#HumansofOISS

Meet Salma [?][?]! Originally from Egypt, Salma embarked on a remarkable journey that led her to Yale for her one-year postgraduate studies during her medical school study at the University of Wurzburg in Germany. With a focus on thrombosis in different hematological at the Yale Cancer Center and Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, she’s making strides in the field of medicine.

What drives her passion for medicine? Salma’s upbringing in a family of doctors ignited her desire to truly help others in their most vulnerable moments, both physically and mentally. For Salma, medicine is not about changing the world, but about making impactful changes in one person’s life at a time. It’s about putting yourself in your patient’s shoes, both professionally and personally.
Salma’s journey didn’t stop in Egypt; she embarked on an incredible adventure to Germany, where she learned the language (not an easy language to learn!), overcame obstacles, and pursued her dream of becoming a physician scientist. Her experience in the U.S. and Germany taught her valuable lessons about cultural differences and the importance of inclusivity: people from different backgrounds can respect each other and work together to make the world a better place.
But that’s not all–Salma is not only into medicine but also deeply interested in AI application in medicine and healthcare and health politics. She actively contributes to the field by working on the organizing committee of conferences like the German American Conference at Harvard Kennedy School, as well as participating in Model United Nations. Additionally, she’s part of the Berlin-based Student Network for Open Science ( previously Berlin Exchange Medicine) where she is working on AI related projects.
Outside of her rigorous studies, she finds joy in exploring new cities, taking long walks, hanging out with friends and indulging in a good book.
Salma’s story reminds us that the pursuit of knowledge and the desire to make a difference knows no borders. She exemplifies the power of resilience, dedication, and the universal language of compassion.
#humansofoiss

In today’s spotlight of #HumansofOISS, we’re featuring Rafael. He is originally from the South of Brazil and is currently a PhD candidate in Physiology in the Gracheva lab. His research focuses on the neuronal mechanisms underlying puberty in hibernating ground squirrels.

Outside of the lab, Rafael enjoys dancing with the Yale Tango Club. A friend introduced him to the club almost two years ago, teaching him some basic steps before he attended the Winter Tango Party. Since then, the tango community has become an important part of his PhD experience. Through the club, Rafael has connected with kind, talented people across many of Yale’s schools and departments. He’s danced tango in New Haven, Hartford, New York, Boston, and even back home in Brazil. Last summer, he experienced the tango scene in Buenos Aires. Through the tango practices, socials, parties and festivals, he has met great dancers that became real great friends!

Looking ahead, Rafael hopes to keep mentoring and supporting other Brazilian students , following the example of mentors who motivated him during his own journey. Currently, he is also part of Iniciativa Proxima, an umbrella program that aims to train the next generation of Brazilian scientists.

Career-wise, in the near future, Rafael aims to perform postdoctoral training and then become an independent researcher in his own laboratory, pursuing important questions in physiology.

Happy Friday everyone! #humansofoiss this week, let me introduce Antimo Lucarelli from Department of Philosophy ;-)

1. Could you share a memorable moment from your first day on Yale’s campus

When I arrived and saw Yale’s campus for my first time, I was overwhelmed by how effective it is in communicating the glorious calm of education and research. I think that is the highest effect a university can hope to achieve to foster students’ aspirations. Yale’s colleges, libraries and spaces appeared to me the perfect place to study.

2. What’s your research?

I am here at Yale’s Department of Philosophy to conduct research on the role of eternity in our lives, moving from Parmenides - ancient Greek philosopher - and Emanuele Severino, one of the greatest Italian philosophers of last century. What I plan to argue is that our lives are eternal, although not in the classic sense of immortality. They are eternal in the present, where a “vertical infinity” silently - but constantly - surrounds us.

3. What are your future aspirations?

Yale’s cultural environment is such a unique one. I have met very stimulating colleagues and am attending very stimulating courses. I would like to continue to be affiliated with Yale in the future to conduct my research in such a prosperous place.

Happy Friday everyone! #humansofoiss this week is going to introduce our International McDougal fellow to you! He’s such a cool guy hhh
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“Hey dear Yalies and friends!!!
This is Alaaddin (Yep, like the Disney Character [?]), an adventurer hailing from the vibrant city of Herat, Afghanistan. Currently, I’m pursuing a degree in the dynamic field of Biomedical Engineering as a 3rd year PhD student.
My journey into this fascinating field stems from a deep desire to make an impact on healthcare. Imagine creating better ways to test and develop new medicines early on - that’s what I am all about!
Prior to my Yale days, I’ve been fortunate to gather valuable experiences that shaped my path. I hold a bachelor and a master’s degree in Mechanical engineering.
Speaking of Yale, the campus is like something out of a movie with its picturesque buildings [?] and a warm community. Choosing Yale was like finding the perfect piece that fits seamlessly into my academic journey.
Beyond the world of science, you’ll find me kicking around a soccer ball [?], exploring new corners of our beautiful planet [?], and sharing stories with folks from all around the globe. Connecting with people and experiencing diverse cultures truly enriches my soul.
So, whether I’m decoding complex scientific puzzles or embracing the thrill of new experiences, one thing remains constant - my unwavering passion for making a difference in this world.
It’s a pleasure to meet you all [?] “

#YalePhD #humansofoiss

Hey Class of 2027 international undergraduates, let me introduce our second head counselor Alika this week!

#humansofoiss
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“Hey everyone!! My name is Alika, I’m from Puebla, Mexico and I am so excited to meet you all! I’m in Grace Hopper and about to go into my third year. I’m involved in the theatre, film, and STEM communities here at Yale and have enjoyed every minute of it, so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about navigating different spaces(or anything at all!). At the moment I’m a prospective Film & Media Studies and Computer Science double major. Being in OIS last year as a counselor was an amazing experience and it was super fun being back after being a counselee and experiencing the greatest introduction to this school. Can’t wait to meet you all!!”

Happy Friday! This week let’s move on to our third Orientation Assistant Oluwatobi Oso.

“I’m Oluwatobi Oso (He/Him/His), from Nigeria. I’m currently a PhD student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, working in the Prof. Erika Edwards Lab. My current research seeks to understand the origin, evolution, and development of leaf forms of woody angiosperms in temperate regions. I also work as a McDougal STEM Career Fellow with the Yale Office of Career Strategy.
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Prior to starting my PhD at Yale, I earned my bachelor and master degree from University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and subsequently worked as a TWAS-CSIR Graduate Research Fellow at the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. Outside academia, I am passionate about fostering community development and empowering young people as a Youth Worker.
Since arriving in the US in 2021, I have continued to pursue these passions, volunteering as a science mentor for the New Haven Family Science night and New Haven Science Fair, and working as an instructor for the Yale Young African Scholars and the Yale Young Global Scholars programs. When I’m not doing science or youth work, I’m either playing the piano or bass guitar to Christian music, or playing around website development, and most of all, spending time with my wife and kids at home. At this summer orientation, I relish the opportunity to connect with new Yalies from diverse cultures all over the world, who share my enthusiasm for learning, community building, and personal development.” #humansofoiss

Welcome to #humansofoiss ! This week let’s move on to our second Grad & Professional Orientation Assistants – Ketty Kabengele.

“Hello everyone! My name is Ketty and I am from Zambia. I will be a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate this fall at the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. I am generally interested in Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, and Epidemiology. I am a member of the Ogbunu Research Lab, in the Department of E&EB and my Ph.D. research is focused on investigating the evolution and ecology of viruses. I am excited to understand how viruses evolve in different environments and how that influences disease.
I am also a McDougal Teaching Fellow and Lead Academic Strategies Mentor for the Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. Outside academics, I am interested in biking and outdoor activities, and I am part of the Yale Bulldogs Biking Club. I also enjoy going to the Payne Whitney Gym, cooking, hiking, and trying out new restaurants in New Haven.”

“Embrace Opportunities, Live a Memorable Life: The Inspiring Journey of David” #humansofoiss

Avicii’s words, “One day you will leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember,” shared by David during our interview. David, an adventurous individual from Spain, adopted these words as his guiding principle.
David’s sociability and active participation in OISS events caught my attention. He ventured beyond his comfort zone, coming to a new country, joining a new lab as its first member, forging connections with diverse individuals. His adventurous spirit led to notable contributions to the scientific community, including involvement with the Association of Spanish Scientists in the US(ECUSA) and the Wu Tsai Institute at Yale, and organizing department retreats.

A major in Pharmacy during undergrad, David now serves as a post-grad assistant in Yale’s Cellular and Molecular Physiology Department. Allow me to share the legendary story of how he found himself at Yale. His journey began with creating a scientific Twitter account in his senior year to accomplish one of his hobbies: outreach, and to educate the public about the different ingredients in the Covid vaccine. After graduation, seeking guidance for the future, he reached out to scientists with this twitter account. To his astonishment, five months later, a professor texted him that a friend of hers was establishing a new lab at Yale and expressed a desire to recommend David as a post-graduate assistant. This anecdote serves as a testament to the importance of outreach and networking, and never giving up pursuing your dreams.

Presently, David is engaged in the study of the neurovascular plasticity in a model obesity, trying to understand how neuronal, immune, and vascular networks coordinately control energy homeostasis. However, his future pursuits are in the field of translational research: scientific discoveries are translated from the laboratory to tangible benefits for humanity.
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This week’s #humansofoiss features the OISS Armadillo (“Dillo” for short) from Costa Rica. He is a mischievous staff member whose favorite thing to do is hide around the office and surprise the OISS staff.
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Dillo is a Sagittarius and an ISFP. He grew up in Costa Rica and now lives at OISS. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Bigfoot Hunting and a Master’s degree in Extraterrestrial Conspiracy Theories, both from the Yale School of Cryptozoology.
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He is terrified of Handsome Dan (but hopes to get to know the bulldog better) and thinks Heidi has a nice vibe. Dillo often dons an assortment of miniature hats to express his emotions.
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Your best chance to spot Dillo in his natural habitat is during walk-in hours at OISS on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. “Dillo” is only a placeholder name, so please comment below what you think his official name should be!

Meet Zahra Rizvi from India for this week’s #humansofoiss! Zahra grew up in Delhi, India. She did her undergraduate and Master’s studies at Delhi University, and she is doing her Ph.D. in the English Department at Jamia Millia Islamia. She was able to get the Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Grant to conduct research here at Yale, where she can focus on finishing her thesis.
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For her research, Zahra works on young adult dystopian literature and media, such as The Hunger Games. She looks at the novels, or the films and video games inspired by the novels, so that she can have a better understanding of how youth has an impact on the contemporary world, and how the youth can pick up the symbols from pop culture and incorporate them into their life and struggles.
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When asked about her hobbies, Zahra told me she loves reading and crochet and her guilty pleasure is watching K-Dramas. She is also really into pop culture and she will probably get the references easily. She is so happy to be in the US where she has been able to go to a lot of K-pop concerts while also attending conferences and working on collaborations. However, being away from home helps Zahra appreciate what she used to have there even more, such as her beloved family and friends and even things like easier public transportation. Another fun fact about her is that she can speak a number of languages including English, Hindi, Urdu, Persian, Korean, Punjabi, and even some Latin, which she picked up growing up and during her studies.

Let me introduce you to the first #humansofoiss of 2023 - Bianka Mecaj from Albania. She is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Physics Department.
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Bianka spent her first 21 years in Albania until she finished her sophomore year in undergrad, and then she chose to finish her bachelor in Slovenia. After that, she continued to study and conduct research in physics in several universities around Europe. She received her Master’s Degree from ETH Zurich in Switzerland and Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and her PhD degree at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany. Since Bianka had grown familiar with different research environments in Europe, she decided to come to the US and Yale for a brand new experience. The fast pace of keeping moving forward she senses in a place such as Yale keeps her excited as a scientist. Her journey to Yale is also full of coincidences and surprises and she feels very lucky to be where she is now.
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For research, Bianka works on theoretical particle physics, which studies the tiniest constituents of matter in the universe and the interactions among them. What she does on a daily basis is to try to come up with new ideas on what to measure in particle experiments to increase chances to make new discoveries, based on her theoretical calculations. The fundamental goal, of course, is to understand how the universe began and how elementary particles come together to form bigger ones such as protons and neutrons - this is such impressive work!
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Outside of research, Bianka is a member of the Yale Postdoctoral Association Committee for Professional Development. There, she is involved in organizing career events for Yale postdocs.
Recently, they are planning for a panel discussion in the spring, around the topic of vision and leadership. To Bianka, personal growth and reaching full potential are tightly related to doing research and physics. In a dynamic world, if you could combine these two, it is possible to make a huge impact in the world.

I interviewed George Palaiokrassas from Greece for this week’s #humansofoiss. George is a Postdoc Associate in Electrical Engineering and Yale Institute for Network Science (YINS). He grew up in Athens, Greece and studied electrical & computer engineering at the National Technical University of Athens. George conducted his undergraduate, graduate and postdoc studies there where his research was focused on machine learning and blockchain and he had opportunities to attend many conferences. Eventually he decided to join Yale for new experiences abroad.
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At Yale, George’s group’s study focuses on blockchain, networks and artificial intelligence. His recent work on decentralized finance on blockchain was just published at a conference, where he was able to analyze the blockchain data ever since the first block was created with new algorithms that he developed. There are many topics surrounding blockchain such as cryptography, security, decentralized applications, privacy, and attack detection. By understanding blockchain better, we can improve its security and have a transparent network with data that can’t be tampered. He is also a member of the programme committee of international conferences and journals. In the future, he would love to continue in academia and become a professor.
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George is a sports fan. He is part of the intramural basketball team and also enjoys working out - I can verify this since I run into at the gym a lot. He enjoys great food as well and told me that Yorkside pizza has good Greek food, such as spanakopita and souvlaki.

Let’s meet this week’s #humansofoiss - Lakshimi Swaminathan from India!
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“I’m currently a pre-doctoral research associate in the Yale Program of Financial Stability led by Prof. Andrew Metrick under the School of Management. My responsibility along with the other RA’s is to prepare case-studies on interventions that were influential in shaping financial crises of the past so that we can prevent history from repeating itself by helping policy-makers take well-informed decisions.
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I came to the US mainly because of the structure of the IDE (International and Development Economics) Program directed by Prof. Michael Boozer, which offers students the flexibility to explore other interests within Yale whilst sticking to the core concepts of Development Economics. Such diversity and exploresure helped me understand what really interested me and were the reason why I chose Yale and the US.
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Outside of research, I love biking, providing tarot readings to my friends here and catching up with grad school friends at Gryphon’s!”

This week’s #humansofoiss features Rostacia Lewis from Trinidad!
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“I’m Rostacia, a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and I hail from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. After completing my masters at Imperial College London, I decided to pursue PhD studies in the US since it was a little closer to home. There was no better place to study fluid dynamics than Yale University, one of the top 5 unis in the US.
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Of course my research is in the field of fluid dynamics. Specifically, I investigate particle focusing and separation in microfluidic devices using mathematical models.
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In my free time, I enjoy building full stack web applications, and watching Law & Order and House of Dragon.”

Meet Negin Farzad, a second year PhD student in Biomedical Engineering!
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“I studied radiology and radiotherapy at SBMU, Tehran, Iran. One day when I was setting up a patient for radiotherapy, I told myself there should be many more ways to treat cancer with more efficiency and less side effects. I decided to study and do research in BME at University of New Haven, where I received my master’s degree. My passion for research didn’t stop and I found myself interested in genetics and I became a postgrad at Yale University in Rong Fan lab. And now I am a second year PhD student at Yale with so many technologies to answer fundamental biology questions via mapping transcriptomics, epigenomics and proteomics.
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I enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and going to the beaches. I also enjoy baking on rainy and snowy days.”
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We are still looking for more international students or scholars for our series of #humansofoiss. Reach out if you want to be featured and tell us your story!

This week I met with Manuel Pace, a PhD student in Electrical Engineering, at Schwarzman Center. Manuel grew up in Habay-la-Neuve in Belgium and studied Engineering then Physical Engineering for his undergraduate and master’s degrees at UCLouvain. He later did a master’s in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College. During his master, he was able to visit Yale through an exchange program and decided to return to Yale for his PhD studies because of the great opportunities there are.
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Manuel joined Yale in January, 2022, so he is still exploring all the possibilities at Yale. For research, he is excited to start his work on superconducting resonators and other cryogenic experiments with quantum phenomena and looks forward to all the progress to make in the coming years. The future is still unknown but it is exciting to see what life offers next!
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Outside of research, Manuel has a lot of hobbies, although according to him, he would like to only focus on a few of them at once, so that he could make real progress. Currently, he is dedicated to working out at the gym (this is true because I always see him there) and writing. He is working on this fiction which was inspired by an idea he had when he was a teenager - maybe we will be able to read his trilogy one day. Growing up Manuel loved learning, so he also played guitar and drums, sang and did some grayscale drawing. He used to read fiction so much that his parents became “concerned” at some point. He later got the chance to get a computer and so started to enjoy playing some video games to relax. I am impressed by how multi-talented this person is!
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Being in the US, Manuel is happy about being able to live near the ocean, so it is always possible to go to the beach when desired. He also noticed how nice and positive people can be here, which brightens up his days. Overall, Manuel has enjoyed his time at Yale and looks forward to what is next. I wish him the best!
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#humansofoiss

For this week’s #humansofoiss, Aalap Shah (2nd year PhD in Psychology) wants to tell his stories in a different way: through his drawings and his favorite quotes from Alice in Wonderland:
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“There is no better way to describe my path to graduate school than this short exchange between Alice and The Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland:
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Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Alice: …so long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”

I met with Aritra Ghosh at one of the historic astronomy buildings on Hillhouse Avenue and we chatted about his experiences at Yale. Aritra is a Ph.D. candidate in astronomy. He uses the latest advances in machine learning combined with traditional techniques to study the formation and evolution of galaxies, and investigate the specific role played by Active Galactic Nuclei in this process.
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Aritra was born and lived the first 21 years of his life in Kolkata in eastern India. Fascinated by how physics seemed to have an answer for most phenomena happening around us, he decided to pursue a bachelor degree in Physics at Presidency University. During undergrad, he pursued diverse research themes over three summers all with different advanced computational techniques, and finally decided to help unlock the mysteries of the universe. He went to Holland for his masters and joined Yale for his Ph.D. in Astrophysics.
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The focus of Aritra’s research is on designing machine learning algorithms to tell the shapes, sizes and brightness of the galaxies based on the image data, figuring out the correlation between the existing properties and eventually revealing how the galaxies form and evolve. When asked about the exciting images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, he was impressed by how sharper and clearer they are, and how deep the telescope could see by studying the infrared side of the wavelength. He is looking forward to the next NASA telescope which can look at large volumes of the sky, and thus he can possibly use his machine learning algorithms to extract information from the data.
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Outside of research, Aritra has been involved in student governments. He served on the Graduate Student Assembly focusing on mental health and international issues. He also works on the Astronomy Student Consultant improving the process of the admission and overall experiences of the Ph.D. student in the program. Aritra is also a Community Fellow at 254 Prospect Street. Through the events he organized, he was able to interact with a lot of people with various backgrounds. These non-academic experiences help Aritra thrive and focus better academically.
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#humansofoiss

Calling all humans! International student and scholar humans to be exact. Would you like to be featured in our next #humansofoiss series? Our OISS Storyteller will meet with you to do a short interview, take some photos, and then share your story out for the Yale community to enjoy!
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Interested? Send us a DM or email molly.hampton@yale.edu to get on our list.

A last #humansofoiss hurrah for our social media curator Vish!

What's your name, home country, degree at Yale, and year of graduation?
I'm Vignesh Harikrishnan; people call me Vish or Vi here! I am from Chennai, a Coastal City in South India, and I am a Master of Architecture Student graduating this May!

What is your favorite thing about where you come from?
The Beaches and South Indian Filter Coffee. I spent most of my downtime on the beach or brewing my coffee in Chennai.

What has been the best part about being a Social Media Curator for OISS?
Everything. Molly, Sarah, our initial zoom meetings transitioning to Koffee? meetings; reminders to post for the day, and the opportunity to design the new logo for OISS! Something that I will cherish for the rest of my time.

What have you loved most about being at Yale?
The School and the Community that I built for the last two years, being an introvert in the pandemic wasn't easy, but the chance to build a community that stands for each other and thrives together was unique and will be a part of us forever.

What's your favorite coffee shop?
Atticus!

What's the weirdest thing you realized about America?
I didn't know that Half and Half was different from Skimmed milk, let alone the idea of skimmed milk. My Coffee brewing process had to endure throughout, and I'm still baffled by 1 and 2% stuff here. We need a revamp with naming and branding!

Tell us a little about the picture you chose to represent you!
Lol, I dont usually take pictures of mine, let alone pose. But, this is the closest good picture with an Artifact for a spacesuit that my team and I designed for a class at CCAM and are ready to send a Zero-G flight this May.

For this week's #humansofOISS edition, we talked to @arlind.kacirani, a first-year Chemical Engineering PhD student at the School of Engineering & Applied Science, and originally from the city of Shkoder in Albania.

Q: Arlind, are there any obvious cultural differences between Albanians and U.S. Americans?
A: While the U.S. American culture has become a conglomerate of very diverse cultures, I would say there are some distinct features between Albanian and American way of life. Albanians tend to spend a lot of time cooking; while some Albanian dishes take several hours to prepare, the culture of ordering out is new and not popular in Albania. Albanian people are big consumers of coffee. Centers of some of the biggest cities in Albania are dominated by the so-called “Bar Kafe” that stay open all day. Albanian culture is also known internationally for its religious harmony where muslims, catholics and othrodocs christians co-celebrate each other's holidays.

Q: What's a special holiday food in Albania?
A: One of the most prominent authentic holiday dishes in Albania is the “ballokume”. Ballokume is a biscuit-like dessert prepared traditionally in the city of Elbasan during the spring festival day, Dita e Veres. Its main ingredient is goat ghee and in its 'proper' form it melts in your mouth. The city of Elbasan attracts people from all over the country during Dita e Veres to taste the delicious ballokume. Hard to find authentic ballokume nowadays but definitely one of my favorite Albanian holiday foods.

Q: Do you have any favorite work spots at Yale?
A: Although I've seen much of Yale's campus, I think there is still a lot out there for me to explore. I usually spend my time at Sterling Memorial Library (and in Bass) which is one of my favorite spots to study or work on assignments. Marx Science Library is also a good work spot when I want to be closer to my apartment. I can't wait to explore more of what Yale has to offer in terms of study spaces this upcoming summer.

We're so proud of Ji Su, an international student from the Yale School of Music YSM '20, who has just been awarded a prestigious award, the Avery Fisher Career Grant!

The program's press release states that the grant is “designed to give professional assistance and recognition to talented instrumentalists, as well as chamber ensembles, who … have great potential for major careers.”

Congratulations Ji! We're so proud of you #humansofoiss

For this week's #humansofOISS edition, we talked to Julia Hwang, a MMA student at @yale.music , and originally from Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Q: Julia, is there something people from the U.S. frequently get wrong about your home country?
A: I think that the common perceptions people have about the UK are all right, unfortunately - it does rain a lot, yes, and we get very excited by the slightest show of snow.

Q: If you could give any advice about moving to another country to study, what would it be?
A: As I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the UK when I was seven, the prospect of moving didn't seem as daunting as it might do for others. This is very cliche, but it has been so enjoyable and rewarding to be studying in an entirely new culture and setting, and I wish I hadn't been as nervous prior to moving to the USA. The OISS and other small groups for international students have been incredibly helpful in providing new information for foreigners like myself, and I've had fun being on campus from day one.

Q: What's your favorite thing to do in or around New Haven on a weekend?
A: I love wandering around East Rock, especially when there are no classes and the sun is out. It's also nice just to wander around the city aimlessly because it's so different to any city in the UK and Korea.

For this week's #humansofOISS edition, we talked to Animesh Upadhyay, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the @smilowcancerhospital, who is originally from Mumbai in India. Read on to find out how to celebrate Diwali, and what Indian dish you must try in New Haven. If you would like to be featured in one of our stories, just shoot us a DM!

Q: Animesh, how is New Haven different from where you grew up?
A: I come from a town far from here known as the “city which never sleeps” aka Mumbai. For me, New Haven is a quaint little town with a young population. A series of intellectual conversations over various frat parties, the bone-chilling cold weather and witnessing my first ever snow evidently made New Haven socially and topographically different from where I grew up.

Q: Are there any important holidays you go back home for? If not, do you celebrate them in New Haven?
A: Diwali - The festival of lights; is by far my favorite holiday out of the tons of holidays already existing in India. I got a chance to celebrate it with my friends this year in New Haven. We start with cleaning the house; lighting up sparklers, ground crackers, oil lamps; wearing new ethnic clothes and topping it up with a piece of gold jewelry. The highlight of this day is meeting new people, eating a ton of sweets, and sharing the sheer warmth brought about by the happy faces around you.

Q: Do you have any favorite Indian restaurants in New Haven? What do we need to order if we go?
It would undoubtedly be @houseofnaan. Its menu has a lot to offer and is by far the most authentic Indian restaurant. You'll definitely need to order the Korma with the choice of your protein (I prefer chicken, as that's how the dish was originally made).

This week, we talked to Federico Brandmayr, a Postdoctoral Associate at Yale's MacMillan Center, and originally from Villafranca di Verona in Italy. Swipe to see some beautiful Italian landscapes, and to find out what pizza Federico orders in New Haven. If you would like to be featured in one of our #humansofOISS stories, just shoot us a DM!

Q: You know that New Haveners are very proud of their pizza. What do you think of it? Do you have any favorite places here?
A: They should be very proud! (Methodological disclaimer: I haven't tried any U.S. pizza outside of New Haven). My suggestion: if you want to eat pizza like you would if you were in a good Italian pizzeria, then Zeneli (@zeneli_pizzeria) is your place. If you prefer the American version, Modern Apizza (@modernapizza) is good.

Q: What do you find is the biggest cultural difference between Italians and Americans?
A: Italians: pizza, soccer, coffee, mafia, “Mamma mia!”; Americans: money, work, money, big stuff, money. Am I doing this right? On a slightly less facetious note, most Italians I know are amazed by the lack of car and home security precautions in the U.S. My father-in-law, who admittedly works in the security business, was shocked when he got into the wrong car by accident, which had been left unlocked by the owner.

Q: What's your favorite place to work at Yale or in New Haven?
A: One of my favorite places to work is the lounge/parlor of the Center for Cultural Sociology on Prospect Street, where I've had great conversations with remarkable scholars on the most diverse subjects. And that counts as work, apparently!

This week we talked to Luna Zagorac, a 6th year PhD student in Physics, and originally from Belgrade in Serbia. Swipe to see one of her home country's landmarks, and what she gets up to in New Haven. If you would like to be featured in one of our #humansofOISS stories, just shoot us a DM!

Q: Luna, you are originally from Serbia. What would you say are the most common misconceptions about your home country?
A: That it's the same as Siberia We are much closer to the Mediterranean!

Q: Do you have any funny stories about using an English word incorrectly?
A: I picked up a lot of random, old-timey words from reading Jane Austen and the Brontes when I was a teen, so every so often I will use a word that is 1) uncommon and 2) mispronounced. One I can remember is amiable (I pronounced it “amayable”).

Q: What's a New Haven bar you like, and what would you recommend ordering?
A: One of the most underrated food options in New Haven are the vegan dishes at Three Sheets (@threesheetsnh) on Elm Street – in particular their Buffalo cauliflower!

Zeki Tan is a first year student in Pauli Murray College. He comes from the Philippines, though he also lived in New Zealand for a few years when he was younger. Yale came as a bit of a surprise to Zeki, given that he was initially planning on attending college in either the Philippines or New Zealand! But COVID happened, and things fell into place, and here he is!

Right now, Zeki is planning on majoring in Biomedical Engineering, and eventually maybe working for or starting his own medical devices company. For now, his plan is to try out fun classes in different majors and to find some practical classes that will supplement the knowledge he's gaining from his requirements. Zeki actually writes for the Yale Scientific Magazine - he has two articles online, one about using satellite imagery to predict flood-prone areas, and another about Dr Collins of the NIH, and his legacy and the future of Public Health in America.

Being an international student is a unique experience, something Zeki has noted after just one semester here. Coming from a country with a tropical climate, Zeki has found that the change in seasons - and this crazy snow we've been having - is no joke: it really does affect the body, from sleep to appetite to mood! It's Zeki's first time living with snow, and fortunately he has a suitemate from Wisconsin who was able to counsel him on Winter gear. New winter boots and a good coat are essential! As is taking a walk outside, which Zeki did after our interview in spite of the cold. Don't forget to get some fresh air!

#humansofOISS

Introducing you to our amazing OISS Student Worker for this week!

“Hello! My name is Isabella Romero Stefanoni and I am a freshman at Saybrook College. I am from Puebla, Mexico, and a potential Global Affairs and English major. My hobbies include reading, baking, cooking, film, and spending time with friends and family. I am excited to work at OISS this semester!”

- Isabella Romero Stefanoni, Mexico, Yale College, Class of 2025

#oissstudentworkers #humansofoiss #yalecollege #yale

Drumroll please…introducing you to Zayyan, another wonderful addition to our OISS Student Worker team!

“Hello! My name is Zayyan and I am a freshman in Silliman College and I am planning to major in Economics and Computer Science. I am from Pakistan's second largest city, Lahore. In Lahore, I loved to ride motorcycles and eat biryani, the most scrumptious Pakistani food ever (I am still striving to find a restaurant in New Haven that makes good biryani). At Yale, I am a part of the Yale Machine Learning Club. I am also involved in the Yale Cricket Club and Squash Club. Hope to see you around campus!”

- Zayyan Naveed, Pakistan, Yale College, Class of 2025

#oissstudentworkers #humansofoiss #yalecollege #yale

On a crisp day over Fall Break, Anthony Etim and I met at the benches outside Pauli Murray, or, alternatively, by the Food Trucks (for those who aren't familiar with the undergraduate college layout!) One of the most astonishing things about Anthony is that he graduated from high school in Nigeria at 16, and is starting his PhD in Electrical Engineering here at Yale at the youthful age of 21. Talk about genius! He received his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering - with a minor in Computer Science - from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, taking six classes every semester.

For his PhD, Anthony is working on FPGA security with his adviser Dr. Jakub Szefer. FPGA security is far more complicated than I could ever hope to make sense of, but the gist of it is that it is a kind of computer hardware security that involves working with logic gates and looking at attacks and defenses… If it sounds complex, it's probably because you need to be an Electrical Engineering PhD student to understand. The broad name for Anthony's research right now is “Computer Architecture”, which sounds amazingly difficult and fascinating!

Anthony also enjoys finding new things to try, like dabbling in learning Korean, playing Basketball, exercising some photography skills, learning how to play the guitar, and joining the archery club. And one day he thinks he might like to own his own business.

But for the time being he's trying to “just have fun”. Sounds like a plan!

Anthony Erin, first year PhD candidate Electrical Engineering, from Nigeria

#oiss #yale #humansofOISS #college #phd #doctorate #electrical #engineering #nigeria

On a very **Fall** day, Vanessa Bittner and I met up to talk about her life. Vanessa is someone you'll be seeing a lot of here on IG in the next few weeks, because she is OISS' new DEI fellow (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion fellow). More to come about this, but just know that Vanessa is eager to help you navigate your way through the murky waters of being an international person in America! She comes from Germany, and was actually here during her undergrad years (at Konstanz University in Germany) for an internship at Dwight Hall!

Vannessa is a fifth year PhD student studying Sociology, and, more specifically, how controversial public figures become catalysts for political polarization. She argues that these people become “proxy battle grounds” for opposing groups, and act as “symbolic lightning rods”, attracting attention and charging people with emotion.

For international students, conversations about American politics and social justice issues can feel foreign and incomprehensible, especially as we sometimes lack the vocabulary needed to participate in them without saying the “wrong” thing unintentionally. Vanessa wants to help people navigate these new spaces by equipping them with tools, particularly communication-focused, and helping them learn how they can educate themselves in new cultural environments. Her motivation comes from being an international student herself, and having experienced the uneasiness of feeling like she “just didn't get it”.

Vanessa wants to apply what she's studying to the world outside academia. Though she started her PhD thinking she might want to be a professor, she has since begun to imagine herself in other roles, like working in international or science communications. She wants to make complex things accessible for everybody, be that in translating scientific research for policy makers, or working as the DEI fellow and facilitating cross-cultural understanding at Yale.

When she’s not pondering about sociology, Vanessa loves cooking and baking for her friends. She also enjoys weight lifting, barre classes, yoga, and hanging out with her roommate and her cat @hobbesthenoodle. She says if you're into wholesome cat content, you should check out his IG.

#yaleoiss #humansofOISS #germany #yale

On a shining Tuesday morning, I met with Maksimas (Max) Milta at one of the colorful tables on Beinecke Plaza. Max is here for his first year of a Masters in European and Russian Studies, through the Graduate School's MacMillan Center. He is focused on studying sanctions, and, more specifically, how to make them work!

Max comes to Yale with a wealth of experience and education already under his belt: he received a Bachelors in Cultural Heritage from a European Humanities University, a private liberal arts university “in exile” (meaning that the entire university literally up and relocated from Belarus to Lithuania), and a Masters in Political Science from Vilnius University. Max then worked for European Humanities University for eight years, as both a Head of Communication and Development and a Lecturer in late 19th and early 20th century European literature.

As we talked, I realized that I was speaking to someone who has really excelled in the art of living. There doesn't seem to be anything that Max does that is not done to the full. Take his interest in politics, for example. Not only is he pursuing a third degree in a politically-related field, Max also covered protests in Belarus in an on-the-ground reporting role, spoke on live TV with major news agencies like the BBC, and is the host of a new Russian-speaking ten-episode documentary that just premiered last Sunday on Lithuanian National TV about women activists from Belarus who were forced to flee their country, and are currently in exile (it's called “Talaka”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjcy2OQ3Ltg). Oh, and he has a podcast discussing Belarus, called Minsk Express (link in comments!) And he's a ReThink.CEE fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US, where emerging activist scholars receive support and funding as they produce policy papers (his is about the use of higher education as a soft power in countries of Europe's East and Southern Caucasus). And he's on the Graduate Student Senate at Yale.

So yes, I think I would say Max is making the most of his time!

#humansofoiss

Maria-Elena comes from Greece, and grew up in the idyllic-sounding Athens Riviera. She has an expansive list of things she is passionate about, from exploring the potential of chemistry to impact human biology, to calligraphy, painting, and trying to keep up her violin skills.

As you can probably tell, Maria-Elena radiates sunshine. We met on a sparkling day, and it was the perfect weather for our interview. Though I am not knowledgeable enough to relay all the fascinating facts I learnt during the course of our conversation, I will do my best to summarize here the wonderful work Maria-Elena does!

Essentially, she designs molecules to target specific sites of proteins that relate to their function. Abnormal proteins can cause numerous diseases, so the work Maria-Elena does is, as far as I can tell, a form of intricate art. She builds molecules that fit the sites within some of the tiniest fibres of our being to treat diseases. She loves it because it is endlessly intriguing. And she has loved her time at Yale because it has accommodated and supported her scientific curiosity.

She says that the exposure students have here (at Yale) to so many different cultures and modes of thinking enriches both the path to scientific solutions, and the solutions themselves. If you want to know more about what Maria-Elena studies, she is very happy to explain! Just send us a dm and we'll put you in touch!

When Maria-Elena is not collaborating in the exploration of scientific realms as yet untouched, she enjoys perusing the shelves at the BookTrader Cafe, sitting, reading, and simply enjoying a solid cappuccino. She left me with some thoughts of wisdom: “Your life itself, your path: they can give answers to the people who doubt. Know your passion and follow it with your whole heart.”

Maria-Elena Liosi, from Greece, 6th year PhD.

#humansofoiss

Vanakam! Meet Rosie, pursuing her Masters degree from the School of Environment @environmentyale ! An Amazing cook, hiker and snorkeler, Rosie never says no to creating best memories!

“I started up studying environmental science and policy but ended up as a humanity student in environmental anthropology in YSE. I grew up in a market town close to one of the most gigantic environmental management projects that dislocated millions, the Three Gorges Dam, and kept haunted by the entangled and distorted relations between humans and nature since young. A Foucauldian at heart, I am fascinated by the city, a place where society and nature, representation and being inseparable and integral to each other. This summer, I am doing my field research in Lower Manhattan Chinatown and trying to understand the contradictions, tensions, and conflicts that might form and shift the identity of Chinese in a community anchored by wet markets.” #yale #oiss #humansofoiss

We have another wonderful #humansofOISS this Friday for you from Katerina Kargioti

Hi! I am a sophomore at Pauli Murray college studying Applied Physics. I am from a small village called Zevgolatio in northern Greece. This year I have been involved with the podcasting desk at the YDN and Yale Undergraduate Quantum Computing Group (YuQC).

Katerina is awesome

Vanankam, Humans of OISS! Welcome, Anantha @ananthb3lyp, a postdoctoral researcher at the Molecular Biology Lab, hailing from India with a Ph.D. at Cambridge, UK, a Master's from Japan, and elegantly trained as a Kendo martial artist, Ananth has a plethora of stories to share with anyone he meets.

“I was born and raised in Madras - a coastal city in the southeast of India. Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, I couldn't help but notice the excitement around the human genome project. So I knew from a very young age that I would be pursuing a career in Molecular Biology. So far, my academic journey has taken me across many fascinating places, including Okinawa, Nagoya, Cambridge, and Oxford. During this journey, I was fortunate to get the opportunity to learn Japanese, train in Kendo, play lots of village cricket and also dabble in writing fiction.

I moved to Yale as a postdoc in early 2020. At Yale, I am trying to understand the structures of large RNA molecules in our cells using biochemistry and structural biology approaches. Besides my interest in geopolitics and magic realism, I am also passionate about writing letters. The pandemic has taught me that there is much more to life outside of work, so I am excited to find my balance to lead a fulfilling academic life.”

#yale #yaleoiss #potrait #studentlife #International #humansofoiss #oissandyou

HUMANS OF OISS! Welcome Gamze

Hey everyone! My name is Gamze. I am from Istanbul, Turkey, and I am a first year at Pauli Murray. I'm planning to study psychology and idk, something humanities:) I love studying film, writing, and reading historical fiction. At Yale, I'm currently involved with journalism, student-run review magazines, and research projects on psychology. During my spare time, you can see me listening to my jumbled playlists on Spotify or taking long walks (I'm still trying to explore NH). And a fun fact about me: Gamze means dimples, so I was named after my dimples:) Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat!

#humansofoiss #yaleinternational #yaloiss

This week, help us welcome Robin (Yajie) Wang to our Orientation Team!

“I hold a B.A. in English Literature from Beijing Foreign Studies University. I was a Yenching Scholar in Chinese Public Policy at Peking University. I also hold a MPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford, UK. At Yale, I am currently a second-year PhD student in Political Science while working on my Masters degree in Statistics. I specialize in political economy and quantitative research method.

I'm a big movie nerd, cooking enthusiast, and basketball fanatic. In the pre-COVID-19 world, a good workout at Payne Whitney and fried chicken from Bonchon would make me the happiest man in New Haven.”

We are thrilled to have Robin as one of our Orientation Assistants this year!

#humansofoiss #yaleoiss #yale

Over the next four weeks, we will introduce you to this year's Orientation Assistants (OAs) for our Graduate & Professional Students. Our OAs are here to help incoming G&P students, and will be posting regularly on our CampusGroups page with tips and advice for the new class! Help us welcome each of them to the OISS team.

Today, meet Joanna Chen. “I am originally from China and am a biostatistics student in the Yale School of Public Health. I love Sally's Apizza and the food trucks near the med school! Before college, I was a professional music student and to this day still love to play the piano.” She can't wait to work with all of you!

#yaleoiss #yale #humansofoiss

Today, we are excited to feature the portrait of Stephanie Redden who works as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition.

“I was born and raised in rural Nova Scotia. I came to Yale after finishing my PhD in Political Science and working as a policy analyst for the Canadian government working on mainstreaming gender issues.

At Yale I am the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition's 2019- 2020 Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery Postdoctoral Fellow. I am examining the use of prisoners as call center labor in the United States. I am critically analyzing the gendered and radicalized aspects of this work.I also taught my dream course–Gender, Race, and the Everyday Politics of the Global Political Economy–in the spring semester. The students in the class are so impressive; it has really been a pleasure to teach!

With the library closures due to the pandemic I was unable to continue with my archival research and I had to translate my seminar course into an online course very quickly. While all the uncertainty has certainly been tough, especially given the limited time I have left at the university, I am just doing my best to stay positive and stay as productive as I can. To help deal with the stress, I have been taking lots of safe social distancing walks around New Haven, which has allowed me to see parts of the campus and town I had not explored before.”

@surbhib42 #humansofoiss

Today we are featuring the story and portrait of Tom Reershemius, a PhD student at the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

“I'm a geochemist which means I look at samples of sedimentary rocks I collect in the field using mass spectrometers. The composition of these rocks can tell us a lot about the environment at the time they were deposited, and incorporating our results into models we can simulate the evolution of the Earth's climate and major biogeochemical cycles over time. Over the past half century a lot of fundamental work in this field was carried out at Yale, so it's thrilling being here - half a year into my PhD the novelty still hasn't worn off.

My lab is currently in lockdown, along with the whole Earth and Planetary Sciences Department. I'm now back in the UK, waiting for the pandemic to end and catching up on reading that I suddenly have a lot of time to do. Other than volunteering to do the shopping for vulnerable neighbors and signing up to call and chat to people feeling isolated and lonely because of the shutdown, there's not a lot I can do to help - which makes me feel powerless and very lucky at the same time.

Hearing from family and friends in Germany, Israel, the USA and elsewhere really gives a sense of how global the challenge we're facing is. Will we learn from this that to combat problems that affect all of us, radically and collectively changing our way of life is the only sensible course of action?”

@surbhib42 #humansofoiss

Today's portrait is of Urvi Talaty, a master's student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

“As a student at the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, I am always thinking of my role in terms of the larger society and the impact that individual and collective action can have on the world. With the pandemic, I'm spending even more time with myself, which has really driven me to think, very closely, about not only my priorities and the things I value, but also the privilege I have and how I can use it to impact others.

Without taking away from the gravity of the situation, I think in a way the crisis has pushed me to evaluate my motivations for my future and realize that there's always going to be uncertainty in life. It could be large or minuscule, but sometimes I've just gotta take the plunge.”

@surbhib42 @yalefes #humansofoiss

Today's portrait is of Sharon Joy Kwinjo, a senior from Zimbabwe in Pauli Murray College.

“I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe and my first trip to Yale in August 2016 was my first time ever travelling internationally alone, and it was my first time leaving Southern Africa, but I wasn't scared at all. I was excited and I was very grateful.I hadn't looked up much about Yale (honestly, the YouTube video “That's Why I Chose Yale” is why I chose Yale). I took a blind leap but I trusted the people (e.g. Ozan & Ann from OISS) who had their arms reaching out to catch me.

One of the most unexpected things I had to confront when I got to Yale was my name (!!!), simply figuring out whether I was going to be known as Sharon or as Joy. I had always used Sharon at school and Joy at home, but all of sudden the two had become one! Yale was both school and home. The end result was not clean - I ultimately decided that I had no preference and so some of my Yale friends call me Sharon, some Joy, some Sharon Joy, and some SJ.

I've spent a lot of the last four years singing with @livingwateratyale. This community has been my biggest blessing at Yale, a family that combined two of my great loves, God and music (if you hadn't guessed, I'm singing in this picture). I have made friendships far stronger than I could have ever thought possible and been more vulnerable than I imagined I could be through this community that has encouraged me when I was down and rebuked me (in love) when I was dumb.

Outside of Living Water, I've been a part of the African Students Association, the Federalist Party at Yale and a Pauli Murray College FroCo (and others). Approaching some of these organisations, especially the Yale political Union, from the lens of an international student has at times been challenging but it has also forced me to grow. I'm always down to discuss the good and the bad parts of my experience and of Yale in general (so let me know if you want to). Yale has been a wonderfully painful and joyous journey and I wouldn't trade any part of it (even horrible sophomore year).”

Congratulations Sharon Joy on your upcoming graduation! #humansofoiss @surbhib42

Today, we are featuring the portrait of Brianna Jackson, a PhD nursing student at the Yale School of Nursing. . “I'm a proud Canadian and have called the province of Ontario home. Even though Canada and the United States are neighbors, I often describe my experience moving to the U.S. as transitioning to an alternate reality - that is, the same, but different!

From adjusting to monochromatic currency to super-sized food portions to imperial measurements, I'm definitely a fish out of water. I moved to New Haven last summer to pursue my PhD in Nursing. As a Registered Nurse, I specialize in adolescent and emerging adult mental health, and particularly enjoy working with marginalized youth. I'm passionate about trauma-and violence-informed care, and am fascinated by the concept of resilience.

Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, I've been thinking a lot about how individuals, families, and communities cope during times of incredible adversity. With the added complexity of physical distancing, how do we maintain social cohesion and demonstrate empathy?

I started a little creative side project called Kindness Coalition (@kindness.coalition). Every morning I post a new kindness challenge on social media for followers to participate in. My hope is to keep both myself and others feeling energized and (virtually) connected over the next few months. We've all been negatively impacted by COVID-19 in one way or another, so I figure now, more than ever, it's important to be kind to one another.”

@surbhib42 #humansofoiss

This week, we are featuring the portrait of Mancy Tong, a third year postdoc at the Yale School of Medicine where she studies how the maternal immune system responds to infection and potentially causes pre-term birth. Mancy was born in Hong Kong, grew up in New Zealand, and came to New Haven three years ago.

“During my time here, I have learned a lot and really enjoyed meeting people from all walks of life. During this challenging time, my thoughts are with my friends and family from all around the world and I want to tell them: “Kia Kaha” - Stay safe, stay strong, we will all get through this together.”

@surbhib42 #humansofoiss

“Being an international student impacts the way you interact with others & the way they interact with you. When you first come here, everything is so new, you're learning so much about America & everyone has an accent different to your own. Then you realize it affects the way people see you, for better or for worse. Some people treat you as something special, while others assume things about you that simply aren't true. The classics are that every international student comes from a wealthy household, and if I'm ever asked to repeat the word “tomato” again I might cry.

Thankfully, as people get to know you, superficial things like accents become decreasingly important. At the beginning of freshman year, my accent was commented on probably once an hour. Now, it happen only once or twice a week. I feel myself fitting in & adjusting to life here. The weirdest thing about that though is you kind of lose your sense of identity. When I go home & speak to my friends, I use American slang which I'm not even aware is American. When I come here, I use British slang which people similarly don't understand. There are very few people that can relate to your experience. People here have no idea what my hometown is like & people from home have no idea what Yale is like. I'm losing any idea of who I am, what I want to be & who I identify as. It's exciting in one sense, but in another it's extremely conflicting.

The months following spring break of my first year was a trying time for me. Things were changing at home, which made me feel as though I was trapped 4000 miles away, with no power to help those I was close to. There were just so many personal things going on that I wanted nothing more than to break out & go home. I finished my exams on May 7th & was home by May 8th. I was that desperate to get out of here. In comparison, this May, I had no desire to go home. The weather was getting nice, I was starting new relationships that I was really excited about & I was just very happy to be here with my job, having a good time, reading & relaxing; I felt I was making something of myself. 1 year has changed everything

Overall, my time at Yale has really been characterized by not knowing what I want to do with myself, which can be a great thing & if you're going to be thinking the way I have been, Yale's the perfect place to do it. 10 years from now I know I want to make a difference in someone's life somewhere. I want to be happy. Find a good family life. Have good relationships with people. Have good friends that can support me. And hopefully be doing something good during the day & have good people to talk to at night. 3 years ago I didn't know I was going to study in America, so who knows what 10 years will bring.”

- Joe Peck, Yale College '21 #humansofoiss

“I was born in Belgium & grew up in London since age 3. Weirdly, I can't vote in any of the countries I care for. In Belgium, I have no community other than family, since I left so young. I care so much about the UK & Brexit, but can do nothing about it politically because I wasn't born there. Just when I was becoming a “Londoner” & involved in community work, I left for Yale. I've spent 2 years grappling with American politics, Yale's relationship to New Haven & other issues I had no knowledge of before. I've become so passionate about the things I've learned, I forget my VISA expires in 3 years. I invest so much time immersing myself in the present & catching up on all this knowledge, it's hard sometimes because I don't feel I can fully be anywhere without eventually leaving.

I plan on being in New Haven for the summer & won't be home until August. Though I don't usually believe in national sensibility, there's definitely something I really miss about London, its norms & what it means to just be in the city. One of them is pub culture. Pubs are democratic spaces, where the elderly coalesce with artists & businessmen alike. I can't think of anyone I know back home who doesn't frequent them & yet it's something that does not exist in my life here.

In my musical improv comedy group at Yale, we work a lot on rhyming in songs & its hard sometimes because the “american pronunciation” of so many words is different - like “chance & romance” don't rhyme in British English but does in American English.

As someone studying anthropology, I try to be cognizant of my surroundings. There's moments where I think I've grown here, but don't know exactly why. For example, to be queer has its own vocabulary here that I'd never encountered. Americans have so many expanded ideas, that I probably wouldn't have gotten back home. I can't tell if that's because queer friends & I are all young, all Yalies, or all in the US? Similarly, by being here I realize how complicated and painful the state of this country is- but I also don't know if it's due to my classes, the people I'm around, or just how I see the world. It all blurs.” Max Himpe, Yale College '21 #HumansOfOISS

“I was born and raised in Nakuru, Kenya. My family and I have a complicated relationship. Growing up, I was very close to them, especially since I only have 2 brothers. After leaving for boarding school in South Africa, our relationship grew more complicated. I was discovering things about myself that my family wasn't as comfortable learning, so I found myself living almost a double life. The 'me' at school and the 'me' at home were not the same person; at home I would need to cover things up.

I've had to learn to be independent from life's necessities. There's things I hadn't known about myself simply because I didn't have the right people to talk about it with while growing up. Coming to Yale was less about learning to be “independent”, and more about identifying what I wanted to create in this new space. I think a lot about my interactions with others, and how they affect the person I want to become.

Here, I've gained clarity in understanding what's important to me-I'm a lot more involved with the LGBTQ+ community, something I never had the chance to be involved in back home. But queerness isn't something many people are comfortable with in the black community, so I don't know how that will manifest itself after my life at Yale.

For most of my life, I was interested in medicine. Growing up-when I was still very close to my family-my dad contracted meningitis. Not knowing how to treat it, and sitting there waiting for him to get better, my motivation for studying chemistry came from wanting to make a difference in people's health. For most of my life I assumed there's a story I'm supposed to be building, and need to live up to. But I also need to enjoy the moments I'm living in right now, and chemistry doesn't fit. I'm trying to diversify and find things I'm actually interested in learning, to fit that into my “journey” later on.” -Felix Morara, '22 #HumansOfOISS

“My favorite part of Yale has been the community the international student body provides. For my first 3 years I was involved in OIS, which was one of the most wonderful & rewarding experiences of my time at Yale. There is something incredibly special about bringing together people from different parts of the world & seeing how quickly they grow close to each other-partly because they have the shared experience of being far away from home. Being part of the OIS team gave me the chance to both witness friendships blossoming & also to feed off the energy personally. Every year I partook in OIS I learned more about myself & how to better understand & support others.

Comparing my Yale experience to growing up in my native Greece, I feel the culture Yale promotes is different to the one I was raised in, in a way that, at times, made me feel out of place. I come from a place where people place their relationships to other people above all else. That was something I occasionally felt was missing from Yale as a whole but I always felt my international friends & mentors really understood me in that regard. Within the international community, I have never felt like I was putting more into my relationships than my friends were. It's been magical to meet people from such different backgrounds & yet not have to explain or vocalize the way you feel, because they just get you.

My family is very proud of the fact I am here. While I've personally loved being in such a different environment & think it's helped me grow in unexpected ways, it has also sometimes made me feel culturally disconnected from my family. However, being at Yale has made me appreciate them more & grow closer to them in a different way because, now that we live in different continents, we can no longer take each other for granted. There are a lot of times where I feel that Yale changed me in ways that prevent me from having the same kinds of relationships I once had with my friends at home. At the same time, it also taught me to be all the more intentional in my relationships because it has required so much more effort to maintain them in my life. - Sophia Catsambi, Yale College '19 #HumansofOISS

“I was born in London, but spent my childhood in Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Puerto Rico, and Miami before coming to Yale. My upbringing was both composed and defined by change. The only constants were the three other people living through it all with me. As a result, I am completed by my family, and am nothing without them. My brother is the centre of my life, my mom is my best friend, and my dad is my hero. Having each other was the only source of solid ground–especially when we felt most alone.

My parents have always put my brother and I first, without exception, and without question. I don't know if I have ever seen that kind of love in other people, or how I can repay them for that.

Moving around wasn't easy, but I can't be more grateful for having lived so much in such little time. It's fundamentally and irrevocably framed the way I see the world around me, and what I want to do with my life. I hope I can one day go back to Latin America and do my part to make it a better place. It is a region with such beautiful people, and such potential, that it bothers me when I see kids on the television feeling 'hungry for water', or that my mother has already lived through 4 economic crises. These are problems the majority of people face worldwide, but Latin America is my home. And I need to protect it.

On my first day at Yale, my mom left me a little note on my bed. I remember sitting down in my new common room, opening the note, and just crying. I think it was just the first time that I processed I felt a complete departure from my childhood. My roommate thought I was crazy (it's ok though, we're best friends now). I actually still have the note. I read it when I get homesick.

Yale is my family, and my home now. I have found mentors wiser than I could have imagined, even though they are only one or two years older than me. I love dancing around to music (especially deep house, honestly I enjoy that to an absurd degree) with people who make me better every day. I don't know. I just really think there is so much to be happy about.”

- Valentina Wakeman, writer for this semester's #HumansOfOISS series!

“I grew up near Henley, where rowing is everything. Upperclassmen in my school were famous for winning the famous Henley Regattas every year. I admired them greatly for their success, and thought I could maybe create my own athletic potential. So I started training. I had no idea what I was doing, but there was a rowing machine in the shed, and a couple of weights. One day, I broke one of our school records, which boosted my confidence. Ambition somewhat followed achievements; the school record turned into a world record, and contemplating the Olympics first came at the age of 15. I wasn't particularly athletic growing up, so I was scared of the demand the sport has at its peak, both physically and mentally. I still fear it to a small extent. I think everyone does.

At Yale, my team is the product of our individual hard work, but I truly believe you get the most out of any sport when you do it for others.The closer you are as a team, the more you admire each other, the better you race. Yale was actually the last collegiate crew to win the Olympics in 1956. We had a visiting coach visit tell us about that moment, and the bonds created between the 9 guys on the boat. Trophies can motivate you to sacrifice yourself in the pursuit of a common goal, but it's so much more enjoyable when you can accomplish that with a team.

I love what I do, but I sometimes fear missing out. When I'm not rowing, I feel irresponsible; when I'm training, I feel guilty. I make sure I fulfill every minute necessary to keep up my rowing and academics, but also try exposing myself to new things as much as I possibly can. I took tango lessons, actually–those were rewarding because they were so different. But at the end of the day, it's in my character to want to work harder and sacrifice things, it's just the way I am.”

- Tom Digby '20 #HumansOfOISS

“The things I care most about at Yale may be my current involvement in recent projects, but they are centered around topics that I have been grappling with my whole life.

People often look at domination as a way to approach human relationships, and think that if they manage to dominate another person, in their minds they will become successful– and there, this dynamic becomes an ideal. But the moment you call out power for being powerful, it collapses onto itself. Through my studies and conversations here, a lot of the anger and distaste I had for the world around me, about abstract and vague things, now started making sense to me. I feel more motivated now, because I know what I'm fighting for. I'm trying to change the ideal of masculinity and its perception as the path to success. I don't want fight it through anger, but through the joy and subjectivities literature has brought to me, so I can highlight the stories of those who are more often than not forgotten.

Women have been the only support in my life. Whenever I needed someone, God sent one to my rescue. A lot of people don't treat women as real people, even if they treat them kindly. The entire half of a population– the only reason I am alive, confident, and happy, are very much let down all the time. But even though women are so oppressed, they are at least allowed to be honest with themselves about their reality. Men are told to hide their emotions, and since they cannot be honest with themselves, they settle for being “unhappy, but successful.” And I cannot believe people are ok with never being happy.

Through my English major, I now have the opportunity to study race and gender through the lens of literature, for the purpose of human rights. For example, I wrote and directed a play last year where I took the tool of literature to talk about what the experience of the brown femme student at Yale is. Writing the play made me understand how I feel my brownness is perceived here, and where in the social stratosphere I stood as a gay, international man from Lahore. I know what I want– not what I have been told to want– and I now know who I am.”

-Zulfiqar Mannan '20 #HumansOfOISS

“It's somewhat of a crazy path that I took to end up at Yale. I didn't know what I was doing when I decided to apply to US colleges; I had never even gone abroad. I spent 19 years in my native Salvador, Brazil–a city, but nothing compared to something like New York. Everything started when one of my friends showed me a video about MIT, and said she couldn't wait to apply. I didn't want to let her down, so we decided to apply together. I Googled MIT and found Yale's website as a related link, and I quickly became very interested in the liberal arts system. I taught myself how to apply–and had to explain to my teachers and counselors in Brazil everything they needed to do as well. In the meantime, I took a transition semester at a medical school in Sao Paulo–the largest city in Latin America. It was my first time ever out of Salvador. I remember walking around with all my “stuff” in this huge city, trying to figure out where I would live and how I would succeed. To this day, I am so much more mature because of that.

Halfway through med school, I got my acceptance letter from Yale. I could not stop screaming and crying of joy. I actually started jumping on my bed, tried to land on my couch, missed the couch, hurt my foot, and could not walk the next day! My initial plan was to go to a party to celebrate my spot at Yale, but I ended up spending the night in the hospital getting my foot fixed, which, in all honesty, was still the best celebration ever.

After going back home and seeing my family before my trip to New Haven, I tried ignoring the fact that I would have to leave them soon. I actually started freaking out about the fact that I had to live in the U.S. dealing with all the typical insecurities every college kid goes through, I took my first international flight, and cried the whole way. It was a new beginning for me, even if my Mom would not stop calling me. Upon my arrival at JFK, I spent my first day in what is now the city of my dreams. I like to share this story to remind myself how tough it was, and how lucky I am to be here.”

- Seon Augusto Ferreira, our #HumansOfOISS for the week. You are simply wonderful!