Out in the deserts of the UAE

Hello, wonderful reader! My name is Mahir Rahman and you have found yourself reading my blog that I have used to chronicle my gap year adventure through Asia. Let’s get acquainted!

I’m originally a member of the Yale College Class of 2016 (Silliman College, for you Yale readers out there), but with this gap year, I am now a part of the rare breed of YC ’16+1. At Yale, I declared as a Psychology – Neuroscience major. Outside of classes, I spend a good portion of my time researching in the O’Connor Lab at the Yale School of Medicine, managing shows as an Undergraduate Productions House Manager, and assisting projects at the Yale Child Neuroscience Lab (particularly the Pivotal Response Training Lab). Outside the lab and stage, I enjoy meditating, running, dancing, conversing, and outdoor activities, all of which I enjoy even more when friends, old and new, are involved.

I hope to make this adventure as much about research as it will be on my Korean. My journey would not be possible without the immense generosity of the Richard U. Light Fellowship by the Richard U. Light Foundation. They have provided me the funding to fully immerse myself in Korean culture to facilitate my language learning. In turn, the fellowship is also facilitating my research and exploration into both autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and meditation. Although my priority will be on my Korean language study, my overarching goal for this gap year will be to design a protocol that implements mindfulness meditation in current ASD therapy models based on all the background work that I build during research and practice. If successful during runs done back at Yale (and hopefully in Seoul), the protocol may make current therapies more interactive, efficacious, and cost-effective. Exploring East Asian culture and cinema, meditating in ancient temples, and garnering some dance skills exist as my secondary goals. Aside from all that, I hope to grow. Grow more aware. Grow more pragmatic. Grow more patient. With that growth, I hope to redefine the next steps I plan to take in life.

Come join me on my adventure! Feel free to comment on any post or contact me if you have any questions!