Allegheny College Study Abroad Fall 2008

Being an "Ambassador" wasn't always easy and caused some awkward moments due to cultural differences, but I feel like I helped many briefly-known friends and locals to better know the American, and maybe Alleghenian, culture. Because of differences in the culture and the language barrier, being an ambassador was not always a welcomed role. There were times when I just wanted to be back in America to escape the many small discrepancies between the two cultures. Thankfully, I can count these instances on only one hand. For the large majority of the time, I was excited to share my culture with the local people wherever I went (but certainly not in the stereotypical, boisterous way).
On the way back from visiting Dreiländerpunkt, the point where Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium meet, Didem and I met a couple studying in Germany who were from Turkey. It was great to chat over dinner with them and learning about both German and Turkish culture while sharing my own with them. Another conversation that sticks out in my mind occurred on a train to Neuschwanstein with an Irish man living in Germany, a young South Korean woman, and Didem and I. Many of the typical stereotypes portrayed in American movies were broken and the conversation was very educational for all of us.
Overall, I would give myself a B+ at being an ambassador. I took points off not because of lack of interest, but from sometimes shying away from engaging conversations.

As you prepare to leave your host site/country, can you reflect on how you have fulfilled the role of either Allegheny College ambassador, or American ambassador, or both? What did this entail, and what were some of the challenges of fulfilling this role. Again, specific examples are always an interesting read.

Ambassador, smambassador..... Given the circumstances, i do believe that i did the best conceivable job to show the folks of Beaufort, NC the culture of Allegheny college while remaining open and friendly to new ideas, customs, etc... During the three and a half months that i spent in North Carolina i never really felt that i was representing Pennsylvania or Allegheny college....this was in part due to the fact that everyone was so kind and accepting, but mostly because the cultural differences didn't seem to vary much. Although, i do believe that now many of the students at the marine lab and locals of Beaufort have a better idea of how living in PA is different from living in the south. The best example which i talked about in an earlier blog is the cultural astigmatism to race. Predominantly in the older generation of the town, it was quite apparent that there is still some tension and judgment about race. I think that my open minded attitude reflected my cultural upbringing which was perceived positivity. Furthermore, i tried never to cast judgment on the cultural which i believed exonerates what a good ambassadors should do. As far as differences between the students at the marine lab and myself go, there really weren't many if any differences that stand out. I feel like the college student persona is quite standardized throughout the country (at least in my experiences).

Since my job wasn't that difficult to begin with i have to say that overall as an ambassador i did a good job. I open my mind to the culture as best as i could and in return i learned a lot about the cultural of Beaufort and the Duke Marine Lab, but more important grew as a person.

During my time studying abroad, I usually didn't enter a conversation with the intention of being an "American ambassador." Instead, I talked with many people just as two friends might talk, only to discover that I taught them something without the initial plan to do so. For example, one of the most common things I ran into in Spain was that a lot of people didn't realize the "state" concept of the "United States." Whenever I told someone I was from New York, he or she would automatically think I was from New York City. I often found myself explaining that I actually live closer to Canada than to New York City, and that Manhattan is just a tiny part of the larger area that makes up New York State. Many people found this interesting and didn't realize that the division of our country into states is comparable to Spain's division into autonomous regions (like Andalucia, Galicia, etc.). Looking back at the past few months, I feel like I gave some Spaniards a better idea of how there is more to the U.S. than what appears in the movies; rather, it has regional and cultural differences, just like Spain.
As Americans, we're all used to hearing the criticism that we think we have the best way of doing everything. What I found funny was that as accepting as many Spaniards were, most of them felt this exact same way about their own culture. Many locals admitted without hesitance that they believe they have the best food, the best lifestyle, the best daily schedule...you name it. It was sometimes challenging when I tried to describe something about my culture and the custom was shot down because apparently, the Spanish way is better. It's hard to get upset about it though--it seems natural for people to prefer their ways to the rest.
Throughout the semester, I felt that it was my responsibility to temporarily set aside my cultural habits in order to fully understand others. Of course there were some aspects that I didn't like (losing the luxury of long, hot showers comes to mind), but at the end of the day, these are the little things that helped me learn about the real Spain. More importantly, the comparisons and contrasts I could later make between cultures helped me connect with my host country.

As an Allegheny College ambassador, I think I left Costa Rica with a positive impression. On many occasions I was complimented on my Spanish (thanks to the Spanish department at Allegheny). I am not sure of the connection between Atenas and Lancaster PA but the majority of Ticos who mentioned they had been to the United States talked about Lancaster. They were always very excited to hear that I go to school in Pennsylvania and yes I know about Lancaster. Academically, my classes at Allegheny had me well prepared for the courses I took at SFS.
As an ambassador of the United States (I had a friend who hated when we refer to ourselves as Americans because technically everyone living on a continent ending with America is an American) I believe that I left a positive impression on Costa Rica (In part due to my voting preferences.). I know that I have a number of families that I could stay with upon returning to Costa Rica. Likewise, I left Costa Rica with an open invitation to any one of my friends to come visit the United States. Since leaving I have received phone calls from 4 people and regularly stay in contact via email.
I also think I personally, left Costa Rica with a respectable reputation. Many of my classmates were embarrassing to be around as they were both overwhelmingly boisterous and irresponsible on a number of occasions. Whether it be leaving bars without paying, dropping glass bottles and not cleaning up after oneself or referring to elders with the “tu” (informal you) form when our native speaking Spanish teachers taught us to only use “ustd” (formal), one of my biggest challenges was dealing with my fellow program participants who may not have represented the United States as well as they could have.
If anything, the only negative reputation I could have after leaving Costa Rica is with SFS. I was very disappointed with the program and vocal about it. When certain faculty members (who in my opinion are not qualified for their positions) singled me out or made sure the rules only applied to me for I did not hesitate to voice my opinion. For example
The Alcohol Rule:

The way I understand this rule is, the SFS faculty and staff are not to be drinking alcohol in the presence of students and likewise. If students walk into a bar where faculty and staff are, they are to leave because they arrived second. Apparently this rule doesn’t work both ways because I have been eating dinner and enjoying a bottle of wine with some friends when faculty members came into a restaurant. We never asked them to leave and they went to the opposite side of the room (tiny restaurant) and everything was fine.
The bar that my semester’s students adopted was Don Yayo’s. It’s located in a nice spot close to home and it is also a good place because it is big enough to handle all 27 students without completely overwhelming it. Most other restaurants can’t do that. Any faculty member knew by the 2nd to last week in the semester that it was our hangout. Its fine for faculty to want to go there, by all means go right ahead but that’s were this rule caused conflict.
I happened to be fairly good friends with one of the bartenders who spoke English very well. That night he was going to help me with my Spanish abstract for my DR paper. So I had plans, and myself and two other students were just going to have a beer or two to relax away from campus where everyone else was still hectically typing away at their final papers.
Myself and two other students went to call a cab and noticed that the faculty was going out also. I jokingly said, “I hope you aren’t going to Don Yayo because that’s where we are going, just like every other night.” No one said anything back to me. The Faculty left, our cab arrived and we departed as well. We got to Don Yayo’s and walk into the restaurant and notice the faculty at a table on one side of the restaurant. I thought that was strange since I had mentioned to them that we were going there. So we figured it wasn’t that big of a deal. The restaurant is a big place so we sat on the other side of the restaurant, out of sight. We didn’t want them to feel any pressure about the alcohol rule.
The SAM (student affairs manager) came up to us, probably because she is lowest in rank, and said “You guys have to leave. We got here first, but you can go get a beer at the pizza restaurant across the street.”
Now I’m upset, I had plans to get my Spanish abstract written and even though I gave the ENTIRE faculty (minus a select few) an opportunity to say something along the lines of, “we are actually going there tonight so you guys will have to find someplace else,” no one did. By about 10 o’clock (only one beer later) I figure, what the heck. Is the faculty really going to come all the way across the restaurant to kick me out AGAIN even though I wasn’t drinking and actually working on homework? So I went across the street and went into the bar. Lo and behold, there were two SFS students drinking at the bar. The same bar that the three of us had not been allowed to sit at because the faculty had “gotten there first”.
After talking to the students, about how we were kicked out they mentioned that they had in fact walked passed the table of faculty 2 or 3 times to go to the bathroom and the faculty didn’t say a single word to them.
That was when I finally decided I was done listening to SFS rules and the members of faculty that couldn’t even respect the students. I also did not hesitate to mention to the visiting GIS professor how things like that happened on a regular basis with two faculty members in particular. Their evaluations reflected it.

As you prepare to leave your host site/country, can you reflect on how you have fulfilled the role of either Allegheny College ambassador, or American ambassador, or both? What did this entail, and what were some of the challenges of fulfilling this role. Again, specific examples are always an interesting read :)

I have been home from Australia since the end of November and as a result, I've had a lot of time to reflect on my experiences. In terms of fulfilling the role of an Allegheny College ambassador, I feel that the other girls from Allegheny who were there and I all represented ourselves well. Every semester a few people from Allegheny always study at James Cook University and all have seemed to make some sort of an impact. Many of the Australians that I spoke to in my college (dorm) were excited to meet me once they heard where I was from and loved telling me stories about past study abroad alumni. The Australians all had great things to say about anyone they had met in connection with Allegheny. I didn't really view maintaining a positive image as a representative of my school as difficult. I made sure I made the most of my time there by getting to know as many people as possible and by getting to see as much of Australia as was feasible. But also, I made sure to keep focused on the importance of my studies. Fortunately, my experience has show me that Allegheny students are held in high regard at James Cook and are always welcome.

As an ambassador of America and Allegheny to a foreign country and culture, I think it’s important to maintain an attitude of humility and openness. Firstly as an American, you personify a host of different ideas about our country. And while I’d like to believe most people do not have a huge problem with Americans, it isn’t always true. At Thanksgiving people kept questioning why we kicked out the Native Americans from their homeland. We’d also get criticized for McDonalds and hummers, laziness and ignorance and pride. However, usually after teasing us about our country, most of my friends would conclude with ‘but actually I really do love Americans’. Sometimes it was hard to bit my tongue though as some people went on and on with criticisms, regarding our government, education system, and more. Even when I’d agree with them, after awhile I would just get tired of someone not from the US complaining about it! Also, as an ambassador from Allegheny, it was difficult at times to work as hard as I do while at Allegheny because the classes and workload were quite different. I certainly could have been more responsible with my work, but that was definitely something I struggled with although I attended classes regularly and worked a bit more as the term progressed. The classes do not engage in as much discussion as at Allegheny and most of the assessment was one or two papers which I only had to pass. Again, I do not like the fact that I didn’t work as hard as I know I should have, but I did still learn a lot just not inside the classroom.

My stay in Greece marks the second time I have been out of the country. The first was to the Dominican Republic where I stood out from the crowd primarily due to my skin color. But this time, I was headed to a country where I physically more or less fit in. I lived with and attended school with other Americans (and a few Canadians), so language wasn't an issue in that arena. But when it came to interacting with Greeks, I felt as if there were a large sign over my head that blinked "American! American!" in large neon letters. We were told from the first that most Greeks spoke some English, but that they appreciated any attempt at Greek. Now understand that while I like languages, I do not pick them up as some do. So it was a large accomplishment indeed when I knew what the clerk was saying at the grocery store enough to say "Ochi" (no) when she asked me if I had any "karti" (credit cards, etc), or when I would have short conversations with the bakery clerk ("ena psomi"-one bread) or ask a waiter if "mepos echete zesti sokolata" (perhaps you have hot chocolate?). I feel that many who spend much time overseas have a desire not to be taken as tourists, and I have that desire as well. I tried my hardest not to be seen as the epitome of an 'ignorant tourist,' but as a learner in a new culture.

One major way I represented my country in during the time surrounding the election. I traveled to Egypt during fall break, which fell the week before elections, and everyone was eagerly asking about who I supported. I was traveling with an Obama supporter, so I usually let her talk. A few times I let my pro-McCain feelings show, and always I was questioned about why. I had at least one good reason why, and I would share it, so long as the other person were actually listening. It is hard to express how it seems as if the rest of the world sees America as one-sided. Or, at least the Greeks and Egyptians I met who were astounded at my political leanings seemed surprised to find that not all Americans thought alike. I hope I am not speaking for all non-Americans when I say that few cared what either candidate stood for, so long as they weren't Bush or a Republican. On election night, I was asked who I was for by a reporter, and upon replying "McCain," she gasped, "Why? You are too young to be a Republican!" Then I asked her why she was for Obama. "Because he is black" was her answer (I sincerely hope that she is the exception to the rule when it comes to Greek reporters). The point I am getting at is that for all the people who harassed me about my political leanings, I hope a few of them came to realize that Americans cannot all be labeled as Democrat or Republican, black or white, urban or rural. We all have our voices and we must not be afraid to stand for our beliefs or convictions, so long as we accept that there are different beliefs out there. Which I have found to be a very American conviction.

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As you prepare to leave your host site/country, can you reflect on how you have fulfilled the role of either Allegheny College ambassador, or American ambassador, or both? What did this entail, and what were some of the challenges of fulfilling this role. Again, specific examples are always an interesting read :)

I think as studying abroad in England, because of the location – I was able to fulfill both the roles as American and Allegheny College ambassador. The people I got to know the best were my flat mates. It was neat to always be around them and they soon began to see me as just another flat mate, even if the conversation of how we say things differently and how the school systems are so much different between here and there came up every single day, I still became much more a member of the flat than a member of their country. I say this because, I began to feel very comfortable in the flat, almost like a family, whereas in other things I did with the university I was always the “American” or the international student or some talk was made about when I am heading home and if I miss it and if I like their country. Whereas those who I became closest too began to look past this. So, in that instance I feel that I have succeeded in being an Allegheny ambassador, because my fellow classmates then saw me as a student as well – there to study and not just talk about the differences and similarities between England and America. Even though I definitely thoroughly enjoyed these conversations.
As for fulfilling the role as an American ambassador, I believe that I started to. In my European Culture class, the class was about ½ English, the rest from some European country and then me, from America. My teacher was German and since the first day she told me how excited she was that there was an American in the class. Here I got to hold down the points that not everyone eats a burger a day, we all don’t sit and watch TV and waste all the energy of the world, not necessarily everyone washes their dishes in the same manner, we don’t all shower everyday or some of us, even every other. The other students in the class really liked these American contributions and viewpoints I was able to put forth as the voice of America in that class, needless to say, that was pretty cool!

Last blog. Better late than never (and lucky that it arrived at all, with dial-up serving as my principle connection to the internet).

I left my host country a month ago. December 13th, 2008, I was back in America. And looking back at this journey, this epic study abroad sojourn, I find myself thinking... All in all, it really wasn't that much different. Nearly everyone spoke English (with the exception of my host family, of course), so it's not like I was out of my league. I suppose, as an American ambassador, I did help some people with their English. But it's not even like they required my assistance. Europeans as a whole speak English better than some Americans, I think.

As for being an Allegheny ambassador... I never met any college students or fellow German peers on my trip, so I can't really speak for that aspect. I didn't have the chance to be a representative from an American college. No one knew what or where Allegheny College was, so it's not even like I could brag about it.

However, as an American ambassador... I do have quite a few tales. As I have generally noticed, most Americans traveling abroad in Europe are complete idiots. Okay, that may be too harsh; many people travel to Europe who are incredibly intelligent and wonderful. But it seemed the only Americans I met on my travelings applied to the first category. For example, let me take you to Fuessen, Germany. Home of the Castle Neuschwannstein, probably most famous medieval-esque castle in the world. A common attraction site. A breeding ground for stupid Americans.

I was here with my fellow study abroad companion, Jen. We were staying in Munich for a few days on fall break, and had decided to come see the castle. We got our tickets, and were waiting on the impressive castle grounds for our tour to begin, when we hear... English. Not only that, but... American English. Could it be? Fellow Americans also here to see the magnificent but unfinished castle?

Our tour begins, and we ascend a short flight of stairs in order to get to the second floor of the castle. As we reach the top and wait for our tour guide, we hear again an American-accented voice begin to complain.

"That was a lot of stairs. Woo, I'm out of shape!" And finally, we spot the Americans. They appear to be in their late twenties, and are dressed... well, typically American. One man is wearing a torn and ratted jersey of some sort without sleeves. The others were dressed slightly more casual, but it didn't really help. They were all panting hard - surprising, for it was only about two flights of stairs. Comparing this to the walk up the mountain to get to the castle, it was nothing.

The tour begins, and we tried to separate ourselves away from the Americans. They talked loudly throughout the entire tour, and were generally disrespectful - taking pictures even though it was forbidden by Bavarian law, reaching around barriers to touch artifacts, and swearing and cussing at menial inconveniences.

When we finally reached the end of the tour, and were able to separate ourselves for good, Jen and I came to a realization - we were much better ambassadors than the Americans we had seen today. Although we were not always the model ambassador - I have strong memories of screaming Phantom of the Opera at the top of my lungs in front of the Reichstag, or German parliament building - at least we knew when to act appropriately.

Overall, I think all of my friends and I were good ambassadors. We varied from the crude and boisterous Americans that so often flocked to the touristy attractions in a way that was most definitely good. Instead of trying to stick out and be recognized for that difference, we tried to fit in. We tried to act cultured. We tried to learn instead of just see. Because of that, I think we represented the American people much better than, for example, the Neuschwannstein hooligans.

During my time in DC, I think that I represented myself very well. In terms of being an Allegheny ambassor, I think that everyone who was at American University from Allegheny displayed nothing but positive attitudes. It was funny because not only were the students in my program from colleges and universities across America, but from across the world as well. Inevitably, one of the first questions asked of a new friends was "So, where's your home school?" Interestingly, most of us came from smaller schools, and so had never heard of each other's colleges. I have nothing but respect for the home schools of most of my classmates, and I'm sure thats how they feel about Allegheny.

You may think that because I spent my semester in DC, I didn't have the chance to be andAmerican ambassador. You would be wrong. Alot of the students in my specific program were from Norway, and I became very close with a few of them. One day we were talking about the differences in our cultures. I asked a few of the Nords (as they came to known) if they thought the American stereotypes were true. One of the girls said, "Well, you all are a lot louder than we are." Which, I admit, I contribute to. But then another explained one of the differences she liked. Apparently, Americans are much more friendly than Norwiegans. She said that we hug a lot more, and become friends a lot quicker. Then she used me as an example. If someone inquires about an item of food on my plate, I have a habit of asking them if they'd like a taste. My friend explained that in Norway, that isn't really done and that she was pleasantly surprised by American friendliness. So, through my normal social interactions, I'd say I was a pretty good ambassador for the US as well.

As you prepare to leave your host site/country, can you reflect on how you have fulfilled the role of either Allegheny College ambassador, or American ambassador, or both? What did this entail, and what were some of the challenges of fulfilling this role. Again, specific examples are always an interesting read :)

I left Australia in early December. It was a rough departure since I felt as though I had made so many connections to people there that I knew I would not likely see again. However, I also left with the feeling that I had gotten the most out of the experience and had left a lot behind as well (and not just the hair straightener the next Allegheny student will get to use).

My dorm on campus was a small one which just opened this year, so staying there in the first year was a unique opportunity to be a part of creating traditions and making Western Courts what it was. As an ambassador, I tried to demonstrate my open-mindedness and to participate in everything I could... I ended up getting the "spirit award" for most involved international student. I think it was really good that the Australians we met were able to compare us to the stereotypes that they had based on all the American TV which is shown. I tried to tell them all about Allegheny whenever someone would ask, and I had a few conversations about the different way things such as health insurance and the government in general worked. Almost all of the time, being an ambassador was a very interesting and fun experience.

There was one instance I can remember where I was waiting in line for an ATM and I think the people behind us heard our accents. I think they were drunk, but they started yelling at us for being dumb Americans and ruining the world's economy. That was a little hard to hear, since most Australians were very nice and interested to talk to us. It was an isolated incident though, so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Overall, I loved being in Australia and hope that I left behind a good impression of Americans...I have promised my futon to many of my friends who want to come visit here! :)

My time at James Cook University in Australia was an experience that will never be forgotten. While I was there, I made sure to try and speak with as many Australians as possible and join in activities/go on trips that would not be possible elsewhere. Although it was very difficult to keep up with my studies with so many distracting things to do (such as getting my scuba diving license, traveling to Sydney, sailing the Whitsundays etc.) I did my best. I believe that I represented Allegheny College very well while I was at JCU. I ran into a few Australians who would ask me where I went to college back in the states. When I said Allegheny, there response was normally along the lines of, "Oh ya, I've met people who have come here in the past from Allegheny. They are great people." I believe that I as well as the other girls I studied abroad with from Allegheny, kept up this image while in Australia.

I wasn`t going to respond to this topic because I am going back to France to study for the Spring Semester in Paris, but I feel like this topic may be useful to reflect upon and apply when I go back. An ambassador must be many things, but above all he/she must be the voice of their homeland and its people. Many believe that the French hate America, but that simply isn`t true. I completely agree with many of the people on this site that the French are quick to critisize the government and the politics of our nation, but are just as quick to point out that they love Americans. How can this be? you would think that after all the ambassadors from our school and others that their opinions of the nation would be at least affected by their view of its people, but they continue to look poorly upon our flag while the chat personably with our selves. even the election of Obama, about whom they are so hopeful and enthusiastic, still hasn`t done much to change their image of the USA. Some would argue that actions speak louder than words and that the French are objecting to concrete policies and practices of our government and the view from Hollywood that we ourselves project to the world: an image of sloth, over indulgence in food and commerce, and a pride bordering on self-absorption. Yet, I would argue that we as ambassadors have been building an image based on action as well, an action far more first-hand than anything holywood or the press can create through the televison and news stands. It seems that all of our hard work just isn`t paying off. And then I think, maybe they are attempting to put aside their misgivings and prejudices to judge us, and in so doing, cease to see us as ambassadors of anything but ourselves. I`m not sure that I don`t prefer this. It`s what we have always been taught was the proper thing to do. Don`t judge a book by its cover or its origin, I guess would be the motto. Now whether this is true, I don`t know. I don`t think even the French have thought about it that far, or if they would even do so conciously. It would explain how they are seeming to separate the experiences with the people from their image of the country. Can we say that this is what we are doing? Has my image of France changed now that I have met the people? I think that it has. I no longer believe that all the French are snobby, well dressed artists and musiciens that hate America and worship food. Now they are polite, well dressed professionals who don`t know what to think about America and worship food on a level that is frankly astonishing for a fast-food american. Have I been the ambassador or have they?

Every one always told me that studying abroad would change my life. They always said that it would be the experience that I would never forget. They always said it would be the trip of a life time. And you know what, they were right. It did change my life. Everyone on this site has said it, but its true, you do become more independent and respectful of other cultures and peoples. To steal Brittney`s cooking example, I made a Thanksgiving dinner. Now for those of you who know me, you might remember me 1) setting water on fire (didn`t know there was oil in there) 2) over cooking one half of an egg while undercooking another 3) blowing up soup OUTSIDE of a microwave. I see an oven and the house is doomed. But, I was able to make this dinner wiht only a few words of wisdom from my mother and a rather unfamiliar measuring system and grocery store contents. Even though my apple pie looked more like an apple calzone (apparently it takes more than 6 French apples to make a pie because they are smaller), I was able to cook. Me, the terror of the kitchen. Not only is that a new skill, but also an independence and a risk taking that I, an only child, had never known. Its only gotten better. When I got to France, I was too afraid to wander the town, fearing I would get lost (and those who know Angers would know how ridiculous that sounds) and I was too uncomfortable to go to a cafe or grocery alone, so I ate a twix I had brought from home for lunch and dinner, and stayed in the hotel watching French tv I didn`t understand. Now i go places alone all the time and am far less afraid of the unfamiliar. I can use the trains like a pro and can go days without the internet! All in all, this experience has been a real eye opener and I can genuinely say that it is an experince I will never forget and will be difficult to top. Lets see if the next semester in Paris can beat it.