2015-07-06
At this year’s Ashoka FutureForum, I got the chance to witness a celebration of Global Citizen Year and youth empowerment, two things that have proved formative in my recent years. I was generously invited by virtue of my alumni status and stayed for the diverse discussions on race, technology, workplace reform, health, and art. Being...
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2012-03-07
Feijão, arroz, cururú, moqueca, vatapá, churrasco, pirão, quiabada, vatapa, acarajé. Bahians do not mess around when it comes to their food, and as a result, I can’t fit into anything I brought with me when I first packed for my year in Brazil. Every day, I wake up and begin the day the way my...
Read More2012-01-04
Every night besides Sunday night, you can find me on the couch from 6:00 to 7:00, and then 9:00 to 10:30 to watch my two favorite Brazilian soap operas. My host family jokes that I’m an addicted noveleira, and if I miss one episode I get nervous and ask everyone at my apprenticeship to fill...
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2011-11-09
At Fall Training for Global Citizen Year, we were taught to be open-minded, compassionate, and to expect the unexpected. By the time our departure rolled around, I was sure that I was going to be the American that broke down all the barriers and stereotypes; furthermore, I envisioned this happening with a pretty picture frame...
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2011-10-14
Among the deluge of advice I got before departing for Brazil, one common piece was to beware of the Brazilian men. I brushed it off along with “strap your passport to your body at all times!” but I realize now that the first piece of advice is more relevant than I ever could have anticipated....
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2011-09-13
Sunday in Salvador is a quiet day for Brazilians to cook at home with their families and walk the beach. For Gringos who do not have a kitchen, Sunday is a day to search for the few restaurants that are open in order to get a hold of the typical big lunch. Six of us...
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2011-09-12
On the morning that the Nike Girl Effect came to Stanford, eleven of us debated about whether the card that said “financial reserves that can be used for an emergency” should go under responsibilities for a girl that was 14 or 16. Then we discussed the card that said, “should know the national marriage laws”...
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2011-09-02
Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have pictured myself standing outside a Stanford dorm at 4 in the morning to wave goodbye to 45 fellows on their way to Senegal and Ecuador. As a recent high school graduate, it takes a lot for me to give up hours of valuable sleep. However, when I found out...
Read More2011-07-05
Before stumbling across Global Citizen Year, my plans for the future were nebulous. After finishing a grueling college experience, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to head straight back to the classroom that had wrung me dry just in time for graduation. However, I wasn’t eager to try my hand at a year abroad without...
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