Global Connections

While in India, I made many friends and acquaintances. Most had one thing in common, which was a hope to find a way to America to better their lives. Back home in the U.S, I have international friends that I know are worried about finding jobs and being able to stay in the US. Many International students and entrepreneurs are at the mercy of lotter systems to get Visas, or at the mercy of employers who will either deem them worthy of a work visa or decline that. Many I found to have great ideas which push the envelope, in current fields, but are limited by the resources at hand. I found that international relations and global governance can come hand in hand.

            Recently, Obama addressed the Indian populace and spoke to the prime minister of India. This simple action gave hope to many, that current limitations within the international community would be eased. The most important limitation for Indians is the number of Visa applications which are accepted and how visitation and related matters are governed. It is seen how much the United States policies affect the hopeful youth of a better future. There are many cases were institutions of each country are already working together. I learned that the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur works with different universities and companies around the world, sharing technology and research. The Technology and research which has been developed behind the scenes is what power your phone, aids humanitarian efforts and makes quality of life better as a whole. A big focus for IITK is subject matter which effects global thinking and global improvement; such as education and health projects.

While we are different peoples in different countries, we do have similar problems in certain cases. We worry about our health, our children, our environment. One case which is used to address situations of medical emergencies is held as an example of a medical drone. Right now drones are a hot topic for the world and even Indian students understand this. However, they have their own take on it. A fellow peer for example wants to make a drone which can carry a patient and fly over the traffic in congested cities. This idea is very novel and if executed correctly could help more than just Indian society but other locations with similar problems like New York and California. Another peer was working on a synthetic hand made of almost entirely 3D printed and common household items. This in itself is very progressive, leading a way for cheap prosthetic, which would help the global community in this need.

Through the different examples that where stated above, it is easy to see how the world is interconnected in many ways. It would be hard to say that one country’s’ policies didn’t affect another’s. How a people’s problem is not shared be another. An ultimately, it is seen that progress in one society or one field can have a profound effect on the world. 

Academic Development: Cultural contrast

Many of us know of the pay discrepancies when comparing the US with other countries, but let’s compare India and the U.S. A typical PHD student may earn around $250 USD a month, while in the US $10 per hour is very easily attained as a computer scientist. One can consider that cost of living is significantly lower in India, but the work and effort required to attain a degree is not so different, if not tougher at times.  While in India I have learned of the huge pay discrepancy, level of experience and expectations when comparing Indians to their U.S counterparts.

My field is viewed in a favorable position, as the pay is still relatively better than other focuses. Traversing through India, you can’t help but notice all the technical schools for computer science and engineering.  In the U.S having a focus into one language gives you the title of expert in that language but much more is needed than the understanding of one language. I met a guy who had worked on only Java for 10 years, which is good, but he found it harder to learn other languages and started from the most intermediate steps. It seems that focusing on one language is more accepted in India than it is in the U.S for coders of my generation.

            Coders are expected to pick up new languages and techniques along the way, but in my experience businesses require you to have knowledge in a certain field. While my co-worker was skilled in his field, I felt that it did not apply to my project at the time. I noticed that as long as you held a certain title, you were expected to be able to do a multitude of things. I was also tasked to do something which a person with my experience wouldn’t typically do, due to the technicality and level of difficulty. But being a Computer Scientist, I could not deny the challenge as I knew it was plausible to complete the project at hand.

            Overall, I did notice a trend, not just for my field but for others. Everything under the direction of my advisor was utilized to help Indian society. People in my field were tasked with creating games and applications to teach children and lower class people in ways that would enhance their life. Games were made to be able to measure understanding of subjects, so that subject matter could be improved to teach children better. Tools and methods were made to help artisans in their crafts. I made a 3D web player to teach people of different professions almost any skill.

My academic field of Computer Science is an avenue for University Students to reach the United States in hopes of a better future. Many favor Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Robotics due to its wave of focus in society. People join competitions for drones and design, in hopes of being seen in the limelight and to share their accomplishments. Being in Computer Science is more than just a good paycheck, but a chance to help others and forge a better future for families. 

Critical Thinking:A New Perspective

            From the first day of my arrival in India, I had a  strong feeling things would be different. I knew I would have to adapt to the change in climate and most of all food. From sporadic driving, no beef, and cultural differences, I was in for a change of pace from daily life. While these situations stated above did lead to a new perspective, I believe it was my research that led to a more stark change in perspective in regards to my work and focus of study.

I am a Computer Scientist and due to that I am used to receiving a problem and told to solve it in a short span of time, with minimal direction. However, in my intern position it was different; I was given more specifics for a project and got to directly hash them out with my boss. This was not my typical project I couldn’t simply begin coding mechanically. It was a completely different situation.

My project did involve intensive research into current technologies, limitations and understanding of Indian society. I spent weeks planning out capabilities of my project, which was agreed to be a 3D Web Player with tools which would represent common conventions such as temperature. During this time, I had to consider that my product was to be used by people who spoke different variations of languages and dialects. Due to this my application would have to be as least text dependent as possible. This meant attempting to attribute aspects of my work in ways that locals would understand. One part which proved to be difficult was finding a way to describe things such as weight without the use of numbers. What sort of unit would a farmer or a brick worker or a poor villager understand, if it was not to be a numeric representation?

I could describe myself as being computer literate but had to understand that what to me seemed like commonsense would be far from the truth for others. This led to a complete overhaul of my user interface. I found that I had too many buttons and capabilities that needed to be simplified and more obvious.

Working with my adviser and other peers really helped as well. I had in my arsenal graphic designers and peers with experience with human interaction and most importantly understanding of Indian needs. With their help I was better able to change the style and working of my project that would best suit the users. I owe a lot to them for the final outcome.

My perspective changed a lot. I was used to a more type of “plug and jug” system, essentially, give me the assignment and it will be done. However, this summer project made me think deeper and while it was difficult I do believe that the change in perspective will help me in my career. While I knew that asking for help is important, I didn’t completely understand the importance of asking for help from others not in the same line of work. I did find that external expertise can help personal expertise grow.

Culture Learning: Indian and American Compare and Contrast

There are many stark differences between Indian and American culture, some which I would consider good and others which I believe could be improved by both cultures. In my ten weeks I noticed many, social, religious, diet and standard of living differences, which really put life into perspective. However, there were two culture differences really stuck out to me, the genuinity of Indian people and ingenuity with their work and daily lives.

One thing I noticed during the course of my work is how genuine people where. I believe we as Americans are made to compete more when it comes to work. In my office everyone helped each other, I got the help of visual designers and other focuses for my web platform. I helped a coworker working on drone design, another in basket weaving design and application and third in their educational game. Even when facing a difficult task there was never a shortage of help or ideas. I was lucky to make friends who went the extra mile. Back home, I find that people are less inclined to lend a hand.

While there were some people which weren’t as genuine, I understood it was due to how their livelihood was earned, in other words trying to scam foreigners. The people which I met in the University just gleamed of hope and prospects, many already having worked for large companies and created their own projects or products.

I was very impressed with the ingenuity of the IITK students. Many times they did not have the resources needed to complete or progress their project but found ways around that. For example, one of my friends was working on a robotic hand and found that there was not material locally that was used for elasticity of limbs or joints. A few days later I learned he used a spring from a toy car to accomplish his goal. That one spring, resulted in many prototypes and further improvement in his project.

There were many examples that I observed during my time there. One thing which blew my mind was the use of leafs as bristles for a brooms and using leftover cardboard as plates. Nothing seemed to go to waste in India. I found that to be very innovative despite Indian society as a whole not advertising for recycling and such. I know that things like that are due to lack of resourced but regardless I was impressed by how they could use things that would be seen to be unconventional in America and make it work just as well as a manufactured product.

I do believe there is good in both American and India cultures, and if they were to mix more we would potentially find more innovative and cost effective ways to create new things. I enjoy the way Indian students interact it feels very open and progressive. My view of the world has drastically changed, I appreciate people who take initiative more, and it makes me see the good and bad of American Society. I would not say Americans are not genuine or innovative, that is far from the truth. But, I do thing we could learn a thing or two from our Indian counterparts. 

Cross-Cultural Thinking: My Cultural Moment

There are a handful of times when I had a “cultural moment” while in India, but none as surprising as the first. Day 1 of my arrival in India, I had to take a taxi to get from Lucknow to the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. Nothing out of the normal I thought, just a taxi ride. I was wrong. Weave left, weave right; our driver was dodging cars like a movie stuntman. We were gliding in between cars, dodging people, and honking constantly. Screech, we stop out of nowhere for a speed bump. A rough ride is too nice of a phrase to describe the ride.

There was traffic on the way for some unknown reason, so my driver backs up and begins to drive on the road against oncoming traffic. Of course at this point we are all looking at each other, some in panic and others in wonder. On top of this there are cows on the road which have to be dodged throughout the trip. Apart from the surprise of driving past traffic, I was dumbfounded that none of the cars going the correct way were bothered by use driving on the wrong side of the road. Having traveled to other countries in the past, I was used to different driving conditions but none like India. My first reaction was that of excitement, since it was an adventure after all. Each time in a vehicle is an adventure in itself. From being an inch away from another vehicle or stopping on a dime, drivers in India never cease to impress me.

I learned much about transportation in India during my time here. For one, traffic rules in India it seems, are just a suggestion. Even when driving on the correct side of the road, which is your left, driving is very different than how Americans are used to. Nothing and I mean nothing stops traffic from moving forward. A car breaks down, drive around it. An accident occurs, drive around it. If there is traffic, drive around it. Cars, bicycles, pedestrians, motorcycles, all on the same road try and squeeze into any open space attempt to move forward. Unlike Americans, Indians mainly use honking as a form of communication to alert cars they are going to pass them or that they are close to them, something I found to be a good practice, till taken too far.

Fast forward 10 weeks later, traffic and driving doesn’t phase me. However, I still treat each time as an adventure. I ride autos the cheapest form of local transportation. I observe the landscape around me, the people, and the places. I will truly miss the openness of an auto, which has no doors, a variation of a golf cart. All modes of transportation here are an opportunity to learn and observe new things. From waiving hello to the neighboring auto, looking at waterfalls and farms from trains, to observing the country side from buses, most will fall in love with this country. 

Jonathan Sebastian Culture Learning

              No matter where in the world you go, some things remain constant. People need to be able to get where they are going, and they need to eat. Going to Taiwan I knew food and transit would be very different from what I was used to, but what I was surprised to see is how different the fundamental approach to each of them was.

              It is no secret each culture has its own distinctive cultural dishes. I was excited to try some of the unique cuisine Taiwan had to offer, and expected to see some very unfamiliar dishes. So what caught me by surprise was not the food itself, but the way dining was conducted. In Taiwan, grocery stores were very scarce, and preparing a home meal was relatively uncommon. Eating out at restaurants was certainly much more common than it was in America, but the standard meal was purchased at a convenience store or from a street vendor. Eating was often done on the go and extemporaneously without the significant break in schedule devoted to an American meal. Not only was the food different, but the entire experience of eating.

               

              Transportation in Taiwan was different than I could have ever expected. In America, whether I need to travel a few blocks away or across the entire state, I use my car. I am very used to a very personal travel experience where I am free to decide my pace and schedule. In Taiwan, so many transportation opportunities presented themselves. I rented public access bicycles, took the subway, trains, busses, taxis, and even a high speed rail to travel near and far. Public transportation, while not quite as private, was surprisingly clean, affordable, and efficient. Motor scooters seem to be the most popular method of private transportation, and even that changes the whole dynamic of traffic and the daily commute.

              These factors and a few others led to a busy, bustling sense to the whole country, even outside the large cities. With so many mountains on such a small island, space was at a premium, and people were everywhere all the time. Shops were tucked into even the smallest spaces that could occupy them, and the streets were constantly crowded with people on the move. And the lifestyle there supports that.

              It is very interesting to see how even with all the differences, some things remain the same. Even if food needs to be made very cheap and quickly, it is made flavorful and appealing. There is a sense of comfort found with cooking, no matter the culture. Even though the population and geography make transportation difficult, people adapt to get where they need to go. Taiwan has so many options when it comes to transportation, and the amount of versatility allows a method for every circumstance.

              Seeing differences in such familiar fundamental things, and even similarities in different things, helps to make me appreciate the size and diversity of the global community, but also help to recognize it as a single community. People, no matter where you go, are people. They have the same wants and needs, the same sorts of lives. But everyone is still an individual, and lives in their own culture their own way.

-----Jonathan Sebastian

Culture Learning

            There are several major differences between U.S. and Indian culture, as expected, seeing as how Western and Eastern cultures tend to vary greatly. Upon arrival at IIT-Kanpur’s campus, the graduate student that the Office of International Relations assigned us gave us our first warning in a major difference between Indian and American cultures.

            “Indian people hate being alone. We are very personable and have no concept of personal space or boundaries. We can be very touchy and love engaging in conversation. We do not understand the concept of ‘alone time’ and do not like being alone. We like being with friends and family all the time. Most people from the West will find this very unnerving, but just know that it is something that is completely normal here,” he warned us at our first meeting.

            And his warning was not unfounded. Although southern states pride themselves on “Southern Hospitality and friendliness” and there are certainly plenty of Americans who can be engaging and personable with strangers, this is taken to a completely new level in India. Our fellow Indian students wasted no time in throwing us in big hugs and wrapping their arms around us as they took “selfies” or had a friend take a picture with us before we could even realize what was going on. In the U.S. most of this would be seen as rude and impolite, but in India everyone (for the most part) interacts with each other in this way. In fact most friends will casually hold hands or interlock arms as they walk together, both boys with boys, girls with girls, and boys with girls. In the U.S. this is a sign of affection that is almost exclusively held to couples.

            I personally did not find the displays of affection difficult to deal with, but more so the frequency of them. I thought even the most outgoing of people still prefer at least a little bit of down time to themselves, but in Indian culture this is not true. If you are with a group of Indians and try to stray off alone to rest and relax, they will quickly come and drag you back into the fray.

            Another noticeable cultural difference the laid back nature of Indian culture compared to American culture. Our intern group coined a term “Indian time” to describe this difference. In the U.S. punctuality and timeliness is of the utmost importance in all aspects of life, from school life to the professional world. Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame Green Bay Packers coach, always preached that if you were on time you were late, and on time was really fifteen minutes early. This famously became known as “Lombardi time” which is the standard in most of the U.S. today, especially if you want to succeed in the professional world.

            Compared to this in India, time is very laid back. Most people attribute it to the intense summer heats and monsoon rains, which often cause delays in things, but we noticed that even in good weather things tend to run at least fifteen minutes behind schedule and usually much later than that. When we asked the Indian students and people that we were with they stated that this was normal, and that we should get used to it. They acted as if it was casual and nonchalant for everything to be unpunctual; they seemed to simply not care.

            These are two cultural differences amongst many that I noticed during my three months living in India.

Culture Learning - Emily Roth

The Brazilian lifestyle is very different from ours here in the United States. The vast amount of high rise buildings was probably the first thing I noticed flying into Sao Paulo, a city of close to 12 million people. Our cities in Texas looked like nothing compared to these. The average person lives in an apartment and does not have a front or back yard. I found this sad and felt very catastrophic in the city at first. Once we arrived in Recife, Brazil we checked into our hotel, which was located on the beach of Boa Viagem. I soon came to realize that the beach was almost like everyone’s backyard in Recife. The beach was very vibrant and people were out at all hours walking, running, playing soccer, swimming, or just out enjoying the view. The active atmosphere was contagious and I enjoyed the days I could fit a run in my schedule. As I mentioned in my previous post about Cross-Cultural Thinking the Brazilian’s consciousness of a healthy lifestyle is also found in the restaurants and how they base the cost of a meal off of the weight of your plate.  

Another aspect that I noticed was the organization of the streets in Recife. Most streets are one way, making it where you cannot even see the opposing traffic. Honking is also normal there and taken more as an alert for bikers and everyone around rather than as a message of anger and frustration. Luckily I never had to drive while I was there, but it would have been very interesting had I. One of the biggest traffic jams you will encounter in Recife are the ones on the streets leading up to the malls. The malls in Brazil are the place to go when you need almost anything. Unlike here in America, shopping centers or big retail stores outside of the mall were pretty much nonexistent. The mall included sports stores, grocery stores, electronic stores, banks, bakeries, pharmacies, and many other stores.

One thing that is not missing in Brazil is love and affection. This was apparent from the moment we arrived at the airport and were greeted with a kiss on the cheek and hug by Elma, the international relations coordinator for our trip. I felt very welcomed and that I was immediately accepted. I was surprised by it but I actually like the amounts of hugs given and wish that we were a little more affectionate here in America. The love was also seen up and down the beach. I began to notice it at nights that couples were out kissing, hugging and not caring if the world saw their love and passion. We began to call the beach walk at night Lover’s Lane as a joke because that is what it became.

The atmosphere at the state university we attended in Recife was in ways a lot more relaxed than ours here in the U.S. Many Brazilians are late for class and professors are as well, there’s no such thing as the fifteen minute late-class is cancelled rule for professors. I felt less pressure from time this way which was nice. After talking to the Brazilian students I also came to learn that you can drop a class almost as many times as you want and it not affect your GPA. The main motivation for them is to get out of college so that they can begin to generate an income. I liked the less pressured environment at the university we attended. All in all, recognizing these things gave me a better perspective of what lifestyles in other countries are like and allow me to appreciate my own culture along with the Brazilian culture in a better way.  

Cross-Cultural Thinking - Emily Roth

During our first week here in Brazil one of my fellow classmates, who is very enthusiastic about food and trying new foods, had a craving for Brazilian steak. He kept his eye out for an amazing steak place and one day when we took a different route back to our hotel we saw this nice steakhouse that our professor told us was very good. We decided to go there that night and try it out. We did not know what we were getting ourselves into and as soon as we walked through the door I felt out of place. The place, Ponteau, was very upscale and we were definitely under-dressed, the waiters swarmed us and took us to a table. We even had some other guys that are part of our group show up later with backpacks, I’m sure we were quite the sight for the locals in the restaurant. The “cultural moment” came after we got our drinks.

Once we got our drinks we sat there for a little while observing how the procedures to get food took place. We decided that the first thing to doing was to go up to what we called a salad bar but in America this bar would have been a very elaborate salad bar, if not a buffet. This bar had sushi, chicken, pasta, bread, salad, fruits, vegetables, and a variety of different sides. We loaded up our plates and then sat down, everything was pretty normal until we got swarmed with waiters who had giant slabs of meat cutting it off directly for you at your table. We didn’t know how to ask for something to alert that we had enough meat at the moment so we continued to get swarmed by waiters. I had never ate at a Brazilian steakhouse before so I was completely taken off guard by what was happening. I learned from others that in America there is a card you flip to alert the waiters that you have enough food at the moment. We of course knew minimal Portuguese so we were not able to ask for a card or ask what the signal was to alert that we had enough meat at that time. This was one of many clueless moments at restaurants here in Brazil. Many other restaurants weigh your plate and that is how they determine your bill. I like this idea because it makes you more conscious of the portions of food you are getting, it definitely kept us from eating as much. We found many foods that we wished we could take with us back to America. Some of our favorite foods and drinks included Guarana, Petit Geteau (a traditional chocolate cake with warm chocolate on the inside), calabresa pizza, papaya, bolo de madioca, suco de goiaba, tons of seafood, macaxeira, and many more. All in all, we definitely experienced an aspect of the culture through all the different restaurants we visited and learned a lot about the social norms in Recife. 

Academic or Professional Development - Emily Roth

I was very impressed with the schedule of our trip abroad. Our professor and his wife grew up in the city that we were staying in so they knew exactly when we should travel where and how we should get there. I felt that the schedule maximized our time in Brazil and I was happy with the number of trips we were able to take. We had at least one technical visit and one cultural visit every weekend. These visits were a good variety and showed us the past and present state of the city.

The technical visits we took allowed us to see some engineers in the field and the type of work they do in each industry. Our field of electrical engineering seemed to be as well respected in Brazil as it is in the United States though there were a lot less students studying engineering at the University of Pernambuco than there are here at Texas A&M. The tech industry was not large in Recife but through initiatives such as Porto Digital, an innovation park created in 2000, we saw how the city is moving towards a larger presence in the tech industry. The Jeep car plant we visited was also an impressive addition that the local economy benefited from. The plant created 8,000 new jobs for the state of Pernambuco. The experiences and classes allowed me to see that what I am studying is important and is affecting people across the world.

During our five weeks in Brazil we took seven hours of course work. We studied random signals and systems along with computer architecture. Neither class was a breeze, we did statistics and a lot of programming. This trip allowed me to see and learn from others in a way I had not in a long time. I found it interesting to be around the same small group for eight hours a day in the classroom. I saw different peoples’ time management habits, study techniques, teamwork, and leadership skills come out. We had to accomplish a lot of coursework in a small period of time so of course we learned how to work together as a team and how to teach one another when one was struggling. I think overall it was an effective class that was challenging and it allowed me to see where I need to improve when it simply comes to learning.

The ability to travel abroad and be immersed in a culture has given me a greater perspective. Last summer I worked in an electronics lab with engineers from India, Finland, China, and Peru. Now I feel that I have a greater understanding of just how different their backgrounds or college atmospheres may have been. What I find incredible though, is that they can all study electrical engineering in completely different countries yet now all work together on the same team. This trip has shown me the value of the field I am studying and allowed me to appreciate how universal electrical engineering is. 

Global Connections - Emily Roth

This was the longest time I have ever spent abroad and being totally immersed for an extended time allowed me to see the global connections that I would not have seen had I only stayed one week. Exploring more than just the touristy parts of the city gave us the ability to see what it was really like as an average person living in Recife. One of the greatest things about studying in Brazil was the ability to interact with and take classes alongside Brazilian engineering students. Through my conversations with the students at the University of Pernambuco, the state university where we studied, I learned many different aspects of the culture in Brazil.

I was very impressed with the Brazilian students, they all knew at least two languages if not more and they immediately wanted to talk about American politics and music. They knew about Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump and wanted to hear our opinions and who we sided with. I found this eye opening because they were concerned with American politics and the outcome of our presidential election when I did not even know the name of their president or all the details of their current political situation. This realization definitely opened my eyes to how globally unaware I was and how much knowledge I lacked when it came to the political situations of other countries. Being aware of other countries’ situations and being able to speak their home language when you visit them is a very important way to connect to others around the world.  

I saw the connectedness when I learned how similar the students were to us. Just like engineering students thousands of miles away at Texas A&M, the Brazilians similarly talked about which professors were the best to take, about the pains of being an engineering student, the internships they hoped to gain, and many of the other day to day things an engineering student would be concerned with at A&M. I enjoyed hearing about one of the girl’s aspiration to earn her Master’s degree and then hopes to obtain her Ph.D. in America. I felt connected knowing that other countries were providing engineering educations to students so that solutions can continually be improved. We saw proof of the improvement engineering had brought to the city of Recife while visiting Porto Digital, one of Brazil’s largest technological parks. We also visited the JEEP Car Plant, a new plant only three years old, and the Port of Suape. These technical visits gave us a better view of how Recife is connecting to several other parts of the world. The JEEP car plant created around 8,000 jobs in the area which was very impressive and connecting individuals in Recife to other company locations around the world. The opportunities we have to work with others in different countries in industry someday are very large. This experience has shown me that there are others around the world working towards the same goal of improving the lives of their citizens and that knowledge connects us all.

Critical Thinking - Emily Roth

The language barrier was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated it to be. I did not know any Portuguese except for a few basic words that I had looked up when I arrived in Brazil and that proved to be a big challenge. The thing about Portuguese is that you can read the word but you will most likely mispronounce it therefore causing the locals to be confused and unable to understand what you are trying to say. At first this caused a lot of stress when we go eat somewhere, go shopping, request something from the lobby at our hotel, or any activity that required us to interact with the locals.

The main challenge was all the difficulties we would incur when we went out to eat as a group at dinner time. At these times we usually did not have one of the Brazilian students or our professor with us so we were on our own when it came to communicating with the hostesses and servers at the restaurants. We usually had no problem getting a table but when it came to reading the menu we had to be creative. Google translate came in very handy but it was not always very accurate. Usually the employees would notice our struggle to read the menu and bring out English ones if they had some. They would only have one or two copies usually so it was a timely process to order. Many Brazilian plates are for two or three people so we always had to ask how many each plate fed and then decide among ourselves who was going to split what. Having an odd number was not ideal most of the time. Luckily they understood when we signaled that we were sharing a plate, we definitely learned how to speak with our hands a lot more. Once the check came it was a problem we had to solve and usually one person would take the lead. The check comes as one big bill that we had to split up among ourselves. Ten percent was accounted for in the bill and no tip was left on the table. This was strange for us Americans at first because we have always left tips on the table, but we got used to it. We would pass around the bill and each person would calculate their part and add ten percent. Then the people who were paying with cards would pay first and one of us would collect all the cash. Sometimes we were at restaurants for a long time after we ate because we somehow would miscalculate somewhere or the waiter would be confused. We developed a system and at the end of the trip I was no longer stressed when the check came, we had mastered eating out as a big group in Brazil.

The other challenge was communicating with the receptionists at our hotel. I would try to communicate with just my hands and do my best to understand what they were saying in the beginning but I way overestimated my ability to understand. They were very patient and continued to repeat what they were saying. Once we called it helpless we resulted to google translate. I appreciated their patience and towards the end of the trip I began to pick up on certain words they were saying. We faced many language barriers in Brazil but the Brazilians patience with us and our ability to figure out other solutions made our time in Brazil enjoyable.

Jonathan Sebastian Cross Cultural Thinking

              It can be very strange how even the simplest of actions can be rendered incomprehensible in a different culture. Language barriers and differences in tradition can conceal details we very frequently take for granted. One of my experiences early on in my trip to Taiwan was almost comical in how trivially mundane it was while still presenting a challenge I simply did not know how to approach.

              On one of my first trips to go get food on my own, I decided to go to a local fast food restaurant to dip my toes into some unfamiliar cuisine without diving directly into completely uncharted territory. The process seemed about as easy as I could hope for. Everyone ahead of me in line got their food only a couple minutes after it was ordered. There was even a menu on the counter with large pictures to point to so I could clearly order without having to speak Mandarin. I placed my order and was given a tray, not with food like everyone else’s, before or after me in line, but a number.

              I figured this order number was nothing too out of the ordinary, and waited patiently for an employee to replace the numbered plastic placard with my food. And I waited. And waited and waited. After about twenty minutes I began to wonder what had gone wrong. It may seem silly, but I was hungry and confused as to when the food I had already payed for would be brought to me. I tried to ask an employee for help, but without a common language gestures only go so far.

              To solve this issue I did something I wound up doing many, many times over the course of my trip. I asked a stranger for help. It felt more than a little embarrassing, but after a couple tries I found another customer who spoke English well enough. She spoke with the employees in Mandarin for a moment, and my number was replaced with my food. Problem solved.

              Even now I am not entirely sure what exactly happened at that restaurant. I think if I spoke Mandarin I would have been able to identify and address the problem immediately, but as it stood something simple as a moment’s confusion over a fast food order became an unapproachable mystery. It definitely made me respect the language barrier and the complications it could present in a way I had not before.  

              The most valuable thing I learned from that experience was in its solution. There is no shame in asking a stranger for help in a moment of confusion. It can be surprising how much something with just slightly more familiarity with your surroundings can help. It feels very awkward fumbling through a language barrier. It certainly made me feel very self-conscious almost constantly. Simply asking for help, though, was the answer to so many problems. People are very frequently willing to help where they can. It feels very good knowing that even so far out of my element, I could come to rely on assistance when I felt lost. 


---Jonathan Sebastian

Jonathan Sebastian Global Connections

            My travels to Taiwan presented some very real challenges I never would have expected. Being in a place where everything is so different becomes very stressful very quickly, and while you often hear travelers talk about the thrill of experiencing a new culture, it is less often that you hear how difficult it can be emotionally. Not understanding the language made me feel very isolated, even when surrounded by people. Not being able to read menus was scary, there were points where I was afraid I would not be able to feed myself appropriately. The differences with weather, diet, and sleep cycles all put stresses on my body that made things that much harder for my peace of mind. During stressful times, I became very grateful for the level of global interconnectedness our world has today.

              Being able to communicate so freely and easily with friends and family back home has been such an incredible boon to me. Having access to a familiar face being so simple as reaching into my pocket and pulling out my phone meant encouragement was never far away. The fact I could share my experiences with those on the other side of the globe by taking pictures and sending messages helped so much. I am extremely thankful that technology allows this sort of interconnectedness, and to think that it was not so long ago that such a thing would be impossible makes it all that much more wonderful. Even across the world I am never too far from those who are close to me.

              Global interconnectedness allowed me to take solace in familiar things in an unfamiliar place. A very simple example that brought me a lot of comfort is the fact there was a McDonalds right by campus. Though trying all sorts of new foods has been very exciting, sometimes a taste of something familiar can go a long way towards putting your mind at ease when you are feeling out of place. With so much unfamiliarity all around me, I was happy to have an American restaurant with a familiar menu and familiar tastes to fall back on.

              My favorite experience with global interconnectedness came when I decided to visit a card shop. Ever since I was very young I have loved card games, and have spent a great deal of time in shops just like the one I visited. Though I was very nervous, I tried my hand at entering a tournament being held for my favorite game. I was surprised by how easy it was to play despite the language barrier. I managed to take second place despite being unable to communicate clearly. Though my opponents and I did not share a language, we shared a game, and that helped me to feel very comfortable. It makes me very happy to know some hobbies can transcend borders, and allow people around the globe to connect without sharing a language.

              Global interconnectedness is a huge step to experiencing new cultures. Even though so much can be different, there are still points of commonality. I was able to find things I was familiar with all the way on the other side of the planet. Completely unfamiliar territory can be very frightening, but having these points of familiarity to work from makes all the difference. 

----Jonathan Sebastian

Jonathan Sebastian Academic Development

Civil engineering is a field respected the world over. No matter the culture, people need infrastructure. Roads and bridges, water treatment and skyscrapers, all the marks of modern civilization require education and training in the field of civil engineering. It did not surprise me to find that in a place as developed and multicultural as Taiwan that my chosen academic field has a strong presence. What did surprise me, though, is that there is perhaps even more emphasis and respect for civil engineering than I have experienced in America.

Taiwan is a small island nation with very little in the way of natural resources. It experiences typhoons, flooding, and earthquakes. The entire country is covered in mountains created by volcanoes centuries ago. The climate is hot, and the vegetation extremely dense. To make such a place inhabitable at all, people have had to go to incredible lengths. Civil engineering does not just improve the quality of life in Taiwan, it allows human life to exist there at all.

I witnessed many marvels of civil engineering over my stay in Taiwan. The Taipei 101, a tremendous structure visible across all of Taipei with an elaborate vibration damping mechanism that allows it to stand even in high winds and earthquakes. A facility built on the Keelung River that during floods, diverts rushing waters over a mile underground and into the ocean to prevent harm to humans living in the river valley. A clean, convenient, and timely public transportation system that reliably took me across Taipei for under an American dollar. All these incredible feats of civil engineering took countless hours of effort and genius innovation in order to produce amazing results.

Back in America when I am asked what I study, I frequently find myself having to explain exactly what it is a civil engineer does. In Taiwan, despite often struggling with a significant language barrier, I never once had to explain what the field of civil engineering entails to anyone who asked. Cultural awareness of civil engineering is much higher, very likely due to all the efforts required to make the island nation habitable. The Taipei 101 is not just a very large building, it is a symbol of national pride. Public transportation is appreciated and well maintained instead of being thought of as inconvenient or undesirable.

It occurs to me that Taiwan’s appreciation for civil engineering likely feeds on itself in some fashion. The struggles of taming such a wild island require talented civil engineers. Transportation, environmental awareness, dealing with natural disasters, planning urban infrastructure, and other civil engineering endeavors are put in the forefront of the population’s minds. Consequently the field garners more interest among students, more funding from the government, and more respect in popular opinion in general. This leads to the incredible feats like the Taipei 101, which serve to inspire a whole new generation of engineers.

I am very excited to have experienced so much of a culture of civil engineering. It is exhilarating to see some of the advances made here in my academic field. I am very glad to bring some of the ideas I have seen here back home with me, and hope they can serve me well in my career with civil engineering.

---Jonathan Sebastian