Blog 1: Study Abroad Goals

Studying Abroad could be one of my greatest accomplishments, and will be some much better than just traveling to Japan (or at least that’s what I keep telling myself). I think the chance to study abroad will give me a lot more time and opportunities. My one real goal for studying abroad is to survive my time there and learn as much as I can. While most of my goals seem to be purely academic (and boring), there are many small things I also want to accomplish while I am there.

Major Goals

• Language: I want to greatly improve my Japanese language skills which are currently not up to par. Because, if I’m being honest, I should readily admit that getting through my classes was a small struggle. While I really enjoy the learning the language, I know that I still have a long way to go.

o   I want to be able to understand the natural speed of native Japanese-speakers

o   Know a majority of the Kanji so I won’t be completely lost

o   Possibly work towards the level required of a language translator

• Culture: I want to learn more about the society as a whole.

• Economics: While in Japan, I want to learn more about the Japanese viewpoint and economic practices in order to obtain more information that would benefit my work towards a master’s degree in economics.

• Professional: I want to learn skills that would help with a future job.

Minor Goals

• Exploring: There are many things I want to do while in Japan.

o   Visit all of the major cities and temples

o   Go to any national parks or museums that I think would be interesting

• Random:

o   Buy souvenirs for all of my friends, family, coworkers, etc.

o   Try lots of different foods

o   Join a club/ play an intramural sport

o   Drink tons of coffee

o   Make a few good friends

Blog 1-Goals Aryne Feldman

My main goals of studying abroad are to get a new cultural experience.  I have been to several countries before but I have never personally been to Italy.  I hope to learn the different social norms, try new foods, and meet many people.  I will be hopefully studying business over there, and I also want to see the differences between our economy here verses there.  Even though I have studied before, I am very nervous about going.  I have bought my ticket and have gone alone; however that was for a week and I knew people there.  I am going to a place where I do not know anyone and that makes me nervous.  I also have a fear of the language barrier.  I only know a tiny bit of French, and a little bit of Spanish, which I know probably will not help me out that much.  Three things that I want to do are make a traveling video/blog if you say, meet a lifelong friend, and go to as many landmarks as possible.  The video I want to do, which I enjoy making through Splice (an app for GoPro) every time I travel, would be of all the landmarks I go to, the people I meet, and a variety of things.  I want to make one friend that I will stay in touch with and hopefully see again, and as for the landmarks, there is so much to see in Rome, and I want to make sure I get to see as much as possible.

 Sources:
 https://www.google.com/search?q=rome&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjq6qfplJPSAhVFYyYKHXsdC_4Q_AUICSgC&biw=1280&bih=867#imgrc=T-JggMKwn7pzaM:

Climbing the wall to México: Goals for Study Abroad

Goals for studying abroad in Puebla, México:

• Eat:

• Mexican food is heaven on earth and I plan to be on cloud nine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for four months
• If I have a homestay, help cook dinner and learn about the culture of food in Mexico
• Discover the regional foods specific to the area I'm studying in
• Go to local festivals and volunteer in the community. Mexico is ranked the happiest country in the world and I want to know why (besides the food).
• Learn:
• Find every possible pin related to Mexico on pinterest and add it to my Puebla board
• Get experience with traveling abroad, buying international plane tickets, applying for a student visa
• Take classes that contribute to my major and expand my understanding of Mexican education 
• Take classes related to Mexican politics and social structure
• Volunteer in the community and interact with as many locals as possible
• Speak:
• However unrealistic, I want to be as close to fluency in Spanish as possible when I come back
• Order enchiladas at El Jimador in Spanish and feel more than lista for living in a Spanish-speaking country
• Gain courage and experience with using another language with native speakers
• Take an academic class taught in Spanish and don't fail
• Bring my language skills back to the US and be able to share my experience with other Spanish speakers
• Dig deeper into the social and political relationships between Mexico and the US, Mexico and the world
• Be able to put bilingual on a resume
• Share:
• Be able to share with others why I feel like a study abroad experience is crucial for both my major and being global citizen 
• Convince my parents I'm not just studying abroad in Puebla, Mexico because I have a Mexican boyfriend
• Make friends internationally that I can keep for a lifetime
• Bring back a deeper understanding of latino culture (specifically in Mexico) and share it with other Americans who might have predetermined prejudices, fears or myths regarding Mexicans and latinos
• Encourage students, family and friends to travel and see the world by posting pictures and telling stories
• Stay calm and carry on:

• Culture shock is inevitable, but my goal is to be able to adapt to living in a new city and culture abroad and enjoy my time there to the fullest
• Budget, don't spend too much money (unless it's on food)
• Keep in touch with people back home so they don't worry too much, but I'm sure they will anyway
• Travel to central America, Mexico City, Veracruz and the Yucatan Peninsula (if possible)
• Senior Study
• Conduct interviews and firsthand research of microfinance lending in the state of Puebla for senior study

Why I'm Studying Abroad

My goals for studying abroad are: 1) to complete my International Studies major and my Japanese minor. 2) To better learn Japanese. I have been learning Japanese for years now and am good at understanding, but I don't do well with speaking. 3) To experience a culture different from my own. I have never left the country so I am taking this opportunity to learn and experience another culture. 4) To acquire adaptation skills for future professions. I really admire the Japanese work ethic. Also I plan to work in Japan; having this experience will help me acquire that occupation. and 4) to take the first step to becoming a globalized individual who is aware of culture differences and how it affects our world. Since I've never left the U.S., it's difficult for me to see the world outside the U.S. stereotypes provided by media and Americans. I want to see the world for myself and studying abroad is how I want to start.

The Purpose of Going Abroad

The primary purpose for going abroad is to have an experience. Experience another country, experience another culture, experience being on your own. Studying abroad is a great opportunity to not only travel but also learn. You may learn a lot by going on a vacation somewhere you have never been before, but when the objective is to gain something academically or professionally, you are almost guaranteed to learn something you add to your professional and academic career. You could also learn something about yourself.

My goal for going abroad for an internship is to learn. I want to gain skills for my chosen career path and apply what I know in a professional environment. I could do this with an internship at home, but going abroad pushes you a bit further. It would challenge me by forcing me outside of my comfort zone.

I will not only have the task of completing the work or jobs assigned to me by my site supervisor but also adapt and interact with those who live in a different cultural context. Along with learning from them, I will be teaching them and acting as a representative for those who share my cultural background. That could include my nationality, ethnicity, race, or socioeconomic status. Regardless of what population I am perceived to be a part of, I will be an ambassador. As uncomfortable as they may be for me, this will challenge me to be a voice for a larger group of people.

My goal for interning abroad is not only to gain skills for a career but also be a student, a teacher, and become a more well-rounded individual. It is possible that I may have some abilities that I am not aware of and this experience can bring them to light.

Goals

   My main goals for studying aboard is to expand my point of view by learning how other cultures and countries see the world. My whole life, I have been in America and while there are many different types of people here, they all had a common trait having lived in America for a large amount of time. The difference in culture and experiences gained while germinating in a different country will hopefully give me valuable insight how people who haven't lived in America interact with the world. Getting opinions about sports, politics, music, food, etc. will be great for my own development as i walk closers to post college life. While extremely excited for my upcoming trip I also have a creeping feeling of nervousness like the first time I left home, but I feel it will eventually subside before I board the plane. The main thing I want to do is meet people, go to a soccer game, and learn some new recipes i bring back home.

GOALS:

Goals. One of my favorite words. It’s pointless to go through life without goals. There is always something to strive for in every situation. Life is about wanting to better yourself and goals help achieve that. One of my lifelong goals is to experience other cultures and countries. This world is filled with so many beautiful things that can only be experienced when you step outside of your comfort zone. When you leave your happy, protective bubble.  To me, studying abroad is the most amazing chance to experience this. To step outside the bubble and into the unknown. 

My main goal when studying abroad is to elevate my cultural awareness and skills of cultural assimilation. I recently had an amazing study abroad experience in New Zealand. Throughout the entirety of the trip, I witnessed how unaware our culture has become. We rarely stop and observe what is around us. I feel that my awareness greatly increased because I realized how self-important we act. Taking up large spaces and having boisterous attitudes. I hope that in my future study abroad endeavors I will be able to further my skills of cultural assimilation and observance.

I am so happy that I had the chance to first travel with a group to New Zealand before embarking on my own journey elsewhere. Prior to this trip, I was quite nervous about going abroad for a full semester. There are so many ifs and I am more of a confirmed type of person. I was worried of getting lost or forgetting something. One of the lessons that I took away from the New Zealand trip is that some of the most amazing things happen when you are in a place you aren’t familiar with and you have no idea how to get back to the hostel. These situations force you to think and really use the resources around you. I am actually excited about getting lost in whichever city I am placed in. The best food, shops and places are found on your journey back. 

I am a little uneasy about being alone in the beginning, but I plan to make the best of my situation. There is no time to waste! I am very excited to immerse myself into the culture. I find cultures so fascinating and awe-filling. There are so many things that are different in other countries that we never learn about. It is always the small things that surprise me the most.

Throughout my semester abroad I hope to visit nearby countries to maximize the experience. I think this is the best opportunity to visit various countries while saving some money and time. I think this will really enhance the trip by being able to closely observe cultures that are located near to one another. I also plan to embrace all the mishaps. I am not going to go as far to say there will never be a time that I am frustrated with a situation, but I hope that I can, in that moment, realize that I should be embracing the trouble not freaking out about it. Along with embracing the mishaps, I definitely plan to step out of my comfort zone and do activities that I wouldn’t always participate in here in the US. I think by fully accepting the culture and all the “norms” I will have a maximized experience. Stay tuned to see how that works out for me!