REFLECTION

Personal Growth

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Because of my little sister, Maya, and my existing connection to the disabled community, my trip to Portugal was extremely engaging and meaningful to me. I got to see the hardships some families go through firsthand. I walked the same uphill streets that wheelchair-users couldn’t get up. I learned about the inadequate therapies provided to children eligible for early intervention. This specifically touched me because I am familiar with the American system and the substantial benefits (including weekly early intervention therapy) individuals with special needs receive. 

This made me appreciative of where my sister and my family live. She had an amazing support system growing up and she continues to receive maximum therapy at school. On the other hand, my observations inspired me to study and eventually help those who are not as lucky as Maya. Portuguese policy needs to change and, unfortunately, I do not yet have the status to directly enforce that change. However, I can take part in spreading awareness and continuing my education so I can be a more influential figure one day. 

On the bright side, Portugal is trying to completely integrate children with special needs into public schools. While the United States has better accessibility and social attitudes towards the disabled community, I think we can take a lesson from Portugal’s education system. In the U.S., many children with special (or even behavioral) needs are placed into separate schools that implement individualized education. Portuguese officials support the philosophy that separating those with special needs from the rest of their abled peers will systematize prejudice by segregating groups, automatically classifying one as “different.” By keeping all students together, they hope to reinforce the idea that all people are equal and should be treated respectfully. 

My parents actually uphold this philosophy as well. My younger sister with Down syndrome is mainstreamed and has attended our public school district her whole life. Ironically, my mom works at a school that caters to those with special needs. We frequently discuss whether Maya should move to my mom’s school or stay in public school. The largest factor that prevents my parents from making the switch is Maya’s social life. She has a large group of typical friends that love her and help her with life skills. She is always included and her peers have a great attitude towards her. On the other hand, the children at my mom’s school do not have quite the social life and support. A lot of times they are hesitant to interact with typical children because of this. Again, this creates a barrier between the abled and the disabled communities. 

I enjoyed studying this education debate because it made me think about philosophies I have never considered before. It made me think critically about marginalized communities and how they were systematically outcasted. These realizations contributed to a large moment of growth for me because not only because they altered my way of thinking, but also because I was inspired to continue studying these forms of systematized oppression against marginalized communities.  

As most travelling does, this trip forced me outside of my comfort zone and into unfamiliar territories. While I have done solo travel abroad before, I was in an English-speaking country. In Portugal, I was surrounded by a foreign language I could not understand. This challenged me more than ever before. It taught me to adapt and use my knowledge of Spanish vocabulary in addition to context clues in order to maneuver the streets and grocery stores. I was forced to confront locals to make sure I was going in the right direction. I learned it was better to double (and even triple) check before making a costly error. Living in hostels also put me in an environment to socialize with people from all over the world and learn about their cultures. I am extremely fortunate to have been able to go on my Magellan because it left me a much wiser person with a broader global perspective.

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Professional Development

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Since the beginning of high school, I planned on graduating undergraduate school with a neuroscience degree, doing research in graduate school, and eventually earning a PhD. As I completed my sophomore year, I was perfectly content with my plan and I was still on track. I even interned doing neuroscience research the prior summer and I thought it went extremely well. However, after my Magellan this summer, I am reconsidering my career path. This has been an earth-shattering consideration for me because I had everything lined up perfectly. I am nearly done with my neuroscience major and it makes me nauseous how much money I am paying for that degree.

After my Magellan, I realized what I am truly passionate about. My sister has had such an influential presence in my life that I am driven to give back to the special needs and disabled communities. They deserve as much support as possible and I would like to make a difference. My Magellan opened my eyes to the fact that so many disabled people around the world are struggling differently than those in America. I want to help those who are less fortunate.

I am not throwing away my neuroscience degree. Instead, I picked up a gender and women’s studies major as well (which encompasses the study of disabled communities), so I have the option to pursue something in either field. Ideally, I would like to find a crossroad between my two majors. During the first semester of my junior year, I will be taking a class called the psychology of sex and gender which neatly combines my interests. If that class goes well, possibly I could pursue similar studies in graduate school.

While I am still considering specific career goals, I believe that my passions will outweigh every other factor and I will end up doing something beneficial to the special needs and disabled communities. I am glad Washington & Jefferson has given me the platform to explore both my majors and help me realize what I need to do in order to be happy.

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What's next?

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I wish I could give a definite answer to this question, but unfortunately, I don’t have one. Next summer, I plan on doing another 10 week internship abroad. Specifically, I would like to live in London. I do not know if I want to do a neuroscience research internship or something that aligns with disability studies and the humanities.

I plan on working with both my neuroscience and my gender and women’s studies advisors to pick the best-suited internship for myself. I know that whatever I choose will be educational and beneficial to my future. I am extremely thankful that W&J supports large opportunities like these internships abroad that I seek. 

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