Tag Archives: International

Where Are You From?

In the past, if I heard anyone speak with an accent, I would always wonder where they were from but would never ask. I thought it might be rude or make them feel uncomfortable. Well, I’ve thrown that notion out the window. For someone who is trying to be global from home, that just won’t work. Over the past several weeks, I came in contact with three individuals who were clearly not born in the U.S. based on their accents. Rather than just smiling politely and going my own way, I took the risk of asking where they were from.

The first was a Mexican man who was working at a restaurant here in OKC. I noticed he was a little shy telling me where he was from, but when I immediately responded that I had recently been to Mexico and really enjoyed exploring it, his mood visibly changed. He began to tell me about his hometown, how long he had been in the States, and then asked me my opinion on safety in Mexico. He said he had not visited home in years, but based on the news, he questioned how safe it would be to return to Mexico with his family.

My second experience was with a man who had recently come to the United States from Iraq. He told me about having to leave his wife and baby daughter in Baghdad but has hopes that he will be able to bring them over soon. He told me he wants to get his master’s degree in engineering and how his father went to college in the U.S. at the University of Georgia. We ended up spending several minutes talking about taking the TEFL and the quality of the Georgia football team this year.

The third person I met owns a furniture store in Atlanta and moved to the U.S. from Turkey 18 years ago. But before coming across the pond, she also lived in France and the UK. She talked about having her mother still in Turkey and the challenges of going back home to see her three or four times a year. She told me how she speaks four languages and her brother speaks five. We talked about technology and how something that is suppose to help connect us, often disconnects us from the person sitting beside us.

What I’ve been discovering is that behind the accent there is a story. Leaving your home country and moving is never easy – there are language challenges, family left behind, and new customs to learn. And while I certainly hope that I’m not offending the people I meet, I am so curious to hear about their stories. I am entranced as they tell about what they’ve overcome to be where they are, and I’m eager to hear why they left the familiarity of home to come here. In the end, each time I ask the question “Where are you from?” I believe I am taught something new about the world that I never would have learned if I had to decided to be just be polite and mind my own business.

Word to the Wise on Cruising

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Arrr! While digging through some old photos, I found this picture of me from a cruise I took with my parents after I graduated from college. I know I’m late for International Talk Like a Pirate Day but the picture did get me thinking about cruising.

Cruising is my parents’ preferred method of travel. They love not worrying about transportation or packing and unpacking as they move from one country to another. They have also been extremely generous to take my brother and I along during our younger years. We have certainly had some fabulous family vacations while sailing the high seas. However, with all vacations come lessons learned. If you’re planning on cruising this winter, here are my words to the wise:

If your 21-year-old brother/son goes missing, assume he has found some girls to hang out with and has not fallen overboard.
Be nice to your cabin steward. He will give you a lot more chocolates on your pillow.
Unless you are with a big group, request your assigned dining table to be with other passengers. It’s a good opportunity to practice talking to strangers in a fairly comfortable environment.
Go to the shows. They are actually pretty good.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. It will help you keep that weight off from the buffet.
If going with a group, be sure not to do everything together. It’s great for everyone to go do their own excursions while at port and then get back together at dinner to share stories.
Balance eating on board and eating at port. While the food on board is included and usually delicious, you don’t want to miss out on the cultural cuisine of each country.
Margaritas and sea sickness don’t mix.
If you are on a cruise while in your early 20s, expect that most people on board in your age bracket are either on their honeymoon, in an on-board wedding, or are part of the crew. (Excluding spring break week.)
Buy one of those photographs they take of you at dinner with the pirates. Eight years later, you’ll be glad you did.

Abroad Blog of the Week: Suitcase on the Sidewalk

How did you choose your study abroad locations?

I can’t really take credit for choosing India; the Rotary program that I was selected for reserves the right to send you whenever they want or need to. They asked me where I wanted to go and I said, “Anywhere, as long as you send me!” My flexibility landed me a spot in the program, and was I eventually given a few choices off the beaten path. I picked India for the culture, for a taste of the exotic, but where I could still speak English. (That part wasn’t so adventurous.)

As for my college study abroad locations, I still wanted to pick places that were less common, that I knew less about. All the places I am studying have a campus for my college, so it feels a little like cheating. Language and classes have played a huge part in where I chose to go. For Ghana, it had a lot of classes I wanted- a fine arts minor, some post-colonial studies classes, and it was a chance to see some of Africa. Argentina was a chance to explore South America, and to work on my Spanish. I’ll be heading to Prague next semester, and I am actually following a specific teacher there, but there is some language flexibility and the chance of exploring Europe. I have friends in Germany and Hungary I am hoping to visit!

Now that you’re in your third country, has the adjustment process gotten easier for you?

The adjustment is definitely less stressful, though it’s exhausting and scary every time I get on a place.  I’m luck that my friends and family are used to me traveling, and so I don’t need to email or skype all the time.

The best part of having some experience is knowing how to manage my time and my resources, so I don’t feel as overwhelmed my first few weeks. I have a more clear sense of my priorities- for me, going out to party is less important than traveling and exploring my new home.  I do some research and pre-plan some things I want to do, which I think isn’t as common but helps me feel grounded.

I’ve also seen my fair share of travel disasters- pick-pocketing and getting lost and being lost in translation- and I am still here to tell the tale.  That gives me a lot of confidence, even though sometimes I have no idea what I am doing!

From your post on 5 things to remember when studying abroad, what is the most difficult for you?

Never say no! A dear friend from Rotary gave me that mantra and it has always served me well. But I still sometimes find myself not buying a sandwich because I’m nervous to order in Spanish, or something equally squeamish. The golden rule of study abroad is really “what you give is what you get,” and if all you give is “no,” you’ll find yourself only receiving “no” in return. Saying ‘yes!” can be scary but I very rarely regret it- instead I end up with better experiences, better memories, and a better education in the cultural exchange.

How do you maintain relationships from home, India, and Ghana?

It’s not easy. I had to make a resolution that I wouldn’t let the distance ruin my relationships with the people I care about. My family is great, and at this point they treat my going away to study in another country the way other parents treat going to school a few hours away. I still miss them but the Internet is a life-saver, and now I can text my mom from Argentina with a smart phone. How lucky am I? I also email my host families in India every few months. It takes a long time for us to go back and forth, but we manage.

Friendships are harder, and take more work for me. I have friends not just from my hometown, but from New York City (where I go to school), and also all the places I’ve lived. Facebook is invaluable, as is email and skype, but what it really comes down to is putting in the work to maintain those relationships. I’ve learned I can’t expect people to chase me. I have to be the one to say, “I’m really interested in what you’ve been up to, can we catch up?” I spend at a couple hours a week skyping and facebook-ing friends; for me it’s time well spent.

Looking back, what advice would you give yourself before all your adventures started?

Don’t be scared! So many people allow fear to dictate their travel experiences- fear of being embarrassed, fear of failing, fear of the unknown. I travel specifically because it scares me, and I think its important to face those fears and explore what the world has to offer. My biggest fear when traveling is always looking stupid, which is the worse reason to not do something that I can think of- I’m still trying to outgrow it. It would be much more reasonable to fear bodily harm or strangers, but India got rid of both of those fears. I am constantly grateful that I took a gap year alone somewhere far away- I had so much time to mess up and recover and learn, and it was so different from everything I ever knew, that I can brush off a lot the fears that come with study abroad for the first time in college. Aside from looking stupid, my greatest fear is not using my time abroad to my best advantage, and the two usually balance out well.

Say Queso!

Break Out the Lederhosen

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The original Oktoberfest starts in just 9 days but here in OKC, we’ve already eaten our bratwurst, danced the polka, and emptied our steins. When some new friends invited us to go to Oktoberfest in Choctaw, OK, Hubby and I were excited to join them. The nine-day festival is put on by Old Germany, a traditional German restaurant located in small city outside of OKC. Although we were drenched by the monsoon-of-a-storm that came through, the music was great, the food was delicious, and the beverages were tasty.

If you cannot find your own Oktoberfest to attend, I would highly recommend visiting the Oktoberfest website. I spent a good hour looking through the Bavarian dictionary, reading the detailed descriptions on each of the tents, and scanning through pictures of costumes. It definitely makes me want to go someday to the real deal.

Hubby and me trying a German brew

Bratwursts and potato cakes with apple sauce…yum

Loved these guys! They were more than willing to have their picture taken.

Steins ranged in price from $50 to several hundred

Abroad Blog of the Week: About the Author

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Due to technical difficulties in Turkey, I’m having to go a bit off script for this Abroad Blog of the Week. I thought about highlighting a few blogs that I’m following but I would rather just make them an ABOW in the future. So when a friend suggested that I interview myself, I decided to take her advice. If you’re new to Global from Home, I am study abroad advisor who has decided to seek as much international culture as possible within 30 miles of my front door. If you’ve been reading for a while (thank you!), here a few facts I haven’t shared before.

What is the best part of being a study abroad advisor?

I love hanging out with students, hearing their adventures, and listening to them as they figure out their path and plans. There is something about the age bracket of 18 to 22 that I find energizing. Their lives are so dynamic and they have so many options and decisions to make. Plus the students I’ve worked with are incredibly creative and motivated. They amaze me daily and inspire me in so many ways. They are what make me want to go to work every day. Now that I’m currently not working in an office, they are what I miss the most.

If you could do it all over again, would you still have studied abroad in Italy?

Yes! As an Italian Studies major, Italy was really the only thing that made sense. Because I was so focused on the language and I went three times, I felt that I became acquainted with an Italy different from many study abroad students. It wasn’t so much about seeing the Coliseum or visiting the Vatican, but rather living like an Italian that was so important to me. The one thing I would change is that I would have gone for longer. I really wish I had lived in Rome for a full year.

How did you come up with the idea of Global from Home?

This past May I found myself a bit frustrated. I hadn’t been abroad in over three years and in all honesty, I was mad about it. Hubby’s job was really intense so he had little vacation time and because we had moved so much in the past three years, going abroad really wasn’t an option. I finally realized that I needed to stop complaining and look at what was around me. Living in San Diego at the time, international culture abounded. I thought that if I started a blog it would keep me accountable to seeking out culture. The blog has made me more intentional about going to festivals, cooking ethnic food, and building relationships with people from around the globe who just happen to live in my hometown.

Now that you’re in Oklahoma, what are your plans?

That is a bit up in the air but I have some thoughts. I do plan to keep up with Global from Home and continue to explore international cultures from OKC. I’m also applying for the PhD program at the University of Oklahoma in Higher Education with hopes to research the study abroad returnee experience. Currently I’m meeting with study abroad offices in the area to talk about starting a study abroad returnee conference. And finally, I’d like to start a Meet Up for people who enjoy exploring other cultures like I do. But in the end, I’m open to anything that comes my way that will allow me to help students have their own international experience.

What advice would you give someone who wants to be global from home?

Food is probably the easiest way to start being global from home. Google authentic recipes from a country you are interested in and try to make them. Research ethnic restaurants in your area and order the most traditional dish on the menu. Other easy ways to explore culture are to look for cultural festivals. The Greek Festival and Oktoberfest are pretty common ones to start with. If you are a reader, internationalize your reading list and add authors who are from a country you’ve visited. The same applies with movies. The most important thing is to just start and be intentional about adding culture into your weekly routine.

Me (in the yellow shirt) with three of my fabulous students

European Reading List

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For some reason I’ve been putting off making my European reading list. But last night I finally got my Global Reads by Region page up and running and I decided I need to get going with my European books as well.

In the past, I have read a number of books written by British authors. Jane Austen is my all time favorite. I read the Night Circus this year by Erin Morgenstern (I definitely recommend it if you are a reader that likes to imagine your books). Of course I’ve read all the Harry Potter novels (who hasn’t), the Lord of the Ring trilogy by Tolkein, and the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, as well as a number of historical fictions on the British monarchies by Philippa Gregory. With all that said, I’ve decided to avoid British writers. Perhaps I’ll give them a section of their own in the future. Instead I’m focusing on books I’ve heard set in Europe but that I’ve never read. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

In the Merde for Love by Stephen Clarke (2005), discovering the culture of the French is a specialty of Stephen Clarke. After reading a great blog post about A Year in the Merde, I scoped out the local library for a copy but instead found the second book in his series. Focused on love in FRANCE, this one is bound to have me laughing.
The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1958), set in the 1860s ITALY, The Leopard tells the spellbinding story of a decadent, dying Sicilian aristocracy threatened by the approaching forces of democracy and revolution. I actually read this book in college in Italian but unfortunately it didn’t stick well. I thought I’d give it a try in English.
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (1945), in a little town in SWEDEN the outrageous red-headed Pippi Longstocking brings adventure to her neighbors. When I was just 4 or 5 my parents took me to the play of Pippi Longstocking but I haven’t read or really heard of her since. This will be a lighthearted and easy read.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1873), a classic I’ve not read yet, Anna Karenina is one of the great novels of RUSSIA. The sensual, rebellious Anna renounces a respectable marriage for an affair that offers passion.
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis (1946), the tale of a young intellectual in GREECE who ventures to escape his bookish life with the aid of his boisterous friend, Alexis Zorba

Help me add to my list! Have you read any great books by European authors?

Abroad Blog of the Week: Take Me Down to the Panama City

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I’ll go ahead and say it up front that I may be a bit partial to this Abroad Blog of the Week. Lindsay and Megan of Take Me Down to the Panama City were two my students in San Diego who are now headed to Panama for a semester abroad. With that being said, I have the unique ability to claim them worthy of your reader before their blog has really even gotten started. Their approach to studying abroad has been incredibly proactive. They took weeks to research programs, they went to every prep event possible, and they were regular attenders at all of my Friday lunches. The two are blogging for their university as a pair, something I haven’t seen much of in study abroad blogs. With limited access to technology in their host city, they will be posting about once a week and the fun all begins this coming week as they jet set from LAX. I was glad to catch up with two of my favorite study abroad bloggers before they hit the road for Panama.

Lindsay, me, and Megan

What will you be studying while you are in Panama?

Megan: Both Lindsay and I will be studying Tropical Island Biodiversity and Conservation Studies at the School for Field Studies. What a mouthful!

How did you two decide to study abroad together?

Lindsay: We both changed our majors to Environmental Science in Fall 2011. We wanted to study abroad together because we knew it would be an easier transition having someone you are friends with in another country and situation with you. We became better friends and roommates through deciding to study abroad together.

Megan: It kind of just fell into place! We are both Environmental Science majors, so we were looking for the same type of program. Lindsay and I had already picked different programs when we heard that the School for Field Studies was launching a pilot program in Panama! The doors for our other programs began to close as the door to Panama began to open wider and wider. In the end, it turned out to be a program that encompassed what we both were looking for and the pieces fell into place! We are excited to go together as we have been roommates and friends at PLNU and look forward to have a little piece of familiarity and home with us as we embark on a new journey.

What will your living conditions be like?

Lindsay: We will be living on an island in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago and we are staying at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas del Toro. We will be living in a dorm type building and have access to classrooms and a library on the property. However we will be living ruggedly as we are a 30 min walk from Bocas Town and have limited access to WIFI. Our research institute is in the middle of the rain forest but is fully equipped with necessary living arrangements.

What are three things you just can’t leave home without?

Megan: As I begin to pack I have realized that there are many things that I feel I can’t leave home without! One would be a bracelet that my best friend, who is also studying abroad, has the twin of. It has an elephant charm for good luck and safety. The second would definitely be my pillows! I am bringing my own pillow to sleep on, even though the station provides one for us, and my travel neck pillow. My little piece of home and comfort in an unfamiliar place. The third, I am a little ashamed to admit, would probably be my nail polish. I have sort of an addiction and have about 40 nail polish bottles in total. Obviously I won’t bring all of these, but it is probably safe to say that even in Panama, my nails will be painted to perfection!

Lindsay: My new Canon Rebel camera, my iPod, and this old black sweatshirt of my dad’s that I wear when I’m homesick or sad.

How have each of you prepared for living in Panama for the next four months?

Lindsay: We have been spending the last six months frantically buying new gear for various activities, getting the appropriate vaccinations and meds, and researching the politics and customs of Panama. I have attended many panels and discussion sessions in the study abroad office talking with past study abroad students about their experiences.

Megan: If we are being honest, I have not prepared near enough! I moved about 1,300 miles away from home to go to college, so I know a little what it is like to pack up and move away from your friends and family. Having said this, I have no idea what it’s like to pack up and move away to another country! I have been researching what it will be like and reading about other people’s adventures in an attempt to get a feel for what mine will be like. The most important thing I think I have done is to move into this experience with an open mind. I have tried to prepare for the unknown and get myself ready to experience things I never could have dreamed of!

What advice would you give other students who are considering studying abroad in a non-traditional location?

Megan: Do it. Even though I have not gone yet, I could not be more excited! You will always have an excuse to go to a traditional location later in life. People travel to Paris all the time for vacation or what have you, but how many people would go to San Jose, Costa Rica for vacation? Not only this, but many traditional locations have cultures that are more similar to ours than non-traditional locations. Great things can happen when you get out of your comfort zone and try something new!

Lindsay: I would encourage them to not be afraid of cultural and language differences. I would want them to research each country with vigor. I would hope that they would feel comfortable talking with other students about their experiences in non-traditional location. And I would stress that they look for God to open and close doors with each study abroad opportunity they encounter.

To Whom Do You Owe The Credit?

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Do you ever really think about what or who inspired your desire to travel? For part of my job, I read and critique scholarship applications for study abroad students. Frequently the essay question is “Why do you want to study abroad?” It is generally answered with one or all of the following cliches: “I want to immerse myself in culture,” or “I want to travel the world,” or the worst, “I want to broaden my horizons.” If I’ve heard these responses once, I’ve heard them a thousand times. I always want to grab the student’s shoulders, shake them and say “Why do you REALLY want to do this?”

Of course advising others has made me REALLY think about my own honest answer to what inspired my desire to travel. When I think back to what sparked my own interest, I believe I have these people to thank:

My next door neighbors – I grew up on a street in Minneapolis that was inhabited by mostly retirees. Walt and Phyllis lived next door and frequently babysat me when my mom went back to school. They were avid travelers and would regularly take me with them to the travel agency where I was allowed to take out all the catalogs and look through the pictures. They also always brought be back a trinket and coins from every place they went. It took me a long time to realize what an influence they had on me from such an early age.
Hun Win, my childhood best friend – She lived across the street and her family immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan. I will never forget the smell of Asian cooking that constantly permeated their home, how Hun Win would alterate between Mandarin and English so swiftly, and just how disciplined her and her brother were with finishing home and practicing the piano. It was my first experience with another culture and I was drawn to how different her home was to mine.
Sra. Strauss, my high school Spanish teacher – I remember speaking jibberish as a kid pretending it was another language; I loved the idea of knowing a language other than my own. Sra. Strauss helped turn my jibberish into something useable. She exposed me to language and culture with patience, humor, and love. While I was never very good at Spanish, I have to say that what she taught me in high school has actually gotten me by quite a few times.

I’m curious, what or who inspired you to travel?

To the Berglunds, Hun Win, and Sra. Strauss, I am indebted to each of you for sharing the world with me. Many thanks!

Abroad Blog of the Week: Brilliant London

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Just because the Olympics are over, doesn’t mean there isn’t more fun to be had in London. This Abroad Blog of the Week proves that is a fact. Ally of Brilliant London is an American expat who has made it her goal to discover London one photo and one day at a time. Her daily posts are easy reads and include pictures, history, and fun facts about various landmarks and events throughout the city. Some of my personal favorite posts were of the Diamond Jubilee. But what I like most about Brilliant London is the variety. You can find the famous tourist spots on her blog, but there is even more of the unknown, less-frequently visited diamonds in the rough. If you’re planning a trip to London, this is definitely a blog to reference. I was fortunate to virtually chat with Ally and get some further tips on exploring London. (Thanks, Ally!)

What made you decide to start Brilliant London?

As American expats, our time in London is limited, and knowing that we will be returning to the States within the next few years, I found myself determined not to miss anything. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity, and I don’t want to return home knowing that I didn’t take advantage of all that London has to offer. I decided that making a commitment to writing about one location a day would be a good goal, and after more than 150 posts, I have just begun to scratch the surface! I am learning so much, and all of my research has provided me with some excellent trivia and party conversation…’did you know that London actually averages less rainfall per year than New York City?’ or ‘did you know that The Queen has owned more than 30 Corgis during her reign?’ See? Isn’t that useful table talk?!

London has been a busy place this summer. What has been your favorite event of the summer?

I have to confess that I have been blogging from the States this summer as we like to come back and see our friends and family while school is out, however, London has been a busy place all year! What excellent timing we have had for our adventure! I was among the crowds lined up along the streets to watch Kate and William’s Royal Wedding Procession, and I was again up at the crack of dawn to wave to The Queen as she passed-by for her Diamond Jubilee Procession. Everything has been so festive in London from the hundreds of union flags strung-up along Oxford Street to the giant Olympic Rings hanging from Tower Bridge. I think my favorite event, though, would have to be attending the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. I will never forget it!

On all your adventures through London do you prefer to go with friends/family or solo?

We do a lot of exploring as a family, and I like to meet up with my friends for a good museum exhibit or theatre production, but I tend to head out on my own during the week to explore the city and take photos for Brilliant London. I map out a specific area, mark a few landmarks, and see where my camera takes me. I love when I find a hidden street or alley that just looks like the London we all picture from Charles Dickens or Sherlock Holmes, and I have taken thousands of photos since I started this project.

Where do you get the best fish and chips?

We love fish and chips! My favorite spot is fish! Kitchen in Borough Market. It is a traditional takeaway counter, and the atmosphere is fantastic! The kids like to watch them batter the fish behind the counter while we wait, and then we can wander around the market afterwards. A great day out!

What advice would you give someone who is moving abroad to London?

First of all, if it is your first time living abroad, cut yourself a break because the details of moving are huge and stressful! Once you get settled-in, though, it can be one of the best experiences of your life. Our family moved from the American suburbs, and we made some important decisions that we don’t regret. We live in the city, near an underground station, and we don’t have a car. London is a very easy city to get around without a car, and our children have become incredibly independent while living in the city. Our lifestyle has changed in the following ways: I grocery shop at the neighborhood market everyday, as our refrigerator is tiny; I do laundry everyday, as our washing machine is tiny; and we spend a lot of time out exploring the city as our house is tiny….are you beginning to get the picture? Other than the lack of space, it has been very easy to adjust from America. For me, London is all about the history, live theatre, museums, international foods, the parks, and the Royal Ceremonies. If you have the opportunity to live abroad in London, go for it, and explore, explore, explore! London is Brilliant!

Global From Home

Exploring the world within a 30 mile radius