Returnee « OSU Abroad

Kristin Chase recently graduated from Oregon State University with degrees in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and International Studies and an Anthropology minor. Kristin recently returned from Amman, Jordan where she studied Arabic through the SIT: Intensive Arabic Language Studies program. Additionally, Kristin interned at Ruwwad: The Arab Foundation for Sustainable Development through IE3 Global Internships.

I returned about a month ago from spending five amazing months in Jordan. While abroad I had the opportunity to build upon my Arabic language education, as well as apply my research skills and passion for social justice. Since OSU only offers second year Arabic courses online, it was imperative that I go abroad in order to continue working towards my goal of becoming fluent. I chose to study through SIT because they offer a seven-week intensive language program in the summer. I wanted a program that was focused on language and had a homestay component. I lived with a middle class- Palestinian family who spoke fluent English, but also spoke Arabic with me. I was able to experience Ramadan in a family setting and learn more about Jordanian life from the perspective of a particular class in society. The program was also a good fit for me because we took many excursions that allowed students to understand more about the country’s culture and history. My favorite part of the SIT program was the Bedouin homestay experience. I had such a sweet family and I went back to visit them for a week after the program ended. Not only did my host family treat me as one of their own, but I also quickly became close with many members of the village. Overall, it was great starting out with a structured program as it provided a smooth transition into Jordanian society.

After completing the language program, I started a three-month internship with Ruwwad, an organization based on community and youth empowerment that hosts many sustainable programs to benefit the local people. I chose this particular internship because of the organization’s focus on women and gender equality. Ruwwad allowed me to merge my interests in, and apply my skills related to, women’s issues, Arabic language and culture, and research writing. I wouldn’t do the organization justice by trying to describe all of the incredible work they do, so I will focus on my particular projects. Since I am a Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies major, I knew I wanted to focus my efforts on something that would benefit women. Therefore, I taught women’s English classes (which were content based) that allowed me to develop relationships with many women in the community. My conservative dress and knowledge of Islam made me quickly accepted by the female students and their family members. Reputation is extremely important in such a community. The classes provided opportunities for the students and I to speak about clothing and modesty, gender roles, the Arab spring and other political issues, leadership and community involvement, as well as the media. Every day was such a pleasure because the women were really funny and opinionated and I enjoyed watching them express themselves as they became more comfortable in class. Our conversations gave me a deeper understanding of the power issues women face in their particular community, which helped shape the other component of my internship. I developed a conscious building module that Ruwwad will translate into Arabic and implement over the next few months. I am really excited about this and think Ruwwad is a model social justice organization. I feel so blessed to have been selected to intern for them.

While completing my internship, I lived in an apartment with a British woman who worked as a refugee activist. It was really nice to live with someone who shared similar passions and could relate to being a woman abroad. Living in a new environment, particularly the Middle East, has a lot of negative stereotypes attached to it—especially if you’re a woman. However, I highly recommend it! I found that in general, because of my respect for the local customs and interest in the language, culture, and religious dynamics, most families and women accepted me and treated me as family. Jordan, and some neighboring countries, I would argue, are much safer than reported by the media. Moving somewhere new with such a complex and fascinating culture forced me to rely on myself and become more competent, not only in navigating new geographical spaces, but also in understanding sociocultural dynamics, my own identity, and other people. I have become so much more confident and grown into myself by embarking on this journey and I am beyond blessed to have had this opportunity. I can’t wait to go back!

Charlene is an Environmental Science and International Degree student with a minor in German. She studied abroad at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Freiburg, Germany) on the OUS Baden-Württemberg Exchange Program during the 2012-2013 academic year. She is currently a senior and is applying for funding of her Master’s studies in Germany for next October.

During my time abroad I marveled at the Germans’ environmental protection and conservation efforts through culture, laws, trash separation, wind and solar energy development, but what I fell in love with was the language. Yes, I know. Deutsch is rarely, if ever, deemed poetic and lyrical. However, the words are practical conglomerations of smaller words. Deutsch has a multitude of dialects within and outside of Germany. The language is diverse yet unified through the people who speak it. I find it beautiful.

I did not begin my year in Freiburg with immaculate Deutsch. Although I had already completed the 300 series at OSU (equivalent to 3^rd year proficiency) and could read and write pretty well, meine Aussprache, or pronunciation, and overall confidence in speaking the language was lacking. I went abroad with the set goal to improve my Deutsch, but improvement in a foreign language does not happen overnight. Through this blog entry, I hope to illustrate how difficult it can be to step out of your language comfort zone, but just how rewarding that leap can be for you as a person.

I was super enthusiastic my first few weeks in Germany, but I began to feel overwhelmed. I was far from home: my culture, my humor, my food, my music. Although I had travelled before, I had never lived in a foreign country for an extended period of time, or had to rely on my foreign language skills to get around. I was exhausted at the end of each day. I eventually realized that taking university courses for a foreign language was much different than trying to comfortably utilize that language in a society. I had an American accent. As soon as I spoke — if I were lucky enough not to be immediately “English’d” — I was asked “Ach, wo kommst du her?” (“Oh, where are you from?”). This sounds like an innocent question, but after a while, it can become intimidating. You try to improve your language skills and integrate, yet you are continuously reminded of your foreignness.

So I went through a period where I avoided speaking to others, in German or English. My brain was so confused. It became normal for me to mix German and English vocabulary and grammar, and sometimes even my American friends didn’t understand what I was trying to communicate. So I stopped talking and started listening. I began to observe, which was new to me. In the U.S., I was always in the spotlight or on the stage; I’d never been a wallflower.

As I listened and observed the people around me for a couple of weeks, I began to understand how they interpersonally communicated: quieter voices, polite verb forms, overall more reserved. I would eavesdrop on conversations in the Straβenbahn (streetcar/tramway) and began to understand the little Kinder (children), which was a very good sign my listening comprehension was improving. I eventually began to realize that I would have to use German if I expected myself to make progress with the language. I was a foreigner in a foreign place, and I would just have to adjust and be more patient with myself and my abilities.

I remember one Tuesday morning in Freiburg very clearly. Waking up, I told myself, “Today is the day, I’m going to make German friends.” That morning I was on a mission.

I made my way to campus and entered the Vorlesung (lecture) room a few minutes early to find my American friend had not yet arrived. It was the perfect opportunity. I went to the row behind where we, die zwei Amis (two Americans), usually sat and asked two German students if we could sit with them that day, to which they responded “Na klar!” (Well of course!).

I was relieved, but tried to mask it—I was now sailing uncharted waters. When my American friend arrived, he looked pleasantly surprised to discover that we would be sitting with the Germans that day. We both managed to make conversation with our two new friends, although we had to ask a few times “Wie bitte?” to have them patiently repeat themselves so that we could be a part of the conversation.

At the end of Vorlesung, I was determined to not let this opportunity for friendship with the natives slip by. I immediately asked if they were free on Friday night and would like to get together for a dinner and game night at Stusie (our dorm). To my ultimate delight and relief, we exchanged Handynummern (cell phone numbers) with the Germans.

From then on, my language began to improve. I cared less about my grammar mistakes and American accent, it was more important to me that I had found patient friends who would interact with me and were just as curious about me as I was about them. I have to say, my language developed through the friendships I made throughout the year. In January, I joined the local roller derby team and spent my Friday nights at Training, learning to understand Umgangsprache (slang) and how to roller skate. By the beginning of my second semester in Germany, I was taking regular university courses in Environmental Science with the Germans, I had Training with the derby girls, and I spent time with my Tandem partner (my German conversant partner) cooking Käsespätzle and watching Tatort (a popular German television series). I was totally surrounded by Deutsch. I could feel myself continually making progress and adapting to the culture. I’m very blessed to have made the friends I did in Freiburg, many of whom I have remained in active contact with! Through my friendships came my language skills and the best part about being back in the United States is that I know Deutsch ist und bleibt für immer ein Teil von mir (German is and remains forever a part of me).

Helen Walters is a senior at Oregon State pursuing a degree in Bioresource Research with a minor in Chemistry. During Summer 2012 Helen voyaged with Semester at Sea (SAS) – a program that provides students with a multiple country experience. During her 2 month voyage, Helen visited the countries of Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and Portugal.

This past summer, I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in Semester at Sea’s 2012 Summer Voyage. The entire experience was made possible because of funding that I received from both Semester at Sea and Oregon State University. Throughout my program, I wrote and shared a blog of my various adventures and experiences with family, friends, and contacts back home. The trip, as one would imagine, was incredible. The new sights, experiences, and friendships I discovered were beyond anything I had previously imagined. Being immersed in so many different cultures stimulated a lot of reflection time when I got back to the U.S. I discovered that what I had most taken away from my SAS experience was a broadened sense of the world and a more accurate sense of self.

As it turned out my favorite experience wasn’t the snorkeling in Croatia, or the camel riding in Morocco, or watching the 2012 Eurocup semifinals in Barcelona, Spain (and mind you I am a huge soccer fan). My favorite part of the trip was how I felt at the end. I thought for a long time, “why was it that out of all the new experiences I had and people I met, that the ultimate end of the experience was a greater understanding of the world and how I fit in it.”

This brings me to the crux of my reflection: Culture Shock.

You hear many times before embarking on your journey abroad that when you reach the destination, you will experience something called “culture shock.” Culture shock happens when you are completely immersed in a culture that is unlike the one you have spent your entire previous life in. It can be scary, exciting, new, and ultimately shocking. Culture shock is discussed as something to be feared, wary of, and ultimately inevitable. The reverse of culture shock happens when you arrive back home and are re-introduced to America.

When you arrive back stateside from your study abroad, people view you differently and you view yourself differently. You feel like a different person and those around you, who are at all perceptive, take notice.

Before I went on the 2012 Semester at Sea Summer Voyage, I had never been out of North America. I had never before heard people speaking languages that I did not understand, nor had I seen stop signs written in Arabic (a language I could not even begin to read) and I certainly had never met people like those I met abroad. I was in culture shock.

One of my favorite experiences actually involved being lost in Istanbul, Turkey. I was looking for a hotel that my friend’s mom was staying in and somehow managed to get very lost. It was dark and we were wandering in the back alleyways of Istanbul. The biggest problem was that I couldn’t understand any of the people and therefore asking for directions was quite challenging. My friend and I saw five Turkish men sitting on the side of the road playing a card game and chatting away. Desperate, I approached them and asked for directions to the hotel, as I frantically pointed to the address on the piece of paper that I clutched in my hand. They were talking in Turkish. I was talking in English. Not a word was understood. It was obvious that we were at an impasse.

Then, one of the elderly gentlemen took my precious piece of paper containing the address I was trying to reach. He raised his hand in a motion to follow him. Then the question was “do I follow the old man down the dark alleyway or do I not?” Well, yes was the answer I came up with. Yes. For twenty minutes, my friend and I walked through winding alleyways, up and down hills, and around buildings as we followed this man. Eventually, we came out on the busy street. Right in front of us was the hotel and the man was frantically pointing to it, as if saying “please, it is right in front of you, you cannot miss it from here!”

As I am searching in my purse for some Turkish liras, the nice gentleman just walks away. Although he didn’t accept any form of payment for his help and he may never remember me, I will forever remember him as the man who showed me the way in Istanbul.

Yes, some of the culture shock was scary, but mostly it’s exhilarating. For the first time, I was the minority. I was the one having difficulties speaking a language that was foreign to me. Ultimately I was the one who didn’t “fit in.” It was absolutely wonderful. This new atmosphere induced vast amounts of learning about other cultures and stimulated a desire to understand the world better.

The bottom line is that no matter how well one attempts to prepare for it, culture shock can still happen. When you return you may be the quiet one who prefers to re-examine the scenery of America, or you may be the boisterous one who wants to share every single story you have with every person you meet. Regardless, remember your experiences abroad and remember how they have allowed you to see the world in a different light. Most importantly, remember that no matter what you saw or did, you are still the same person, but with a greater understanding of the world at large.

Cody Buongiorno is a Senior at Oregon State majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. During Fall 2012, Cody traveled to Ecuador through IE3 Global Internships and participated in a medical rotation internship for Child Family Health International (CFHI).

Making the decision to travel to the astonishingly beautiful and diverse country of Ecuador was a remarkable and immeasurably beneficial experience. I achieved a longtime dream to study and live in a different region of the world. Throughout the three months of my Child Family Health International (CFHI) medical internship in the fall of 2012, I completed an intensive intermediate Spanish course focused on language and medical terminology. Additionally, I was privileged to work alongside and learn from seven doctors in various specialties, and interact with countless other doctors, surgeons, medical students, nurses and, of course, many patients. I was immersed in both the rich Ecuadorian culture and healthcare system. I lived with another Oregon State student and three other CFHI interns participating in different programs who were all interested in studying medicine.

The programs varied, reflecting each student’s level or experience with the Spanish language, the medical field and prior world travel. The medical coordinator, a local family medicine doctor, organized the clinical rotations and weekly progress meetings while also providing excellent advice and making the students feel comfortable. I spent seven weeks of my program in the city of Quito, and three weeks in between on the coast. I started off at a pediatric clinic and maternity hospital with my fellow OSU intern. We travelled by trolley or bus to the clinic and the hospital where we worked with doctors for four hours each morning. We then returned to the Spanish school for four hours of language classes. With this general schedule I rotated through a pediatric clinic, a maternity hospital, a surgery rotation, a family medicine clinic and a specialized hospital for oncology and hematology.

Cody Buongiorno - IE3 CFHI Ecuador

After the first five weeks, I ventured to the coast of Ecuador where I lived and worked in the rural town of Chone. The pronounced and distinct change in climate, culture, language and my personal lifestyle both refreshed and challenged me after becoming accustomed to the massive city of Quito. I lived with a loving and caring host family that assisted my assimilation into the culture and accepted me as a part of their family with open arms. I worked alongside a very caring and intelligent pediatrician with whom I spent the majority of my time. We worked eight hour days in the hospital, running between the inpatient cases and the outpatient clinic while continually referring to surgery, the ER, the ICU, radiology and other specialty areas of medicine. This portion of the program was more hands on and intense as I learned from many medical professionals, worked with my doctor one-on-one, dealt with patients while under supervision, and interacted with the entire working community of the hospital.

All the while, I took Spanish classes taught by instructors who became friends, connected with my fellow interns, integrated into multiple host families, and traveled all over Ecuador. While abroad I expanded my comfort zone and tried many adventurous activities: paragliding, waterfall repelling, bungee jumping, and finally, zip lining. The entire program was memorable. I witnessed sixteen surgeries, recorded countless interesting medical conditions, learned from many upcoming physicians in both a clinical and a classroom environment, examined children in Chone – after being taught how to perform a complete physical – and learned how to interact with doctors, nurses, and patients. I saw cases of dengue fever, severe bronchitis, intense malnutrition in children (kwashiorkor), heart murmurs, intestinal blockages, and many more. I encountered patients with remarkable recoveries, complicated surgeries and captivating medical cases. The entire culmination of experiences in my internship confirmed my desire to enter the medical field.

In the end it was difficult to say farewell to my family and to the country that helped me grow into the person I am today. I have been affected in so many wonderful ways and have the desire to travel more and experience other cultures of the world. I met unbelievable people along the way and encountered marvelous adventures. My study abroad greatly exceeded all expectations and was far more enjoyable and beneficial than I ever imagined. I entered my internship as a junior in college and, with the help of all the life lessons and skills I gained from studying abroad in Ecuador, I emerged with the goals of maintaining my Spanish, traveling the world on a greater scale, and someday becoming a doctor.

Samantha Beattie recently graduated from Oregon State, where she studied History and Spanish. She ended her college experience studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito through OUS International Programs. Now, Samantha is pursuing her Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Washington.

My experience in Ecuador was one of the most profound and immense experiences of my life. Since I returned, I have tried to ruminate on my experiences as a whole, but I have found that this is very difficult to accomplish. There is no way to explain the experience of being immersed in the sights, sounds, and culture of another country that is so phenomenally wonderful, beautiful, and welcoming as Ecuador. My time in Ecuador was more than a vacation or a semester abroad; my experience in Ecuador will be a part of me forever.

One of my favorite parts about Ecuador is the immense beauty of the region. What makes Ecuador so unique is the incredible diversity in its landscapes. Ecuador has everything from the beautiful beaches and stunning coastline of the Galapagos Islands, to the awe-inspiring Andes Mountains, to the amazing ecosystem that is the Amazon jungle. The most amazing part is that all of these vastly different landscapes fit into a country roughly the size of Oregon.

Another reason why my experience abroad was so memorable is that I was able to immerse myself in the culture. Traveling around the country relying on only my language skills was one of the most fulfilling parts of the experience. I also enjoyed going to a University that had a mixture of Ecuadorian students and international students. However, the most beneficial part in immersing myself in the culture was living with my host family. My host family is absolutely amazing; they opened their arms to me and really made me feel a part of their family. We still keep in touch, and their friendship is one of the things I value most from my Ecuadorian experience.

Before I left to study abroad I was very excited, and had high expectations, however there was no way to really know how phenomenal the experience would end up being. Living in Ecuador is one of the most profound and shaping experiences of my life.

Lyndsay Toll is a senior studying Management and Business Administration. She studied abroad at the University of Murcia in Murcia, Spain through the College of Business exchange program.

People

One of the best parts of studying abroad was meeting so many international people. I met a rainbow of people and explored not only my town (Murcia, Spain), but all over Spain. The local Spanish people I met opened their world up to me. They taught me their language, presented their favorite foods, and explained their culture, history, traditions, and beliefs. They showed me the beauty of their country and helped me acclimate to their environment. I was able to tutor children, learn at the university, play soccer with the locals, experience the culture, and explore the land. I was able to do more than I imagined. While I could have done it all on my own, it would have been much harder and less meaningful without the context and facilitation of the friends I made.

Places

The most attractive part is commonly the adventure of the experience. While visiting multiple countries is intriguing, I highly encourage spending time traveling within the country you visit. I found amazing hikes, wineries, historic cities, palaces, festivals, and more by connecting with the locals and exploring their favorite parts.

Problems

An interesting aspect of studying abroad is that you see the world’s problems in a different light. I became immersed in another lifestyle, political system, and economy. The comical phrase “first world problems” is quickly understood. Not every country has the same conveniences we have, making the lifestyle more interesting to adapt to. Also, while I was in Spain, I was in the midst of their economic crisis. I experienced strikes, protests, and sat next to people as they broke down in tears of despair over the uncertainty of their future. I experienced their political struggles and more. I’m not saying this to discourage people from traveling to Spain, in fact I found this a blessing. Living in Spain gifted me with a more worldly perspective and understanding of different lifestyles, economies, and problems that are out there in the world. It’s hard to truly understand the issues going on in the world until you live there and see it for yourself.

Perspective

The most valuable aspect of the trip was the perspective and understanding I gained. I got to live another life. I walked in the shoes of another culture, and saw the world from another view. I was able to learn what is truly important :

-Nothing is more meaningful than your support network of friends and family;

-Nothing is more precious than the earth’s natural beauty;

-Nothing is more positively impactful than the ability to harmonize, understand, and work together.

While everyone takes away something different, I hope my takeaways have inspired some to embark on their own adventure and broaden their perspectives. Safe travels my fellow adventurers. Stay young.

Alison Blazer is an International Ambassador for the International Degree and Education Abroad office. Alison is studying Speech Communication and Spanish. During fall 2012, Alison studied abroad at Universidad de Bío Bío in Chillán, Chile through OSU.

Last fall term, I studied abroad in Chillán, Chile for four months. This program is OSU specific and gives Oregon State students the opportunity to travel with fellow Beavers and complete the entire second year of Spanish language courses in just 3 months. I had an incredible experience living in a new country, immersing myself in a new language and culture, bonding with my host family and classmates, and learning about myself. Throughout my time in Chile, there were several unforgettable adventures, but the most memorable of all was my emergency surgery.

A few weeks before Thanksgiving, I was experiencing a lot of stomach pain. The pain became so bad that I could do very little other than sit in bed, so I talked to my program director, my mom and host mom- all of whom thought it was probably appendicitis, but hoped it was something different. When I finally conceded that I had to go to the doctor, my program director immediately put a plan into action.

Less than an hour later, I was in the clinic with my Chilean grandma and a close friend of my program director. My program director was unfortunately in Santiago (about 4 hours north) for the weekend and feeling just about as helpless as my mom back in California. There was an hour and a half wait at the clinic, but luckily a surgeon friend of the program director met us outside and saw me immediately.

I saw the doctor at 5 p.m. and was scheduled to have surgery at 6:30 p.m. The next hour was filled with me frantically trying to get a hold of my parents in the states and figuring out what the nurses were asking me in Spanish. My dad had taken off for a fishing excursion in Shasta before knowing about my operation, so my mom and younger sister were left alone to worry. Thank God for Skype!

A few of my closest friends in my program came to the clinic as soon as they heard the news, and my host parents rushed back to Chillán from a neighboring town where they had been at a barbeque. Luckily everyone got there before I had to go into surgery. They were so incredible; helping to connect with my family back home, distracting me while the nurse put my IV in, and asked me what I needed from my house.

A little after 6:30, I was wheeled into the operating room with my Chilean host parents saying that they’d wait there for me and not to worry. In the operating room, I was moved to the operating table and then came the worst part…..spinal anesthesia. I’ve been under anesthesia before- once for an eye surgery when I was nine years old and again briefly for my wisdom teeth removal, but never in a million years did I think that I would be receiving spinal anesthesia. So picture this: I’m sitting in the OR with a team of about 10 people (surgeons, surgical nurses, the anesthesiologist etc.) all of whom are speaking Spanish and I get told that they’re going to stick a needle in my spine with no prior wooziness or drugs coming my way. Safe to say it was one of the scariest moments of my life. They kept telling me not to worry. I tried to explain in Spanish that I wasn’t worried about the surgery. It would be a piece of cake. My problem was the fact that they were about to stick a needle into my spine. But hey, what can you do? After the piercing pain of the injection, my feet immediately got super-hot and went numb and that sensation continued up my legs until I couldn’t feel anything below my chest. The nurses put a curtain up separating my head from the rest of my body and I was immediately concerned that they weren’t going to put me to sleep.

About an hour later, I woke up in the recovery room, unable to move my legs and extremely woozy. I was filled with relief- I had made it through surgery in South America, thank God! Not being able to move my legs was an unpleasant experience, but my nurses in recovery were so nice and asked me how I was doing each time I managed to wake up for a few moments before falling back asleep. This went on for about two more hours until I was finally taken back up to my room and immediately greeted by my Chilean parents.

After that, I spent a couple nights in the clinic to be monitored and get medicated via an IV. My host parents, my program director and my friends all sat by my bedside in shifts over the next few days until I was released and able to go home. The main priority at the time was just to fully recover—I was planning on traveling to Peru to see Machu Picchu one month after surgery. If that goal was to be reached, I would really need to lay low and recover at my own pace.

It’s safe to say that I never thought I would have surgery without my parents present, let alone in a different country. I owe so much to my program director, my amazing classmates and my fantastic host family who were all there for me 100% of the way. They pulled strings to get me to see a doctor quickly, sat by my bed before and after surgery, and told me not to worry. It’s fascinating to me that even when sleeping alone in a Chilean hospital, I felt comfortable and sure that I was receiving the best care possible.

I truly believe that there is no better way to learn about oneself and your own strengths and abilities than traveling abroad. Any experience abroad is bound to provide students with a new global perspective and the ability to grow and learn at a new rate by constantly challenging oneself. Personally, I am so grateful for the opportunity to have gone to Chile in the first place and now each and every day I think about my experience, my health and the amazing support system I have here as well as below the equator.

OSU Abroad

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Tag Archives: Returnee

My Second Home: Jordan

Talk Deutsch to Me

A Voyage of Self-Reflection

Immersion in Ecuador

Empowered in Ecuador

A Newfound Global Perspective

A Surprising Surgery in Chile

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