Wednesday, January 23, 2013

 
 
by Antonio Sweet '14
Back at the Ranch…
Passport?  Check.  Notebook?  Check.  Bug spray?  Check.  A backup notebook and extra pens? Check. Before beginning the course, I anticipated that I would gain a lot – information that would reinforce my academic studies, inspiration for class projects in the coming year, and expand my perspective on energy issues beyond my American prism.  While all of these came quickly, they did not scratch the surface on how deeply this program changed me.  Around this time of year as students are attending internship info sessions, I typically sort through the listings by location.  For three summers in a row, my internships have been close to home largely because they offered great experiences and because I couldn’t see myself working anywhere else.  However, this course in Brazil helped me see that breaking out of my bubble, while very risky, can be incredibly freeing and can open doors to incredible opportunities that were not imaginable before.  Visiting sophisticated research facilities, complicated manufacturing plants, and influential government agencies made me realize that my return to Brazil in any capacity was more of a possibility than I expected.  The representatives that we met with – academic, professional, and otherwise – were uniformly hospitable and welcoming, but most importantly, they were encouraging.  Now, I can see myself making the same moves that former students have made by preparing myself to make that leap of faith.  I plan on taking a Portuguese class to reduce the language barrier and I will actively work with the DRCLAS office in Brazil this semester to make this former fantasy a reality.  I cannot thank the DRCLAS and the Brazil office staff enough for making this one of the best experiences of my life and for guiding me through what promises to be a very challenging journey.