In the past four years I developed my thinking beyond an undergraduate level, through my majors, sociology research, and the Global Social Benefit Fellowship in Brazil. However, it wasn’t until my junior year at Santa Clara University was the first time I was introduced to the word “vocation”and what it entails. Over the last year, I have developed a deep understanding of the word and how it applies to each and every person, but regardless of the amount of understanding I have on the subject, I still struggle to find its application to my personal life.

The opportunity to apply for the GSB Fellowship came at a surprise to me. My professor presented me with the idea and suggested that it would be an excellent opportunity for my future scholastic goals, as well as the opportunity to develop skills that could never be learned in the classroom. Through the application process, I learned that it would provide me with an opportunity to travel abroad, start and complete an internship, and be exposed to a culture and language that was unfamiliar to my own. Now, nine months later, I can truthfully sit back and think about how little I knew before. This fellowship opened my mind in a whole new way.In fact, there are very few things that I could possibly do that would open my mind to this level of thought and understanding. I learned more about the world, Brazil, and myself than I could have ever expected, pushing my thoughts to new, previously undiscovered levels.

Before this fellowship, I had never heard much about social entrepreneurship beyond the idea that it was similar to non-profit organizations. Come to find out, after months of research, this was entirely incorrect. Froma surface level standpoint, social entrepreneurship is a field that is a beyond competitive, frustrating, ever-changing, high-pressure field that requires an unreasonable mind and person to enter. In the short time I conducted work alongside a social enterprise I learned that it is not the field for me. I prefer the structured, organized aspects of the corporate, for-profit business world.

Going into the field, I did my best to prepare myself for anything and everything that could be thrown my way. My biggest concern was spending some much time in a foreign country where my language was secondary and frequently not used. I anticipated going to Brazil and doing this groundbreaking research where I could see first hand where my contributions were going. I felt that it would be an opportunity to discover what it means to develop, conduct, and analyze findings in the field. Through deep analysis on Solar Ear, I had a preconceived notion that this social enterprise was developed to the point that I could depend on their effectiveness if anything went wrong. Despite multiple advisors telling me that it would not go as smoothly as I might have thought, I still persisted in thinking that the process would run smooth. I figured that getting to Brazil would be the most difficult part, however I was entirely incorrect.

The first week at Solar Ear was an eye opening experience given that their center was not anything like I envisioned. I had expected a reasonable sized distribution factory, in the sense of how we would think about it in America, but my team and I were met with a building that closely resembled a home. Furthermore, I expected a decent size staff, but there were only a few employees. Immediately, I was not met with what I had hoped for. Our supervisor would be late to work. Our schedule would change on an hour-to-hour basis, resulting in team frustration because we never had a solidified schedule.We did not have much work to do for our Measuring and  Evaluation Tool beyond traveling to and from different institutions learning more about the hearing impaired population. Sometimes our meetings were really informative, but not necessary for the progression and adjustment of our tool. Above all, the hardest part came when we began the interview process. Once we began to conduct interviews we had limited resources when it came to translation of the Portuguese language, preventing us from necessary, vital information required in sociological research.

As frustrating and motivation draining the circumstances were, I knew I had to find a way to adapt as quickly as possible to be able to give my team full dedication, so we could leave Brazil feeling like we had accomplished our goal. I knew that as a team we depended on each other for motivation when the going got tougher than ever imagined. The lack of guidance once in the field allowed the team and myself to become creative, motivated, and innovative in ways that we had not previously planned for. We became more connected on an intellectual level because we had to drastically adjust our approach to the accomplishment of the tool. The mutual respect for each other and our contributions to the project brought us closer together.

Before the fellowship, I knew that graduate school was the next step in my academic life. This fellowship developed my analytical thinking about how to tackle problems. It gave me determination and perseverance to complete an academic piece of work as complex as a Measuring and Evaluation Tool. The GSB Fellowship has drastically improved my qualifications for graduate work now and in the future. Currently, I am composing my applications for graduate school. Composing my personal statement has been much easier because of the experience I could draw on from the fellowship. Although it might not apply to my desired areas of Computational Science and big data, without a doubt this fellowship has and will continue to influence my future aspirations, goals, and how I determine which direction to take my life.

In a way, the struggles I went through during my placement molded me into a better man all around. I felt like I came back thinking and conducting myself in far better ways that I had in the past. Now, I believe that I will be able to take what I know about the social enterprise realm and be able to apply it to business aspects within the company I decide to work in or if I decide to start myown company one day. The hardships, dilemmas, late nights, problem-solving skills, independent work, and teamwork thinking will follow me for the remainder of my life, making me a stronger man in all aspects of my life.

Through the relationships I created both in Brazil and with my team, I came to appreciate what it means to have a deep level of cultural understanding. I felt alive and more present than ever before as I conducted interviews with the hearing impaired, experiencing first hand what it means to be hearing impaired. The interviews opened my eyes to the true struggles of day-to-day life with hearing impairment without the necessary finances to afford proper care. Although I was surrounded by heart-breaking stories told by several interviewees, I took one very important idea, that no matter what might be holding you back, you have the tools necessary to better yourself and reach new levels. This idea came about when I was told that people did not necessarily need to use hearing aids because sign language was their own version of a language like English. They find it no different than speaking another language that anyone and everyone has the opportunity to learn. After witnessing this strength and resilience, I was able to self-reflect and determine how I could gain that positive, motivating mindset.

Furthermore, the courses provided within the fellowship offered me much of the needed self-reflection that I was searching for throughout my undergraduate career. I consistently desired to know what I brought to the table, why or how I made a difference, and which unique qualities differ me from my peers. Our focus on personality and vocational development opened me up to how I have developed and how I can operate in and out of the classroom environment. Most nights, the discussions on vocation and personality followed me home after class and continued on throughout several of the following days.  Truthfully, I was able to apply what I learned in class to my extracurricular activities such as how to conduct and execute business as the president of Ruff Riders. Additionally, it taught me how to analyze and approach certain problems, even in the realm of mathematics and computer science.

I honestly think that the experience of the GSB Fellowship gave me a whirlwind of opportunities that I will not hesitate to investigate.  Without the self-reflection, underneath the surface type thinking, and practical, on sight research experience, I do not think I would have the mentality I now believe is necessary for research at a graduate level. I learned many ways in which my current path has pointed me in the direction I want to go as well as reaffirmed that the path the lies ahead of me continues to point me in that direction. What initially seemed as a huge risk and a step out of my realm of academia, turned out to fulfill gaps of my life I previously did not know existed and redefined who I am inside and out.

Before I departed for Brazil, my anxiety was at an all time high. There were countless fears going through my mind. Would we make it back home with all of the research we needed to turn in an excellent deliverable? Would my team and I get along and become closer during our trip? Would I fit in, not only with my team, but also with the Brazilian people and their culture? Would I have the opportunity to make friends in Brazil?

Of all of these questions and doubts about venturing into a foreign country, there was one that was far greater than the rest. My biggest concern was being able to identify with the Brazilian people despite speaking a language different than their own. My initial mindset was that it would not be possible to easily and effectively communicate with anyone because my only language is English. I felt that because I did not know their language, Portuguese, there would be no opportunity to communicate with anyone I met or worked with in a meaningful way. Taking all of that into consideration, I had not the slightest idea of what was going to happen through my month long journey, living and breathing Brazilian culture.

All of these questions were going through my head as the clock ticked towards the moment when my team and I finally landed in Brazil. After the long, red-eye flight, we received our luggage and found our driver. Immediately, it was apparent that our driver did not speak any English. We could only communicate through smiles and an occasional “thumbs up” when the opportunity arose. My group and I were extremely nervous, wondering if the entire month long trip was going to be filled with confusion and lack of communication with everyone we encountered in Brazil.

Our driver frequently attempted to communicate with us. However, I was so closed minded about the language barrier because I had never faced anything like that in my life prior to my first moments in Brazil. Every time I’ve ever had to communicate in another language, there was always someone there who could translate or help me communicate in the language that was different from my own. Because I was unable to understand his Portuguese, I remained closed off, keeping to myself as much as possible, while at the same time trying my hardest to understand what he could possibly be saying. It seemed as if he was trying to strike up conversation and ask us questions about ourselves. Needless to say, at that point, I was even more nervous, so much so that I was scared to even open my mouth and try to communicate. Because I knew for a fact that I wanted to learn more about Brazilian culture through the thoughts of someone who lived in Brazil, this was even more frustrating for me. I did not want to miss out on any piece of information the Brazilian people had to share because I was afraid of speaking with anyone besides my team for the entire duration of the trip.

Furthermore, my fears were intensified when I realized that because I was going to be doing research with the hearing impaired Brazilian population I was going to be two language translations away from communication with the people I was there to work with. Not only did I not know Portuguese, but I also did not know any sign language, American or Brazilian. Even if there was someone to translate the sign language into Portuguese, I still would not be able to understand what was trying to be conveyed not to mention it would have to be translated again. Not only did this make things more stressful and complicated overall, with all of these translations it was very possible for meanings to get changed or be misinterpreted.

As the trip went on, I met several people who did speak English, whether it was the hotel concierge or employees at some restaurants. To be honest, it came as quite a relief because I could speak in English and have it correctly understood. At times, I began to question how selfish I was that I was looking to communicate in English rather than trying to communicate in Portuguese. I was always asking for the English version of the menu, using my finger to point at what I wanted, or trying to speak in English, wrongly thinking that people would understand. As soon as I realized I was doing this, I began attempting to speak in Portuguese, slowly but surely. I familiarized myself with menus so I could properly order a meal without feeling like I was making a fool of myself. I knew that I had to stop believing I was never going to learn the language and instead try to embrace it. I had to open my mind and accept that I did have the ability to learn and understand Portuguese, even if my time in Brazil was limited.

I felt much better as I opened up and began to embrace the Brazilian language and culture. However, my first encounter with someone who was hearing impaired reinstated all of the fears I previously had about the language barrier. Once again, I was stuck not knowing how to engage with people I truly wanted to engage with. At that point, my minimal knowledge of Portuguese would not be able to help me engage with them because I did not know how to properly use sign language. We did have a few Brazilian sign language lessons, but not nearly enough to engage in a full-fledged conversation with anyone.

Desperately needing to find a way to overcome this language barrier, we found a way to compensate. All of these preliminary fears quickly went away as soon as everyone took out their phones. Since one of the hearing impaired people we met, Daniel, knew English, Portuguese, Brazilian Sign Language, and American Sign language, he was able to take the texts on my phone and appropriately translate it to the people I was trying to communicate with. It was quite a sight, all of us with our phones out showing each other what we had typed, asking questions about ourselves, our homes, where we grew up, and even things as basic as what type of food we liked. I felt like we truly got to know each other. It was a prime example of how technology can be used to connect two very different cultures.

During one of my interactions, I was asked to help play a game on a cellphone that involved brand recognition. It would show a certain brand label and ask for the player to type in the name of the company who owned that label. After a little while, we were all engaged in the game, teaching each other different brands, both Brazilian and American. We were smiling, laughing, and having a great time playing the game, explaining, through texts, what company each brand stands for and what each company does. It was not only fun, but also another great, unconventional way to learn more about Brazilian culture.
That moment was the ultimate turning point in my communication fears. I became extremely open minded to the language barrier seeing it as an opportunity to learn. During the interview processes, I tried my best to understand what was being said instead of being fearful or nervous about the language barrier that at one point divided me from embracing Brazilian culture.

My preconceived notions before I boarding the plane made me think about how narrow my thought process was. After some self-reflection, I realized that the hearing-impaired people of Brazil had the ability to accept people who speak languages different than their own. It was apparent that they expressed a willingness to assist my team and I not only in learning and understanding Brazilian and American Sign Language, but also Portuguese. Many of the hearing impaired people we engaged with were very conscious of language as a whole. They were not self-conscious about not being able to speak Portuguese. Because of this, I reevaluated my thoughts about the hearing impaired population and their ability to communicate. I was struck with the thought of how many times they meet someone who speaks a language different than theirs. For myself, at home or at school, it is quite rare that I communicate with anyone in a language other than English, but they must encounter people who do not speak their language much more frequently. For that reason, I felt as if the hearing-impaired population in Brazil was much more open minded and willing to teach. Like English, sign language is just another form of communication. This made me realize that there was no reason for me to feel self-conscious either; we could learn from each other.

Upon returning to the United States it became more apparent the large role language plays in our culture. Because English is the primary language spoken in the United States many people were very intrigued about how much Portuguese I had remembered since I had been in Brazil. It seems as though because most people in the United States speak English, when tourists who do not speak English visit, they are treated slightly differently than if they did speak English. This was not the case with the people I worked with in Brazil. They were open and welcoming and did not treat me any differently because I spoke a different language.

The challenges of a language barrier are hard to overcome, but it was so apparent in Brazil that everyone was willing to at least attempt to communicate. My venture into Brazil definitely changed my ideas about how to attempt to tackle something I once viewed as a problem, something as common as speaking a different language. I have become more understanding and willing to adapt to languages that I am not familiar with, as well as eliminated my fear regarding self-consciousness and language. Overall, the challenges I thought I would face in Brazil were never anything to fear, only the opportunity for successes that I hadn’t yet realized possible.