Nov 29

Culture Clash: Repatriation to India

By Missy Gluckmann India, Repatriation 11 Comments »
Dr Shiva Aayadurai (from the NY Times article)

Dr Shiva Ayyadurai (from the NY Times article)

The New York Times ran an interesting article over the weekend entitled “Some Indians Find it Tough to Go Home Again.” This article reports that more than 34% of repats found it difficult to return to India. While I found this article illustrated some very useful cultural perspectives, I had some real challenges with the lead into the story.

The Times cites the case of Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai, an extremely talented scientist and entrepreneur who has a variety of impressive degrees from MIT in the US. He was offered a position at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a government agency that reports to the Ministry of Science. Apparently, Dr. Ayyadurai left Mumbai at the age of 7 and vowed to “return to help his country.” The article does not state whether he had worked in India for any length of time prior to his position at CSIR, except for a Fulbright experience just prior to the CSIR offer.  The Times states that after 4 months of not receiving feedback or little response from his boss, he forwarded a copy of a proposed business plan/report with his recommendations and impressions of the CSIR to the Council’s scientists, presumably without seeking clearance from his boss to do so. Within days of this action, his email at work was shut down and he was soon told that the offer to hire him was no longer being extended.  The article claims that he then shared his report with journalists and wrote a letter of complaint about his situation to the Prime Minister.

This is where I begin to have a serious problem with this article.  I find it astonishing that Dr. Ayyadurai, such an incredibly brilliant man, approached his role at CSIR without an understanding of the importance of hierarchy in India.  He lived nearly his entire life in the US, was trained in top US universities and had little to no experience working in India, yet no one along the way informed him that India is an incredibly hierarchical society? Did he not realize that distributing a report to the organization that actually criticized the CSIR’s leadership would result in a tremendous backlash?  This immediately sounded a bit too “Jerry McGuire” for me. (“Jerry McGuire” is a film in which Tom Cruise plays a sports agent who writes and distributes a report about his industry that quickly gets him fired.)

I recognize that there are some deeply heated conversations on the internet about this case and the perception of inefficiency in the Indian government;  clearly I don’t know all of the facts. Different news sources state that Dr. Ayyadurai’s boss, Mr. Brahmachari, claims that he never offered a full-time position to Dr. Ayyadurai and that he was instead a contract worker who demanded much higher sum of money than CSIR would ultimately want to spend. He stated that Dr. Ayyadurai broke rules related to decision making in the organization and that resulted in the termination of his “consultancy.”

This case is an unique reminder of the importance of cross-cultural training. With some understanding of his “birth culture,” would it not have been possible for Dr. Ayyadurai to discuss the challenges of the lack of communication from his boss with a trusted local friend or colleague?  Could someone not have illustrated that the lack of a reply WAS indeed a reply? How many times have those of us who have worked in teams with Indian nationals and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) experienced ‘the unspoken no’ either through avoidance, a verbal response of “maybe” or even a “yes” that is thrown out there to avoid the loss of face? Perhaps Dr. Ayyadurai considered these and still chose to move ahead and share his findings with the masses in an effort to stir up a dialogue about the perceived need to change?  I cannot say for sure.

Having searched the internet about this particular case, I think the best cultural advice comes from an anonymous person who simply stated on a blog, “…An individual cannot just do things his or her way (in India). That will not be acceptable even in the United States or Canada.  Dr. Ayyadurai cannot flash his MIT degrees and attempt to take over the functioning of the CSIR…(he) has to get in and learn the system, get established and find out how to make himself useful. Only then can he expect to do ‘earth shattering things’.”

The  tale of Dr. Ayyadurai reminded me of the language we hear from many Peace Corps volunteers in the early days of their assignments abroad:  I’m going to country X to “help”, I’m going to determine what needs to be “changed” to make things more efficient and “better.”  The way the NY Times positions Dr. Ayyadurai’s situation, I’m not at all surprised that he was part of the 34% that had a difficult time. Going to a country to set an agenda with the intention of “helping” is often a recipe for disaster. Nevertheless, had he been in the US and written a report  that deeply criticized his employing organization’s leadership and sent it to teams on the ground, he should have also expected to be deeply reprimanded, if not fired.

For me, this article was a strong reminder of the importance of observation before encouraging change in a “new, old culture”.  It speaks to the need for style switching and the value of finding a trusted cultural guide on the ground, even if the ground is your country of birth.  It reminds me of the need to carefully consider the desire to “help” and how that can be interpreted.

How do reader’s interpret this NY Times article?  I’m particularly curious about Indian perspectives.  I do hope to hear from you!

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Nov 26

Thanksgiving Holiday (US) – A Search for Truth and Thanks

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools, Multicultural Lives 2 Comments »

The United States will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 26th.  We will gather together with friends and family, most of us will eat a turkey with stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and a dessert of apple or pumpkin pie.   We’ll all ignore the obligatory salad that someone has made and instead have second helpings of the carbohydrates, eventually flopping onto the sofa for a cat nap before the festivities end.

The day is meant to be a celebration of the first “Thanksgiving” between the Native Americans and the “Pilgrims”, which is largely a myth.  I am still stumped as to why my country feels the need to perpetuate such myth about this event.  The reality is that historians suspect that the local natives provided much of the food for the harvest feast, as the “Pilgrims” did not have the skills to survive in the new landscape.  Additionally, the ugly history of the takeover of the land is largely ignored and it should be noted that Native populations generally do not see this day as one of celebration. The reality is that a harvest feast in 1621 should not be mistaken as something as simple as a happy meal. The tragedy is that the native population of this country was ultimately systematically slaughtered. Those who weren’t were treated as merely one rung above African American slaves.  The history of my country that most people don’t know that if a Native American was not a slave, he or she typically “owned” one (or many).  I would highly recommend Tiya Miles’ book Ties that Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom to anyone who is interested in learning more about this subject.  It is the story of Shoe Boots, a Cherokee warrior and his slave (and life partner/mother of his children), Doll, an African-American woman. This book leaves a lasting impression and will help you to understand my strong concerns about how our schools repeatedly share corrupted stories of our nation’s history.

Based on this history, I choose to treat Thanksgiving as a day to reflect on what I am personally thankful for and to share that with dear family and friends.  I choose to remember the true history of our nation and take pride in the progress that has been made, as well as remembering so many indigenous people who were slaughtered and enslaved along the way.

Today, I give thanks for a career that allows me to have the gift of  a world view.  I am grateful for the people that I have had the honor to meet through my work – the students who take the leap of faith to pursue their studies abroad, the faculty who give tirelessly to ensure that their experiences are deeply meaningful, and the administrators who think creatively to make sure all the “i”s are dotted and the “t”s are crossed.  Travel is something that I value deeply, and this past year I was able to participate in an educational program in Germany.  I am so very appreciative for that experience.

On this day, I am particularly grateful for the larger network of professionals that I work with on a daily basis. These are truly the most giving of mankind, in a league of their own.  This morning, while reading an email from a list-serv, I was reminded of how generous this breed truly is.  One of my colleagues had asked for help on a list-serv. One of her students had left her I-20 at her home college. She was in Canada and needed the document to re-enter the US in the appropriate visa category, however, there wasn’t enough time to mail the I-20 to her abroad.  Colleagues from around the US emailed with their suggestions for this case;  one in upstate New York even offered to drive to the border to meet the student and explain the situation to the border agent.  Wow – talk about going above and beyond! This is the fine field that I have been blessed to work in  – one of compassion, support, and educating toward truth.  And this Thanksgiving, I am humbled and grateful.

“Happy Thanksgiving” to each of you – however you choose to celebrate it.

Nov 20

Reflections on Multicultural Lives and “The Travel Bug”

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Week, Multicultural Lives 6 Comments »

International Education Week rolls around each year and we dutifully plan events on our campuses to encourage students to think about the world around us.  Many of us don’t wait for this week to facilitate programs that will engage our students to think about the world that we live in through a different lens.  On my campus I have facilitated a panel nearly each semester: “Global Citizenship: Multicultural Lives and Multilingual Careers”. The intent of this panel is to illustrate the value of experiencing other cultures first hand and how knowing a 2nd language (or 3rd, 4th, 5th…) can open doors and hearts more than playing it safe and staying at home.

This panel resurfaced for International Education Week 2009.  Keep in mind that I’ve facilitated this panel 3 times and I personally know 3 of the 4 presenters. They are people that I worked with during a stint in the corporate world and we grew close during our long days holed up in the International Assignment Services offices, assisting companies and individuals/families relocate abroad for employment purposes.  We first became colleagues, then dear friends that I have stayed in close contact with for a decade – so I “think” I know these people well.  Round 3 of this panel proved that there is always something new to explore about a life lived in another culture….or cultures!

Four panelists spoke  and shared their passion for other cultures and a total of 9 languages.  Roberto, originally from Brazil, spoke of his father’s insistence that he learn English as a young boy.  A high school exchange program took him to Michigan for a year and he returned home to study for a BA degree, eventually landing a job at an Brazilian airport in customer service.  His little experience with Italian helped him to land this position, which he eventually left to pursue graduate studies in the US.  This is where his little bit of experience with French became particularly important.  He spotted a firecracker of a young woman with beautiful red hair, freckles and bright blue eyes.  Natalie, from French speaking part of Canada, eventually became his wife. When  he met her family in Canada, they were floored that this man from Brazil was able to converse with them in French.  Three children later, they are off to Singapore for a new adventure. Their 3 children speak 3 languages – from the moment they were born, Natalie has only spoken French to them, Roberto has only spoken Portuguese and they have learned English from their school in Connecticut.  As Roberto lovingly stated to our students, “Until they start acting funny, we’re going to keep throwing languages at them.”  They will next learn Mandarin in their new home.  Roberto described this new move abroad as an extension of their need to travel and experience life – this “travel bug” that international educators speak of from time to time.

Karen, another panelist, is an American who grew up in suburban Connecticut.  She quickly became fascinated with Russia in High School.  Something about this place intrigued her; she didn’t know what it was but had to pursue this language.  She wanted to talk with people there and knew that she could not rely on English, so she studied endlessly, spent time abroad in Moscow and eventually returned to the country to, as she put it, “practice my Russian since a friend was living in Moscow and had a couch that I could sleep on.”  She became so fluent that she was offered, with no prior work experience except babysitting and working at Shop Rite, a Manager position in the first 24/7 copy shop in Moscow.  She worked with a team of Russians, provided sales outreach to American headquartered companies that had new offices in Moscow and learned as she went.  One of her most important nuggets of learning came when she told students about how she tried to motivate the employees by instituting an “Employee of the Month” program. Little did she know that the employees were meeting behind her back, developing a  strategy about how NOT to be given this “honor.”  Karen explained that she had not realized that a country with such a distinct communist history would not seek pleasure in celebrating an individual. She quickly changed the program to a “shift” award and it was highly successful.

The audience laughed heartily at Karen’s story and all of the unique and humorous experiences of all 4 panelists, yet the common thread was this unending need to go abroad, to learn about “the other”,  and to invest in language acquisition. I have friends who are from rural areas in the US, that have never had a family member who has traveled, yet they have spent most of their trying to go abroad and to explore other cultures.  I’ve met siblings that are as different as they can be – one that has stayed at home, married and settled down not more than a stone’s through from her parents while the other traveled abroad extensively, became an ESL teacher to facilitate more travel options and then spent 2 years in the Peace Corps.

All 4 speakers yesterday referenced the “travel bug” repeatedly and last night I began to reflect, where DOES this “bug” come from and why do I have it?  What drives some people to take that leap of faith, get on a plane and explore another place in this world while others are completely happy and comfortable staying at home watching the news?

I’d be interested in your thoughts on this subject.  Do you have the bug and if so, where do you think it came from?

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Nov 18

Learning the Field of International Education: The NAFSA Academy

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools, NAFSA No Comments »

NAFSA (Association of International Educators) is running the Academy program again in 2010.  For those of you who don’t know NAFSA, it is one of the primary professional associations for international educators. Headquartered in Washington DC, it offers a massive national conference that attracts educators and 3rd party providers/partners from around the world.  NAFSA also offers regional conferences each fall, which are more intimate gatherings with colleagues from a several state region.

The Academy is the training program for those who are interested in exploring the field of international education. This is an excellent opportunity for those who are relatively new to the field and who would like exposure to various career tracks under the umbrella of international education.  Those who are accepted into the Academy must commit to a 9 month program and develop learning goals. They will be paired with a seasoned mentor who will work closely with them to work toward their learning plan goals and to assist in networking within the field so that they are pulling from the most appropriate resources for their own learning paths.  Having served as a mentor in this program,  I have seen the added benefit of Academy participants bonding with a cohort of peers who will become friends and “go to” colleagues down the road.

Academy participants learn the basics of International Admissions, International Student Advising, Education Abroad and Management. They are expected to attend a training in the Spring in Atlanta, Georgia (US)  and then to attend the national and their local regional conferences. Membership to the organization is given for up to 18 months as part of the program and mentoring is continuous throughout the 9 month period, although it typically takes place by phone and email during the bulk of the program.  Participants will also have access to NAFSA’s online manual during this period.

Applications for the Academy are due by December 1st, 2009.  There is a fee of $1649 to participate, but this typically  includes membership and registration fees for the 3 face to face meetings/conferences (although the region determines whether to discount or waive the regional conference fee).  Travel costs to conferences are additional, but many employers will contribute to the program fee and travel costs.

If you know anyone interested in the field of international education, please do tell them about the NAFSA Academy. And if you’re a seasoned professional and would be interested in volunteering your time as a mentor, it is a very rewarding experience and offers a tremendous opportunity to give back to our field, which has given us so much.

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Nov 17

Insurance Tips: Protect Yourself When Traveling Abroad

By Missy Gluckmann Travel Tips No Comments »

Whether one travels for personal pleasure, work or for an academic experience, it is critical that insurance be part of the planning process.  There are 2 main types of insurance to consider: emergency/health insurance and trip cancellation insurance.

Emergency/health insurance is invaluable when leaving the U.S., even if just for a brief vacation. Most people in the U.S. don’t realize that their domestic health insurance policies may not cover illness or accidents abroad. If they do, they often require more lengthy paperwork to determine if and how to reimburse the traveler. Your regular health plan typically will not cover extreme emergencies such as medical evacuation to the region’s best medical facility.

Many international health insurance policies are designed to cover international emergencies, some including a policy provision that reimburses a family member for the cost of flying to the host country to be at the bedside of a seriously ill child or spouse.  While we don’t like to talk about the subject of death abroad, an international health/emergency policy also typically covers repatriation of remains to the home country.

The cost of the policy ranges depending on the age of the traveler and the length of time abroad.  Some companies allow insurance to be purchased by the week, while others only offer a monthly insurance option. I’ve seen prices range from as low as $12 a week to $35, and even $135 a month.  The cost will depend on age, with younger travelers being able to buy coverage more inexpensively.

If you are traveling for your job, remember to talk with your human resources office to determine what policy provisions are in place for international travel. What would the process be should you fall seriously ill or have an accident abroad? In many cases, having your company purchase a “one off” travel policy for you is well worth the expense. Note that under U.S. employment law, any injury that takes place while traveling for work is overed under worker’s compensation guidelines.  Should you be injured while abroad – whether it be tripping while walking on a street or being in a car accident – you should file workman’s compensation paperwork as quickly as possible.  Talk with your human resources office to determine how the process is handled at your job.

For student travelers, many programs abroad include traveler’s insurance.  You should ask for the complete policy prior to departure to determine if you require supplemental insurance. Many student programs include the ISIC (International Student ID card.) This card carries basic medical and accident insurance.

Reputable student programs, whether they be for academic credit, volunteer work or internships abroad, should have clear guidelines on their insurance requirements and policies.  With many students traveling to “non-traditional” locations around the work, many organizations have a risk management office to write and tweak policy and guidelines around these issues.  You should feel free to speak with the risk management officer when researching programs abroad.

The second type of insurance is trip cancellation insurance. This is key to avoiding financial loss should you suddenly have to cancel your trip abroad due to a true emergency. While each policy varies, most will cover reimbursement of trip expenses related to medical emergencies that take place prior to departure. these policies typically have a pre-existing condition clause, so be sure to read the fine print.

Note that these policies typically do not cover issues such as having a friend plan her wedding the week you are departing. Sorry, but the insurance companies cannot help you in these cases. Be sure to get your social calendar in order before you make your travel plans.

Safe travels!

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Nov 15

Inspiration: Dr. Tererai Trent from Zimbabwe

By Missy Gluckmann Uncategorized 2 Comments »

I have been out of the office for the past two weeks and needless to say, my to do list is a bit daunting. One of the items on my list was to craft a new post, and in my research I came across an Op-Ed in the New York Times about Dr. Tererai Trent, a woman from Zimbabwe.

Dr. Trent dreamed of studying abroad and pursuing a PhD in the United States.  She was not permitted to study as a child, with the exception of 2 terms.  Instead, she quietly completed her brother’s homework as a way to learn on her own.

At the age of 11 she was married off and had 3 children by the age of 18.  She was accepted to a University in Oklahoma and took her family abroad with her. Short on food, money and challenged with brutal beatings by her husband, she still managed to complete her studies.  She went on to complete a PhD despite the barriers and challenges.

Dr Trent’s story reminded me why my to do list and Mondays should never be so daunting.  She reminded me that I am here to assure my students that nothing is impossible.  So despite a very long to do list for Monday morning, I will close my eyes and recall Dr. Trent’s story and know that as international educators, we do what we do for a very important reason.  We are here to support the dreams of our beautiful students and to erase their fear and gently push them closer to living their dreams and reaching their human potential.

Who inspires you in your work? Who is your Dr Tererai Trent?

Below is a video of Dr Trent’s story that was shown on Oprah (TV show):

http://www.oprah.com/media/20090925-tows_tererai-dream-education

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Nov 14

Kseniya Simonova Sand Art: A Creative Tool for Training

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools No Comments »

This video is of Ms. Kseniya Simonova, a Sand Artist who hails from Ukraine. She created a magnificent portrayal of life in the USSR during the Great Patriotic War against the Third Reich during the Second World War.  Did I mention that she did this using SAND?  Yes, you heard me correctly.  She is drawing in sand that is in a light box while it is being projected onto a screen behind her.

This video has been seen by more than 7.5 million viewers worldwide via YouTube.  Ms. Simonova won the 2009 “Ukraine’s Got Talent” competition with this incredible artistic creation. While I would normally not argue that these pop culture “talent” shows are commonly suggested tools for international educators, this one clearly breaks from the pack of the “reality television” fodder.  This video would enhance learning about this region of the world as well as increase the creativity in doing so. I can easily see it being used in history classes and pre-departure orientations and students would be particularly engaged by the unique approach to learning about the subject.

Grab your tissues, you will need it for this moving presentation by Ms. Simonova.

YouTube Preview Image

Nov 13

Deciding Factors in Study Abroad – Women vs Men

By Missy Gluckmann Research 4 Comments »

The article below was printed in the Chronicle of Higher Education on November 6th, 2009.  I found this new research regarding why women tend to study abroad more than men to be particularly interesting, yet I am not completely convinced by these findings.

Women have dominated educational travel abroad for decades -  in the earliest tradition as a way to teach girls to be “young ladies” who were well versed in foreign languages and the arts. The vast majority of study abroad programs still reside in Western European countries and require language and culture study.

This article does not clarify whether men are less likely to go abroad due to more stringent academic requirements in fields of study that are more traditionally populated by men (i.e. engineering/sciences/math that require sequential coursework with less flexibility for study). It also does not reference the quality or method of academic advising that led students to decide to participate in study abroad.

I find the commentary about women following faculty advising to be particularly interesting.  Does this mean that women latch on to a positive faculty influence more readily than men do and therefore elevate the possibility of receiving direct advice about the value of study abroad? Does this hold true for other academic experiences such as internships or co-op experiences?

I want to know more about the data collection and what other factors were considered before feeling confident in this research.  The research references data from 19 colleges  – 4 year and 2 years institutions.  But what is the split – were there 17 four year schools and  2 community colleges? Were the four year colleges private or public institutions? What is the break down of the majors of the 2800 students?  Were they primarily humanities/social science students?  What percentage were in the hard sciences?

What are your initial thoughts on this research?  Are women and men significantly different in factors that lead to decisions about study abroad? What questions or affirmations does this research raise for you?  I’m curious to hear your feedback and equally curious to see if there will be expanded research on this subject.  The topic is a vital question for international educators and certainly one that will be of great interest to those in the field that are responsible for marketing programs to their own students and those on other campuses.

November 6, 2009 – From the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Men and Women Differ in How They

Decide to Study Abroad, Study Finds

By Peter Schmidt

Vancouver, British Columbia

Women appear to be much more likely than men to choose to study abroad because of significant gender-based differences in how students are influenced by their backgrounds, academic environments, and social interactions, according to research results being presented here this week as part of the annual conference of the Association for the Study of Higher Education.

The findings suggest that advocates of study-abroad programs “need to craft targeted marketing strategies that recognize and account for key differences between women and men,” says a paper summarizing the results of a study by three researchers at the University of Iowa.

“While intent to study abroad among women seems to be affected by influential authority figures and educational contexts,” the paper says, “intent to study abroad among men seems to be primarily shaped by emerging personal values, experiences, and peer influence.”

The key question the study sought to tackle was why women are almost twice as likely as men to embark on foreign study. Although the gender gap is sometimes assumed to simply reflect the preponderance of women in the fine arts, foreign languages, and other humanities majors heavily represented in foreign-study programs, the reality is that it exists even in male-dominated majors such as engineering and the hard sciences.

Mark Salisbury, a research assistant at Iowa’s Center for Research on Undergraduate Education, and Michael B. Paulsen and Ernest T. Pascarella, both professors of higher education there, based their analysis on data about some 2,800 students at 19 four-year and two-year colleges and universities participating in the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. The students were surveyed by the Wabash-study researchers shortly after entering college as freshmen in the fall of 2006 and were asked about their intent to study abroad when surveyed again in the spring of 2007.

In crunching the survey data to determine what had influenced students’ decisions to study abroad, the researchers found marked differences in how the different genders responded to different forces in their lives.

Having highly educated parents appeared to make women more likely to intend to study abroad, but it did not have any effect on men’s intentions, reflecting the broader observation among researchers that women are more likely to make college-going decisions based on their parents’ preferences.

Similarly, taking classes that focus on human diversity and differences appeared to leave women more likely to intend to study abroad but did not have an impact on men, suggesting that, just as women are more influenced by their parents than are men, they may be more influenced by faculty members or, at least, the courses that faculty members teach.

The Iowa researchers are found that:

  • The more men interacted with their peers, the less likely they were to intend to study abroad. Peer interactions did not have such an impact on women.
  • Women, but not men, who attended regional institutions or community colleges were less likely than those attending liberal-arts colleges to intend to study abroad. The researchers speculated that perhaps “something about the educational culture at regional institutions and community colleges is negatively affecting women’s intent to study abroad,” or that perhaps “women attending these institutions are impacted by additional obligations such as family or parenting responsibilities that preclude the possibility of studying abroad.”
  • Being undecided on a major appeared to leave men substantially more likely to choose to study abroad but not to have any significant impact on women.
  • In some cases, culture and gender appeared to interact. Asian-American men, but not Asian-American women, were significantly less likely than white students to intend to study abroad. And although Hispanic men and white men were equally likely to intend to study abroad, Hispanic women were significantly more likely to intend to study abroad than were white women.

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Nov 12

Lessons from Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)

By Missy Gluckmann Boston, ESL, ESL Conference, Germany, March 2010, Uncategorized No Comments »

I have periodically taught Second Language (ESL) throughout my career. I’ve taught in classrooms and tutored individual students, but I’m quite certain that the students teach me more than I could ever teach them.  They come from a variety of countries and life experiences, sharing information about their daily routines, political issues in their home countries, gender roles and cultural norms.  They are very inspiring and humble, and are typically very dedicated to learning the English language.

One of my most memorable students was the spouse of a non-immigrant expatriate on assignment. Angela is from Germany; she and her husband and their young daughter were relocated to Westchester County (NY) by his employer. Although she did not know anyone in this community, Angela went out every day and practiced what little English she knew at local shops and the library.  She quickly joined the local gym in an effort to meet people.  Her daughter went to school for several hours each day and rapidly picked up English without any formal lessons.  This little four year old girl walked into the classroom, as fearless as her mother, and absorbed her surroundings like a sponge.

I do not speak German, so Angela and I initially relied on non-verbal cues to communicate with one another early on. Something as simple as playing “Simon Says” with Angela and her daughter became a vocabulary lesson.  Sometimes during our lessons we would read letters and forms that were sent home by her daughter’s school. Many of these were simple reminders about holidays, school parties and activities.  However, there were  the occasional health letters that entered into our lesson.  Angela asked me to help her with a letter that served as a reminder not to send children to school if they were “vomiting or had diarrhea.”  One can only imagine how awkward it is to explain these two ailments to a non-native English speaker.  Needless to say, non-verbal communication was key!

As Angela’s English improved, I assigned a short book for her to read while at home.  Then, at each lesson, she would read aloud and we would discuss the plot.  It was a tricky challenge for her, as she was exploring new letter combinations that forced her to use her mouth and tongue in a different way than she would in German.  One of the biggest challenges for Angela was to master the “th” sound. For Germans, the tendency is for the tongue to reside inside the teeth when attempting this sound, forcing more of a “z” sound (e.g. “zis” vs “this”.) I reminded her to stick out her tongue, and she and I giggled often as she made a face to get this difficult sound from her mouth.

I taught Angela for nearly two years and I am humbled by how quickly she progressed. She went from being a woman who was afraid to answer her phone to one who can articulate her thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires with confidence. I was honored to contribute to her ability to navigate the waters of this new culture.

Teaching ESL has reminded of important life lessons when living abroad:

1.  Be Fearless:  The point of being abroad is to see and do something that you would not experience at home.  Staying in because you don’t know the language  is not an excuse to miss out on the adventure. Get out, get a bit lost and listen to your surroundings. Throw caution to the wind!  At the very least,  you’ll have a great story to tell later!

2. Shift the View: You’ll see the world through a new set of lenses and it is important to embrace this new view. When I lived in London, I remember observing all of the buildings so carefully, as the city was so much older than almost anything I had seen in the US. Every time I stepped out of my flat (apartment), I experienced visual overload. It was wonderful! When I did eventually return home, I was able to see the world through a new set of eyes, which made home a ‘new’ place too and helped tremendously with the re-entry shock.

3. Humor: Be open to making mistakes and be willing to laugh when you make them. Laughing at yourself in these situations is definitely more fun than crying and often a better coping technique.

If you are interested in learning more about Teaching English as a Second Language and the places it can take you, the 44th Annual TESOL Convention and Exhibit will take place in Boston, Massachusetts from March 24 – 27, 2010.

Nov 11

Read Your Way Abroad: 10 Top Books

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools 2 Comments »

(Note: This is a reprint of an article that I wrote for “The Examiner” in December 2007.)

I am an avid reader and love everything about books; from the smell of the ink on the paper, to the feel of the pages between my fingers.

When I’m not able to get away, I can usually be found with my nose in a great book.  With the holiday season rapidly approaching, I thought it would be helpful to share with you a few great reads. Each one of these books offers a chance to learn about another culture – either directly (travel writing) or through a work of fiction that provides clues to a culture’s daily routines and or history. Some of these are personal favorites, while others were recommended to me by friends. Here are a few titles to consider the next time you’re mulling around the bookstore or library.

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:  Highly recommended by a dear friend, this story is about a young shepherd boy in search of a treasure. He lives in the mountains of Andalusia but his quest takes him to the Great Pyramids. Having to overcome many challenges, the young man discovers the treasure within.  It’s an excellent tribute to the power of believing in your dreams, trusting your instincts and never giving up.

2. Down the Nile: Alone in a Fisherman’s Skiff by Rosemary Mahoney:  This beauty of Mahoney’s writing is that she makes it clear that she’s solely looking to offer an American perspective of her travels – an outsider trying to understand, rather than define the Egyptian culture for her readers. This particular book chronicles her solo journey down the Nile River, in a small rowboat, despite the barriers that exist with every move.

3. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert: This memoir chronicles the journey of self-discovery of a recently divorced woman, Gilbert, as she travels around the world: she learns Italian in Italy, finds spirituality in India, and falls in love in Indonesia. Don’t discount this one as a book solely for women.  There are many valuable lessons on life, courage and love.  It’s a must read for anyone who has ever fantacized about ditching the daily grind for an extended adventure abroad.

4. French or Foe by Polly Platt:  For those traveling or moving to France, this book offers insight into the minds of the often misunderstood French.

5. God Grew Tired of Us:  A Memoir by Jon Bul Dau, Michael Sweeney:  Mr Bul Dau grew up in a traditional  cattle village in Sudan.  The 1987 civil war forced him as a child to flee his home in the middle of the night. As one of thousands of “lost boys,” he survived hunger, violence and exhaustion. His life story was recently chronicled by National Geographic.

6. Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah McDonald: Written by an Australian journalist who swore that she’d never return to India – then does when her fiance is sent on an extended work assignment to New Delhi – this book is pure joy and wit. McDonald’s spiritual journey is educational. She writes about Hinduism, Jainism, Island and other religions practiced in India. The miracle of this story is her growing love for her temporary home, despite a negative experience as a young woman.

7. In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson:  I had a difficult time selecting which read American author, Bill Bryson, I should add to this list. Carefully crafting humor with history, you’ll be laughing until your sides ache while you learn the nuances of Australia’s values and history.  His writing about his visit to the beach truly had me in stitches!

8. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: In his first book, Hosseini tackles the emotional tale of two childhood friends growing up in Afghanistan. This book was made into a feature film and ironically, four of the child actors in the film have left Afghanistan, fearing that they could be subjected to violence as a result of one of the film’s scenes. (Read the book, I won’t give it away!)

9. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver:  A work of fiction, this book chronicles the story of an evangelical Baptist who, in 2959, takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo.  The family’s journey is intertwined with that of the Congolese’s fierce fight for independence.  This ambitious novel has landed on many favorite book lists.

10. Shogun by James Clavell:  A dear friend from the Philippines told me that this book had such a profound impact on her that it inspired her to visit Kyoto, Japan for her birthday. It’s a fictional account of the exploration and exploitation of the Orient in the 16th century.

Nov 10

Intercultural Training through Fiction

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools, NAFSA No Comments »

One of the most valuable sessions that I attended at the NAFSA bi-regional conference last week was “Thinking Outside the Book: Accessing the World through Words.” This session was the brainchild of Nancy E. Young, Associate Director of the Office for International Students and Scholars at New York University. I was very fortunate to have the honor of working alongside Nancy early in my career and know firsthand that she is a very gifted adviser, educator, trainer and writer. She presented this session with James Leck, another incredibly talented international educator from Boston University.

Nancy began the session by having audience participants read quotes about reading – this set the tone for the importance and value of words and their meaning, or perceived meaning. My quote, by Thomas Carlyle, was one that I would have hand picked if given the choice: “What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books.”

Nancy described how her passion for reading became an opportunity for not only personal development, but professional development. Each book we read tells us a story, but it also provides us with many hints about culture. Why do the characters behave a certain way? Why do they respond (or not respond) in a particular manner? How would we, based on our own cultural upbringing, react to the characters and circumstances? What influences these behaviors and decisions? How can we better understand ourselves and the characters through works of fiction?

Nancy offered guidelines to consider when reading intercultural fiction. Areas such as gender, daily habits, individualism vs collectivism (Hofstede), time, and the author were outlined as a starting point. A series of questions about each of her guidelines were provided and then we were asked to listen to a snippet of a short story by Jhumpa Lahiri, read quite gracefully by James. We drifted into story land, absorbing all of the cultural cues provided in Lahiri’s work. I closed my eyes to imagine the scene that James was describing, began to feel the characters near me, smelling the food that was described, hearing their voices develop as the plot did.

James and Nancy then had us break into small groups to discuss Lahiri’s words against the 12 “frameworks” provided. My group quickly addressed gender and time/time period while others focused on cultural issues that were less visible to the reader, such as communication style. It became quickly apparent that this type of exercise would facilitate dialogue about cultures with our students, faculty, administrators, staff – even friends and family – in a non-threatening manner. After all, we were not talking about ourselves, but characters from a story. This model adds tremendous value to our ability as educators to create opportunities to dialogue about cultural differences and to surface similarities that may not have been immediately visible.

As international educators, we have a responsibility to develop and maintain our own tool kits to refer back to when working across cultures. I am very appreciative of the value of the tools that Nancy has made available at www.thinkingoutsidethebook.org. This beauty of this tool is that it can easily be used with a variety of populations on our campuses: ESL classes, international students’ orientation, study abroad students pre-departure and re-entry orientations, across diverse teams and via campus wide/community reading programs. I would encourage you to visit this site and explore some of the readings suggested by Nancy and James. And as soon as I finish my latest read: “The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (from Nigeria), I will incorporate one of her short stories into an upcoming training or orientation.

I’m curious to know what works of fiction you will be using in future intercultural training. Add a comment with the name of the author and book title for others to consider.

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Nov 05

“Crossing Borders” – A Must See Documentary

By Missy Gluckmann International Education Tools, International Education Week No Comments »

This posting must begin with the recognition that the Yankees were playing last night (and ultimately won) the World Series last night.  Now keep in mind, that I do realize that it is incredibly ethnocentric for the US to call the North American baseball series a “World Event”.  However, I was born and raised in NY and have not missed a World Series Yankee game in my life.  So last night, while at the NAFSA conference, I debated whether to slip away from the TV to watch a 72 minute documentary about 4 Moroccan and 4 American students who spend a week traveling together.  Boy am I glad that I did.

The film “Crossing Borders” by Arnd Wachter is POWERFUL.  I cried and I laughed.  It moved me to my core and reminded me why I usually cannot believe that someone pays me to create opportunities for dialogue across cultures, for better understanding across people and nations, and for the joy of watching students see the world through different lenses.  As my friend and colleague James Leck, from Boston University, often says, ”international educators are the quiet revolutionaries.”  This film reminds me that there is nothing more true or important than the work that we do.

“Crossing Borders” is a documentary that follows 4 Moroccan and 4 American University students as they travel together in Morocco and in the process of discovering “The Other”, they discover themselves.   This film is the brainchild of Director Arnd Wachter, who was raised in East Germany.  It was his response to the events of 9/11 and the Iraq war – when we all asked ourselves the impossible question – how can I deal with living in a world with such violence and hatred? What can I do to change this?  How can I make sure that I am not sitting by silently?

One of the challenges of being in international education is you often don’t get to experience, first hand, those “a-ha” moments that the students experience when they are in their host country.  We know that they are happening, constantly, but we usually hear about them when they return, or if we’re lucky, via an email or skype conversation.  What is remarkable about this film is that we witness 8 young people from 2 markedly different cultures experience those “a-ha” moments about each other as if we are sitting side by side with them.  They bravely address 9/11, the media, stereotypes, dignity and respect, wealth and poverty, religion, their commonalities, ignorance, loneliness, family and so much more in such an incredibly honest and  humorous way. Wachter does a magnificent job of representing the Moroccan culture.  The transitions he uses between scenes, editing of 70 hours to a mere 72 minutes while effectively getting the message to the viewer, along with the quotes that he strategically places throughout the  film, are nothing short of masterful.

That Wachter is anxious to bring the film to campuses around the world is particularly exciting.  This film will be a very effective tool to create dialogue about religions and how they can better understand each other and create opportunities to dispell myths and work together.   Wachter will provide materials about intercultural tension prior to each campus screening, will present the film and answer questions and will assist in the facilitation of dialogue about religion and culture.  I cannot think of a more appropriate time in our history to advocate for this film to be seen.

After the screening, while wiping away tears, I thanked Wachter for his deeply meaningful, witty and educational film.  I did not regret missing the final game of the World Series – as I watched something much more genious than Matsui’s 6 RBIs!  Needless to say, I committed to spreading the word about this film. My hope is that you will do your part in helping to educate others about the opportunity to experience how these youth, with nothing but 7 days to spend together, were able to break down the supposed “clash of civilizations” between Islam and the West.

Please enjoy the trailer of the film and I look forward to your comments:

http://crossingbordersfilm.org/

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Nov 04

SEVIS II Overview

By Missy Gluckmann SEVIS No Comments »

This posting is a deviation from study abroad program that depart from the United States.  Today, as I’m writing from the NAFSA conference, I am reporting on a tool called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Informtion System), the US government’s web based technology that is used to track visiting students and their dependents while in the US for their studies.  This posting will give you an idea of complex the process can be to bring a student or scholar into the US, which will make many of you feel a bit better about the hoops that you may need to jump through to obtain a visa to travel or study outside the US!

For some time now, we have heard about upcoming deployment of  ”SEVIS II”, so today I listened in at the NAFSA Bi-regional conference about the changes to the system.  The deployment will take place in two phases, however both are behind track.  Phase One – Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is now expected to take place in Spring 2010, although one presenter commented that she believes it may be unlikely to reach the February 2010 target date.  Phase Two – Full Operating Capability (FOC) is expected to take place at least 6 months after Phase One deployment.

The goal of SEVIS II is to have only one ID number for each visitor to the US.  Currently in SEVIS, a student can have multiple SEVIS numbers.  SEVIS II will instead have an IIN (Immigration Identification Number) and anyone in the world can apply for an IIN number.   The new system is also intended to create a paperless process, so Designated School Officials (DSOs) will not have to print multiple I-20s for students. (An I-20 is a goverment document that is issued by a school or university which is to be presented by a student at a US embassy/consulate when he/she applies for an F1 student visa.) A printed I-20 will be needed for certain circumstances in the US, such as requesting a license at the local DMV.  SEVP is calling this the “domestic I-20.”

Students will also have the ability to enter limited data into the system, which is somewhat controversial.  While it increases the student’s accountability, it does raise concerns in terms of accuracy and consistency of their legal names.  SEVIS II does include a data field for “nickname”.  However, the expected search engine will identify names by date of birth and school.  One can only imagine how many common names there will be across the system and publicly sharing the date of birth is of great concern to us because of FERPA.  USCIS‘s response to this concern is that the Consular Office and SEVP can change the name in SEVIS II if it does not match the passport name.

We are also being told that future Optional Practical Training (OPT) requests will be routed electronically through SEVIS II; if true this will save an awful lot of trees!

When the site eventually goes live, and when that will REALLY be is anyone’s guess, there will be a significant training rolled out.  A SEVIS II group has even been set up on yahoo groups to keep those who are interested informed about issues and progress in development.  To register for this free group, join at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sevisii

My opinion of SEVIS II is that the features that will allow it to function in a nearly paperless environment will be of great value in terms of efficiency and the environment. While I do have concerns about the student entering data into the system, I am reserving judgment about the overall upgrade to the system until it is officially rolled out. Having been a DSO in the early/mid 1990s at New York University, pre-SEVIS, the work was done manually.  Faxes and paperwork were flying everywhere and the process was not at all efficient when compared to the benefit of the SEVIS technology.  Returning to foreign student advising in 2008, I was concerned about the SEVIS reporting requirements, based on heresay from colleagues in the field.  The reality is that SEVIS is relatively easy to work with and the customer service staff is generally very knowledgable and helpful, particularly when you have a small international student population.  The challenges with SEVIS have been more with the interface with other databases, occasionally tying up a student in the bureaucracy for months at a time, although thankfully I have found this to be rare.  SEVIS II will require us to change how we handle our work for international students.  Change can be difficult; human nature is to resist it.   So I will hold back until I see how the system works “live”, and at the rate that the project teams at USCIS are moving, it could easily be another 12 – 18 months before that happens.

Stay tuned!

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Nov 02

Grants for Study and Research in Germany – Funding for a Sustainable Short Course Abroad

By Missy Gluckmann DAAD 2 Comments »

This past June, I had the honor of participating in the Germany Today Program, sponsored by the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst – The German Academic Exchange Service.)  I was part of a delegation of faculty and administrators from various universities in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The DAAD generously provided a comprehensive program with very little direct cost to participants.  The program started in Bonn, traveled to Brussels and ended in Berlin.  Each day we met with DAAD’s local staff, researchers, university faculty and administrators, grants organizations and DAAD funded students and scholars.  There was a strong emphasis on the Bologna Process and current policy discussions in the member countries. Dialogue was particularly meaningful because we had nearly a week to continue our discussions with colleagues over lunch, dinner and bus journeys. We were able to not only reflect on our experiences during the week, but to also learn about trends and best practices on their campuses and in their home countries.  The added bonus of this program was networking within the structure of a very strong training experience.

I was able to bring DAAD to my campus at WCSU this past October for the International Education Conference.  Jane Fu, from DAAD (based in NYC), gave an excellent presentation about the wide range of funding opportunities for undergraduates, graduates, PhD candidates and Post Docs, and Faculty/Researchers. DAAD is an incredibly well organized and generous organization.  Funding is available for German language study, internships, research, short term lectureship, and even group study.

As I prepare for my pre-conference workshop presentation, “Fundamentals of Short Term Education Abroad Programming”, I am reminded of the importance of program start-up funding. Short term programs, while increasingly popular, often run at a financial loss in year one.  In my opinion, this is something that should be anticipated and is perhaps necessary in the first year in to develop an audience for a sustainable program.  Once a successful cohort returns from a short course abroad, they inadvertently serve as your course’s marketing team.  Their positive experiences move like wildfire across social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, etc) and the chances of recruiting in year two are significantly heightened.

Through my recent trip to Germany I was quickly able to discern that it is a particularly viable destination for short courses in business, sciences and social sciences/humanities.  DAAD offers financial support for academic information visits to Germany that are organized by faculty members for groups of students.  The group should consist  of 10 – 15 students plus one faculty and the trip abroad should last between 7 and 12 days.   DAAD offers approximately 6,720 Euros to subsidize room and board.  For institutions that struggle with a lack of seed money for program development, this particular funding represents an excellent opportunity to decrease direct costs to students.

For more information and application deadlines, visit www.daad.org/?p=groupvisits. Based on my experience in Germany this past summer with the DAAD, you will not be disappointed.

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