STACEY: AN "AMERICAN" ABROAD

The semester is flying by in a whirlwind of class time, assignments, exams, service work, job-work, and brief moments of sleep. Leaving (or – maybe a better frame of mind – arriving) is always in the back of my mind, yet I was surprised and overjoyed when I learned late last week that I was accepted into ISEP! Now I wait for news from la Universidad Católica del Uruguay… Now that September is almost gone, it’s time for more serious reflection on how I will handle living abroad once I arrive in Montevideo.

Some of my strengths and strategies in learning about and adapting to a new culture:

STRENGTHS

1.       Considering cross-cultural perspectives, especially during culture shock or disagreements

2.       Thinking of generalizations and cultural values rather than stereotypes

3.       Distinguishing between personal, cultural, and universal behaviors

4.       Paying attention not only to differences, but to similarities!

5.       Not making quick judgments about people or situations

6.       Knowing that I have my own cultural biases, and having patience for biased judgments

STRATEGIES

1.       Forcing myself to write in my personal journal (which I love once I start!)

2.       Allowing myself to de-stress and let culture shock and homesickness happen as they will

3.       Considering what people will assume about me as an estadounidense

4.       Keeping physically fit and well

5.       Staying in touch with my family and friends, but allowing separation to happen

6.       Relaxing about TIME, which runs differently in Latin America

7.       Being cautious about what physical actions and demeanors are “okay” culturally

I’m happy to be able to write such a long list of positive items, but I can’t pretend that there aren't plenty of weaknesses in that mix. I think that my biggest concerns are about adapting to Uruguayan culture, more so than learning about it. I’m naturally inclined to observing others (Sociology major!) and consider myself open-minded and slow to judge. So, learning about culture is something that I’m very eager to do and feel comfortable about. However, I have been in many situations where I felt that I understood a whole lot about the culture of my surroundings, yet felt completely separate from the culture. One of my biggest worries is that I will be an outsider placed within a culture, rather than a student immersed in another culture. I can’t say that I would be satisfied to understand [parts of] the culture – I want to FEEL them. Maybe I’m putting more pressure on the situation than necessary, but I’m quietly, strongly hoping that I will find connections to my own Latin American roots in Uruguayan culture. My history does not come from an area so far south, nor so European, but Latin America is categorized as a region for a reason. We’ll see..!

I have already read about some of the cultural differences between Uruguay and the countries that I am familiar with through family. I have been reading through travel guides, an e-book for ex-patriots in Montevideo, and my World Cultures textbooks, drinking in all the information about Uruguay and its neighbors, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. These have all been useful in understanding a travel-guide and academic-type approach to culture, but once I have spare time (read: winter break) I plan on reading works by Uruguayan poets, novelists, and leaders, as well as investigating artists and movements. I've found a couple of blogs that I think will give me similarly “primary source” perspectives, too. I was fortunate enough to travel to Kyrgyzstan in 2012, and I remember my new friends being surprised and pleased when I knew about their culture and history – and they got some hearty laughs over the slang I learned through the internet..! Although Central Asian and Uruguayan cultures surely have their differences, I think it is universal to feel like your culture and life-ways are appreciated.

On a similar note, I think that one big thing I want to teach about my culture is that not all who live in the US are ignorant, stubborn, and nationalistic. I don’t identify primarily as “American”, but in my experience that is how I am categorized while abroad (either “American” or “Mexican,” and the latter always feels more complimentary – which, on a side note, is an interesting change of sentiment compared to rhetoric that I’ve experienced in the US [but that is a whole ‘nother blog!]). So, I think that I can represent the diversity of the US well in showing (with my actions more than just words) that one can be born in the US and be an open-minded, respectful, and informed person. I am curious to see if those negatives are actually the expectations that people will have for a student coming from America. Additionally, just as the US has a multitude of cultures and subcultures that I could never fully represent to others, I am curious to learn about the diversity within Uruguayan culture and society.

I think that have plenty of ruminating left to do on this topic, but I can’t truly say how cultural exchange will happen until I experience it.  Roughly 5 months to go!