Why am I here?

Studying in England is pretty much like studying in America. I never had to learn a new language to understand what was going on. I didn't stick out like a sore thumb until I opened my mouth to speak. The article "American Students Abroad Can't Be 'Global Citizens'" is written by a student who was transplanted into a vastly different culture and way of life. I, on the other hand, had to adjust to only a new timezone. (Granted, there were a few differences such as slang and Lancaster University did things differently in way of education than Allegheny.) With that said, it is a bit difficult to answer the prompt. So I am hoping to modify it a bit to fit my experiences. I have decided I shall tell a story about my flatmates.

I suffer from migraines. I have since I was a small child. In eleventh grade I had to start everyday medication for them as I had a severe migraine for three months straight. We discovered that the migraines and a few other issues I have stem from a hypersensitive nervous system. That basically means changes in temperature, barometric pressure, stress levels, and sleep/schedule patterns can cause me to get a migraine. Today I have things pretty much under control, as long as I try to stick to a schedule. One of the times I wound up having a migraine was one afternoon. I do the same thing each time I get a migraine, I take my meds, stick my head under a pillow, and sleep it off. I'm almost asleep when I hear one of my flatmates start blasting dance music. At like 3 in the afternoon. I hoped that it would get turned down a bit. I also hoped I could just block it out with a pillow. Nope. It just seemed to get louder. I actually had to get up, still in my migraine stupor, and knock on his door. I asked him if he could turn it down, to which he replied "Sorry, I was just trying to annoy (insert flatmate next door's name)." Now, you must be wondering what this has to do with the prompt. I'm about to tell you. Cut to a month after that. The day before the time I am about to describe, I had gone to Liverpool with two friends. We got back late that night (a Saturday). So my schedule was slightly off, as I went to bed about an hour and a half after what I would normally. To adjust for that, I was planning on sleeping in. Being a Sunday, I figured that would not be a problem. I wake up a one point  to music BLARING down the hall. Honestly, I never heard this loud of music being played at any point in a dormitory in my nearly three years of college up to that day. I think to myself, it's probably like one in the afternoon. I glance at my phone. It was SEVEN FREAKING THIRTY on a Sunday morning. Why on earth was club music playing at such an hour?!?!?! Well, like the time where I had a migraine, I had to stumble over and knock on my flatmate's door. This time in my pajamas. My flatmate opened his door and I see he has at least six people in his tiny room and they're all dressed for the club. I politely ask him to turn it off and he looked shocked that I would request such a thing. It was clear to me that they were still awake from going out the previous night. This experience caused me to think about things at Lancaster compared to things at Allegheny:

1. The first thing it made me consider (at a more reasonable time, after several more hours of sleep) was the difference in going out/partying at Allegheny compared to Lancaster. One of the biggest differences is the fact that in the UK, and much of Europe, people are legally allowed to drink at 18, meaning first year uni students are able to purchase and consume alcohol. In America, the drinking age is 21, which means college students cannot (legally) drink until around their third year of school. This completely changes partying. At Lancaster, there are nine bars on campus. Plus two stores that sell alcohol. So people start drinking on campus and by midnight they move onto the clubs, which don't close until six or seven in the morning. One could party every night of the week. At Allegheny, the people who go out to the (off-campus) bars are usually of legal drinking age. And most bars close by two or three in the morning. 
2. Another thing I began to muse about is the difference between one's first year at Allegheny compared to a first year at Lancaster. At Lancaster, the first year is basically a blow off year. One could essentially muck about, party every night, never go to lecture, and it means absolutely nothing. This never would fly at Allegheny. I had to study, study, study since my first year. I never really 'partied'.
3. All of my flatmates were first years. They could drink and party every night and then sleep until four in the afternoon. I, however, being caught between second and third year (in the eyes of Lancaster as they only go for three years), couldn't do what they did. (Which isn't something I would want to do anyway.) I felt like a grandma because of my need for consistent schedule and scholastic-goody-two-shoes nature.

After thinking of these things, I began to appreciate the differences. Sure it was kind of awful to be rudely awoken early on a Sunday morning by screeching club music. But was I learning what life was like for natives of my host country. The author of "American Students Abroad Can't Be 'Global Citizens'" write about how she was unable to fully immerse in her host country because of one specific detail. For her, that was the fact that she was treated as an honored guest over a family member. For me, it was that I was unable (medically and personality-wise) to party the same way as my English colleagues. I know it is a slightly odd comparison, but as I said earlier, I was still in a predominately white, English-speaking country not unlike my home country. 

Reading Between the Lines

In "Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication", Laray M. Barna lays out six common types of issues associated with intercultural dealings. On this list are things like differences in body language and differences in outward personality (Assumption of Similarities, Nonverbal Misinterpretations), differences in spoken language and connotation (Language Differences), being caught up in stereotypes (Preconceptions and Stereotypes), misinterpretation of actions and immediate judgement as "wrong" or "abnormal" (Tendency to Evaluate), and stress caused by being in different situations and with different people (High Anxiety).

I found that I experienced three of these during my time in England: Assumption of Similarities, Nonverbal Misinterpretations, and Language Differences. The biggest difference I noticed was the difference between the American form of politeness and the English form. In America, as noted in Barna's article, we are friendly in our politeness, perhaps overly. We smile and wave. We say 'bless you' when someone sneezes in public. We are vocally thankful more more loudly than our English cousins. When someone asks how we are, we respond with how we are actually feeling. People in England usually give a nod when they run into someone they know when they're out, if they do respond at all. Sitting in class, I noticed that my English peers don't say 'bless you' when someone sneezes, when I feel automatically compelled to say it. (Much to the chagrin of Professor Bulman back at Allegheny) In England, the automatic thankful remark is 'cheers'.  You say 'cheers' when a server brings food, as you disembark a bus, as you collect your groceries to depart. It's rather informal. Another thing that people in England do is ask "you-all-right". This, I have learned, is almost rhetorical. Once, in the hallway of my flat, my flatmate said this to me. I responded with how I was feeling (good but a bit stressed) and she looked a bit thrown off. I asked her how she was and she just said fine and continued on her way.

There are small language differences that exist between American English and British English. For instance, what is featured in the picture below:

I would call this a faucet. People in England call it a tap. I confused the porter when I spoke about the separate faucets in my bathroom sink. 

I confused lots of people by asking where the restroom was. Many just gave me a weird look and I had to clarify. My English friends say toilet or loo over bathroom or restroom. As an American, I find toilet a bit.

Finally, now that I know what "Tendency to Evaluate" is, I can hold back on judging others for things like this. Now I know that every action, every word, is defined by culture. And I must pause and reflect on what I mean and what I present and also on what others mean and present. 

Resetting Our Goals?

The term “developed” seems to be this era’s version of “civilized”. The Ancient Greeks called anyone who was not a part of civilized Greek society “barbarians” (barbaros), yet they also used the term derogatorily between their own city states. Gilbert Rist’s article “Development as a buzzword” lays out the multifaceted but entirely vague concept we have come to know as “being developed”. This idea of development is somewhat difficult to discuss in the context of my study abroad experiences in England. England was the original modern super power. It was the seat of western civilization after the Renaissance and only gave up the title last century. It has been a developed nation for hundreds of years. But there was a time it was not developed.

On my sixth day in England, Lancaster University had arranged a trip to Chester, one of the best examples of a walled city in the UK, for the Study Abroad students. Chester also has Roman ruins. The Romans came to England around 55 B.C.E. The Romans, believing themselves to be the more civilized people, seized the lands from the Celtic peoples. With the Romans came Roman ideals of development. Amphitheaters were created. Baths were built. Gladiatorial combat was ordered. All the things the Romans believed to be the epitomes of western civilization were brought to the barbaric Celts.

Keeping this in mind, we can now, as Rist writes, "debunk the 'development' buzzword." Rist also writes: 
To do so [debunk 'development'] means that we must define it properly – relying on actual social practices, rather than wishful thinking. We must be aware of its inclusion in a corpus of beliefs that are difficult to shatter, expose its mischievous uses, and denounce its consequences. The most important thing, however, is to make it plain that there is life after ‘development’ – certainly a different one from what we in the privileged regions are used to, but there is no evidence to suggest that we would lose on such a deal.

 
Romans forced their beliefs on the Celts. They used these beliefs to hold themselves above the 'lesser' Celts. But this was not the end of the so called development. Today, England has developed past the Romans, past the Normans. But this doesn't mean that it is done developing. There is no ultimate utopia that marks the supposed end of development as things are constantly changing, constantly in flux.

Amphitheater in Chester

Roman Baths

Coming Home

One of Lancaster’s main selling points is the amount of international students it attracts. In my flat of 8 people including myself, not one person was English. Students from Italy, Greece, Hong Kong and Cyprus shared the flat with me, and all of us had different ideas and experiences of what it meant to be a foreign student. Not only were there students from Allegheny, but a large group of other Americans were visiting this semester as well. Someone who turned out to be largely invaluable as a friend and study partner was a foreign student as well. The university prides itself on the ability to bring in and retain students from across the globe. From that viewpoint, and that understanding, my understanding of my place in a global education is infinitesimal. After these experiences it is easy to think that my contribution or my ideas are nearly irrelevant among the sea of voices who also have a similar perspective, or tackle the same question uniquely. It doesn’t matter what my thoughts are because the thoughts of others are “better” or “more interesting” or a myriad of value judgements that make my experiences lesser. I came to Lancaster thinking I would be educated and my modest opinions would be afterthoughts.

I could not have been more wrong. While it is true, my experiences is one in a large amount of other foreign students at the university, and while yes, I was humbled by my education I received, it was met with equal teaching. I was able to teach and to learn in tandem, and become more adept at both understanding differences and working with them more cohesively. My experiences with my peers and friends here were eye opening not just for me as I had expected but for them too. I was fortunate in my ability to be a resource as well as a recipient of information and understanding. I was humbled by the questions I was asked, and understand that it reflected very heavily on cross-cultural understanding how I answered those questions.

My understanding of global education agrees with the article. I think that I would add to it however. The experiences Lancaster provided me are both teaching and learning experiences. While learning was the primary goal, teaching became a side effect of interacting with people who did not know much about the United States, just as I knew little about England. There was a movement of give and take, a shared understanding that grew from my time with people I would not have otherwise encountered, and this is the reason global education is important. Not only does the person traveling learn in abundance, but they teach the people they encounter abroad. It is important for any study away student to know that their interactions are just as unique to the people they interact with as the encounters are to themselves. My role in global education expanded to include being a teacher as well as a student, and for that I am grateful. I was expecting to be bombarded with information, and I was right on the nose with that prediction. My surprise came from sending just as much information back to the people I was interacting with. The true mission of global education is not one sided, and I learned this first hand.

Lessons from Study Away

Will Buxton says

“The weekend after the deadline for a piece of coursework for the class I met Michael in, him & I went out for a few of drinks. After having a couple in the bar we’d agreed to meet in, Michael suggested going to another place in town where he’d really liked the music on his previous visit. To me, the bar in question had a less-than-favourable reputation I’d tried to avoid during my three years in Lancaster. A chain associated in my mind with ultra-cheap drinks rowdy clientele, it was good for large groups making use of the student-friendly prices but seemed an odd choice for two people. But Michael insisted that the music was good and I eventually agreed.

We arrived and, lo and behold, it was precisely as I had recalled – a “quality” establishment with generic pop playing (the prices can’t be complained about, mind you…). I expected disappointment from Michael, but instead he had that attitude he’s known for: “We’re here – it’s not what we came for but they’ve got music and there’s an atmosphere, let’s have a good time”. He seems to always want to make the best of a situation – even one you wouldn’t normally go for isn’t just salvageable, but can be made a good one.”

The social calls of my experience turned out to be as equally eye opening as classes

Jeriel Bacani says

“All exchange students from America I've encountered here at Lancaster are always super friendly and jolly, despite the gloomy and bipolar British weather that they are graced with upon their arrival. Michael especially, has been one of the most memorable exchange students I have met. Being one of the only three people in my External Intervention seminar who turned up at the end of term, I was really enlightened by his perception of the UK in comparison to the US, challenging the view on race and culture by our very flamboyant and fabulous lecturer. It intrigued me to experience someone who had a high degree of awareness with regards to the privileges enjoyed by Caucasians in the US and it certainly highlighted for me, the context of the recent events that one was only able to read about and hear about on the television. Michael's ability to share his own juxtaposition of British and American perceptions towards minorities gave us all a different viewpoint, which in my opinion was not only enlightening but embodied an encounter that I feel British students should be doing more of, which is engaging and learning more from the exchange students who pass through our university as often I feel that they are overlooked just because of their temporary stay here.

Getting to know Michael better was even more enlightening, during revision sessions I was able to not only get to know more about how the US has it much easier in terms of assessment breakdowns, but also at how much our perceived "crippling student debt" here, is nothing compared to our American counterparts. In terms of what defines Michael, from the aforementioned encounters would have to be his ability to cast his own outlook and enlighten those around him, sparking debate and thought that others may have otherwise have overlooked.”

Both of these stories are reflective of their authors. While Will and I really only socialized, and were more friends than just classmates by the end of our time together, Jeriel and I were academic peers. I learned a lot from the both of them. Both of these people I have written about in previous entries, which is why they are the two people I chose for this assessment. It was with Will that I made a faux pas of engaging too much in public, and Jeriel was present when I was speaking with my lecturer about race relations in England versus the US. Will’s story further highlights how I was different from the average British perception by smiling more, being more “positive” and generally not complaining as much as he deemed normal. An important caveat he didn’t mention is that the music playing at that establishment that night was not the same as the music playing there other times I had been there, and I was equally upset with the music choice of the evening. And while I may not be doing the very “British” thing of finding fault in the situation, I was glad for Will’s company on that occasion. Will has proven a valuable comrade, both in friendship and enlightening me on how to navigate the subtleties of British culture. Jeriel is another exchange student, and her insight is invaluable, and I was grateful to meet her. Her assessment of me as a thoughtful person came as a surprise, as I perceive myself as often quite absent minded and bumbling, and ill equipped for the complexities of British culture. Her support of my thoughts is high praise for me, and not taken for granted. Just as I learned from the professor we reference, I learn from her about how to listen more than speak, and to take new angles on situations. I do believe revising with her was a highlight of my academic experience in Lancaster, and Will’s social calls were just some of the off-hours highlights.

Why Am I Here?

Socially constructed values for race are not universal. My time in England has proven that to me. While I am aware of the situation in the United States in regards to race, my understanding of the situation in the UK did not measure up. I do know of racial bias existing in the UK climate, I knew that racism towards members of society existed, especially in regards to people who either were immigrants, or children or grandchildren (or even great-grandchildren) of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent, whether they hailed from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, or Sri Lanka. The extent of the discrimination and tension was not immediately clear to me. While hearing the racist comments from British peers, or seeing anonymous posts on Yik Yak were disturbing, they generally came across the same way these comments appeared in an American setting to me at first thought. Without knowing how to intervene or to call the racism, especially as a foreigner, I was unwilling to dive headfirst into the social constructs of my host country, with the American stereotype of uninformed, loud, and meddling firmly imbedded in my mind as something I truly wished to avoid. I didn’t understand (and I still don’t) the extent to which this racism impacts members of the marginalized groups in England until I was talking with a professor, a student from the Philippines, and a student from Pakistan.

The professor asserted that racism in the United States was less impactful than racism in England. I asked him how that could happen. We had been discussing the trend of police brutality towards unarmed black men such as Michael Brown, and their unjustified murders. This professor, despite his knowledge of these events, still felt that America was less racist than England was. I asked him how he came to that conclusion, or to what in his experiences pushed him to that understanding. He told me of how he, his brother, and his father visited the US in previous years, and had vacationed there In his travels, never once was anyone in his family accosted by police, TSA, officials or civilians, and their experiences in the United States, despite being from a foreign country (England) were much smoother than they were at home. All of them citizens of Great Britain faced more harassment and alienation from their own government and peers than the Americans. I wasn’t sure how to handle this new understanding, but from his explanations, the US had a better handle on race relations than England did, despite the blatant murders of black citizens, or the existence of groups like the KKK, facets of American society that would not exist in England. This was an eye-opening experience for me. It made me uncomfortable to think that by largely remaining unaware of the UK’s understanding of race I was unconsciously adding to the stigmatization of British people. That when I am treated better in England than Englishmen are, there is an insidious undertone of discrimination I am actively participating in, when I do not call it out or seek to do what little I can to help. On the same token, as an outsider, I am subject to the same microscope when I make myself known, and may inhibit the social progress necessary if I alienate further myself from the population. While this conversation was not easy for me, it did serve as a clear reminder and lesson in both how I operate in the United States and in Great Britain.

Reading Between the Lines

One of the stumbling blocks that Barna mentions in the article is “Nonverbal Misinterpretations” when communicating with people from different cultures, most notably the American habit of smiling all the time at every one. It took several weeks, but eventually I learned not to smile at every passerby, as that was regarded as weird or uncommon. In the United States, where even passing acquaintances are given the treatment of a hello or a conversation when passing each other in public, it is uncommon to do so in my experience here. There is one instance where this is most apparent for me, involving a person I had classes with.  

In the classroom setting we would chat or occasionally interact in group work, so much that I knew his name, he knew mine, and we would be considered casual acquaintances. To this end, I didn’t realize the etiquette or norms for interacting with people of this status was different in the UK than it was in America, and I committed a faux pas in one of my encounters with him in public. I was out with friends in town, chatting when I saw him. He waved at me and I waved back, and rather than ending the encounter there, as custom would dictate, I beckoned him to our table. We chatted for a while and he mentioned he was with a different person. Without realizing it, I had made the mistake of assuming it was proper to chat with different friends or people you knew in public, without having specifically made the arrangements to see that person.

Socially acceptable socialization creates problems in certain settings

In the US, where chance encounters such as these are seen as an opportunity to become closer to the person you meet, or a chance to introduce that person to other people, in England this is not greeted with the same enthusiasm. It is frowned upon to spend time with people outside your direct party, and it is also rude to intrude on a different person’s day, even if that person is a friend or acquaintance. Waving is seen as acceptable, or a casual hello, but an extended conversation is less than favorable, and the nature of forcing that person to engage to not be seen as rude is off putting and disorienting to the individual, while the offending party (me) is unaware of their offensive behavior. This situation really stands out to me as an example of what Barna is referring to. There was an active disconnect in cultural understanding that lead to one or more parties being hurt or offended unintentionally, but still damaging. This particular situation was resolved without much pain or issue, however other similar faux pas in other situations may not be as readily forgiven. Smiling at the wrong time, especially at strangers, is considered odd, for example. It could mean that unintentionally, offense was given to a passing person who may not understand the meaning behind the action, just as I don’t understand why it was a problem.

Resetting Our Goals?

One major "development" experience that sticks out to me involves the elections England had in May, and the subsequent political climate involving the Conservative government lead by David Cameron and the stance the party takes in regards to the EU. For the Conservative government, their stance on England's continued participation in the EU is tenuous, and they vowed, if elected, to put their membership to a referendum.

That referendum is set to take place next year, and Cameron and the Conservatives want to see the peoples' opinion on the EU. There is an agenda of course, and the Conservatives are Euro-skeptical, believing that soon may be the time for the United Kingdom to leave the EU. They feel that developing both Europe and the global community can be better achieved without the regulation or support of the EU's governing bodies, and that the EU hurts the UK more than it helps.

Part of these sentiments arise from the situation in Greece, as well as the austerity measures the EU placed on the whole of Europe, in either reforms in places like Greece, or increased monetary help to bail out the countries in danger, which the UK has done. The UK feels that "development" of Southern Europe and Ireland is no longer in its own interests. Development to England means less about giving money directly to countries in its immediate region, but more on recovering its own economy, even as the bedroom tax and other Conservative policy places undue burden on citizens.

England also continues to gear its development towards devolution, with new proposed measures to give English MPs more control over the laws passed in England that do not relate to Scotland. The "English votes for English laws" proposals arise in retaliation of Scotland having its own Parliament and elections offset from the state wide elections, and the fact that even though Scotland determines its own path in certain terms, those same MPs can vote on England's budgets, even if those budgets do not affect Scotland whatsoever, or they are legally exempt from certain restrictions. Scotland is given flexibility with both welfare benefits and taxation, for example, a 5 pence tax on plastic bags in stores, a tax that does not exist in England. The divide between the Scottish and English cultures have forced development to center around both leveling the playing field for the English, and also giving Scotland more freedom to appease growing dissatisfaction. Because of this, the changing nature of development may mean Great Britain takes a turn into itself, further losing the prestige from its former empire, and instead working to ensure the Isles do not fully splinter from Westminster government.

The task of keeping the United Kingdom together is proved more difficult, both by the election of the Conservative party, and the failure of the referendum of 2014 on Scottish independence. Despite the Unionists prevailing, the Scottish National Party began to see membership increase, as many Scots still feel that English leadership is not in their best interests. To the British, the social importance of development is now more than ever focused on the home islands, leaving the rest of Europe and world at large on the back burner, until such time Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are more securely tied to Westminster. A vote to leave the EU would further exacerbate the tensions, as Scotland at large is a pro-EU culture, despite the Cameron administration's Euro-skepticism.

Parliament Building, London, where much of the UK's talks of development take place

Coming Home

Even though I still haven't come home from Costa Rica I can still talk about what my education experience was like overall. Studying abroad is truly a life-changer because no matter how you do it, you are going to be thrown into situations out of your comfort zone. At first, it can be kind of stressful and make you anxious or scared, but the feeling you get once you've successfully dealt with all these new situations is of complete satisfaction that you have successfully traveled to foreign country and not only furthered your education, but also improved upon skills such as inter-personal skills, problem solving, language learning, and world history. World history is a very important one for me because growing up in the United States can really disconnect you from the rest of the world. It is easy to forget how privileged we are here in the U.S. and the international role our country is playing in global affairs.  It is also easy to be deluded into thinking the U.S. should be a role model for other "developing countries". If anything, I've learned that the U.S. is not as great and "developed" as I used to think and the American people would benefit greatly if they took a leaf from their Central American neighbor's book. The hard thing is trying to shift lifestyle while living in the U.S. because you don't know how to. Traveling to anther country really helps one step back, and take a look in the mirror and reconsider how we live in the U.S. The nice thing is that when you travel to a foreign country you can get a glimpse of other social systems that you may or may not associate yourself with more.

Coming Home

The goal of higher education is to obtain further knowledge.  This knowledge comes from sources such as textbooks, professors, and experiences.  One of the fascinating advantages of a liberal arts college is the difference in variety of experiences that are offered to any particular student.  Having the ability to study away was just one of these experiences I was able to have.  During my exchange program, I was taught by unfamiliar teachers, who used alternative teaching approaches to present to an eager set of students in another learning environment.  These differences allowed me to learn to not only take in my surroundings in a different way, but more importantly it let me question what I previously knew and tie together old ideas while combining some of them with new ideas. 

The ability to connect and critique ideas is the model universities are built around.  Hence we see a global push by universities to develop study aboard programs where this level of higher learning occurs.  While there are so many things we can still learn in our own countries, studying abroad is especially valuable as in this instance the familiarities we know are removed and re

placed with new experiences.  Not all the time did I agree with the views of those around me and the culture that was expressed, but in these situations I was still able to see where these individuals were coming from and why they held their views.  Two poignant examples were an old man who did not believe in global warming and a surf shop owner who had the confederate war flag hanging in his shop window.  These people, though certainly kind at heart, had been raised differently and often in a narrow setting where they were exposed to limited viewpoints.  It is this understanding of others, cultures, and viewpoints that anyone who travels is bound to experience. 

            To gain a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us we must leave what we know so that when we return home we see former matters differently.  This is why higher education encourages students to leave home and roam.

Southold, NY

Coming Home

Study abroad was by far one of the most amazing experiences of my life. From the friends I made to the countries I visited I don’t regret a single moment of my time there. There is a sense of connectedness in England, and around Europe, that just feels so different from American and American education. While studying in England I had the opportunity to see countries all over mainland Europe, for a fraction of what I would pay in America. I was able to see France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, all over the course of a month. That month, including transport, food, and board, cost less than a round-trip ticket home to America would have. We don’t have that opportunity in the States. Even traveling from state to state is often expensive and taxing. However in England it’s common for people to pop over to Spain or France for a weekend. Through this experience I gained access to countries and ways of life I never thought I’d be exposed to. Study abroad turned into a learning experience, not even just in my destination school, but all over Europe. The chance to take a weekend and see points of interest like Belvedere and Eiffel Tower on a university student’s budget is an opportunity I’ll probably never have again and was one of the most significant learning experiences I’ve ever had.

These trips also allowed me the opportunity to be more conscious as my privilege as an English-speaker. With the exception of certain areas of France, we had no problem getting around any of the countries with visited because a majority of people spoke English. Although we tried to use the language of the country we were in whenever we could, it was still interesting to have that support to fall back on. It made time in a foreign country seem less intimidating. Overall this experience made me feel more connected to other countries, it made me want to try harder to get back to Europe one day. To see more of cultures I wouldn’t have been exposed to if it weren’t for this experience. Heading back to America I know I'm going to miss the feeling of being connected that I gained while I was at Lancaster. 

Lessons From Study Away

These three stories were shared by a guy in my building, Danny, my flatmate, Adam, and a friend from class, Will. I tried my best to transcribe them as true to how they told me as possible without including all of their frantic hand gestures.

“My earliest memory of Angela is also one of my favorites. We had gone to Hustle—and for those who don’t know this is a particularly vile club in Lancaster that’s just sticky and makes you feel like you need a shower when you walk in—and it was early on so none of us realized that Angela didn’t actually like clubs. So we all go to dance and all of a sudden we look around and realize she isn’t with us anymore—I just want to point out we didn’t know her that well and we were all already fairly drunk at this point so it wasn’t like we were being dicks, we just didn’t notice. So we all panic a little because we’ve lost the American girl on her first week, that’s not good, and I go off to look for her. I find her, no joke, curled up on a couch outside the door to the toilets just chatting with these half crying/half giggling drunken girls. These girls were totally wasted and Angela is just sitting there listening to them rant and nodding and occasionally giving them hugs, so me and Dan (another member of our flat) go and join them and when we walked over Angela’s face completely lit up. We all didn’t really know each other yet but she’s just so welcoming and enthusiastic that we spent the rest of the night curled up on the couch in the middle of this crowded club while she tells us how great and special we are and honestly I just remember thinking that she may have been the nicest person I’ve ever met. And I think that’s actually the main thing I learned about Angela while she was here, she just loves everyone so much and is so happy when we’re happy, I think our block was made genuinely better while she was here and we’re going to lose a lot when she leaves. Also, that was the night I realized I actually love Hustle.” Danny

“Angela can be kind of quiet. She’s good with being the first one to say hello and all that but after the expected small talk is done she just kind of asks questions and doesn’t really say much. [I cut in that I just didn’t want to risk offending anyone] So one night we go over to our friend’s apartment and we’re all just sitting around and I don’t remember how but someone brought up Forrest Gump and out of the blue Angela cuts in and starts talking about how much she doesn’t like the movie. She’s crazy, it’s an amazing movie, but anyway her and I got into this huge half joking/half not fight about it and it seems weird that this would be my favorite story but Angela is always so nice to everyone it made me feel special that she was comfortable enough around me to be a little mean. It was the moment that I knew for sure that we’d be friends.” Adam

“You know you’re friends with Angela when she develops this obsessive need to make sure you’re eating okay. The first thing she asks every time I come over is whether I’ve had dinner, do I want her to make me dinner, or she’ll be baking something (I feel like she’s always baking) and make me take some of whatever it is. I’m not complaining it’s nice to feel taken care of; she just always needs to make sure everyone’s taken care of all the time. So anyway Angela and I first met at a bar on campus, she was with another guy that I have classes with so I sat down to talk to them. She was a little drunk at this point which may be why by the end of the conversation she was already comfortable telling me how great she thought I was. By the time we’re ready to leave it’s like 3am and she’s insisting I come over and eat some cheesecake she made. As much as I make fun of her I’m going to miss all the cooking all the time, she made everyone feel taken care of.” Will

 The first thing I notice about all of these stories was I had been drinking for each of them. Maybe not the best thing to write in an academic blog but I think it says a lot about the drinking culture here in England. I’m not a big drinker in the United States, occasional nights in with friends are fun but I don’t particularly enjoy getting too drunk or loud parties. In England if you don’t drink than that’s a large portion of your social life gone. My flatmates drank basically everyday whether it was just a pint at dinner or heavier drinking that comes before a night out. I think it’s interesting that so many close bonds are formed over nights out and sitting around at bars. In addition, these stories all make it seem like kindness is a key factor in breaking down barriers. Each of these people said they felt comfortable with me and stayed friends with me because they felt that I was nice and as a result I seemed more welcoming. 

Coming Home

     "A college or university that is a global community opens students to new points of view, challenges their thinking about themselves and their world, and sets the stage for personal and professional growth" (1). Many American colleges and universities believe it to be a special priority, whether one is studying another language and is looking to be immersed in it, or if one is studying a field like environmental science and is looking to see different parts of the world. I believe that Allegheny College highly values the globalization of education through studying abroad, and strongly encourages its students to plan to have this experience. I was lucky enough to take on this opportunity and in turn I have learned an enormous amount from it and I have grown as a person in many ways. In reflection, studying abroad aids one in gaining many different skills. True independence is something I have achieved while being away because I was required to look at and learn about my affairs and myself. I also have made friends from all over the world, so I not only learned about French culture but about the cultures of over 30 other countries. If I ever had to work in an international workplace, I now feel more than ready to do so. I have also had the chance to travel to other countries like Ireland, Italy, and Malta, and with that I have met many people and seen many other cultures that I have learned from.

One of my classes in Angers

     While living in France, I have learned other things besides slang words and expressions in the French language. I truly believe that being immersed in another culture is the best way to learn about it, but I also think that it has other benefits. I am now more conscious about my own culture after being completely involved in another. I now realize how people of France generally view Americans, some are completely against the stereotypes that we all hear about and some agree with them. This has made me more aware of my actions and those of my country as well. Because of this, I have learned much more about myself than I could have by just staying within my own country. Before I arrived in Angers, I expected things that ended up being rather true. But I also expected to see a lot of things that simply were not true and turned out to be stereotypical. It is important to know that there might be a difference between expectations and reality, and my reality definitely exceeded my expectations.

      Studying abroad has helped me grow – I have gained true independence, a more positive outlook on life, and a thirsty desire to return to France. After I receive my double major diploma from Allegheny College next year, I plan to move to France and teach English to French students for a few years. This experience has helped me be able to realize that I want to spend my future abroad and I am looking forward to the years to come.


Lynch, Matthew. "Diverse Conversations: The Globalization of Higher Education." The Huffington Post, 29 May 2013. Web. 5 June 2015.

Coming Home

“If it isn’t global, it isn’t education.”

Dr. George B. Forsythe, President of Westminster College, highlights the importance of a global perspective in education during his interview with the Huffington Post. A global education, he argues, challenges personal views and promotes professional growth. It is a prerequisite for participation in the global community.

My experience abroad has taught me just how important a global education is. From our Western perspective, our lifestyle and our culture are undeniably the best—as if Western society has reached some zenith of development, unsurpassed by the global south or the east. I imagined that Ecuador, as a developing country, would show the obvious signs of copying western culture, of striving to reach the “development” that is the United States. What I experienced, however, was very different from my expectations.

In San Clemente, a small rural community in the Andes Mountains, I spent six weeks with a host family, learning about their culture and working in the local elementary school. Development has a completely different meaning in this community, and it is most definitely not a Western one. Development and education to this community is about learning the skills to advance their own culture, not copy another culture. As we worked on their farm, preparing the soil for the coming planting season, my host mother taught me about the importance of crop rotation, about her recent efforts to teach the community about organic farming, and her own determination to learn about how to make the best compost fertilizer. These were examples of their own development goals.

During the final week, I travelled into the city to buy my family a little gift to show my appreciation for their hospitality and friendship. I asked myself, What do they need? What don’t they have that I can buy them? That question wasn’t hard to answer: a television, a computer, a dishwasher, a radio, cellphones. But the hard question was, What do they want? I could buy my family any of those items, but I realized that they would be useless for them. The fact that someone may not want a computer or a cellphone was unfathomable to me before I came to this community. Now, however, it makes perfect sense. The latest technologies are not how this community plans to “develop.” That’s not what they need. Innovation can take many forms—from designing the most advanced computer to designing a seed-sharing program where community members can share with each other medicinal herbs and vegetable seeds.

This concept of different views on development is what I consider the most important part of my “global education” during my study abroad experience. I am interested in pursuing a career in international education and development. Knowing the importance of truly understanding the culture and needs of the people I work with will be my greatest strength. Western “development” is not a one-size-fits-all approach. No matter how well developed the theory or plan is, it needs to be localized. Members of the community need a say in how international or foreign “help” is implemented because they truly know what’s best for them.

I can walk away from this semester with a more critical perspective of what I think I know and what I learn in my classes. Viewpoints vary remarkably between cultures and nations, and one viewpoint isn’t better or more advanced than the other—they are merely different. To help others, whether it is in another community in the United States or abroad, I need to learn from them first. I need to question what I think I already know about what they need, and instead, I need to listen.