Joceline Rodrigues, born in Praia, Cabo Verde, is an aspiring physician who aims at combining clinical work with advocacy, research, and service. She is taking a gap year before medical school to serve as Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at ISG|Business & Economics School, in Lisbon.
Joceline shares some thoughts about her experience:
«Before my Fulbright grant, I had a lot of expectations. I thought everything would be structured and planned out for me. But to my surprise, it’s been incredibly flexible, and that’s what made it so meaningful. That freedom pushed me to be creative and really take ownership of my experience. It allowed me to get involved in different projects while also taking the time to enjoy Lisbon and become part of the community.
(photo, from left: Julia Lininger-White, Fulbright ETA at Egas Moniz School of Health & Science, Amy Inestroza, Fulbright ETA at Universidade da Madeira and Joceline Rodrigues)
My role as an ETA is mainly teaching English, but I’ve been able to branch out in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve given guest lectures and even helped teach a tourism economics class. I also had the chance to attend a conference in Moldova focused on equity for disabled individuals in education. That experience meant a lot to me because it connected directly to a research project I’ve been working on for the past few years, looking at how physician perceptions can impact treatment for developmentally disabled adults with neurological conditions. That work was recently published in the Journal of Child Neurology, so being able to connect my research with my Fulbright experience felt really full circle. At the conference, I also got to see how these issues show up outside of healthcare, which gave me a completely new perspective.
Because of my research background, I’ve also been able to join a project at my host institution focused on well-being in the digital age. At the same time, I’m running my own project looking at mental health and well-being within the ISG community, which has been really exciting to build from the ground up.
Outside of the classroom, I’ve spent time working with the Lisbon Project as part of their care team. They support migrants and refugees as they transition into life in Portugal. The conversations I’ve had there have really stayed with me. As a first-generation immigrant to the U.S. from Cabo Verde, I’ve always felt connected to this experience, but being here has deepened that understanding. I’m also gaining more practical knowledge about immigration systems, which I know will help me support others when I return home.
In my free time, I’ve found a lot of peace in yoga and painting. Lisbon has such a mix of people and cultures, and getting to meet people from all over has been one of the best parts of being here. I’ve built strong friendships and a real sense of community. Exploring the beaches has also taken up much of my time. I love the ocean because it reminds me of home, and Lisbon has some of the most beautiful views of the ocean. This city is just full of life in a way that’s hard to explain.»
– Thank you, Joceline, we wish you the best for your academic future!