My experiences in the last four years, and throughout my life in general has led me to believe that building relationships with people both inside and outside of your culture opens up more opportunities for connecting with and supporting people of any background. As someone pursuing a career in medicine and with an interest in healthcare disparities, I believe that language is an effective way to build relationships with people of different communities and lifestyles to provide them with better care. 

 

Growing up bilingual in an Ethiopian American household, I took speaking Amharic for granted until I later realized how critical it was in the relationships I had with my family. Most of them, including my parents, are native Amharic speakers who are not fluent in English. Knowing the language made it easier to have mutual understanding, and build connections in a way I could not with English. I have been lucky enough to travel to Ethiopia a few times to visit family, and my use of Amharic there really helped me maintain relationships that would not be the same with a language barrier.

 

Studying abroad in Nantes, France further showed me the power of language because it was the sole focus of the French language immersion program I was in. From the start of the semester, all my classes were in French and I only spoke French with my host family, so I was pushed out of my comfort zone right away. This brought growth in my French, which in turn helped deepen my relationships with the people there. As an ESL tutor, I was also exposed to French speakers of different ages and backgrounds, which showed me perspectives of different people in the same society, and broadened my view of French culture.

 

French helped me better understand the culture through the nuances and hidden meanings only seen through language and communication. This helped me form connections in a less superficial way, and taught me that experiencing a different culture can shape who I am by expanding the types of people I can relate to and connect with. Building ties with not only a new culture, but with people in that culture, is an asset useful in many areas including healthcare. A doctor's ability to form a relationship with their patient increases trust and understanding, leading to a better quality of treatment.

 

I also believe that cultural competence through intercultural experiences, abroad or at home, can develop patience, broaden your worldview, and unfold new passions and interests along the way. For example, I took a gastronomy class in Nantes that made me grow an appreciation for cooking and different cuisines, as well as the history behind their development. 

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The willingness to understand and learn from different communities and cultures is an important skill in contributing to bettering the world in a way you're passionate about. In my future career as a healthcare professional, I hope to do research on diseases present in third world countries, and my time in Europe has increased my interest in working abroad with international health organizations. Living in Nantes improved my intercultural competence and communication using a foreign language, and through that, taught me the complexity of human interactions in different cultures.