Allegheny College Study Abroad Spring 2009

Learning to communicate in India has probably been the most trying part of my experience. Since I stepped off the plane I have been aware of the language barrier that many people told me “wouldn’t be that big of a problem”. Even when translated sometimes it is difficult to understand the meaning of what was said. A kid who lives at my internship site was asking me “100 rupee ke khule” or to open his 100 Ru. note. At first I was confused and then I realized he was asking for change. But the verbal communication isn’t the only problem; there are plenty of non-verbal cues that one must be aware of.

One that I was warned of before I left was the “left hand rule”. In most parts of the country the use of toilet paper just isn’t feasible. So that duty is reserved for your left hand, making your right hand the one that is clean, “non-polluted” and appropriate to use for things like eating or receiving things. This rule gets confusing though because while you’re eating with your right hand you should not touch food on serving plates with that hand, since you’ve been putting it in your mouth. So then you should grab say another piece of bread with your left hand. I didn’t catch onto that part of the rule right away and I was incredibly embarrassed after handing someone a piece of bread with my right hand during dinner. Then everyone stared at me the man who received the bread making a gesture to god so that it would be ok.

Being in England, communicating isn't very hard. Things are actually pretty much the same as they are in the states- if more polite and quiet. The most I've had to get used to is the words that people use- Quid, Flat, mate...

One place that I was a little lost at for a while was when we went out to the pubs. Now before coming here I'd never been to anything remotely like a pub before and I was in for a surprise.

The first time I walked into one I expected a nice bar, like home. Maybe a booth or two with stools around the bar area. I've seen bars in movies and from the street- I know what to expect, right?

Wrong.

Pubs here are set up mostly resturant style, with tables and chairs and a bar in the back, but there was no one waiting to seat us, no one looking to see who walked in the door. I had no idea what to do. I stood there looking around, completely lost. There were tables and chairs after all- someone had to seat you. At least that is what I thought. I had to be standing there for a good five minutes before one of the waitresses noticed me and nodded to a table with a smile on her face.

That's when I realized we were supposed to just walk in and find a seat ourselves.

Another rule when out having a meal, an unspoken, unwritten rule, is that you never eat until every other person has gotten their food.

It seems simple enough but I never really thought about it until I was out with some friends and we had ordered. All but one of our meals came out and no one touched a thing. It came out five minutes later but all we did was sip at our drinks and chat. It is jsut rude to do otherwise. Even if you are in a large group.

Mostly, I am out with one or two other people and that is something I am used to. You just don't eat until your friend has their food too. But a whole group? This was about nine people and I've never seen that happen before. Usually, after the group gets over four people everyone just goes at it and that's acceptable. It's different here- it doesn't matter how many of you there are or what kind of setting it's in, if you're having a meal you wait.

Luckily for that one I didn't make a fool of myself but it was a near miss because with so many of us I didn't expect us to wait, but because no one else was making a move too touch theirs I didn't either.

There are many cultural differences between France and the U.S., as I'm sure everyone already knows. However, two things in particular that I have noticed are paying your bill at restaurants and class assignments being handed back.

When you go to a sit-down restaurant in the U.S., you are given your bill when you're finished eating, sometimes before you're finished with your meal. The French never do this, as they consider that idea rude, and they feel that this concept is a means of pushing the customer out the door. In France, when you are finished with your meal at a sit-down restaurant, you go up to the counter to pay your bill. They do not "kick you out" to get more customers to sit at your table. The French feel that you bought something to eat at their restaurant, and you are entitled to take as long as you want to eat, stay there and eat at your own pace and never feel rushed because the place is getting too busy.

Another strange idea that I've come across occurs when professors are handing back assignments and tests. I do not know if this is a French thing, or if it is just my professors. They hand your assignment back to you, and tell you about it, talking loud enough so others around you can hear. My language professor is the worst, and will yell across the classroom "très bien !" or "oh dommage, c'était difficile pour toi." I feel like saying "thank you for letting the entire class know what I just got on my test." I feel that grades are personal, and that the whole class should not know what grade I received. I am not sure why this is done, perhaps these professors feel that everyone should know how the rest of the class is doing. I, for one, hate the idea, and wish I knew the exact reason why they yell across the room how you did with every paper they return.

Chips and crisps. Pants and trousers. Apartment and flat. The quirky differences between the English of the UK and the English of the United States has amused citizens of both countries for years. Of course, we all speak the same language literally, but sometimes things become lost in cultural translation. Despite being "aware" of different phrasings for things, I have been taken aback and confused by many of the differences.

The term "revise" is especially important to learn while studying at Lancaster or any UK university. To me, revise means to edit, possibly a paper or another assignment. When I was speaking with one of my British classmates, she mentioned staying on campus during Easter break to revise for the finals. Imagine my moment of pure, unadulterated painc. Revise? Revise what? Did I miss an assignment? Did I have to edit my paper? As casually as I could, I asked how she was "revising" for the class. Suddenly, it dawned on me that she wasn't "revising" for the finals, she was studying or reviewing for the finals, just as I would do at home. Crisis averted, I started noting how many of my fellow students used the term "revise" rather than "study" or "review" and felt a little foolish. Still, I think that this moment of education was worth it. It was only a word that caused this trouble, yet the actual meaning of the word meant far more than I could have anticipated.

My second language incident still has not been satisfactorarily solved. While walking through the halls of my dorm, I greet my hallmates. One of them always asks "all right?," a particularly British phrase of greeting. I've tried different variations of responses to this greeting and have yet to find one that doesn't sound strange. I've replied with "hello," and that only seems to confuse him. I reply with "yes," and it also seems wrong. Eventually, I just replied with, "yes, and how are you?" After that, he would start talking about his day, and I would be relieved of the need to think of a good response. But really, what does one say to that? Yes, I am "all right," but is that just a common phrase of greeting or actually what is being asked? I still don't have an answer for this one, but I found it to be a good example of problematic cultural communication between two countries that--supposedly--speak the same language.

The biggest difference in communication styles I have observed is the proximity of the other person. Personal space does not exist in Spain or can the Spaniards understand the concept which we have tried to explain many times over. If you are talking to a friend, you are touching them and standing within probably less than one foot from their body. This is completely normal. This may have to do with the closeness and how open of the culture is to share verses the individualism of the United States. Here it is all for the group while at home it is me.
The other communication style that Andaluces of southern Spain is the exageration of everything. I little bit is a lot and a small incident is a disaster when they retell the story. It's very hard to understand at times what really happened but you learn to read between the lines.

What we were calling "the Family" at the Alhambra in Granada

One communication difference in Spain that I had to become accustomed to was interruptions during conversation. In the United States, if you interrupt a person while they are speaking, it is considered rude and uneducated. Instead, you should wait until the person finishes what they are saying to respond. However, when having a coversation with a person in Spain, if you do not interrupt them, or respond very actively or expressively, you give off the impression that you are uninterested in what the person has to say. For example, if you are telling a story and a person interrputs you, or responds actively to what you are saying, it means that you have said something that has sparked their interest or evoked some emotion or memory for that person. This is a good thing, but something I had to become accustomed to at first. I wasn't used to being interrupted when I first arrived, and for awhile, that caused frustration for me. However, I have adapted to this, and have even begun to actively take part in this type of communication. I think that this shows a little of their value system in that it is important to the people here to take an active, enthusiastic part in conversation. Not doing this makes you appear uneducated, unhappy, and uninterested in the other person or what they have to say.
Another difference in communication is the use of gestures, facial expressions, tone and physical contact during conversations. The people of Spain "talk with their hands." When speaking, they are very expressive with their faces and gestures. They also talk very loudly with one another, and at times is sounds as if they were arguing, but this is only their way of communication. This is related to the interruptions as well, because the use of so many gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice is another way to show interest in what the other person has to say. In addition, they touch one another often while talking to display interest and affection. I think that this reveals the same types of communication values as the interruptions do. It is very important here to take interest in what others have to say, and to express this interest very openly and aggresively.

In every culture and community there are different forms of communication that must be learned and observed. Washington, DC is no different; the communication system in DC is highly reflective of the professional and driven nature of this city. While taking the metro, it is an unspoken yet well-known practice to stand on the right and walk on the left when using the escalator. If you do not observe this protocol, you are automatically labeled a tourist - someone who is unfamiliar with the cultural communication of the city. Another observed, unspoken communication within the DC culture is visible in the metro cars. No one speaks. There is very little communication and discussion among passengers. When there is speaking, it must be hushed; vibrant, animated discussion is frowned upon as it may upset or distract other passengers. After living in DC for almost four months, I consider myself fluent in the cultural language of the city. And I have found it to be a very individualistic language that dissuades people from reaching out to each other. Every now and then, pedestrians may exchange nods or hellos, but the overreaching cultural protocol is to remain in your own bubble and to not distract others from their responsibilities.

I have to agree with what other folks have said as far as england goes, though for me the problem with communicating isn't the understanding what they mean, it's not reflexively answering incorrectly. Like "all right?" as mentioned can basically just mean hello, and can be responded in turn with the same. But I reflexively say I'm good thanks, every time. I'll learn some day, but I'd say the most difficult thing about communicating here is that they fool you into thinking they speak your language, but nope..

Besides that I'd say the biggest communication barrier has been my disinterest in the bar scene, no matter how much I go it's just not the environment for me, heh, and clubs are waaay worse. So I often find myself in sort of a parallel universe to the normal british night life where basically if you meet anyone and plan to get to know them better you invite them to the pub or some other event. I have a bad habit of turning these down most of the time and I at times get the feeling that I've laid some minor insult down by doing so (because who doesn't go to the bar? They must just not be interested in seeing more of me). Luckily, though the bar scene is definitely the number one way to meet greet and generally socialize, I've found my niches so I can have my cake and eat it to.

When going to China, be prepared to be called 美女 (beautiful girl/woman) when going out shopping or just about whenever a monetary transaction is about to take place. To be fair, 美女 is used to call female employees as well. This particular moniker has been evolved from the once popular 小姐, which means miss, but since 小姐 can also mean prostitute in southern China, in order to avoid giving unnecessary insult people changed the calling to 美女. For us girls, it means a nice ego boost whenever you purchase something! Yay! Although this moniker is used for all women of all ages and sizes so it really isn't much of a compliment any longer.

7456, 555, 521, 9494, 88. These numbers often appear in IM conversations and some text messages. Each number stands for a word that has a similar sound, and thus these seemingly random numbers actually have meaning! These numbers standing in for words is very popular among the Chinese, for example 8 is considered a lucky number because it sounds a lot like the word 发 which means to become prosperous, and dislike the number 4 which sounds like the word 死 which means death. Phone numbers with the number 4 are usually cheaper, and phone numbers with the number 8 usually more expensive. In the world of text messages and IMs 555 (wuwuwu) stands in for a crying sound, 521 (wu'eryi) means I love you, and 88 (baba) is perhaps the easiest to figure out... BYEBYE!

When communicating in Costa Rica, one always has to remember to `quedar bien,' that is, literaly to keep well or essentially to avoid any form of confrontation or potential insult. Culturally, people here are very sensitive. Here people an almost compulsive urge to gossip about you, their family and essentially anyone within their extensive sphere of community contacts, but the American style of sarcasm and poking fun doesn`t exactly translate and is received poorly to varying degrees. The aim, instead, is to do or say things that make others feel uncomfortable or embarassed in as hilarious a way as possible. Basically, the idea is to be slightly obnoxious or clever and make the target blush. Humor is something that has taken me awhile to really work through. Jokes in general don´t translate well, and with the language barrier it`s sometimes very difficult to figure out exactly what a person means.

This avoiding confrontation also translate to basic everyday interaction as well. It is considered `maleducado` or impolite to breach certain social norms about asking favors, purchasing items or even just asking questions. With Costa Ricans who still follow the traditional ways of interaction, they will never actually say no to a question. They will say maybe, or in some way deflect your question to avoid having to confront the situation fully. In terms of national communication protocols, this is one of the most universal and the most difficult to understand, I think.

We all know that verbal communication is not the only means of communicating in a community. There are other ways such as making eye contacts and body gestures. In Washington, I discovered other communication systems, which I think are very distinctive to the city.

The most popular means of transportation in the District is the Metro. It is very convenient, safe and reliable. Almost everyone in the district travels by rail. To prevent chaos and also to keep traffic moving without much human interaction on the escalator leading to the rails, a new form of communication system was created by Washingtonians. This is more of a rule but also leans towards a communication system. It is the “stand right, move left rule”. When standing on the escalator, one needs to be aware of which side they are standing on. Standing on the right side means an individual is not in a hurry and is moving at the pace of the elevator. Standing on the left side means one is in a hurry and needs to move fast on the escalator, hence no standing still. An individual who violates this rule gets yelled at.

Another communication rule that I have come to notice is the “no eye contact, I need my space communication system”. When in a store, the elevator, the metro or any place where one comes in contact with others, there is this rule of not making eye contact with people who you do not know. However, if you do, you just turn your face away politely with a fading smile. This may sound rude and weird to people from other cultures, but to a typical Washingtonian, it only means one is being normal and respectful of other people’s space.

Although these communication rules may sound very absurd to individuals who are new to Washington, it however becomes a way of life after some few days.

I was having some trouble deciding what to write about for this entry, so I opened it up for discussion over dinner. Most of my Australian friends laughed, they are well aware that most facets of their society are strongly influenced by America. We did however, manage to come up with some differences in communication, all stemming from the laid-back, relaxed attitude of Aussie culture. First, nothing is sacred. (I actually read this in a guidebook before getting here, and it is certainly true.) All potential topics of conversation, including religion, politics, and other sometimes-sensitive subjects are subject to ridicule. You are allowed to make fun of anything and everything. Second, all things must be abbreviated. Yes, this was a trend in America a few years back, but it is more extreme in Australia. Even words that are rarely used in conversation have their abbreviations. A few examples:
McDonald's = "Macca's"
suspicious = "sus"
Even area-specific entities have local nicknames. In Townsville,
Stockland shopping centre = "Stocky's"
Woolworth's Dept. Store = "Wooly's"
Everyday conversation is littered with shortcuts that make it nearly impossible for newcomers (American exchange students, for example) to immediately understand what is going on.

One non-verbal communications that everyone understands is that there are delays on the Metro. Using the excuse “there were delays on the Metro” to show up to your internship or class does not work every day, but Washingtonians do understand that it does happen. Promptness is a relative term in DC. My internship starts at 9am, but is flexible. I have a 20 minute range during which I should show up for work. Almost everyone takes public transportation or gets stuck in traffic during their morning commute, so they understand if you are ten minutes late. A job I had in Erie, PA, required me to be at work at exactly or before the office opened because I was responsible for getting to work on time. There was not public transportation to blame. However, for those extremely important meeting, you must leave with at least 20 minutes to spare in case of transportation problems. Washingtonians always expect delays on the Metros.
Do not carry a camera in DC or you are labeled as a tourist. Each Friday, like clockwork, the ladies at my office ask me what I am doing during the weekend. I typically said “I’m not sure, do you have any suggestions.” They give me a few ideas and I will shoot them all down because I have visited the locations already. They are impressed that I have visited so many of the highlights of the city. One of the ladies at my internship has lived in DC for six years and has still not been to the Smithsonian Museums, which are free and open every day but Christmas. I’m normally the person giving them suggestions of things to do during the weekend. Washingtonians do not explore the city they live in, but can you say that you have visited the touristy sights in your home town?

Since I have been here, I have noticed a couple aspects of communication that are different from those in the United States. The first is, whenever anyone greets each other they always hug and kiss (except if it is two guys). It is very hard to get used to because it happens so naturally for them they go in for the kiss on the cheek and in the first second I am like ´´what is going on?´´ Then I remember. When friends greet each other they make such a big deal out of it that you would think they haven´t seen each other in years and yet they probably have a class together this semester. It shows how much more comfortable they are with they´re personal space. They like to be close to each other and touch each other and express affection all the time. This shows that in some ways the culture is more friendly and more inviting then in the USA, which I think is definitely true. When people meet each other for the first time they are always what I think is overly friendly to a person they don´t even know. But this is just the culture of México.
Another thing I have noticed that is very different here are the rules of the road; or should I say lack there of. People never signal, yeild or do any of the things that would make sense while on the road. If you can drive in Mexico then you can definitely drive anywhere in the United States. People would rather honk and curse at each other on the road then just use some simple road rules. If a cop from the United States saw what was going on on the road here he would probably have a heart attack. I think the road and driving in Mexico might be an outlet for people to express emotion. Mexicans are very emotional people and like to expresst that fact in every way possible. Even the cab drives like to curse and scream out the window and honk like madmen. The funny thing is I have not seen an accident since I have been here so either everyone is a very good driver the road rage is just for show.

Something important that distinguishes England from the United States and
makes it unique, in my opinion, is the castles. You don't really come
across many castles in the US, because there kind of aren't any--unless
you count the one at Disneyworld. I find this difference to be important
because it reflects on the historical impact on everyday life in England.
Lancaster, for example, has a castle of its own with its namesake. When I
first arrived in Lancaster, in my American tourist phase, I thought it was
pretty cool and exciting to be living so close to a real castle. However,
after visiting Lancaster Castle and living in England for a few months, it
became quite ordinary to me. This building, while important to me at
first, is not quite so significant to everyday popular culture in England.
For instance, it is not an entirely historical sight--parts of it actually
currently function as a prison. However, what the castle represents to me
is a uniqueness of cultural and historical richness that I find to be
lacking in the United States. As a young nation, the most historic things
we have in America are linked to the pilgrims or battle sights from the
Civil War. On the contrary, Lancaster Castle was built sometime in the
11th century, so maybe a thousand years ago. Therefore, this building is
unique to Lancaster in its breadth of historical significance, it also
represents a difference from the US that I really have come to appreciate
in England, as well as in my travels elsewhere in Europe: everything is
old.

A huge difference in communication style I have found between the UK and the US is that, as previously mentioned, there is a big emphasis on the bar/club social scene, thus spurning much importance on drinking in the social context. Perhaps the biggest shock I've receieved from this type of enviroment was during orientation, when I realized several of the events would be held in bars. And that there bars were on campus. In total, I believe there are 11 bars on campus, and each college as well as department often hosts events there such as Pub Crawls or themed "fancy dress" (aka costume) parties. Whenever I have a group to meet with for a project, we meet in a bar. I have even met with my seminar and a PROFESSOR in the bar. In the US, I imagine this would be considered rather inappropriate behavior, but at Lancaster it is certainly the norm. This prevalence of social drinking, as you can imagine, also leads to greater importance being placed on drinking culture in general. At Lancaster, it is very typical for students to go out 3 nights a week, if not more. At Allegheny, with some semester's workloads I am lucky to go out once a week. In terms of the importance of the drinking scene to the English value system, this is certainly not to say that the English are alcoholics or less productive than American students. However, it is certainly possible to link this to the fact that the drinking age in England is 18 years old, while in the US it is obviously 21. Having now experienced both worlds, although I was 21 for a few months before I left the States, I still cannot say that either age is a better mark. I have seen no more or less problems with binge drinking or alcoholic tendancy than I have in my home environment.

Another difference in communication style that I have found is definitely more verbal. I hate to bring up Facebook in a school assignment, but the difference between the Facebook of an American and the Facebook of someone English is like night and day, which says something considering we effectively speak the same language. On the English person's Facebook, you will find multiple updates per day, mounds of new pictures, and a wall that is coated with "xoxo," "love," and "babe!!," while the American Facebook is much more subdued. To be honest, I have tried to think for months about what this really says about differences in values or cultural systems. And I don't really know if I have an answer. But one thing I did come up with was that it is linked to privacy (or a lack thereof). Although it is difficult to retain privacy at Allegheny because it is such a small school, Lancaster is several times the size and everybody still knows everyone else's business. At a large public school in the US, this would not be the case. Therefore, I think its also possible to link this to the socio-cultural drinking scene in the UK, which allows for more openness than one can exude in the US.

On a class field trip to the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan one of the taxis taking us there lost a wheel. It didn’t get a flat, the entire wheel flew off. Somehow the car made it to the side of the road and immediately a whole group of people showed up, one retrieved the wheel and everyone was trying to help. In the end everything was fixed and we continued on our way thanks to the help of a group of complete strangers. Then there was the time I was taking the bus from Jaipur to Bhikampura alone. I was at the bus stop waiting for the bus that was supposed to come at 4:00 pm and it was now 4:30. I was getting pretty nervous because no one at the bus stop really spoke English and I was afraid that maybe I had made a mistake. Luckily the men sitting next to me asked me where I was going and not only knew the village but the NGO that I was specifically going to. They reassured me that the bus was coming and even made sure when it came that I had a good seat and that the bus driver knew where I was going. I think every experience I’ve had on a bus in India has been like that, a friendly stranger lends a helping hand. Now I’m not saying all Indians are friendly towards strangers or that this is a trait that is specific to India. And many of the instances may have only been because I am clearly a foreigner. But no matter the circumstances experiences have made me rethink my own attitude towards strangers or anyone who appears to need help, whether they’re asking or not.

At the NGO I am interning I have learned the art of taking it slow. For the first time in my college career I am not making hundreds of to do lists for each day and trying to plan out how to stay busy every minute of every week. This ability to take it easy along with the idea of just trying to be more welcoming to strangers are the type of things I would like to incorporate into my lifestyle. And while I hope people can learn by my examples and I am happy to share my experiences I don’t want to return home to “inform the perspectives of other young people back home.” In all honesty I studied abroad for me and as I said I’m happy to share but it really isn’t the same. Everyone who studies abroad gains something different from his or her experience. Sharing my experiences with others will never be as good as people taking the opportunity to go someplace new themselves.

Tarun Bharat Sangh, an NGO based in Bhikampura in Rajasthan was founded in 1984 by a group of students from Jaipur who wanted to do whatever they could to combat the severe poverty of the Alwar region. The organization began encouraging the building of rainwater harvesting structures and the conservation of nature. While it is now twenty- five years older and the founders and original volunteers are no longer young people, like me, there are other young people who still help the organization run and contribute to it’s ability to reach out beyond it’s own scope. There are full- time employees, interns and research students, and volunteers all involved. Some write case studies in numerous languages, create films, and do other activities to bring attention to the work of TBS to people who may not have otherwise. Students also participate in TBS organized marches and other forms of protest to create awareness to protect rivers such as the Yamuna in Delhi. Even within the villages the people who are of the same age group as me are just as involved in the work as those who are older. They are involved in the village councils and work along with everyone else to build and maintain the rainwater harvesting structures.

The weekend of 28 March 2009 a family from Meerut stopped at the TBS ashram in Bhikampura, where I’m staying, on their way to a Krishna temple somewhere near by. They invited me along and so I spent the day answering all of the questions the three children and four adults had about America. Some of them were reasonable, some of them were absurd, and some of them were too personal. But I did my best to answer them and to clear up any of their absurd ideas of what it’s like to live in America; like that we all own and drive at least three big cars. I also tried to change some of the ideas they and others might have about America through my actions. While at the temple and on the entire journey I tried to be as respectful of their culture and religion as possible. I followed their example on how to behave within the temple etc.

Sometimes though I feel people expect certain things and behaviors from me because I am American, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Sometimes I want to behave in a certain way just to contradict the stereotypes, disregarding how I personally would act. That can be a really difficult thing to deal with. For example having a beer with dinner. In America it’s no big deal, perfectly acceptable if you’re 21. Here there are plenty of places where you can have a beer with dinner, and while you’re allowed, to many people drinking is socially unacceptable and wrong. So then you start to question ordering a beer with dinner because what will your home stay parents think or what type of image will you be portraying of America? Even with just one beer will you still be sending the message to everyone else in the restaurant that Americans, specifically the women in my case, are wild and crazy and have loose morals? So then you have to make the decision; do I care what these people think of me, do I care what opinions they form about my country based on my actions, are the opinions they form going to be negative, and if so, so what? The one beer at dinner isn’t really that big of a deal but there other situations such as relationships with the opposite sex or spending habits that can be a little more difficult to process through. I just wish people would understand that people are people not the country they’re from.

Studying abroad is a wonderful experience for young people to become a stronger, more aware, more well-rounded person. Going to a different place, whether it be to a foreign country, like me, Spain, or even to Washington D.C., there are different cultures, different surroundings, and different expectations and culture rules. Doing this obviously puts a person in uncomfortable situations, from which you learn more about the world and yourself as a person. It is during your time abroad, that you find these uncomfortable situations becoming more normal, and you find yourself taking part in this without even thinking about it. With this, it also makes you a more understanding, accepting person of differences. Therefore, I feel that I will return home from studying abroad in Spain a more open-minded person. I will also be able to adapt more easily to new and different situations.
Other than becoming more culturally, and world aware, I feel that studying abroad for a semester makes you a stronger, more independent person. It is not an easy task to leave your home, your family, your friends, and just everything you know for so long. For me, this was my first time out of the country, but this has also been the longest I have been away from home without being able to see my family. Although there have been hard days, and days I want nothing more than the comfort of my home and family, I feel that this has made me a more independent person. I have learned to deal with the struggles of life on my own, without the help of anyone else, and this is definitely a positive. In addition, there are many luxuries of home that you don't have access to in other countries, internet for example. It's a luxury that I took for granted at home, because it was just always there, and now it is something I'll never take for granted again. But the lack of these basic luxuries have made me a stronger person. I know now that I don't need all these little things to survive and live happily. Dealing with these small daily obstacles and lack of basic luxuries makes you a stronger, more appreciative person of your home and your life. For these reasons, I feel it is good to study abroad. That time away from home makes you more world-aware, stronger, more independent, and more appreciative of all the wonderful things we take for granted everyday at home. While, at least for me, it wasn't always the easiest experience, I'm happy that I took on this challenge because I have gained all of this from it. Because of this, I would tell anyone who asked that they should go abroad for a semester because they will learn things about themselves and life that they would never learn from staying in the comfort zone of home, things that can't be learned from a textbook.

I still have over a month before I return to the states, but I can say with the utmost certainty that this has been an incredible experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Why should students study abroad? For starters, you will have the opportunity to see how people in other cultures live their lives. Having been here for just shy of 3 months now, I have come to feel as though I fit in with the crowd in Angers. When I was on Spring Break, I felt like a huge tourist, and I was, in Germany and Italy. However, when I came back to France to spend a couple days in Nice and could talk to folks at restaurants with ease, I felt "at home" per se. You get used to the life in your host country after a while.

By studying abroad, you will also have a chance to meet students from all over the world who are studying the same language as you are. I have met people from different countries in Europe, other parts of the U.S., Mexico, Africa, and many students from Asia. French is the only way to communicate with some of them as they do not know English.

For me, personally, I am going to be sad to leave. I will miss the people I've become friends with during my time in Angers. To anyone who is wondering if they should study abroad, YES, you should! It is an experience that will last a lifetime.

As my time in DC is winding down, I have been thinking over my experiences here - wondering if I would do it over again. And I would. I think that that is the best information I can give someone else who may (or may not) be considering studying off-campus or abroad. I do not know this semester's group of study abroaders' experiences; I only know my own. And, based on my own, I would do this again. I would leave home and enter a new culture and interact with different kinds of people all over again if the opportunity arose. An experience like this - gaining insight into another way of life - has truly given me perspective on my own life choices and actions. I have meet students from all over the country and the world! I have discussed poverty prevention and public policy changes with some of the best minds in the field; and I would not give this up.

Traveling outside of one's comfort zone is a perfect way to challenge your preconceived understandings and perspectives of the world. If students just learn and learn but never apply any of their knowledge in the field by defending their positions and interacting with people who hold different views, then what has really been learned? My experience in DC was amazing. I will treasure this time in my life for ever. Students considering studying off-campus or abroad need to realize that you gain perspective and knowledge only through experience; and situations like this give you experience.

Looking back on all I've done here, there is only one piece of advice I can give anyone else wishing to study abroad: Do it.

It is hard, at times, especially when you don't know the culture, but it gives you a chance to see the world through fresh eyes. You get to experiences the world the way you did when you first came to college- when everything was fun, exciting, and a little bit scary. It was the time you were willing to take chances and learn new things, to join up with groups and meet new friends. It was your time to be yourself and enjoy it.

This is like that, but with bigger adventures. Not only do you get the chance to see the world, which is something I think everyone should at least try to do, but you get to see who you are yourself. You'll be testing who you really are.

You also get a chance to experience the world as a student of the world. If you travel the world when you are older, out of school, you will never see the world as a student does. That's an experience worth having. You learn how to embrace the culture that you are in when you are learning there, not just see it. You actually have to live it and adapt.

Plus you are exposed to a whole new world of learning when you study abroad. It is different than what you're used to, maybe even difficult because of it, but it forces you to open up to new ways of thinking. You broaden your horizons not only culturally but academically.

There is too much of the world out there waiting to be explored and seen for someone to pass up the chance that studying abroad offers. You get to see and learn so much while you are away from the comfort of home, away from the safety of what you ‘know’. You start fresh and are given the opportunity to learn more about yourself while abroad, even while you are learning about your new home.

It is something that shouldn’t be passed up.

I would highly encourage other young people to travel abroad because as people always say, it is life changing. A person can't really learn about another place unless they go there themselves. Will a book give you a Kenyan's perspective on politics or take you into a crowded one room home in the slums? The answer is no. If you want to live life unchallenged then stay in America. This is not to say that America isn't a complicated place but to really learn about yourself try living in a foreign country for awhile.

Kenya has challenged who I am on a daily basis. I find myself asking questions like what does it mean to be white, American, female and a part of the youth. After 3 1/2 months I'm proud of my independence and confidence I have gained. I came to Africa not knowing a soul and now I know a whole network of people. I would encourage people my age to study abroad and not just do an EL Term. Last summer I went to India and it was great but it doesn't compare to staying somewhere a whole semester. I have lived with two Kenyan families and that is where I learned the most information. My days here were not glamorous by any means. I had my share of explorations but for the most part I went to school or was at my internship. That is what studying abroad is really about - being able to live in another environment and to comprehend concepts not imaginable before I left U.S. soil.

A family member of mine described college as a "cocoon." After three years of Allegheny, I concede that her comment has truth to it. While I believe my years at Allegheny have challenged me as a person, it's still a very safe challenge. The security of dormitory life is helpful for gaining an education but not for learning how to live outside of a cozy campus. Fortunately, I have been given an opportunity to step out of the college cocoon, so to speak, with my study abroad. True, I've picked what can perhaps be termed a "safe" country. The language and culture of the US and the UK, while having occasional misses, usually blend tolerably. However, I believe my travel abroad has given me a number of challenges in its own way. I've had to learn to coordinate my own traveling, to learn the bus/train system, to navigate cities with which I have no familiarity, and to do all of this while trying to understand a new system of learning at my university. Of course, please do add in the usual trials of life, such as grocery shopping, homework, and making friends.

Please do not assume I am complaining. My fellow travel abroad students have done all this and probably more during their travels. But, in looking over what I've been able to accomplish while studying abroad, I'm rather impressed with myself. For example, growing up in a rather small town, traveling by train or bus is foreign to me. Thus, for every time I've used public transport, I have felt a bit of pride, as ridiculous as that sounds. What do I think traveling abroad has given me? I think its infused me with some new confidence in myself. I have been thrust into an entirely new situation of life and have done quite well. Studying abroad gives the unique opportunity to discover your own strength. When it is necessary, can you stand for myself? Can you do all this on your own? By removing yourself from the safety of campus, you can discover that you can function without constant help from your family, your friends, or college. In short, according to my experience, studying abroad not only gives students the opportunity to explore the world, but to learn to trust in their own strength and ability to thrive in the most challenging of situations.

It’s pretty amazing how fast the spring semester went by. It seems like January was just yesterday. I enjoyed the Washington Semester program, and wish it never came to an end. This program, precisely the Transforming Communities seminar, taught me a lot about the unrealized issues that a community and its residents face. I never paid particular attention to my surroundings and its problems; however, this semester has caused me to develop a sense of awareness of my surroundings. Though I have always had a passion of community development and service, I never got the opportunity to serve and be a part of a larger community. Many students express their desire to transform communities and the alleviation of community issues. Most of them, if not all, do not take the initiative to start projects that would help eliminate the root causes of issues plaguing a community. The most immediate ideas that arise to most people is to put bandages on wounds, instead of developing ways to eliminate the true causes of the problem. This semester has taught me how to analyze problems critically and logically by focusing first on the causes of the issue, then the examining various policies and projects that can solve the problem.
In addition to sharpening my thinking skills, my study abroad experience exposed me to the professional world. The Washington Semester program provides a non-traditional classroom setting, which exposes one to a different learning style and environment. Seminars and discussions are held outside of the classroom, usually in downtown DC or in business buildings. Having important people such as senators and congressmen speak to a class enables students to have a feel of what it is like to be in the working world and also what is expected of one in the professional world. Professors and invited speakers challenge students to engage in cognitive stimulating discussions and projects, which are beneficial elements in the working world.
Studying abroad, particularly the Washington Semester program has made me feel more connected, making me aware of my community. The internship component of the program has prepared me for life after school. I have also made a lot of new friends and connections in the District. Overall, taking the initiative to learn outside of one’s comfort zone not only help in shaping and modeling that individuals perspective towards life, but also prepares an individual for life’s challenges. Studying abroad is a huge step that many should be encouraged to take.