Environmental Science

August 1, 2021 Raised by parents who emigrated from Poland as the Communist regime collapsed, learning English was a challenge for me. I grew up immersed in Polish culture and called Chicago’s thriving Polish community my home. With non-English speaking parents, my only hope of learning the language was through VHS tapes and later my …

March 10, 2023 As a little girl, I was immersed in the world of agronomy and natural sciences. Working and living on my family’s farm in Poland each summer gave me a real insight into what it takes to harvest and plant crops. With hard labor and ideal environmental conditions, any vegetation can thrive, but …

March 15, 2025 The first month of my study abroad experience in Brazil was marked by silence and isolation. My timidness held me back, and the overwhelming cultural differences left me feeling out of place and detached. Every day felt like a challenge. I was navigating a new language, a new routine, and a new …

October 28, 2024 The rst and only time I went to northern Brazil was for a eld trip to the city of Salvador, in the stateof Bahia, with other students from the Brazil Middlebury Schools Abroad program. It was aroundnoon, and the sun burned everyone and everything in its path. I was immensely grateful to …

March 1, 2025 Chi sarei stata? Se fossi nata in Polonia subito dopo la caduta del regime comunista? Avrei vissuto la vita di una contadina, in un paese in rovina, impoverita, senza lavoro e senza opportunità. Avrei respirato il profumo delle mucche che sempre riempia l’aria, avrei sentito il sole secca e brucia la terra, …