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Do your students return from study abroad with a new career goal in mind?  Have you worked in the field for many years but want to consider other international education options? Have you lived abroad and thought about pursuing your passion for intercultural training, but don’t know where to begin? Or perhaps you’re an experienced educator who wants to consult? Maybe you’ve been laid off or recently pursued a MA degree, but don’t know how to land your dream job?

There is a solution!

Melibee Global, in conjunction with Small Planet Studio, is offering a teleclass series to help those of you who are interested in a career in international education.  You can sign up for 1, 2 or 3 of the “How To” series of classes based on your interests and level of experience. Sessions will be recorded, so you can listen to the recording(s) if you can’t make the live session(s).

To learn more and/or to register for the “How To” class(es) please click here.

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I recently presented on the subject of Short Term Study Abroad Program Planning: Top 5 Missteps with Cate Brubaker from Small Planet Studio.  I am humbled that we received such kind feedback and a request for more on the subject.  We aim to please, so developed the following new teleworkshop:

Short-Term Study Abroad Crossroads: Where Planning Missteps

Meet Cultural Blunders

I’m taking the liberty of copying the following information from Small Planet Studio, Melibee’s partner on this teleworkshop. Cate Brubaker and I hope you’ll join us! Please note the special pricing (today and tomorrow only) at the bottom – and you can register via Small Planet Studio.

Does This Sound Familiar? You…

• currently work with short-term study abroad programs or want to do so
• lose sleep at night thinking about the enormity of planning these programs
• were unable to attend this year’s NAFSA or the Forum on Education Abroad conferences
• want to enhance your students’ learning experiences and maximize efficiency

Yes?

Welcome to the…

Short-Term Study Abroad Crossroads: Where Planning Missteps Meet Cultural Blunders {TeleWorkshop}

It was made just for you.

What we have for you:

• Two 90-minute live sessions chock full of practical solutions to the most pressing problems in short-term study abroad programming
• Opportunities to ask questions (via email and during the live calls)
• Recordings of each live session
• A program planning toolkit
• Bonus web resources
• Backchannel for participant idea exchange

You will gain knowledge of vital planning, logistical, and cultural components that must be considered when exploring short-term study abroad program development. You will receive detailed and specific examples of missteps and blunders that will help you to craft actionable steps required to develop and deliver more safe, sound, and sustainable short-term programs abroad.

In two 90-minute sessions, we’ll cover 4 topics. We know we’ll talk about:

• marketing
• culture
• emergency planning
• budgets

We’ll hold the teleclasses on July 12th & 19th (both Tuesdays) from 3:00-4:30pm Eastern.

Can’t join one or both of the live calls? No worries. We’ll post a recording of each session on the class website for you to listen to at your convenience (you can even download them to your iPod). If you submit questions via email before the sessions, we’ll make sure to answer them on the live call.

This workshop is especially useful for study abroad program administrators, faculty interested leading programs abroad, and graduate students entering the field. If your institution’s faculty handbook needs to be resuscitated, this workshop is appropriate for you.

We’re offering all this for only $79. Why such a low price? In short: we’ve been there. We know what’s it like to be asked to do more with less. To not be able to sleep at night because you’re under pressure to deliver the highest quality programs at the lowest price possible. We want to help you get a good night’s sleep.

CLICK here to register!

Thanks for your interest,

Missy and Cate

Melibee Global/Small Planet Studio

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I was interviewed recently by Julia V., a vivacious university student who has studied abroad several times. She asked me about gap year vs. study abroad, global citizenship, the Melibee speakers series, what inspires me to write my blog and more. Please enjoy our conversation:

Part 1:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 2:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 3:

Click here to view the embedded video.

(Please note that the photo that she used was from my website. The hand gesture, in the US, is a symbol of peace. I note this because I realize that it is not a peaceful gesture is some countries! My apologies for anyone who is thrown off by this! The photo was actually taken on September 11, 2010 when I was photographing the annual blue lights memorial at Ground Zero in New York City.)

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I read the New York Times online every morning and was delighted to learn about the “Win a Trip with Nicholas Kristof” contest.  For those of you who don’t know, Nicholas Kristof is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who focuses on human rights issues, primarily in Africa and Asia. The 2010 winner of this contest, 19 year old Mitchell Smith from the University of Nebraska, accompanied Mr. Kristoff to Gabon, The Congo Republic, The Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.  This was Mr. Smith’s first time abroad.

Mr. Kristof’s goal is to encourage young people to read about the human rights issues in Africa and Asia; his hope is that by having a young and fresh perspective report on the issues abroad, young readership will expand.

Please enjoy this video of Mr. Smith’s reflections on his experience traveling and learning with one of America’s finest journalists.  (Be prepared for a short ad – sorry, I have no control over this – but the video is worth watching!)

If you’d like to learn more about the “Win a Trip Abroad with Nicolas Kristof” contest, please play this video which explains last year’s contest.  (The 2011 application is not available yet.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Today’s guest blogger, Christine Marcial, is a dear childhood friend. We met when we were 9 years old and while life took us down different roads, “Chris” has always been such an inspiration to me. She is a phenomenal mother and talented high school teacher.  Through the years, she has heard about my time living and traveling abroad. Chris headed across the Atlantic for the first time in her life, days before her 40th birthday.  She was so profoundly moved that upon her return to the US, Chris sent me an email in the middle of the night and simply wrote: “I get it! I understand what you’ve been saying about traveling all of these years!”  She had truly caught the travel bug and was so incredibly moved by her experience abroad, that I asked her to share her thoughts of going abroad as a mother and first time traveler.

The yearning to travel has been a part of me since I can remember.  As a child from a small town, I could only dream about someday traveling to exotic places and learning about other cultures and ways of life.  But, for years I could only dream about exploring these intriguing destinations around the world.  Life was taking me on a different path: college, graduate school, career searching, marriage and children.   All of these events were life changing, self-discovering snapshots and helped me mold into the adult that I am today.  But, yet, I still needed to paint my canvas with the bold colors of travel.  Sure, there were plenty of vacations with my family when the children were younger.   My husband and I stayed domestic as we traveled with strollers, diaper bags, and children.  The early years were spent on trips to the ocean, Disney World and visiting relatives across the country.  We instilled in our children the love of their country as we visited historic Boston and Philadelphia.  But, the hidden energies to study other cultures remained burning inside of my soul.

Finally, two years ago, my husband and I decided that our three children were old enough to travel abroad.  Our youngest had just turned seven.  As educators, we decided to travel with a plan to educate ourselves, our students, and our children.  Our first destination had us arriving in Rome, traveling to Pompeii and sailing on the Ionian Sea to Greece.  Nothing can describe the feeling of seeing The Pieta on my fortieth birthday or feeling the water of the Trevi Fountain as I ate true Italian gelato for the first time. The roads of Pompeii led us on an educational journey as we entered the house of one whose life was lost on that fateful day in 79 A.D. , yet, whose bed remained untouched.  As we journeyed across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece, we witnessed the captivating blue waters.  Our next destinations included Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Athens and Delphi.  We felt the wrath of Zeus in Olympia as a bolt of lightning came from the skies while we were running on the first Olympic track.  We witnessed true clay urns being made from a local craftsman.  We touched the walls of the mighty Parthenon and watched the sun set on the breathtaking isles of Greece.  Our final destination led us on a venture around the Greek Isles.  It was here that we fell in love with the white houses with blue roofs, swam in hot springs from ancient volcanoes, visited ports in Turkey and felt the strength of Christianity as we toured the house of the Virgin Mary and walked the steps of St. Paul and St. John on the streets of Ephesus.

We returned home that summer in an euphoric state.  We had traveled to exotic places.  We had walked the roads of our ancestors, and of those who made western civilization what it is.  We had felt our connection with our world.  As an educator, I had explored the great Roman empire; I had heard the words of our founding philosophers Thales, Archimedes and Pythagoras. I had seen the awe that many had for Zeus and the gods of ancient times.  I had witnessed the beauty of the Sistine Chapel and felt the move of Christianity in its earlier centuries.  I had tasted the rich dishes of other lands.  I had made the connections between history, music, philosophy and art.

The bug for traveling never left us.  Two years later, we found another opportunity to travel abroad.  We were able to visit Germany, Austria, Northern Italy and Switzerland.  Once again, our minds were opened to new, vast ideas and cultures.  This time we arrived in Munich and were able to walk the Marienplatz, once the intersection of medieval trade routes.  Our best surprise was renting bikes and exploring the vast Englischer Garten with its abundant flowers and beautiful trails.  While in Munich, we paid our respects to those who suffered at Dachau.  This memorial museum was both horrifying and humbling and put meaning and feeling into the mind of our thirteen year old son who loves studying History.  After Dachau, we traveled to Ludwig’s fairy tale castle, Neuschwanstein, and then to Venice via Innsbruck.  We were able to smell the air of Venice as we rode the gondola through the waters of the Grand Canal.  A pleasant surprise for our family was our visit to Doges’ Palace and the stroll over the Bridge of Sighs.  After Venice, we rode through the majestic Alps to the Lucerne region and felt the inspiration for Wagner’s major works.  Of course, before we arrived in Lucerne, a stop in Verona led us to the balcony of Romeo and Juliet.  It was here that our fifteen year old daughter pledged her love to the wall of Juliet.  Our travels then led us to the heights of Mount Pilatus and then to the  rush of the thundering Rhine Falls.  Our final destination landed us in Heidelberg where we were able to take in Germany’s oldest university city and were able to see Heidelberg’s enduring beauty from the walls of the 700-year-old castle.

Once again, we returned from our destination with an eagerness to learn more and travel abroad in the near future.  We saw the beauty in nature at the Rhine Falls.  We felt the fervor for learning in Germany that the great Carl Friedrich Gauss must have felt.  We felt the history unfold as we walked the path of St. Mark’s Square.  Our trip abroad gave us energies, imaginations, life.  We learned of other cultures that have molded our American culture.  We witnessed glass blowing and lace-making in Venice.  We viewed farming and university life in Germany.  We felt the despair and humility of Dachau.  We saw the greed of Ludwig and the power of Venetian dukes.  Personally, these experiences have molded me into a better educator.  I am blessed with the ability to make better connections with the cultures around me.  I am able to make historical connections in the classroom.  I encourage everyone to visit abroad to not only learn their roots, but to feel, to taste, smell and touch their roots.  My personal travels have enhanced the colors of my canvas as I continue on life’s journey.   I hope that I have given my own children the gift to seek, find, explore and imagine other worlds, cultures, times and philosophies.

The Marcial family in Germany, Summer 2010

About the Author: Christine Marcial is a Mathematics Educator at Delaware Valley High School, in Milford,  Pennysvlania, USA.  She received her BA and MAT from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and is the very proud mother of three kids who have the travel bug!

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Sarah DeHayes, Guest Blogger

Today’s guest blog is written by Ms. Sarah DeHayes.  I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Sarah when we both worked in the International Assignment Services division at Cartus.  Sarah is an immensely talented woman – one of the well traveled that I know (she recently returned from Bhutan!) and truly an authentic soul.  She has been a huge inspiration on my journey and I hope that you will enjoy her guest blog.

The expatriation process brings the agony and ecstasy of life.  Why does it seem to strike so many notes in our psychological and emotional spectrum? From the stints abroad I have happily and consciously undertaken, each sparked a wide range of responses such as: culture shock, being a minority, feeling boxed in by labels – single, white, female, traveling alone.  I was a foregone conclusion shut out from complete immersion in my host culture and language.  Some people stay in that space of anger, resentment and isolation and blame others for their unhappiness.

Given this prospect, why would anyone choose to live, work, love, dream, play or create outside of that place which one identifies as ‘home’? Wouldn’t it be infinitely easier to stay in that comfort zone of predictability, a perceived sense of security, the familiar? Quite simply, crafting a life abroad can be the most supreme high a person can find – forget the artificial stimulants and diversions that mask bliss and just book a ticket for Destination Unknown!

My career in the global mobility field focuses on strategically moving talent (read: people like you and me) around the world equitably, compliantly, productively, empathetically and, we hope, successfully.  How can success of this emotional journey of expatriation even be measured, defined and judged?  I would suggest this is achievable through a holistic Talent Management system spanning recruitment, candidate selection, goal-setting, support, skills recognition and reintegration.  Underpinning this process is the powerful discipline of coaching.

Distinct from other modalities such as therapy, counseling, consulting and mentoring, coaching is a partnership focused on moving a “coachee” forward to achieve specific goals and sustainable results.  Clients are drawn to coaching when they may feel overwhelmed, are in a state of transition and/ or when they have goals they are committed to act on but don’t know where to start.  Sounds like a typical state of affairs for an expatriate!

There may be several pain points for expatriates – here are just a couple: an executive who has enjoyed proven success in his/ her market but is lost to adjust to a new one, an employee who missed signs of maladjustment of his/ her family in the host location and is now at a crossroads to decide if the assignment should be cut short.  Coaching allows us to confront and challenge our conditioned beliefs and programming, identify our values that manifest as our ‘hot buttons’ and laser in on the root cause of what is blocking us from forwarding the action and accomplishing our ambitions.  The vulnerability and self-inquiry inherent in expatriation make it an incredibly ripe moment to reconnect with our truth, passion and core desires.  Without bold and courageous expatriates, this world may have stopped turning on its axis long ago.

About the Author:

Sarah De Hayes is a Project Manager at Crown Relocations and founder of Insights Coaching. She has had proven success in managing global virtual teams, key account management, implementation and operational effectiveness in several capacities in the global mobility arena. Sarah is also a certified Expat Coach helping individuals connect with their passion and purpose and shift deeply-held perceptions. She specializes in helping expatriates/repatriates craft the lives they want. Sarah has lived abroad and travels extensively internationally. She holds an MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, TEFL Certificate, Project Management Certification and is a Six Sigma black belt.  She is a proud member of the Expat Coach Association.  You can reach Sarah at sdehayes@crownrelo.com.

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Guest blogger, Stefanie DeLeo

I am delighted that Ms. Stefanie DeLeo has written today’s guest blog.  (Please be sure to read her bio below.) I am equally delighted to disclose that Stefanie is my cousin. She has an extensive travel background, supporting the theory that it must be something in our gene pool!  Please enjoy her commentary on the World Cup and South Africa.

When asked to write about opinions on the World Cup in South Africa, I didn’t know where to begin.  I am an American who lived and worked in South Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer for two and a half years.  My relationship with South Africa became a love-hate relationship that stretches my emotions from immense joy to blood boiling frustration.

I first learned about the World Cup being held in South Africa long before I was slated to move there.  I had always had a desire to go to South Africa, and my only real thoughts about the Cup being held there was, “wow, that’s so cool.”  Flash forward a few years, and I can remember being in South Africa and seeing huge countdown signs on every street and in every restaurant reading “739 days until kickoff…738 days until kickoff…”  Hard to believe we are now in the midst of it.  My thoughts after living there were no longer, “cool,” but rather, “how on earth will this country pull it off?”

In 1997 Nelson Mandela invited and welcomed the Peace Corps into South Africa with the purpose of educational reform and community development in rural black villages.  By the time my group arrived in 2007, the Peace Corps decided to expand its work into the Afrikaner community, and I was one of four volunteers selected to live in town working in a racially diverse school.  While there, I used my graduate training from New York University in Educational Theater to rewrite curriculum and use theater as a tool for socially conscious dialogue.

Though my experience was the most amazing of my life, it had its share of challenges.  The high violent crime rate, which was once just an abstract idea, was now part of daily life.  Like the local people, we lived in houses with burglar bars over the doors and windows, and going out after dark was unheard of.  All of my local friends had had brushes with crime.  The Peace Corps group before us joked that we wouldn’t officially be true South African volunteers until we got mugged – at least twice.  Another frustration included a slower pace of life and very different work ethic.  As a fast paced New Yorker, it was a daily struggle to acclimate to my new host culture.

The crime and slower pace of life, underscored with political and racial tensions, certainly left many of us wondering how a World Cup could be pulled off successfully, and yet, so far, the games have gone on without major incident.  The stadiums were completed, contrary to predictions made by the international sporting community.  In addition, the police force has mobilized and acted swiftly to keep the 350,000 plus visitors safe.

The harder thing to fathom, which has less impact on the World Cup and more impact on the country’s post-Cup life, is the racial and political tensions.  While rugby has often been considered the “white” sport, soccer has often been perceived as the “black” sport.  This is evident both in the color of the athletes, and by the majority of spectators in each sporting event.  Would the country be able to ban together to support such a huge soccer event in the same way they came together for the 1995 Rugby World Cup?

The film Invictus demonstrated how sport has served as both a political and racial unifier.  What I witnessed in the two and half years in South Africa was a shift from skepticism to pride.  Many of my South African friends shared their doubt that their country could pull this off.  By the end of my time in South Africa, many of those same people were wearing FIFA shirts and telling me how proud they were to be South African.  People of different races, cultures and languages waved the same flag as South Africa surprised everyone by tying Mexico, while the whole world watched.  This Cup has been a chance for people to be proud of where their country has been, where they are and where they certainly have the potential to be.

About the Author:

Stefanie DeLeo graduated from Eastern Nazarene College in Boston, Massachusetts (USA) in 2004, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Theater.  After taking a year off to direct a show at a Boston middle school, she moved back to her native New York to earn her Masters Degree from New York University, in 2006, in Educational Theater.  Stefanie also recently returned from two and a half years in the Peace Corps, serving in South Africa, where she focused on theater for social change in rural schools. She has traveled extensively and has worked as director, playwright and English teacher, with two of her plays being produced in New York .  Stefanie writes for an online travel site – please see her travel video and photo that were entered into a contest. (You can feel free to vote for the video/photo if so moved). Feel free to contact Stefanie at NatalilyS@aol.com.

South Africa's school children

Johannesburg, one of the World Cup host cities

(Photos courtesy of Stefanie DeLeo.)

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While at the Forum on Education Abroad conference in Charlotte, North Carolina (USA) this past March, I had the pleasure of attending a session about BEVI:  Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory. This analytical tool helps people understand better what they believe and value about themselves, others, and the world at large, and how such beliefs and values may – or may not – be conducive to learning, personal growth, relationships and the pursuit of life goals.

Dr. Craig Shealy, Professor of Graduate Psychology at James Madison University and Executive Director of the International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI), will be conducting a certification training on the BEVI on June 10th and 11th at the campus of Brethren College Abroad in Elizabethtown, PA.

By attending BEVI Certification Workshop, participants receive the most recent edition of the BEVI Test Manual, sample reports, background readings and materials, and a BEVI Certificate of Completion, which is valid for two years (i.e., recertification is required after two years). BEVI Certified Administrators also receive periodic updates about the BEVI, notification of upcoming publications, and symposia, and other relevant materials. Because institutions and organizations that subscribe to the BEVI are automatically granted membership in the International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI), all of the benefits of IBAVI membership are granted to BEVI Certified Administrators (see www.ibavi.org). Successful completion of the two day workshop results in BEVI Certification, which allows the certificate holder to supervise the administration of the BEVI within their institution or organization according to the guidelines that are provided in the workshop.

There is still time to register for the BEVI Certification Training Workshop. Forum on Education Abroad member institutions will receive a 25% discount at registration.  I will be attending and will have the opportunity to interview Dr. Shealy while I’m in Pennsylvania, so definitely look for a follow up post in mid June.

Meanwhile, please visit the BEVI website for more information.

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I will be departing for the Forum on Education Abroad’s Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina (USA) in one short week.  I am looking forward to this conference – it is much smaller than the NAFSA Annual Conference and will provide a different dynamic, perhaps with more depth in content.

According to their web site,  The Forum conference theme, “Vision and Value in Education Abroad” takes up the central importance of creating and maintaining a compelling vision for education aboad while communicating its value.  The conference will focus on articulating the vital nature of education abroad and the many benefits that it brings to students, organizations, institutions, communities and societies.  This theme is especially important as we address the challenges brought on by the current global economic crisis, when both the vision and the value of education abroad may be called into question.

I will be blogging from this conference – recognizing that many university budgets will not permit travel during this difficult economy.  I will also be blogging for those in international education who have been laid off or are underemployed, in recognition of their unique challenges. I hope to give you all a bird’s eye view of the dialogue, best practices and hot topics.

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Today’s post is written by guest blogger, Tom Millington. Tom and I recently had a discussion about the unique challenges of being an experienced professional who has been laid off. His contribution is very honestly written; I thank you, Tom, for sharing your insights and personal experience with Melibee Global readers.

Thank you, Missy, for inviting me to write a post for your blog. I will address my experience as a laid off international educator and what steps I have taken to protect my sanity, stave off frustration and direct my energies and talents in a positive direction. I will also include the names of a couple of books which I have found to be very helpful.

Before I begin, I would like to include a quote that I have been pondering for some time now and, or me, it especially speaks to my situation as an unemployed person.

‘I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your Hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids – and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.’ (from The Invisible Man, prologue)

As some point during our lay off we feel invisible, almost ephemeral. This is only natural since the notion of having a job is so deeply rooted in our society’s psyche. The approach I have adopted is to occupy my ample free time with a structured schedule that will keep me active and will prevent my mind from dwelling too much on my situation. Here are some points that have worked for me and I hope will help those of you who have been affected by lay offs:

• Develop a daily schedule and stick to it. Make a list of things to do daily. For example, I dedicate 2-3 hours every morning to my job search and then the rest of the day I dedicate to cleaning my apartment, going to the library or the gym, volunteering, or walking in the city. The key is to keep yourself busy. Don’t let your mind wander!
• Go to the gym-I can’t stress this enough. Physical activity is the best remedy for the frustrations and stress of unemployment. I go to the gym every other day and I feel great afterwards.
• Volunteer-find a place where you can devote a few hours a week, i.e., reading to children, helping out at a soup kitchen, etc. Not only will you be helping others, but you will feel you have accomplished something. This is important. Only YOU can really provide yourself with positive reinforcement!
• Spend time with friends-during this difficult time of your life, you will rely on your friends and you will learn who are the ones you can really count on when the chips are down. It is important to have someone to talk to; someone who will be a sounding board for you. For your health, you must give voice to your frustration (venting).
• Pursue projects that you never had time to do while employed. Is there something you always wanted to do but did not have the time to do? Well, now you have time to devote yourself to it. No excuses!
• Improve yourself-turn a negative into a positive. Is there a part of your professional development you always wanted to improve? Now is the time! I have been reading up on how to improve my leadership skills. Two books I have been reading might be of interest: John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is very helpful in fine-tuning your leadership skills. The 100 Best Businesses to Start When You Don’t Want to Work Hard Anymore by Lisa Rogak, will provide ways to put your skills and interests to other productive and possibly employable use.
• Avoid the 4 S’s. That is, do not become: 1) solemn; 2) somber; 3) sullen; 4) sardonic. Keeping a positive and cheery frame of mind is crucial to surviving your period of unemployment. Be upbeat! Being without work is a difficult enough situation without adding to it by being negative or pessimistic.

We all have our own techniques for staying positive during our period of unemployment. The bullets I listed above are things that have worked for me. Even if you decide not to use any of them, I hope that I was at least able to get you to think of how to remain positive during your (temporary!) period of unemployment.

I will end with several lines from a William Blake poem (Auguries of Innocence):

‘Man was made for Joy & Woe

And when this we rightly know

Thro the World we safely go

Joy & Woe are woven fine

A Clothing for the soul divine

Under every grief & pine

Runs a joy with silken twine.’

About the Author:

Tom Millington is an innovative and seasoned international educator, having held positions in Study Abroad at BCA and Emmanuel College. Tom has also taught Spanish to elementary through high school students. He holds a MA in History from Indiana State University and has been described by colleagues as “passionate, committed and devoted to work in international education.” You can read more about him at his linkedin.com profile.