Global citizenship
To act as a conscientious global citizen and avoid giving a negative perception of Americans:
- Avoid telling people that Americans do things better.
- Be a person who shares and is inclusive in relationships.
- Be genuinely interested in your host country and its people.
- Do not talk a lot about your possessions or your family and friends.
- Do not demand special treatment because you are an American.
- Do not drink to excess.
- Avoid making negative comparisons between your host country and the United States
- Do not be too obvious or loud about your patriotism/nationalism.
- Do not throw your money around.
Expectations and preparation
For many students, studying abroad will be their first time in another country and an extraordinary opportunity to learn about another part of the world from first-hand experience. Cultural immersion — interacting and living with people in other cultures — is an important part of the education abroad experience.
Students will attend the Office of International Affairs pre-departure orientations which will help them understand specific program goals and provide resources and websites about the host country. Students participating in a third-party provider, direct enroll or international exchange program should become familiar with the academic policies of the host institution and the day- to-day academic routine. Any questions or concerns about the academic program should be discussed with the education abroad specialist.
While abroad, students are expected to participate fully and enthusiastically in their education abroad program, attend all classes and participate in all program activities, including in-country program field trips, excursions and other group activities. Students should be prepared to be flexible in the event that an unpredicted change in an itinerary or a health problem arises. An unforeseen emergency can be disruptive. Being able to "go with the flow" and adapt to change is part of the education abroad experience.
It is critical to begin now to learn about the country where you will be studying abroad. Some ways of educating yourself include:
- Reading relevant newspapers and listening to radio stations that provide international news coverage.
- Meeting former participants from your education abroad program.
- Talking with people who are originally from that country or have lived there for an extended period of time.
Cultural Adjustment
"Culture shock" is the term used to describe the difficulties experienced as you integrate into a new society and deal with the many emotions that come from adapting to a new culture. It is a natural reaction to leaving your familiar surroundings and finding yourself in an almost unknown environment where many things are unfamiliar - the language, food, daily life, the scenery and the environment. If you experience some degree of culture shock, you are not alone. Many people experience new and conflicting emotions as they live cross-culturally.
Cultural Adaptation Phases
Culture shock can be expressed in a variety of ways: intense homesickness, irritability, hypercritical thoughts, sadness, fear and frustration. Studies in intercultural education have shown that there are distinct phases of personal adjustment that virtually everyone who lives abroad experiences. These stages are:
- Pre-Departure
- General attitude: anticipation, eagerness, nervousness
- Events: planning, packing, processing, celebrating, attending orientation
- Emotional response: excitement, enthusiasm, concern about leaving family and a familiar environment, desire to escape problems
- Behavioral response: Anticipation, loss of interest in current responsibility
- Physical response: tiredness, generally normal health
- Verbal response: "I just can't wait to..."
- Initial Euphoria
- General attitude: exhilaration, excitement
- Events: red carpet welcome, new home stay or dorm, new classes and teachers, exploration of sights and shops
- Emotional response: tourist enthusiasm, sense of adventure
- Behavioral response: outward curiosity about country, avoiding negative stereotypes, enthusiasm for studies and site, passive observer of culture
- Physical response: intestinal disturbances, minor insomnia
- Verbal response: "Awesome! This place and these people are like home."
- Increasing Participation
- General attitude: bewilderment, disenchantment, restlessness, impatience
- Events: classes, everyday life, responsibilities in home stay or dorm, unfamiliar food, language, customs
- Emotional response: frustration, uncertainty, irritability, loss of enthusiasm, skepticism
- Behavioral response: search for security in familiar activities (reading books in English), increased alcohol and/or food consumption, withdrawal
- Physical response: colds, headaches, tiredness
- Verbal response: "Why do they have to do it like that? Why can't they just..."
- Culture shock
- General attitude: impatience, irritation, aggression, hostility
- Events: Uneven work performance, confrontation with difference
- Emotional response: discouragement, lethargy, depression, suspicious, boredom, homesickness, anger, extreme sensitivity and irritability, loneliness
- Behavioral response: withdrawal, avoiding contact with host nationals, excessive sleep, tearfulness, loss of concentration, tension/conflict with others
- Physical response: Minor illnesses, headaches, preoccupied with personal cleanliness
- Verbal response: "This place sucks! I hate it here."
- Adaptation Phase
- General attitude: adjustment and/or recovery
- Events: work performance improves, able to interpret cultural clues, sense of humor returns
- Emotional response: sense of comfort with surroundings, sense of belonging in culture
