The Power of Education

 Last post, we talked about the cultural paradigms (concepts embedded in our minds by our culture and that can vary from culture to culture), and how understanding their differences can impact positively our lives. Each culture is different, and not only in their language and gastronomy but also in behaviors and also morals. (If you missed it, check on here )   There is, however, another cultural difference that is worth mentioning. This is how we feel consider our time.     Although it may be hard to believe, time may vary from culture to culture. And I am not talking about Einstein’s theories or time travel machines.  What I meant was that our perception of time, and even how we spend it, can vary from one place to the other.    There are two distinct ways to “see” time, two ways that culture may divide into Monochronic and Polychronic. (Just remember that they don’t precisely divide within each other, habits and beliefs of some way may mix with some...

      When I visited the U.S. four years ago, I was on the moon. Seeing the houses, streets, and even people made me feel inside of an old TV show. It was like the High School Music American dream coming true. But, taking out the wonder, and a tiny bit of excitement, I felt like a fish out of the water. Even though I had contact with American culture almost my whole life, part by the media and part by some relatives who live there, it was still weird. Some things that were normal to me just weren’t for them. I felt like that astronaut in the movie Planet 51. But instead of raining rocks, I was in a land where people flushed toilet paper inside of the toilet.  If only two months there made me feel this way, I imagine what goes on the minds of those who had to move permanently to another country. How is it to know that these different concepts now are part of your life? How is it to feel ashamed or see others laughing at you for something that is just natural?  ...

Biophysics and the Need of a Great Teacher Two years ago, I was a college student, studying Phonoaudiology here in Brazil. I had classes the whole week, morning and afternoon, and I was exhausted most of the time. I can make an extensive list of distinct experiences and teachers that I lived and met, but I would like to point to only one class that showed me the necessity of a great teacher: Biophysics.   As the name suggests, Biophysics shows the uses of physics in the biological, medical areas (physics in biology) and, in the case of my major, how physics is related to hearing and speaking. For a student that loves Math and Acoustic (physic of sound if you are wondering) like me, the subject seems like a piece of cake. But, instead of enjoying every single second of the class, I found myself trying my best to stay awake.   The class just started, and I was feeling stuck, turning my head around looking for anything to pay attention to, except the class. When I tried...