Office of International Education

1
Maximize your experience ... Piercing the bubble
by engaging the globe.
Bucknell University

• Office of International Education

2
Mission
The Office of International Education provides
opportunities for students studying off-campus to
enable them to gain knowledge and skills leading
to an appreciation of varied global and cultural
perspectives. The OIE also promotes a global
focus to the academic life of the university and
the local community.
Bucknell University

• Office of International Education

3
Fall 2012 STUDY ABROAD PRE-DEPARTURE
WORKSHOPAGENDA

• 600 pm
• 900 am Ice breaker Global Hide Seek
• 130 pm Welcome Introductions
• 630 pm
• 930 am Cultural Competency
• 200 pm
• 800 pm Health and Safety
• 1100 am
• 330 pm
• 845 pm Are you ready to GO?
• 1145 am
• 415 pm

Office of International Education
4
This workshop is designed to

• Provide you with essential tools to enhance your
  intercultural engagement skills.
• Give you information on health and safety to
  ensure a rewarding experience abroad.
• Provide you with resources to research and
  understand your host country/culture.
• Help you to be open-minded and flexible while
  abroad.
• Allow you to challenge yourself while abroad to
  accomplish your goals.

Office of International Education
5
WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

• Be able to use reflective tools to think through
  your upcoming study abroad and enhance your
  preparation for it.
• Understand the concept of culture, culture
  learning, and how to engage your host culture for
  a rewarding study abroad experience.
• Know about health and safety issues, and
  strategic practices to help you cope with likely
  inconveniences of living abroad.

Office of International Education
6
Are You Really Ready For This?

• Dont go abroad without the right intercultural
  preparation and knowledge.

Office of International Education
7
Cultural Intelligence for Study Abroad

• Drive What is your motivation for going
  abroad?
• Knowledge What cultural information is
  needed to do this effectively?
• Strategy What is your plan for this
  assignment?
• Action What behaviors do you need to change/
  adopt to ensure a successful study abroad?
• Based on David Livermore (2010). Leading with
  Cultural Intelligence, New York AMA.

Office of International Education
8
Study Abroad Personal Goals

• Thinking about your upcoming study abroad, answer
  the following questions
• ___________________________________
• 1. What do you hope to gain from your study
  abroad experience?
• 2. List at least three things you hope to
  accomplish in this study abroad experience?
• 3. When you tell your friends and family members
  about the highlights of this
  experience, what would you like those highlights
  to be?
• 4. When the experience is over, how will you know
  
• it has been successful?

Office of International Education
9
UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

• A mind once stretched never
• returns to its shape.

Office of International Education
10
Culture

• The shared sets of values, attitudes, beliefs,
  and behaviors that are widely held by members of
  the host country - Whats Up with Culture? -
  American Peace Corps
• Ways of perceiving, believing, evaluating and
  behaving. It provides the blueprint that
  determines the way we think, feel, and behave in
  society. It is all around us, like the air we
  breathe.

Office of International Education
11

Think about this
Culture hides more than it reveals, and
strangely enough what it hides, it hides most
effectively from its own participants - Edward
T. Hall
Office of International Education
12
Aspects of CultureVisible/
InvisibleObjective/ Subjective
gestures paintings customs food
music literature personal distance
dress degree of eye contact religious
rituals politics religion rules
of politeness rules of friendship
importance of time values work ethic
Office of International Education
13
Functions of culture . . .

• What does culture do for us?

Office of International Education
14
(No Transcript)
15
CULTURE Things to watch out for

• Discrimination
• Scapegoating
• Generalization
• Ethnocentrism

• Prejudice
• Fear
• Stereotyping
• Assumptions

Office of International Education
16
Office of International Education
17
A Framework For Processing Intercultural
Interactions
Office of International Education
18
Tell me something about this picture . . .
Office of International Education
19
A Framework For Processing Intercultural
Interactions

• DESCRIBE
• INTERPRET
• EVALUATE

Office of International Education
20
A Framework for Processing Intercultural
Interactions

• DESCRIBE
• focus on behavior and environment, what you hear
  and see, actions, reactions, facial expressions,
  body movements, spatial relationships, what is
  said, etc.

Office of International Education
21
A Framework for Processing Intercultural
Interactions

• INTERPRET
• explore possible meanings for the actions you
  have observed--how many possible explanations can
  you come up with?

Office of International Education
22
A Framework for Processing Intercultural
Interactions

• EVALUATE
• Is this good or bad?
• It is a good idea to suspend this step if one is
  trying to truly understand an interaction.

Office of International Education
23
D. I. E - An Example

• NEGATIVE
• John did not make eye contact with me during the
  conversation.
• I think he was not interested in talking to me.
• How rude! He thinks he is better than everybody.

• POSITIVE
• John did not make eye contact with me during the
  conversation.
• I think he was shy.
• What a humble guy he is!

Office of International Education
24
Rolling the D. I. E.

• By Rolling the D.I.E., we are forced to look into
  ourselves to determine why we hold certain
  beliefs or why we interpret things in a
  particular way. It is also an excellent tool for
  learning about others and for communicating to
  others . . .
• Sonnenschein, Diversity Toolkit, p. 43
• William

Office of International Education
25
Cultural Gag
http//www.youtube.com/watch?vf5FFZ5KQiYgfeatur
e
Office of International Education
26
Intercultural Communication

• Two or more people communicating who have
  different life experiences.
• What are some of the difficulties with
  intercultural communication?

Office of International Education
27
Understanding Culture and Cultural Variations

• http//www.peacecorps.gov/wws/multimedia/videos/cu
  lturalgaffes/

Office of International Education
28
Why Does Intercultural Communication Fail?

• Being unaware of the key features and biases of
  our own culture not being able to see the
  forest because we are inside it!
• Feeling threatened or uneasy when interacting
  with people who are culturally different.
• Being unable to understand or explain the
  behaviour of others who are culturally different.

• Being unable to transfer knowledge about one
  culture to another culture.
• Not recognizing when our own cultural orientation
  is influencing our behaviour.
• Being unable to adjust to living and working in
  another culture.

Office of International Education
29
Are You Really Ready Yet?

• So What Intercultural Survival Tips Have You
  Picked Up So far?

Office of International Education
30
Intercultural Interaction Tips

• Read about the culture and everyday behaviors
• Talk to people who have grown up in the country
  you will be going to
• Take time to be aware of verbal and non-verbal
  behaviors
• Remember to Roll the DIE, always
• When you arrive, watch for signals
• Be forthright and good natured about yours and
  others gaffes
• Ask questions, and LISTEN to the responses
• Seek to dialogue, not debate, cultural
  perspectives
• Be sensitive . . . .even if they do not make
  sense to you.

Office of International Education
31
Cultural Adjustment

• How do you feel about living in another culture?
• Do you fit into a new culture?
• What are your experiences?

• Feel like a fish out of water?

Office of International Education
32
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• Whenever someone travels overseas they are like
  "a fish out of water." Like the fish, they have
  been swimming in their own culture all their
  lives. A fish doesn't know what water is.
  Likewise, we often do not think too much about
  the culture we are raised in. Our culture helps
  to shape our identity. Many of the cues of
  interpersonal communication (body language,
  words, facial expressions, tone of voice, idioms,
  slang) are different in different cultures. One
  of the reasons that we feel like a fish out of
  water when we enter a new culture, is that we do
  not know all of the cues that are used in the new
  culture.

Office of International Education
33
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• Psychologists tell us that there are five
  distinct phases (or stages) of culture shock. It
  is important to understand that culture shock
  happens to all people who travel abroad, but some
  people have much stronger reactions than others.

Office of International Education
34
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• During the first few days of a person's stay in a
  new country, everything usually goes fairly
  smoothly. The newcomer is excited about being in
  a new place where there are new sights and
  sounds, new smells and tastes. The newcomer may
  have some problems, but usually accepts them as
  just part of the newness. They may find
  themselves staying in hotels or be with a
  homestay family that is excited to meet the
  foreign stranger. The newcomer may find that "the
  red carpet" has been rolled out and they may be
  taken to restaurants, movies and tours. The new
  acquaintances may want to take the newcomer out
  to many places and "show them off." This first
  stage of culture shock is called the "honeymoon
  phase."

Office of International Education
35
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• Unfortunately, this honeymoon phase often comes
  to an end fairly soon. The newcomer has to deal
  with transportation problems (buses that don't
  come on time), shopping problems (can't buy
  favorite foods) or communication problems (just
  what does Pack it in" mean? What is a queue
  anyway?). It may start to seem like people no
  longer care about your problems.
• They may help, but they don't seem to understand
  your concern over what they see as small
  problems. You might even start to think that the
  people in the host country don't like foreigners.

Office of International Education
36
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• This may lead to the second stage of culture
  shock, known as the "rejection phase." The
  newcomer may begin to feel aggressive and start
  to complain about the host culture/country.
• However, it is important to recognize that these
  feelings are real and can become serious. This
  phase is a kind of crisis in the 'disease' of
  culture shock. It is called the "rejection" phase
  because it is at this point that the newcomer
  starts to reject the host country, complaining
  about and noticing only the bad things that
  bother them. At this stage the newcomer either
  gets stronger and stays, or gets weaker and goes
  home (physically, or only mentally).

Office of International Education
37
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• If you don't survive stage two successfully, you
  may find yourself moving into stage three the
  "regression phase." The word "regression" means
  moving backward, and in this phase of culture
  shock, you spend much of your time speaking your
  own language, watching videos from your home
  country, eating food from home. You may also
  notice that you are moving around campus or
  around town with a group of students who speak
  your own language. You may spend most of this
  time complaining about the host country/culture.

Office of International Education
38
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• Also in the regression phase, you may only
  remember the good things about your home country.
  Your homeland may suddenly seem marvelously
  wonderful all the difficulties that you had
  there are forgotten and you may find yourself
  wondering why you ever left. You may now only
  remember your home country as a wonderful place
  in which nothing ever went wrong for you. Of
  course, this is not true, but an illusion created
  by your culture shock 'disease.'

Office of International Education
39
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• If you survive the third stage successfully (or
  miss it completely) you will move into the fourth
  stage of culture shock called the "recovery
  phase" or the "at-ease-at-last phase." In this
  stage you become more comfortable with the
  language and you also feel more comfortable with
  the customs of the host country. You can now move
  around without a feeling of anxiety. You still
  have problems with some of the social cues and
  you may still not understand everything people
  say (especially idioms). However, you are now 90
  adjusted to the new culture and you start to
  realize that no country is that much better than
  another - it is just different lifestyles and
  different ways to deal with the problems of life.

Office of International Education
40
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• With this complete adjustment, you accept the
  food, drinks, habits and customs of the host
  country, and you may even find yourself
  preferring some things in the host country to
  things at home. You have now understood that
  there are different ways to live your life and
  that no way is really better than another, just
  different. Finally you have become comfortable in
  the new place.

Office of International Education
41
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• It is important to remember that not everyone
  experiences all the phases of culture shock. It
  is also important to know that you can experience
  all of them at different times you might
  experience the regression phase before the
  rejection phase, etc. You might even experience
  the regression phase on Monday, the at- ease
  phase on Tuesday, the honeymoon phase on
  Wednesday, and the rejection phase again on
  Thursday. "What will Friday be like?"

Office of International Education
42
CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT

• Much later, you may find yourself returning to
  your homeland and - guess what? - you may find
  yourself entering the fifth phase of culture
  shock. This is called "reverse culture shock" or
  "return culture shock" and occurs when you return
  home. You have been away for a long time,
  becoming comfortable with the habits and customs
  of a new lifestyle and you may find that you are
  no longer completely comfortable in your home
  country. Many things may have changed while you
  were away and - surprise! surprise! - it may take
  a little while to become at ease with the cues
  and signs and symbols of your home culture.

Office of International Education
43
Cultural Adjustment

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vEkZyvDZFC8Qfeature
  

Office of International Education
44

• . . . Comes from being cut off from the cultural
  cues and known patterns with which you are
  familiar, especially the subtle, indirect ways
  you normally have of expressing feelings. The
  nuances and shades of meaning that you understand
  instinctively and use to make your life
  comprehensible are suddenly taken from
  you. Survival Kit for Overseas Living,
• L. Robert Kohls

Office of International Education
45
(No Transcript)
46
REALITY OF CULTURE SHOCK
47
Non-Dominant Hand Exercise
Office of International Education
48
How does adjusting to a new culture feel?

• Frustration
• Tiredness
• Anxiety
• Homesickness
• Depression
• Confusion
• Helplessness
• Paranoia

• Drinking
• Eating
• Aggressiveness
• Hostility
• Irritability
• Withdrawal
• Excessive critical reactions to host culture

Office of International Education
49
Strategies to adjust to a new culture

• Talk about it
• Accept that it is part of a normal process of
  adjustment
• Have a sense of humor
• Read and learn about the new culture
• Lower expectations of yourself and others
• Expect the unexpected
• DIE
• Source Alice Wu, Couth This Be Culture Shock?
• ISSO Newsletter, Cornell University, Fall 96,
  No.2

Office of International Education
50
How your peers have adjusted to a host culture. .
. .

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vGOrQAu4o3Jsfeature
  related

Office of International Education
51
Know before you go . . . .

• What do you know about US politics?
  Government? History? Industries?
• What do you know about your host culture?
  History? Government? Art? Literature?
  Industries?

Office of International Education
52
PANEL

• Student Health Services
• Campus Security
• Your Peers!

Office of International Education
53
Before You Go

• Research health conditions in-country
• Fill personal prescriptions
• Obtain required immunizations/prophylaxes
• Secure medical/SOS overseas insurance
• Obtain a copy of prescriptions, health issues,
  and immunizations
• Pack a personal health kit

Office of International Education
54
Maintaining Physical and Mental Health Overseas

• Healthy Diet
• Fulfilling Studies
• Exercise
• Sleep
• Socialization/
• Recreation

Office of International Education
55
Should I drink it?

• Bring water to boil for 2-3 minutes
• Filter water if possible
• Bottled water
• Bottled beer/homemade
• Ice
• Coffee/Tea
• Brushing teeth

Office of International Education
56
Should I Eat It?

• Daily Multivitamin
• WASH YOUR HANDS!!!
• Milk/Cheeses Boil/Pasteurize
• Meat Fully cooked
• Fruit Soak it, wash it, peel it
• Vegetable Soak it, wash it, peel it, cook it

Special note on lettuce DO NOT EAT unless
prepared by self
Office of International Education
57
Dehli-belly, Seeping Slickness, Calcutta Craps,
Montezumas Revenge, Monkey-butt, Aztec two-step,
Traveling-trots, The Runs, The Squirts...

• You get it by consuming
• someone elses poop!
• Basic Treatment
• Oral Rehydration Salt Solution
• BRAT diet
• When to see the MD
• Bloody diarrhea
• Severe abdominal pain
• Fever

Office of International Education
58
Malaria

• Know about Prophylaxis
• Spend significant amount of time to prevent a
  mosquito bite
• When to see the MD
• High fever/chills
• Body aches
• Excruciating headache

Office of International Education
59
Skin Wounds

• Little scratches can turn into big infections
• Wash, apply antibiotic ointment, dress
• When to see the MD
• Animal/human bites
• Red streaking
• Swollen, red and hot
• Pain out of proportion to the wound site

Office of International Education
60
When NOT to avoid the doctor . . .

• Respiratory infection with high fever and
  shortness of breath
• Fever with a rash
• Any loss of consciousness
• Non-intact skin or mucous
• membranes in contact with blood
• Physical /Sexual Assault
• Remember the iceberg . . .

Office of International Education
61
Mental Health Red Flags

• Out of touch with reality
• Intractable depression
• Anger/rage out of proportion to events
• Paranoia/mania/delusions
• Threat to self or others
• Substance abuse
• All require emergency psychiatric intervention

Office of International Education
62
What can adjusting to a new culture feel like?

• Frustration
• Tiredness
• Anxiety
• Homesickness
• Depression
• Confusion
• Helplessness
• Paranoia

• Drinking
• Eating
• Aggressiveness
• Hostility
• Irritability
• Withdrawal
• Excessive critical reactions to host culture

Office of International Education
63
Alcohol is not an acceptablecoping mechanism.
Binge drinkingCAGE questions
Office of International Education
64
What to do with medical health issues?

• Talk to your Program Director
• Seek medical help
• Contact Bucknells Student Counseling Center
• Contact US Embassy Consular Officer
• Inform Office of International Education as soon
  as possible!

Office of International Education
65
Reasons to go to Student Health Services

• Physicals Tuesday and Friday, 900 am1130 am
• Immunizations Tuesday, 100 pm330 pm
  Wednesday, 900am1130am and 100pm330 pm
• Call and make an appointment a few weeks before
  the due date of any forms!
• No fees going to Bucknells Health Services
• Immunizations provided at minimal cost
• Travax report available for every destination
• Check your insurance coverage
• Get immunized early
• Important to complete all medications as
  prescribed, for typhoid, malaria
• SHS is yellow fever immunization certified
• Get a dental check-up before leaving
• Pay attention to your health upon your return!

Office of International Education
66
Safety while abroad . . .
Office of International Education
67
US State Department Travel Alerts

• http//travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw
  _1168.html

Office of International Education
68
Register with STEP

• STEP
• Smart Traveler Emergency Program
• https//travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/

Office of International Education
69
Travel during program . . .

• Always leave your itinerary with someone at your
  host location
• Inform family of plans
• Know before you go . . .
• Ask before you go . . . .
• http//www.saraswish.org/

Office of International Education
70
Safety precautions while you are traveling. . .

• Do not travel alone
• Always be aware of your surroundings
• Be cautious when consuming alcohol/dont do drugs
• Try to avoid being an obvious target
• Keep informed of current political situations by
  listening to radio and television shows and
  reading the paper
• Stay in contact with program Director
• Stay in contact with your family, host and home

Office of International Education
71
and remember . . .

• that you are under the legal jurisdiction of your
  host country
• what might receive a light sentence in the US
  could be a much higher penalty in another
  country
• drug trafficking receives capital punishment
• if bad news about your host country hits CNN,
  call your parents to let them know you are ok
• in case of emergency (natural disaster, act of
  terrorism), contact your on-site director and
  follow their directions
• register at US State Department before departing.
  www.travelregistration.state.gov

Office of International Education
72
Know before you go . . .

• www.asirt.org
• Association for Safe International Road Travel
• www.studentsabroad.state.gov
• The Department of State
• www.globalscholars.us
• Global Scholar
• (an online learning site for study abroad)
• www.iamat.org
• Inernational Association for Medical Assistance
  to Travelers

Office of International Education
73
Emergency Contact Card
Office of International Education
74
Emergency Contact Card
Office of International Education
75
Safety Securityon the ground!

• Know your emergency contact information on-site
  at your program
• Keep a photocopy of your passport, credit cards,
  insurance card, travelers checks in a safe place
  and leave a copy with your parents
• Always have enough money for one day (50 or
  less, in currency of host country),
• Never carry large sums of cash and never display
  how much cash you are carrying.

Office of International Education
76
Safety in-city andwhen traveling

• Know the 911 in your host country!!
• Know the public transportation systems in your
  new city.
• Be smart and know how to contact the on-site
  staff.
• Be aware of your surroundings when in a hotel or
  hostel. Know where the emergency exits are
  check for smoke alarms.

Office of International Education
77

Think about this
How will alcohol and drugs affect how you
describe, interpret, and evaluate the situation
you are in?
Office of International Education
78
Avoid Virtual Kidnapping

• Register with State Dept
• Verify cell phone reception and NEVER turn off
  your cell phone
• Do not share info about trip/plans on social
  network
• Maintain constant contact with family
• Establish a code word
• Do not travel alone

Office of International Education
79
Avoid Date Rape

• Never attend a social event alone
• Do not leave your beverage unattended
• Order only bottled drinks
• Do not accept a ride or walk home from a new
  acquaintance
• Keep cell phone number of a friend easily
  accessible

Office of International Education
80
Are you ready to GO?

• Have you completed the forms required by your
  program provider?
• Have you reviewed the ancillary costs associated
  with your semester abroad?
• Have you researched travel in your new country?
• Have you researched the currency exchange rate
  with the US ?

Office of International Education
81
Preparing to go . . . financially

• Expect to have unexpected expenses!
• Know your currency in your new home
• Know how to obtain foreign currency
• Understand the conversion rate between the US
  and your new currency
• Notify your home bank about your travel plans for
  the semester and that you will be using your ATM
  around Africa, Australia, Europe, UK!!!
• Always withdraw most available amount to avoid
  banking fees associated with withrawals
• Credit card Visa, MC, AmEx
• Foreign bank account not necessary

Office of International Education
82
Know the social norms of your new culture.

• Dating/relationships
• You should expect differences
• observe before you act
• communicate your boundaries
• move away from any situation that makes you
  uncomfortable.
• Group specific safety notes Observe, be
  sensitive to local customs, express yourself
  appropriately and respectively.
• Women
• Ethnic and religious minorities
• LGBT students
• Students with disabilities, contact Mobility
  International, www.miusa.org

Office of International Education
83
Preparing to go . . . And packing your suitcase!

• Pack only what you can carry yourself!
• Check with airline on restrictions of of bags
  and weight!
• Check with returnees from same program!
• Research climate.
• Avoid clothing that screams, I am American.

Office of International Education
84
What to pack to maximize your experience . . .
Office of International Education
85
Invisible essentials . . .

• Sense of humor
• Observe without judgment
• Responsibility
• Willingness
• Knowledge
• Curiosity
• Ritual
• Restraint
• Acknowledgement

Office of International Education
86
Put a Finger on Safety Success Abroad
Thumb (Obvious)   Index (Leading)   Middle
(Inconvenient but significant)   Ring
(Impactful)   Small (Little things that matter a
lot)
Office of International Education
87
In addition to this workshop, YOU will need to

• Contact your program provider about courses,
  visas, and living arrangements.
• Do your own research on traveling in your host
  country and/or region.
• Do your own research on your specific
  country/host culture.
• Research what to take with you.
• Attend your program provider in-country
  orientation.
• Contact the OIE if you have further questions
  about preparation for your study abroad.

Office of International Education
88
Now, I Am Ready!

• SS

Office of International Education
89
Want to get the most out of your
study abroad?

• Then AVOID these behaviors
• AVOID only spending time with fellow Americans
  abroad.
• AVOID NOT learning the language or NOT learning
  about the culture of the host country.
• AVOID Complaining . . . a lot.
• AVOID announcing to whoever will listen how much
  better America is than the country youre in.
• AVOID only frequenting McDonalds and Starbucks.
• AVOID staying locked in your room and Skype-ing
• your parents daily.
• AVOID judging everyone based on cultural
  stereotypes.
• AVOID taking no part in the planning process and
  letting parents or friends do everything for you.
• AVOID staying within your comfort zone.

Office of International Education
90
Putting your knowledge of cultural competency to
work!

• Take this Handbook with you.
• Continue to use the OIE website as a tool for
  updated resources.
• Stay in touch with program staff in-country, your
  family, your Study Abroad Advisor.

Office of International Education
91
Boa viagem!
Ube nohambo oluhle!
???? ????
Buon viaggio!
Buen viaje!
Siwrne dda!
Gute Reise!
Veilige reis!
???
Bon voyage!
??????????? ????
Štastnou cestu!
HAPPY TRAVELS!
Bon voyage
Milej podrózy!
Štastnou cestu!
Buon viaggio!
Turas math dhuibh
Siwrne dda!
Jó utat kívánok!
Buen viaje!
?????????
Gute Reise
Milej podrózy!
Siwrne dda!
?a?? ta?e?d?!
92
Thank You! Merci! Danke! Gracias!
International Education intled_at_bucknell.edu Taylor
105 570-577-3796
Office of International Education