Ari Nicholson, CGEE Central America Alumni, Clark University graduate, and current International Resident Assistant in CGEE Mexico, and Ann Lutterman-Aguilar, CGEE Mexico Director, will be co-presenting at NAFSA Region XI on “Study Abroad for Changemakers: Vetting & Creating Decolonial Community-Based Programs.” Their co-presenter is Kuy Howard, Clark University Study Abroad Advisor.

From the abstract: “How do we approach international education while working in communities ravaged by an imperialist history? ��How do we ensure that our students learn from local communities without exoticizing them, instead enabling them to learn from people whose voices have been excluded or marginalized in academia? In this interactive session, we will share research findings from community partners & decolonial theorists, as well as best practices for vetting and creating critical and decolonial study abroad.”

Congratulations to Ari and Ann on presenting to NAFSA Region XI!

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Name: Caleb Encarnacion-Rivera

School: Clark University

CGEE Programs:

Social Change in Central America: Exploring Peace, Justice, and Community Engagement (Spring 2016)

Nation Building, Globalization and Decolonizing the Mind (Fall 2016)

Major: International Development

Most valuable experience: There are so many things I found valuable during my time abroad with CGEE.�� In Central America, the most valuable experience was being able to live in homestays.�� Homestays allowed me to build and cultivate long lasting relationships I will cherish for the rest of my life.�� Living in homestays enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of the regions I was living in through the lens of local people.�� Living in my home stays gave me new family members that I will never forget.�� In Namibia, my internship was definitely the highlight of my experience.�� I absolutely loved every moment of being able to serve in the city I was living in as well, as learn and grown from directly working with Namibian youth.�� My internship gave me the ability to not only learn or study in a foreign country, but gain work experience, and establish new networks beyond that of the United States.

Why encourage others to study abroad with CGEE: Both programs are life changing in numerous ways.�� I will cherish these moments for the rest of my life.�� If you are looking for an authentic study abroad experience these are the programs for you!

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Major:

English Literature/Creative Writing

Minor:

Marketing

When did you study abroad?

Spring 2015 semester

Where, and on which program, did you go abroad?

Why did you choose that program?

Location and I wanted to experience what going to school in a different country is like.

Did this��program help you reach your academic goals?

I took a humanities course, a language course and a fine arts course

What skills or qualities do you have now that you didn’t before study abroad?

I know I can face the unknown. I went to a different country alone.

What advice do you have for students who want to study abroad?

Join a club. It’s easy to make friends when you have at least one common interest already.

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Major:
English LLT

Minor:
French, GSWS

When did you study abroad?
Fall 2015 semester

Where, and on which program, did you go abroad?

What made that program a good fit for you?

I chose CEA because they had a variety of homestay, residence hall, and apartment options for housing. In addition, they had an abundance of different class options. CEA also brings students on excursions throughout your abroad experience, which are all included in the program fee. The staff was incredibly kind and helpful in navigating culture shock and everyday life in a different country.

Describe how the program helped you reach your academic goals.

I was able to fulfill one of my French minor requirements by taking a French Literature course while abroad.

Is there anything that surprised you about studying abroad?

I was surprised at how long the first few days were, and how short the last ones were. Culture shock was a lot more abrasive than I had ever expected, I think I talked to my parents and my friends every day for the first couple of weeks until I felt fully settled in the new place. I learned a lot quickly, and I never knew how educational immersion into the culture and language could be. I have taken seven years of French, yet I learned more in one semester of immersion than I have in the past seven years. Maybe that’s because I already had a solid foundation, but I understand French on a deeper level than I ever expected to accomplish. I also have a greater appreciation for how much farther I have to go before I reach fluency.

What skills or qualities do you have now that you didn’t before study abroad?

I have a greater understanding of cultural relevancy. In France there are thousands of years of history that have created their current society. In comparison, the United States is just an infant, and the idea that the problems we have in the US are somehow comparable to the problems in France or in any country is a far stretch. Each country and culture has its own history that has created its laws and social norms. I have learned that in a conversation about international relations, it is far more effective for me to sit back and listen to the other voices around the world, and to educate myself about their experiences and problems rather than assuming that their life has some inherent connection to my own.

What advice do you have for students who want to study abroad?

In the first week or two, make sure to pack your days with things to do. It will help a lot to get rid of jetlag, and it will also keep your focus away from the people you left at home while you adjust to the new lifestyle. Also be open to trying new things and accepting different ways of thinking and acting. Keep your mind open and your schedule full, and you will have a blast!

The post #AuggiesGoGlobal Featured Student: Asher L. appeared first on Center for Global Education and Experience.

Major:
English literature, language, theory, and creative writing

Minor:
Business administration

When did you study abroad?
Fall 2015 semester

Where, and on which program, did you go abroad?

Why did you choose that program?��

I chose this program because it fit perfectly with both of my majors. It was a good fit because it helped me to get credits toward graduating and also was a good country to live in for my first time out of the US. While it is not extremely similar to the states, Ireland offered some familiarity to me as also being a westernized country, which made the process of culture shock a bit easier to handle.

Did this��program help you reach your academic goals?

This program helped me to gain credits in both of my majors, as well as some digital marketing experience and knowledge which is applicable to my minor. It also fit in well to part of my vocation which is creative writing. Overall, the program offered a very nice balance for me.

Is there anything that surprised you about studying abroad?

I think that, because Ireland is an English speaking and westernized country, I expected it to be very similar to the US. This was pretty far from the truth however, and I underestimated the cultural differences of Ireland. Even the language is different in terms of colloquialisms, phrasing, and just overall style of speaking. I found the Irish English (if that is the proper thing to call it) very fun to listen to. Instead of dying off or getting lower and quieter at the end of a sentence, as is typical in many parts of the states, people in Ireland and other parts of Europe seemed to end their sentences on a high note, putting emphasis closer to the end of a sentence. Not only is this more enjoyable to listen to, but it is also much more fun to speak this way as well. After a month or two I found myself talking a bit differently, and not consciously either. This was a very pleasant surprise, but unfortunately it has wore off quite a bit after being back in the states for the last few months.

What skills or qualities do you have now that you didn’t before study abroad?

I think, overall, I just have a better sense of navigation now than before. I not only can find my way around a city much more easily, but I find that I am able to navigate through different situations and contexts much more easily than before. I think that becoming acquainted with a new culture allowed me to be more conscious and aware of culture, thus being more attentive to my own and allowing me to understand it more deeply than before.

What advice do you have for students who want to study abroad?

My advice is that if you are someone who is feeling a bit unsure or hesitant about studying abroad, just go for it. It may be a bit scary, that’s normal, but I promise you it will be momentous in terms of self-development and broadening your own perspectives on life. Study abroad is a very special opportunity, and one that a lot of people never get the chance to take, so challenge yourself to be bold and jump into the unknown. It will forever be worth it and you won’t be able to imagine a life that didn’t include studying abroad.

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Olivia interned with Catholic Charities Refugee Services while participating on HECUA’s program “Inequality in America” during the spring semester of 2013.

She now��works for Project for Pride in Living running programs for children transitioning from homelessness to a PPL supportive housing development in North Minneapolis. Olivia is currently supervising a HECUA intern enrolled in the Inequality in America program.

Olivia transferred from the University of Wisconsin–Lacrosse to Augsburg to do the Metro Urban Studies major, intending to complete her fieldwork and internship with HECUA. What she discovered participating in the Inequality in America program was that the classroom support was as transformative as the hands-on experience she received working with her internship.

“We talked about emotional and deep issues, but the learning community created an environment to feel things out and work through them. I had learned about whiteness in an academic setting but was never asked to look at my own role related to white privilege. Hearing others students’ stories made me realize I do have a story to tell. I saw how all the pieces of people’s stories are connected. For my internship, I worked with Catholic Charities Refugee Services. I was meeting people at the airport and working with individuals during their first 90 days of arriving to the country. I thought I was aware, but this experience opened my eyes to the realities of the everyday difficulties of people we pass on the streets. Simple things we take for granted, like going to the grocery store on your own for the first time, navigating transportation… ��one woman’s child got locked in the bathroom because she didn’t know how to work the locks.”

The HECUA program showed Olivia how she fit into the big picture, and how to meet people where they are, with compassion. After HECUA, she continued to seek out internships and course-work at the intersections where housing policy and the everyday lives of people meet. Her senior project at Augsburg explored the transformation of housing policy in the U.S., assessing its failures and successes. Through various other internships after HECUA, she continued to witness how housing reforms like mixed income developments, supportive housing programs, and holistic approaches to supporting families really work in action.

Olivia was recently hired as the youth program and service coordinator in Prosperity Village for Project for Pride in living where she supervises HECUA interns.

“HECUA does a good job helping students navigate and practice having the difficult conversations about race, power, and privilege. Half the battle for me was to understand how my role and personal history connects to the issues of inequality and social justice. Being able to bring your whole self to the work environment is essential.”

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