Sweden anyone?
So I found the reading in WAC to be interesting but I wish there had been more examples outside of a Swedish context. It would have been interesting to read about students traveling in more Eastern countries. Not that I'm discounting the experiences in Sweden, I just feel that there will be many "different" kinds of conflicts in the Eastern world.
Besides that however, I wonder how reading this material and contemplating these issues will impact my own "culture shock" and whether or not I will experience it to such a intense degree. After all, by preparing myself, am I not sure to alleviate (or at least have some ideas on how to contend with) the stressors of integrating into a new society? But then again, is it even possible to prepare yourself for such an experience? I'm beginning to think not because if you've never been abroad then simply reading about it can only give you a very limited version of the experiences, especially since experiences are extremely individual to the person who experiences it.
I liked Eli's blog because it felt very "real." Perhaps the "holy shit" really helped me connect with the author and relate to the feeling of "oh my god, I'm going to die in a foreign country." Maybe that's what I felt was missing from the Swedish entries. They were obviously geared toward the academic and toward their professors, whereas Eli was more straightforward with his emotional experience and reaction to unfamiliar surroundings.
I wonder how my own perspectives will change and whether the tension and apprehension I am feeling already will increase or decrease as I spend more time dissecting study abroad "techniques." My own turbulent feelings regarding my study aboard is related to something that I can only describe as "American Guilt." It is perhaps a reverse ethnocentrism, where I feel a deep rooted loathing for America and our shallow materialisms. The more I read about other places, the more things seem "greener on the other side." Perhaps this is a knee-jerk reaction to seeing people working hard with their own two hands and having so little "luxury" and yet managing to be grateful for their fortunes, no matter how minute we Americans might view them to be. It makes me feel like a piece of crap to be pining over an mp3 player. Or wanting Taco Bell. Or wanting ANYTHING. How dare I want these things? How dare I feed into excess and the American materialism bullshit? EASY. I just do. And I hate myself a little more every day for doing so.
Guess it just goes to show how unappreciative I am about what I do have.
That's a little depressing :-(
Besides that however, I wonder how reading this material and contemplating these issues will impact my own "culture shock" and whether or not I will experience it to such a intense degree. After all, by preparing myself, am I not sure to alleviate (or at least have some ideas on how to contend with) the stressors of integrating into a new society? But then again, is it even possible to prepare yourself for such an experience? I'm beginning to think not because if you've never been abroad then simply reading about it can only give you a very limited version of the experiences, especially since experiences are extremely individual to the person who experiences it.
I liked Eli's blog because it felt very "real." Perhaps the "holy shit" really helped me connect with the author and relate to the feeling of "oh my god, I'm going to die in a foreign country." Maybe that's what I felt was missing from the Swedish entries. They were obviously geared toward the academic and toward their professors, whereas Eli was more straightforward with his emotional experience and reaction to unfamiliar surroundings.
I wonder how my own perspectives will change and whether the tension and apprehension I am feeling already will increase or decrease as I spend more time dissecting study abroad "techniques." My own turbulent feelings regarding my study aboard is related to something that I can only describe as "American Guilt." It is perhaps a reverse ethnocentrism, where I feel a deep rooted loathing for America and our shallow materialisms. The more I read about other places, the more things seem "greener on the other side." Perhaps this is a knee-jerk reaction to seeing people working hard with their own two hands and having so little "luxury" and yet managing to be grateful for their fortunes, no matter how minute we Americans might view them to be. It makes me feel like a piece of crap to be pining over an mp3 player. Or wanting Taco Bell. Or wanting ANYTHING. How dare I want these things? How dare I feed into excess and the American materialism bullshit? EASY. I just do. And I hate myself a little more every day for doing so.
Guess it just goes to show how unappreciative I am about what I do have.
That's a little depressing :-(