. A lot of communication in Singapore is done non-verbally, which makes the way you move more important in conversation. Additionally, one of the projects I had during the internship involved a team of people that was spread across two offices. This made it important to set up designated times to meet weekly so we could keep the team up to date as we made progress in our project. Furthermore, meetings had to be efficient and effective because we could not communicate in person in the office. This led to the creation of a shared page which contained detailed meeting minutes, project updates, and other information about our work. Having a centralized location to share information was incredibly valuable to maintaining communication, and helped us more easily clear any confusion we had from cultural differences.

     Living in Singapore also immensely boosted my confidence in taking on new experiences and interacting with new people. Being thrust into a new city with different viewpoints from what I have experienced before, it was sometimes intimidating to brave daily life. As my trip continued, I grew more comfortable with seeking out new adventures, even if I was alone when I went. One of my favorite memories was at a hawker stall that made donuts. It was a unique stall because you fried the donuts yourself while the stall owner supervised. As I waited in line, a friendly local walked me through the process of how to fry the donuts and gave me all the information I needed to get the donuts. Although not as glamorous as other experiences I had there, it reminded me of the inherent kindness and friendliness of most people.

     Seeking worldwide experiences has also exposed me to a diverse range of personalities and perspectives. UF Engineers Without Borders prides itself on emphasizing diversity on our team, which is especially important as we learn to navigate implementing engineering solutions in foreign countries. As a member of the fundraising team, I have met people who have opened my mind to other lifestyles and backgrounds. I have also gained appreciation for having varied perspectives on the same team, which has allowed us to innovate the best solutions to financially support our team. We have planned bake sales, connected with corporate sponsors, interacted with members of the Gainesville community, and are even working on planning a banquet to conclude our year and bring our members together. During my time on the team, I have also had the chance to learn about life in Maras, Peru, a small agricultural community, and the hardships they face from not having the resources to update and upgrade their infrastructure. For example, our current project involves improving the water availability at a local hospital, which does not even have handwashing stations in every building. This exposure has made me appreciate the luxuries that I live with and has helped me recognize one of my values in life, which is ensuring that all people have access to a decent quality of life.

     This eportfolio is only a glimpse of the vast array of experiences I have gained as an international scholar over the past four years. Putting it together has given me the chance to reflect on my college journey as I am about to enter the workforce and embark on the rest of my life. I have realized how valuable my global experiences are, and I hope to get the opportunity to travel and possibly live abroad again!