First time abroad

Studying abroad is something that I have looked forward to since I was a little girl. I have been fortunate enough to travel across the United States to places such as Hawaii, Utah, Texas, Indiana, and many more. These opportunities started my love for traveling.

Though I have never been out of the country, I do not worry too much. Being away from home isn't something that has ever been a problem for me. I love the idea of seeing as much of the world as I can while I have the opportunities. I have traveled alone, so this doesn't really concern me, but I would like to have someone with me who can show me the unique places that I need to go while I am in the country.

When I was filling out my self-audit sheet, I did realized one concern. I am so picky with trying new food and drinks that I started worrying that this would be a problem. What if I get to Chile and don't like the food? I am hoping that I will adjust easily and I will find traditional Chilean dishes that I not only like, but learn to cook so that I can bring them here and cook for my friends and family.

One thing that I won't have a problem with is reaching out to new people. If anyone knows me, the last word that they would use to describe me is shy. I could talk to anyone about anything. I do get a little concerned about the language barrier, but I will be studying Spanish and culture the whole time I am there so it should cause too much of an issue.

I am going to challenge myself to be patient when learning new things and open to trying new foods. I want to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible. I also want to build a bond with my host family. I would love to keep in touch with them and even go back to visit them after my time abroad.

The aspects of my identity that I will bring will probably be southern hospitality and eagerness to learn. I was born and raised in the south and want to show people what it is all about. Especially while staying with a host family, I will make it a point to always be respectful, hospitable, and helpful. I will also show them how open I am to learning about their language and culture. Sometimes I think Americans can have a reputation for being close minded and I want to show them that I am the opposite.

FIrst long term abroad

By doing the cultural-context inventory I discovered I am well-rounded person. I can adapt well in many situations. That being said I am not to concerned about being immersed in a whole new culture and environment. Besides the language barrier and not being able to communicate with everyone I am confident this will not be a big issue. My strategy for this problem is to make friends with a bilingual native. This strategy was told to me by an experience traveler who recommends finding locals to have the best experience possible. If I can not find native friends I plan to explore things on my own and learn as much about their social life as possible. I would not want to be offensive in my actions so I would like to know social norms. I also understand there will be preconceived notions about my upbringings but I believe those ideas will quickly be changed. Although I do carry traits aligned with American lifestyle they do not dictate my morals.


I plan to deepen my insight of my host country be learning how the society functions. Learning holidays and cultural norms. The only thing that may hinder my journey is me being uninterested to try new foods. My goal for the trip is to exchange ideologies with their culture and also to be more understanding of people with a different upbringing than me. Skills I have yet to learn is to talk first instead of speaking before who ever I am speaking too. Overall I am not too concerned with my personality and my ability to travel abroad.

An American Abroad in the Nordic Countries

I’m writing this blog post on our snow day, on the day we were told we didn’t have to go to school because there was a thin sheet of ice over the road that was topped with an even thinner layer of snow. I’ve missed the last two days of work thanks to this “bad weather.” While the power was out last night, my roommates and I sat in a circle and talked about our past experiences with snowy and icy weather. That was when it hit me: I’m not going to get any snow days next school year. I’m not only going to be an American abroad; I’m going to be an American from the South abroad in one of the coldest, northernmost countries in the world. I know I briefly mentioned this in my last blog post, but now that the cold, “bad” weather has really hit, I wanted to mention it again, mostly because it’s more real now than it was before.

I’m an incredibly independent person, which sometimes shocks people for whatever reason. I’m very comfortable being alone and travelling alone and, in my experience, I don’t really get homesick too often. However, I think I might be a little too independent – or perhaps I’m just stubborn. I hate asking others for help; it makes me feel a little moronic, I won’t lie. Obviously, this is something I need to overcome, and I’ve been working on doing so recently.

I’m also an extremely open and accepting person, and I always have been. I’m filled with glee whenever the opportunity to try something new arises. I want to learn as much as I possibly can while I’m abroad, and I think my openness will definitely aid in making that happen. The fact that I’m incredibly flexible will also help me learn and experience as much as I can. When I was younger, I had a hard time being okay with plans getting cancelled or my planes being delayed. However, it has happened to me so much growing up that I hardly pay attention to it anymore. I don’t mind if friends cancel the plans they had with me; I can easily find something else to do. And flights being delayed are never fun, but I’ve come to realise they’re inevitable and being mad about it won’t change a thing (I recently learned how true this is when I had an eight hour delay coming back to school from Texas this Christmas). I am the definition of a person who just goes with the flow.

However, I obviously know that I will experience some bumps in the road, not matter how well I go with the flow. The Nordic culture is very different than the culture I am accustomed to. From my research, I’ve learned that people there are much more private and reserved. Specifically, they avoid small talk, which is something I thrive on. This will take some getting used to. However, I believe that if I don’t give up and continue to put myself out there, I will be able to be comfortable in the Nordic culture.

Being from the Southern United States, I expect to encounter stigmas that people from Northern states will most likely not have to deal with. For example, when I say I’m from Texas, many of my friends that aren’t from the South automatically demand to know why I don’t have a thick Texan accent. Because I disagree with many of the preconceptions people have of the South, I want to be able to share my own experiences with the South and let everyone know it’s not all cowboys and farmland. 

Japan here I come

I am beyond excited to learn about the culture as I live there and get to experience it first hand. I would love to know about the culture norms and how they are different from the way we live in the U.S. I know when I first arrive I will view them with a stereotypical point of view, because I have never been to Japan before and I might have to adjust to the new environment. Though, this point of view is bound to change after I have lived in the culture for a few weeks and see that it is just what Americans believe life in Japan is like compared to what it is really like. While I am abroad I hope to gain a new perspective on the world, because there is more than just the American perspective. I want to look at the world with a new set of eyes that can not only judge a situation with one perspective, but with two so I can decide on the best outcome for that situation.

My main reason for wanting to travel abroad is for my academics, so that I can fulfill the requirements for my minor. Next year I am planing to take three different Japanese language courses to improve my reading, writing, and speaking in the language. I want to study history of the country, not just because we are not taught Japanese history here but also because of the new perspective. I feel if I study history between the U.S. and Japan it will challenge my understanding of it, because in the U.S. were tell our side of the story and ignore what the other country's reasons were. Also, i believe taking a sociology class will help me to learn this new perspective and strength it, while I am there. Though these reasons are an important part of my study abroad, they are not the only reasons for me to go.

Independence and communicating to different people are also a big part of my experience in a new country. I have been on vacations by myself before, but none of them were in a different country, which I think will play a big part in the cross-culture experience. Traveling by myself in New York was new to me and it helped me become a little more independent, but I did not have to worry about my phone not working or my credit card having problems, because I was still in my home country. These two examples are something I will have to ask for help with or be independent enough to solve them on my own when I am in Japan. I believe this will be good for me,because I am an adult, but I still have my parents help me when I am having difficulties. As for communicating with the people in Japan, I hope the skills I have learned here will prepare me to be surrounded by the language. While I am there I hope to be more confident speaking with the people, because I know I will make mistakes. However, this is part of the learning process, and it will only help me in the end. When I take language classes there I will study hard so I can practice what I learn outside of the class. With these two skills I hope to be able to travel a little be myself to fully prepare myself for my adult life.

As an American abroad I know I will feel a little out of place at first, but I will learn to adjust to my life. If traveling is something I really love I will be able to overcome this obstacles and feel more confident about who I am. So lets take a crack at this and give it all you've got!!

An American abroad 

First long term experience abroad

Learning about a new culture is always exciting, but it is also very scary. This is especially true when immersed in that culture. I am very apprehensive about staying in France for over six weeks without having much previous knowledge of the language or culture. However, I do have some strengths that will help me. I have experience with other cultures. I have traveled around the United States and seen the cultural differences between big city and small town living. I have seen what life is like on the coast versus near the mountains. I have been to the west coast and also the northeast. Although these places all spoke the same language, belonged to the same country, and had many of the same values, I noticed distinct cultural differences in each and was able to adapt and learn about each one.

Besides America, I have also been immersed in cultures that are very different from mine. Although my stay in other countries has not been as extensive as the one this summer will be, I have gained some skills that will help me adjust to life in France. When I visited Spanish speaking countries, I knew very little of the language-maybe enough to order dinner. Because I was oblivious to what most natives were talking about, I felt frustrated and discouraged.

Not knowing the language makes communicating very difficult even though it is very necessary. However, my language skills only increased with the time I spent in the Spanish speaking country so I have seen the improvement just a little time can make. For this summer, time will not be the only reason my language skills will increase. I will be reinforced everyday by the instruction on French. I hope the skills I learn in class will easily transfer to life outside the classroom and all over France. Exploring the town, city, or countryside will automatically help me pick up even more of the language just from menus, sighs, and speaking with people.

In France, I will not just be exploring the new land, but I will also be studying the language. Hopefully in the first few days, the instruction in French will make me more optimistic about learning the language. I plan on focusing on my studies very much throughout my stay. Every bit of French I learn will make all the rest of the parts of my time in France more enriched. I hope to be able to communicate with French speaking students at the University if only in short simple sentences. I also want to be able to read some of the basic signs around town or in Paris. I have seen small improvements in myself when it comes to adapting to a new culture and learning a new language so I am very optimistic about immersing myself in this new culture.

Americans are sometimes looked down upon in Europe because we are seen as lazy to other countries because of not trying to learn the language when we travel or expecting everyone else to use English. However, I want to challenge this stereotype. I plan on studying very hard to learn as much French as I can in six weeks. I will try to limit my English when in France and rely on the class and my peers to help implement the use of French in every communication situation. I want to show other French students at the University that Americans can adapt to French culture and can learn the language. At the university, I hope to make some new friends from all over the world and teach them about simple parts of American culture that I may not realize are so unique. Many Europeans are bilingual already, so some people there may know English. However, if they are not fluent or have never been to an English speaking country, I can see the small differences in dialect within my own first language. I would love to see the differences from the European perspective and the American perspective.

(Not Just) An American Abroad

When it comes to studying abroad, I have strengths and weaknesses. I scored fairly high on the self-audit in all three topics: independence, openness, and flexibility. I do honestly feel independent when it comes to studying abroad. I have no problem with studying abroad and I have no problem with asking others for help. I am open to things such as new foods and learning a new language. I also am flexible in working with spontaneous situations and not having high, non-achievable goals about studying abroad.

As for the cultural context, though, I was surprised by my scores. I was a 3 on the Low Context Score. According to the Context of Cultures, my relationships begin and end quickly, context is less important than message to me, privacy is important to me, time is a commodity to be spent or saved, and reality is fragmented and compartmentalized.

With all this information, I believe that I can get the most out of my travel abroad experience. I have no doubt that I will be fully submerged in the Czech culture as opposed to being homesick, stuck in my room and missing out. I believe that my ability to relate to others will help me make connections with new people. I will struggle with my schedule being interrupted with a new flow in a new time zone, but I don't think it's anything I can't handle.

I think the best strategy to learn the most I can about Czech culture is to experience the most that I can, which means going around the country instead of staying in my room as well as learning a lot before I go so I might use that knowledge to relate to Czech people.

As for being an American Abroad, I am hoping that I will educate others on the idea that we're not all over weight hamburger eaters (I'm even a vegetarian). I plan on showing that America is a large country with multiple identities. While we share a patriotic idealism, we differentiate ourselves by region and state. I am a Southerner, a Tennessean, and a Chattanoogan. I hope the Czech people will learn as much about me as I learn about them. Perhaps once going there, I'll learn that they are not just Czech any more than I am just American.

Diving In

I'm a researcher. I don't do anything without first extensively researching it. Picking out a printer took over a week of comparisons between inkjet, laserjet, multicolored or individual cartridges, etc. Needless to say, I'm not an impulsive person. So going into studying abroad, I've done my fair share of research. I can tell you where you'll find the best theatre in England and the most historical landmarks in Greece. Yet despite all this gathered knowledge, I have never actually been abroad. My sister is the exact opposite. She dives head first without looking to see if she's in the shallow end. She has been abroad four times now, visiting half a dozen countries. She currently lives in London, England while completing her Graduate Degree. So why is it that the sister who doesn't even know what countries support her bank is the sister that has seen more countries than I possibly ever will?

Fear. A whole lot of fear. And realism. With all this research, I can't help but say, "realistically it's not affordable to backpack across the Himalayas." But I'm conquering that fear. And I'm using my research to think positively about how the Hell I'm going to get to Prague and back. I'm ready to be a true International Business major with international experience! It's about time.

While I'm over there, I'm hoping to accomplish a lot. Mostly I'm hoping to get a glimpse at theatre in Europe. Europe's theatre is on a completely different level from ours. It's more modern, more eccentric. Our theatres seem archaic to them. And musicals? Some Englanders have never heard of them. The summer I will be in Prague will be the summer that the city hosts one of the largest Theatre Festivals in Europe. It only happens once every four years so this is divine intervention that I have made my path to Prague just at the right time. Through CEA and the Anglo-American University, I will be paired with an internship that fits my interests. It is my dream that I will end up with an internship involving this theatre festival.

So this is it. I'm taking the plunge. The water is deep, but I know how to swim.

London Study

Summer in London


I have been out of the country before but never to Europe. I am curious to see how their culture differs from ours. Its hard to imagine what other people do in their every day life and reading books does not satisfy this for me. I would like to experience it and engulf myself into their culture. Although my program might change to Prague I feel the same about both programs. I am interested both locations and furthering my knowledge about them. Another reason for this study is to explore the wonders the country has to offer. I believe it is very different to see a monument on TV and to see it in person. Traveling offers culture change and experiences that can not be achieved in the United States.


Many emotions come with planning this trip but its not excitement or fear. Mostly frustration because the process involved with planning this study is very confusing and difficult. Although I am excited to journey across the world, frustration overcomes that feeling. Once my paper is completed and my ticket is booked is when all the emotions will hit me. I have spoken to many individuals who have studied and visited London. They have eliminated many of my concerns by acting as a personal tour guide on what to expect. By also illustrating the dangers and assuring me that they are minimal. I took their advice dearly because many of them have ventured there many times.


Along with giving me expectations for this trip, I have been told the best locations to visit while I am on my trip. Taking into account what I have been told and research I have composed a list of the things I would like to while abroad. First and foremost I would like to visit an array of monuments which include Stonehenge and many museums. Secondly, I would like to make friends that are locals and can show me what London is really like not just what tourist get to see. This is one of my biggest concerns because any one can visit London and receive a generic experience. Thirdly, I would like to learn a lot from the class I will be taking. Especially since it is influenced greatly by U.K. culture.

France

     France plays a huge role in some of my first memories as a child. The house I grew up in was right across the street from a family who had moved to Tennessee from their native country-France. I befriended David, the family's youngest son. We were childhood playmates and he even taught me a few phrases in French. The summer before they moved back, after only a few years of life in America, my family decided to go with them. We traveled to the small town they lived in  right outside of Paris. David and I were inseparable as he taught me more French words and explored castles with my family and me.
     Although I was very young, I remember those two weeks as two of the most eye opening and amazing weeks of my life. I remember so much about Paris, but mostly the smells of the city and the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. I fell in love with the small bits of French culture I observed. Now, I want to not only observe French culture, but become a part of it this summer. And what better way than to learn the language, eat the food, and befriend the people of France?
     Besides the short visit to France and David's limited vocabulary, I have no experience with the French language. I am starting as a true beginner. Despite this truth, I plan to leave the summer program with some French language skills. Because I have every opportunity to speak whatever French I learn in the classroom I am hopeful that I will get the most out of any instruction.  I am very serious about learning a new language well enough to have full and unlimited conversations. This summer will be an excellent way to start off with French.
     Hopefully,  increasing my French skills will allow me to converse with native French speakers in the town I visit. I hope to make long lasting friends who I can visit later in life or friends who can visit me back in Tennessee. After all, I will need friends to practice my French with.
     On the weekends, I want to see it all. I plan on taking the train to Paris more than once and seeing the city that inspired my language choice after all this time. I want to relive the smells and sights, but I also want to see new parts of the huge city. Maybe I'll even visit the city outside of Paris where my old neighbors still live. And who knows? Maybe I'll run in to David on the way there, not that I would recognize him.
     Overall I want to truly understand the language, meet new people forming long lasting relationships, and travel all over France and surrounding countries.

Summer in Spain

This summer I am presented with the fantastic opportunity that is to study abroad. Until recently, I have not been entirely sure of where I was going to end up. However, it looks as though I am going to spend six weeks this summer that is the great city of Barcelona! From what I hear, it is an absolutely fantastic place to be. Therefore, I plan to take in as much as I possibly can from this amazing place. I will always strive to see new places, talk to strange people, do crazy things, and of course, eat as much Spanish food as possible. However, on a more serious note, one of my goals I have is to try and really find out some key cultural differences between people in Barcelona as opposed to Americans or even Salvadorans --which may have a few more similarities. I'm taking two very interesting classes so I'm also curious to see the difference between the ways in which we as students operate compared to Spanish students. I can't wait for this summer to come and immerse myself in new and exciting situations!

Breathe. Think. Blink. Plan.

Passport:Check. Travel Dictionary: Check Sanity? Um...

Going abroad has always seemed such a far away thought for me, no matter how badly I wanted to go s a child. I was always told that the journey would be hard, tough,and at times, “you’re gonna wanna cry...’cause you’re a big baby, baby”. Well, now the tables have turned, and my mother is the one crying while I check flight prices thrice a week. I would have never thought I could have the opportunity to travel abroad, never mind study, but I do. That thought alone has, on occasion, terrified me.

However, as many know, I’m always well planned, a bit of a control freak, and kind to a fault. I want to go not to have fun. My main purpose isn't to have a good time. It will play in, no doubt: I’m headed to the land of the rising sun. In my agenda, I have four bullet points.

Things Arieal Shall Do Abroad:

• Make a leather-bound Travel Journal
• Study what I love [Hands On/In Class]
• Be changed
• Intern/shadow businessmen

Now, I don’t know about you, but If I can do that, I’m solid.I can come home and not cry. But if I can’t do those things, why did I leave America in the first place? I want a journal of hand pasted pictures and quotes, I want to take a flower arrangement class, have some spiritual healing, and meet a business man! It may sound like a weird list to anyone else and that’s fine, ‘cause it’s my list! It applies to me. These are the things I value and consider important: education and intelligence. I have another list of course. These are my personal goals, things that come a filter on a down day, or as a reward for working hard. These are the fun things, that will happen probably by accident, knowing myself.

Have Some Fun!!

• Eat something you hate
• Hike a trail
• Do something crazy to my hair
• Go to church
• Visit the ocean [But no swimming!]
• Sing at the top of my lungs somewhere, somehow

“I will be an independent adult in a foreign country”

I won’t lie; I can’t lie. I’m scared. Will I have all my papers? Will I remember my manners? The language? My shoes? All jokes aside, This is a daunting, but worthwhile task that I’ve decided upon for myself, and no matter how scared I get, I’m thrilled. I’m about to go to the foreign country of my dreams, and experience a whole new world. And you know what: no one will be able to ever take that away from me. It’s a powerful thought. It makes my head hurt and my vision swim, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

"So do not Fear"

~Arieal

Chile

Studying abroad is something I have dreamed of doing since I was a little kid. Now that the time has come, I am both excited and nervous. I have traveled all over the United States but have never traveled outside of the country. This will be the experience of a lifetime and hopefully the first of many.

My main goal while spending six weeks in Chile is to learn the Spanish language; not just your every day vocabulary, but I want to be able to speak to fluent Spanish speakers with confidence. I will be going on this trip alone and living with a host family. I am hoping that they will be understanding while I am learning how to speak their language! Meeting them is one of the things I am most excited about.

Another goal that I have is to learn the cultures and traditions of people from Chile. As an international business major, I think this will help me see how people of different origins communicate and interact in all aspects of their day.

I am beyond excited to start this journey in my life!

Spain Goals

I want to go abroad in order to submerse myself in a  new culture and develop my Spanish skills.  Also, to try the food, like tapas.

 I want to get most out of my experience is the learning experience and to have fun.

Before I go I want to learn more about their laws.  While I`m there the culture and language, and after I return the negatives and positives of Madrid.

My fears about going is the fact that I will be traveling by myself, or if I actually can not communicate with other people as quickly while I`m there.

Hopes & Goals while Abroad

I’m from Texas. When we get an inch of snow, we get out of school for a week and the entire state shuts down, and I wish that were an exaggeration. For the study abroad year, I’ve chosen to go to either Sweden or Finland, which couldn’t be any more different from Texas, weather-wise. With that being said, one of my goals for my year abroad is avoiding frostbite.

In all seriousness, I’m both incredibly excited and terrified for this opportunity. Obviously I’m excited because I’ll be studying in a country I’d always thought I would only see in my dreams, and I’ll have the opportunity to really become familiar with the culture of this country. I want to know how their daily lives are different than ours and how their political and religious views from the generally accepted one in the United States. However, I’m also terrified in part because of the reasons I mentioned above. I’ll be in a new country and I’ll have to learn to adapt to their culture because it would be foolish to expect them to adapt to mine. In short, change is scary.

While I’m abroad, I hope to acquire some sort of language proficiency. I kind of speak conversational Swedish – I could probably make my way around town or complete a transaction at the grocery store without needing a translation – although I've been told the Swedes would rather interact in English than bother with an American struggling their way through Swedish. However, I only know how to say “I’m tired” in Finnish (Ma oon väsynyt, in case you were wondering). Depending on where I end up (gosh, I’m so excited to find out!), I want to leave the country feeling confident that I was able to master at least a little bit of Finnish or Swedish.

Additionally, I wish to make new friends, both from the host country and other exchange students from other parts of the United States and the world! This is obviously a goal every person that studies abroad wishes to achieve; spending a year abroad without any friends would be an absolutely miserable way to spend a year. Because there will be plenty of opportunities to mingle with other students, I’m not at all worried about accomplishing this goal, but it’s an important one to me, so I figured it was worth mentioning.

Personally, I feel like my most important goal is being able to take a wide variety of classes focused on both Nordic and European culture and history. Here at Maryville College, we, unfortunately, do not offer as many European-centered class as I would like, so I would like to take as many European-focused classes as possible while I have the opportunity to do so.

I also hope to do a bit of travelling while I’m in Europe; travel is cheap in Europe, and I want to take advantage of that. Just in Finland and Sweden, I’d like to visit Helsinki, Lapland (specifically, the Northern Lights), Stockholm, and Gothenburg. I’d additionally like to visit Switzerland, Germany, and Czech Republic if I get the chance to.

Overall, I want to do two things. First, I want to learn more than I ever have. I want to learn about Europe and the Nordic countries and about the world in general, and being abroad is the perfect opportunity to do that. Second, I want to have more fun than I ever have. I want to go on crazy adventures like hiking snowy mountains and getting lost in a foreign city with my newfound friends, and, again, being abroad is the perfect opportunity to do so.

     Whether we realize it or not, culture is a huge part of who we are. It affects our everyday lives and impacts the decisions we make. I have never seen a culture that is drastically different from American culture, and I would love to be able to experience it firsthand. Seeing other cultures and taking part in their traditions helps people gain new perspective and respect people who are different from what they are immersed in as a part of their daily lives.
     The biggest reason for going to France is obviously to learn French. I am so excited to finally get started on it! The only French class I have ever had was about 4 years ago, but I had to take Latin as a foreign language instead after switching schools. French is such a beautiful language, and I have always wanted to learn how to speak it fluently. Hopefully I will be able to speak it in at least a semi-passable level by the time I finish my time abroad.
     I am most excited to see as much of Europe as I possibly can during the journey. Although I can only travel so far, I would like to visit Paris, Germany, and maybe even northern Italy. It might be a bit overwhelming because of how many things there are to see and do. It will also be a little crazy that the countries are so close together that it will be like going to a different state except things can be drastically different from country to country. I want to see it all!
     While I am in Europe, I would like to talk to people that live there to see where I should travel next. I will always want travel to be a huge part of my life, and I would like to start planning that out now. The program only lasts six weeks, so it would be impossible to do everything.
      In some ways, the trip still does not feel real yet. It is a little bit hard to wrap my head around it. Hopefully that will change once I start solidifying plans, get accepted into the program, and start applying for scholarships. Honestly, I am not apprehensive about it at all, just extremely excited. This will be an experience that I will remember the rest of my life.