MISTI Blogs

Part I: New Beginnings

I’ve always dreamed of escaping the South. Growing up in Alabama was isolating at times, especially always being the minority in every imaginable setting: in the classroom, at church, on my track team, at the grocery store, you name it. Being a queer, low-income Asian-American was a difficult feat when there was no representation and constant feelings of estrangement and discomfort. This is not to knock on southern states or Alabama. There are so many positive qualities about living and growing up there. However, this isolation is something I could not fix for my then 18 years of existence. I knew I was different and was reminded of that 24/7.

Getting into MIT was my way out. I knew what a school like this had to offer. I mean, there would be students from every corner of the world in a class alone. Soon I would arrive at this beautiful school, 1158 miles away from Decatur, AL, after a short drive to Nashville, TN, where I would conquer my first-ever flight. I was in an Uber to campus with my mom, who couldn’t help but ask the driver to be my local mentor (I begged her to stop) before I was immediately bombarded with progressive posters tacked on every surface imaginable; Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ friendly messaging greeted me at the lobby of Simmons Hall, my freshman dorm. Although I had always agreed with these words, I could not fathom seeing these associated with a school. You would never see this type of messaging, especially not at the private Catholic schools I had attended since middle school, and this, unfortunately, was a perspective least popular among most adults and students I’ve encountered throughout my life.

Fast forward a few years later, and I’ve gotten used to this atmosphere. I’m nearing the end of my sophomore year, and I’m pretty used to Boston. In the short time that I’ve been here, I’ve actively participated in many roles and projects that aim to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. For example, I served as an Orientation Leader and Associate Advisor last fall, helping to guide freshmen on feeling included and adjusting to the new atmosphere. In my recent humanities classes, I’ve petitioned for projects to amplify voices and shed light on the positive atmosphere created by diverse thoughts and backgrounds. Specifically, in my Introduction to Comparative Media Studies class, I created a podcast-esque video interviewing my friends on various aspects of their background and experience as a minority at MIT, and in my Spanish III class, I illustrated a painting titled “Celebrado” featuring an imaginary Values Fair on Killian Court celebrating DEI.

If you couldn’t tell, my identity means a lot to me. I am proud to be a first-generation college student. I’m proud to be of Vietnamese descent, and I’m proud to be queer. Overcoming challenges associated with my identities earn me badges of honor. Although I wish I had not evaded learning more about my culture, recipes from my mom, and language skills, I am doing my best to honor my family through succeeding despite barriers trying their best to stop me.

My love for my own culture and identity is also intertwined with an appreciation and love for other cultures. Like other children of immigrants, I know that growing up with Vietnamese cuisine has brought me so much joy. So being able to share and enjoy food with others, is such a wonderful thing. My MIT friends have introduced me to traditional Ethiopian cuisine, local authentic Mexican food in East Boston, and other types of Asian cuisine that I’ve never had before while also offering offered me a new lens to appreciate life and qualities that make us all unique. I love trying new foods, listening to international music (Latin pop and K-pop especially), and hearing fresh ideas from different perspectives. Since high school, I’ve especially enjoyed learning about Latin-American and Hispanic cultures through my four years of Spanish class. I knew that was something I wanted to continue learning which led me to concentrate in Spanish during my time here (I’ve since completed Spanish II and III). My Spanish classmates from high school knew that I wanted to study abroad in some capacity, and it was a dream of mine to go to Europe in particular.

Part II: Trying Something New

Funnily enough, I am often perceived as the friend with a new major whenever you see him, and I’ll be honest that’s been mostly true. I’ve considered majoring in pure Biology (7), Biological Engineering (20), and Mathematics with Computer Science (18-C), and now, I’ve mostly settled on Computer Science and Molecular Biology (6-7). After some unsuccessful applications in the fall to domestic opportunities in the biotechnology field, I decided that I wanted to do a  MISTI program, given that I was probably staying in the States for Summer of 2024. Although Spain was not an option given that I did not complete the language requirement, I narrowed my picks down to Italy, Denmark, and the UK, all without a rigorous language requirement. During my research, I fell in love with Denmark, a country focused on environmental sustainability, work-life balance, the life sciences, and start-up culture, all aspects that were at the core of my interests. I was accepted to the MIT-Denmark program and within a few months landed an opportunity at EvoPlexus Medics, a precision medicine health-tech startup at Symbion, Copenhagen’s biggest startup community. 

It’s hard to describe the exact feeling I had leading up to my departure on June 1st. Naturally, I was excited. I could never imagine living in a new country for this length of time. Before coming to Boston, I hadn’t even left the Southeastern United States, let alone to another continent. I was eager to develop my skill sets, experience a new culture, and make new connections. At the same time, I had concurrent feelings of anxiety and fear. I was going to be alone, temporarily away from my friends, my boyfriend, and my safety net, MIT’s accepting atmosphere. Would I make friends? Was I going to like it there? How would I feel, experiencing life as a minority again given the homogenous climate of Denmark? All of these questions raced through my mind in the weeks preceding my departure. 

I landed at the CPH airport, after a long 8-hour flight from New York. I was restless as I tried my best to follow the airport signs in both Danish and English to find a way out. I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t be another hour until I got to my summer home. Along the way, I had trouble buying a ticket and making my transfer, but strangers were quite kind to me and guided me back on track. This would be a common theme throughout my time here as I needed spice translations while shopping, directions to the nearest train station, or help to understand the unique culture and social systems existent here. Through these interactions, I felt more at ease living here. It took a moment to break out of my shell and meet new people. 

I made a few friends living at Basecamp Lyngby, where I was staying, and would later establish a group consisting of my long-time close friend Sofia F. (‘25) and new faces, including Johanna G. (‘25) and Zi L. (‘25). Together, we’d experience facets of the culture and history of Denmark on weekends, from museum and castle trips to swims at the Nordhavn dock to trying traditional open-face sandwiches at a city cafe.

At work, I was greeted by my boss Serkawt K. and coworkers with a breakfast featuring, you guessed it, a Danish classic with lots of bread varieties. He would introduce me to his colleagues who would introduce me to their colleagues, and that propagated a bit. I bike a 30-minute commute to work like a true Dane and  I’ll drink copious amounts of complementary lattes like my coworkers do before eating lunch at the canteen, serving affordably priced meals. I try to eat with the same or new friends during lunch and I once even got to take a swing at some ping-pong for a short break. Symbion occasionally throws community events, and it was here that I realized the scope of the start-up community. I met people from all over, including Sweden, Greece, Poland, and Ukraine. I learned that because Denmark is such a small country, startups and other companies will need to recruit from other places in the world to find talent. It was refreshing to see that at my workplace, I could witness and connect with representatives from so many backgrounds. 

I’m feeling more comfortable given these newly established relationships, and I’m immensely grateful for this opportunity. I think that one of my favorite parts has been getting to reflect and spend more time with myself exploring my interests. Denmark is well-integrated with nature. I see it on my commute to work, through excursions to landmarks, and during runs along the water. I love to read, and given that my professional and personal lives are so distinct, I have plenty of time for that. I enjoy developing new connections, and living here has pushed me out of my comfort zone to seek these relationships. I like being creative and solving unique challenges, which I can get a stab at during work hours. I love being environmentally conscious and the billion different waste streams that Danes follow to the tee speak for themselves. My independence has been encouraged by working at such a small company (Most Danish companies have less than 50 employees, and mine has less than 10) and living alone (I’m used to living at a fraternity on campus with quick access to friends daily). 

Being alone in my thoughts has been the hardest and most rewarding aspect of living in this country. MIT students are notorious for never having free time and that sometimes means I do not ever get to spend quality time with myself and my feelings. However, during bike rides, journeys on the train, time in my room, or working out, I get to connect with myself and strengthen my confidence and explore interests I do not normally have the time for. Has it been scary and feelings of uncertainty have flooded my mind? Of course. Would I recommend traveling to and living in one of the happiest countries in the world? Undoubtedly.

Although Denmark is quite homogenous, I’ve yet to fear for my safety, in general or as a queer minority. Being a part of the startup community is really unique given that it is quite diverse relative to the rest of the country. Something I’m quite grateful for is continuing to express myself entirely, similarly to my experience at MIT. I’m glad that my initial concerns were easily dismissed, and I can see why people are so happy here. From the free health care and education to the strong quality of life, work-life balance, and scenic atmosphere, there’s not too much to be disappointed in. 

I’m excited to continue my personal growth and career development in this beautiful country for the next 1.5 months, and I’m especially looking forward to exploring my identity and new cultures through this immersive experience.