Nathan Christiansen

Reflection on Connecting Learning to Life

To depict my personal use of the language, I included a poem that I wrote about true

wealth. Because I served my mission in Mozambique, a country considered by many to have

extreme poverty, I have reflected a lot on what it means to be poor. During my conversations

with people from Mozambique, both before and after my mission, I observed that although

they may live in a financially sparce situation, they are often happier than those who live in

financial abundance. From this observation, I determined that true wealth is not found in

material possessions or pleasures, but rather in the happiness that is found in life centered on

one’s family and faith in God. The poem “Fraqueza e Nobreza” depicts this observation by

comparing the tragic life of a man who ungratefully wasted his money to the hope filled life of a

poverty-stricken mother. I hope that society can associate Africa as more than a place with

animals and poverty. I believe that there is so much more to learn from these people and

cultures and hope to share that with others.

To depict my professional use of the language, I included a cover letter and my resume

in Portuguese. Unfortunately, I do not have the opportunity to use Portuguese in my current

job. However, these documents are helpful in giving me practice at creating business related

documents. In my future career I hope to be greatly involved in business and engineering

projects in countries such as Mozambique and Angola. I believe that Africa is the future

economic hot spot of the world. However, the current financial situation and lack of job

opportunities and education available to the people who live in countries such as Mozambique

and Angola deeply saddens me. My career aspiration is to stimulate the economy in countries
such as Mozambique and Angola by starting or investing in businesses that create jobs and

improve the local economy. In my business interactions, I intend to fight against the current

mercantilist exploitation of natural resources and support free and fair trade.

Along with my professional and humanitarian aspirations, I intend to improve my

Portuguese by maintaining the relationships that I currently have. These relationships are a

blessing to my life and have introduced me to new perspectives, foods, and cultures. During my

studies, I have had various opportunities to use Portuguese in my personal interactions. This

has included messaging and calling friends from Mozambique, Brazil, and Portugal as well as

keeping up on the news and current events. Fortunately, I have also been blessed to meet

various neighbors who are from Brazil who have shared their food, experiences, and talents

with me. All of these interactions have enriched my life. During these interactions, I have

observed that as I have increased my understanding of the Lusophone cultures and histories,

my ability to relate to these individuals has increased. By maintaining these relationships and

establishing more throughout my life, I believe that I will find more happiness and purpose in

life.