While I was choosing an abroad program, I specifically wanted a program in which I would not be surrounded with peers who were also from Southern California. I wanted an opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone even with my American peers. When I had the chance to meet my peers, I was the only student from California, the only UC student, and the only minority and Asian American. As a result of this situation, I felt like I was having two cultural shocks at the same time during my study abroad. One with my host country, and another one with the culture of white America, one that I was never exposed to as I grew up around mostly other minorities. In conclusion, my internship abroad allowed me to fulfill my career advanced goals in the new technique I learned with laser confocal microscopy and my development with advanced zCas9i CRISPR. Working in French pushed me to grow in French proficiency but also with my workplace soft skills, like effective communication. This internship helped me grow in ways that I never would in America. I gained confidence in my ability to succeed and in my drive to make an impact in science and my goal to contribute to climate crisis research.
My goal is to contribute to climate crisis research, and I specifically chose a study abroad program where I would not be surrounded by my California peers. I wanted an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone. Working in France pushed me to grow in French language proficiency and effective communication. I grew in ways that I never would have if I stayed in America—I gained confidence in my ability to succeed and make an impact in science.