As I reflect back on my experiences within WAGSFP, the people surrounding me have definitely made this time productive, engaging, and enjoyable in nature. I’ve found the relationship that I’ve had with other fellows to be the most surprising, spontaneous, and endearing part of this summer. Two occasions of our time together come to the forefront of my mind to describe our relationship: a lunch at Frita Batidos (a fabulous restaurant which seeks to promote Cuban fusion food and is pictured below) and an outing to Briarwood Mall. I’ve found that I really liked getting to know other fellows in a relaxed, social setting. We’ve talked about matters from serious to silly in nature: whether it’s the process of seeking to fit into environments where we’re social outsiders from a racial, ethic, and socio-economic perspective to finding an appropriate outfit to wear. Establishing these relationships has been very helpful and important to me because they give me an outlet to express my thoughts and feelings. I credit WAGSFP in establishing an inclusive and respectful environment where I’m comfortable in being personable with the people around me.
My relationship with my research mentor has definitely grown during the summer as well and we are able to have long-winded discussions about modern politics that relate to current literature with a sense of ease. I look forward to strengthening these relationships as time goes on.
