About Brandon

*Written while completing undergraduate studies in 2019, the below self-profile remains a good depiction of who I was and am. - Brandon 02/2023

Read my personal statement here.

Hi, I am Brandon Flowers. I am a student, a curious person, a humble person, an over thinker, a photographer, a Christ follower, an antique collector, a part time employee, a fellow person.

I love 90’s rap and symphony orchestras. I love the United States and the Middle East. I love people.

When deciding what to write about myself, I didn’t know if I could task myself with anything less than 5000 words.

To put it best - in an internal battle between my humble and boastful self it took me weeks to write this much.

In 2018 I spent a month in the West African nation of Ghana, a dream destination I’ve had since I was a youth volunteering in Mexico and South America. What seemed worlds away became a second home filled with friends and family. In 2019 I made a temporary move for seven months to the country. Volunteering as a teacher of 9th grade biology, trigonometry and geometry, I spread myself out more than the solely medical trip I took in 2018. I quickly adopted a new focus that was more curious than ever before in my life. I was venturing into a new world where everything from my life thus far could be remolded. Stepping into Ghana I adapted, I spent much time trying to understand and be aware of my own culture and influences so that I could temporarily relinquish it all in favor of another. I wanted to be as polycentric as possible - I truly had nothing to lose. Though I could never truly understand what it is like to grow up where I stayed, I wanted to try my best.

Much of what I did on a daily basis was not relayed to my parents - why stress them out with the knowledge of their son hitchhiking to a market some hours car ride away. I ate what I could try, drank what wouldn’t actually kill me, and went where I was curious about seeing. At some point in the first couple months I decided I didn’t care anymore. Awaking in a frenzy of ants or drenched in sweat from the lack of windows and power took away the option to hide away and be comfortable - to be my American self.

I rarely brought my camera along on ventures into villages and towns. I already hated being distinct in appearance and decided to try my best not to confirm any stereotypes with a large expensive camera. I adopted this mentality wherever I went.

A major separating factor between me and locals was my time away from school. On school breaks I traveled. These are reflected in my series from my lone travels in North Africa and parts of Europe. After my time in Ghana I met my father in Cairo to explore through the Middle East. This was something I was blessed to do and something that brought me a great desire to return to this region post graduate studies. I love this world and those we share it with.

My experiences are a driving force for my desire to pursue medicine, public health and community development. It was a driving force to continue taking full semesters of university online and abroad given only poor internet. My time thus far is a testament to what I truly want to do, who I truly want to be, and what I really see as my calling in this life I am given.