Benjamin Casanova Shiel '25 RGLP Reflection: Cross-Cultural Adaptation

Adaptability is the solution to creating greater cohesion across different cultures. Without a willingness to dive into cross-cultural environments head-on, productive conversations that move us forward as one interconnected planet are impossible. Entering multicultural spaces with no preconceived notions is an important first step to adequately engage in these conversations. While RGLP's sessions varied in complexity and difficulty, they had a unifying thread that tied them all together—all sessions taught us to how step outside our comfort zone and be vulnerable in unfamiliar situations. The Capoeira workshop stood out to me as a unique experience because it asked us to reframe how we externalize our emotions. It was evident early on in the session that many participants felt uncomfortable to let loose and express vulnerability. Shyness initially deterred us from fully embracing the activity, but as time progressed, we all took a leap of faith and wrapped up the session with confidence. In a similar vein, Sadhana's powerful anecdotes on intercultural misunderstanding also left me pondering what facets of ourselves we choose to hide from others and which ones we reveal without hesitation.

Adaptability opens up an entirely new avenue for us to approach novel situations with poise and determination. By grounding our intercultural actions around adaptability, we can enrich our minds with alternative perspectives, no matter how much they differ from our own. In a world that is experiencing a rise in xenophobic attacks, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and harsher border policies, cultivating the importance of adaptability is crucial to scale back this downward cascade of events and reverse their direction. RGLP has given me an excellent platform to have fresh, productive conversations in small groups and recognize why these intercultural conversations are needed. It has also served as a reality check, often bringing forward people's biases and preconceived notions on difficult topics. As I jumpstart my prospective career in public health, having a sound foundation on what constitutes strong adaptability will facilitate my cross-cultural conversations. After RGLP, I can now define adaptability as a quality that necessitates robust leadership, confidence in uncharted territory, and nuanced cultural awareness.