The most difficult struggle learning Portuguese was not comprehension, humor, or culture. The most burdensome experience was to use my voice. Fear crept into every vibration of my vocal cords, and the thought of answering a simple question shut down all vital signs. As I soon realized, though, Portuguese opens a world of affable people who are happy to chat with and aid foreigners who still struggle with the language. Even though I spoke slow and erred at times, the Brazilians were consistent with their patience and attention.
With all the aid and service rendered to me by strangers, I seek to pay it forward to a country and culture that deserves to be applauded for their welcoming lifestyle. This was one of the reasons I applied for the FLAS scholarship in order to work as an intern at the University of São Paulo. I wanted first to live in Brazil as a daily consumer in order to decipher the medical needs of a normal citizen in order to follow the scientific path that Brazil needs the most. Secondly, I wanted to take an immersion course at a school that is catered to those who speaks Portuguese as a second language as well as be involved in a university-type environment to evaluate Brazil's education system. And third, I wanted to see the candid reaction Brazilians have of a foreigner in a more affluent portion of Brazil. Were I less inclined to know more about the depths of Brazil's weaknesses in order to contribute, I would not have pursued an intership in Brazil, would have been satisfied with my education in Portuguese at Brigham Young University, and certainly would not have majored in Portuguese. Below is a calendar of my personal and professional goals for 2016. Included is a resume and summaries of Brazilian articles as an example of how I will continue to apply my educational practices required in my Portuguese classes. |
|
|