Spring 2012: Keeping Active in Study Abroad Community and Talking to Students
After working in study abroad advising at the University of Minnesota for about a year (right before I left on my own second extensive study abroad experience, this time at Hiroshima University in Saijo, Japan), I am thrilled to keep in touch with my colleagues. I have been keeping informed of the issues in the field via attending Minnesota Study Abroad Professionals meetings; scheduling multiple informational interviews at local universities; subscribing to NAFSA and SECUSS-L listserves, presenting at pre-departure events for UMTC students (for some Russian classes and for the oldest study abroad program in MN - Students for Amity among Nations Program, or SPAN - before students embark on a trip to Russia), and singing up for presenting at the upcoming Minnesota Study Abroad Returnee Conference again. It has been a busy spring!
On another note, It looks like the NAFSA Foreign Born International Educators SIG is no longer active. As a foreign born professional, I can see the value of such group, and would be curious to know of its agenda. However, I can also see how dividing professionals into "foreign-born" and "native" can be more counterproductive than useful. As international educators, we are collaborating with people who are bi- or tri-cultural on a daily basis, so it is only natural that we should be sensitive to specific challenges such people face while learning from their unique perspectives and encouraging such students and professionals to build on them in their selected field of work or studies. Similarly, I would apply this same advice to myself, without necessarily feeling I need additional support while competing in the study abroad job market, for instance.