• Tweet

I had the pleasure of presenting at NCAIE this past week with Carrie Wagner, Author of Village Wisdom and Bonnie Parker, Study Abroad Director from UNCA.

We crafted a session that was meant to be more interactive and less power point driven, as we all have had near death experiences caused by “too much powerpoint”!

Our session was described as follows:  “Muslim”, “Israeli”, “African”, and “American” – the labels that we use to describe others come with heavy baggage and a tremendous burden. This session will provide resources that can be used in community programming and/or as part of the curriculum to create dialogue that will aid in demystifying and humanizing “the other.”

Note: The “other” in our training meant a person or culture that one did not have first hand experience with, or one that generated stereotypes due to limited first hand experience. It was meant to acknowledge that we each have limited understanding of certain people, places and cultures in this world, and as a result, we often relate to them through stereotypes. These stereotypes create a disconnect between us and “them.”

That’s a lot to tackle in 75 minutes, right?  Here was our approach:

Icebreaker: This was designed to create dialogue about “the other” and to help identify our own “others” or that of our students/community. We talked about the importance of setting up a trusting environment before doing this exercise. We had four different photos and asked people to go to the one that intrigued them.  Participants were then asked to write down words that came to mind as a result of viewing the image and to discuss the image and the words. For example, a photo of two young people sitting on the side of a street with a musical instrument garnered words such as “poor” and “talented.”  Then we briefly heard from each group – why did they choose those words?

1st Exercise: We worked in small groups and each read a specific section from Carrie Wagner’s book “Village Wisdom.” The groups each identified which phase of the cultural adjustment the section of the book related to and then discussed how that particular phase contributed to how the sojourner perceived “the other.”

2nd Exercise: We watched a 12 minute clip from the film “Crossing Borders.” In this scene, the students (American and Moroccan) visit the Sidi Moumen slum and met with local Moroccan youth who live there. The film clip illustrated the several layers of “the other” – the Americans experiencing a Muslim country for the first time and a slum for the first time, the Moroccan students meeting their fellow countrymen who live in a slum, which was a new experience for them as locals.  We discussed how “the other” can be people in our own society or people half way around the world, and that often changes over time.

We also spoke about how these two educational tools can be used in schools – for example:

- Instead of a common read, have a common film experience and weave it into the curriculum.  Assess the change in world view as a result of this experience, using a tool like the BEVI.

- Use these tools in orientation, pre-departure and re-entry meetings.

- Weave these tools into an interdisciplinary course.  Push the boundaries of what the items on the list were originally intended for!

- Use these tools for STAFF training and retreats.  We need to be inspired too!

- Create a book/film club and invite students and larger community to participate.

Bonnie, Carrie and I prepared a “toolkit” that is meant to be a living document that we can always update.  What resources would you want to share for those interested in exploring “the other” further?  How can the resource be used?

Free Download: Demystifying the Other Toolkit (PDF, 53.5kb)

Training at NCAIE was very rewarding.  I love to interact with my colleagues and I always learn from each group. I hope that this little training module will inspire you to demystify “the other” on your campus and in your community.

• Tweet

Photo by Carrie Wagner

I didn’t realize, until I met Carrie Wagner to interview her about her book “Village Wisdom:  Immersed in Uganda, Inspired by Job, Changed for Life,” that I have been following Carrie’s international career for nearly two decades. While Carrie was in Uganda, I was a graduate intern in Lugano, Switzerland along with Carrie’s childhood friend, Bonnie. Bonnie received Carrie’s letters and shared stories about her friend in Uganda with Habitat for Humanity International. Nineteen years later, as I sat down to conduct this interview with Carrie, I felt that I was meeting an old friend.

Carrie’s book is exquisite. It is chock full of photos, letters and journal entries from her three years in Uganda. The book also includes vibrant photos from a recent trip back to the village. She and her husband Bob (who served in Uganda with her) traveled back last year with their two young sons, who are just beginning to carve their own paths as global citizens.

As I read about the personal transformation that took place during her three years abroad and the years that followed, the hurdles she and Bob faced in Uganda, the challenges within the community, the cultural learning, the beauty of the people she befriended and the inspiration of her friend and colleague Job, I literally wept.  It was hard not to well up as I told Carrie how much her book and her friend and colleague, Job, inspired me.

Needless to say, it is with heartfelt pleasure that I introduce you to Carrie Wagner – author, photographer, trainer, speaker, educator – as well as mother, wife, daughter, Christian and more!  (Please note that this interview was a very authentic conversation between two very passionate educators – and like great conversations, it was not short! This video interview is part 1 of 3.  Parts 2 and 3 will follow soon!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can purchase Carrie’s book here. (A portion of the proceeds go to Job’s village in Uganda.) It is an incredibly honest book. She does not provide a flowery cushion through the tough parts of her experience; they are graphic and very real.  And because of that, her book and journey are that much more meaningful and inspiring.

I am honored that Carrie has agreed to join the Melibee Global speaker series.  Please read more about her workshop here and contact me if you’d like information about how to book her.  And please stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of Carrie’s interview – they’re coming soon!

• Tweet

Egypt.  It IS the news. But when you’re a study abroad adviser who had sent students to Egypt for the spring semester, your mind is focused:  Safety.  Their safety. Comforting and advising parents. Working with the partner institutions abroad.  Communication, even when there is no internet.

I have reflected on this situation during this past week and here are my thoughts:

1) Emergency Planning: Did your institution have a documented plan in place before the events in Egypt unfolded? If so, did you follow your plan, convening your safety and emergency planning committee to assign action steps? Once your students are safely out of the country and either returned to your home campus or reassigned to another spring program abroad, have you scheduled time to review how your process worked?  Are there tweaks that need to be made?  Team members that you need to include in the future? If you didn’t have an action plan, how did you handle this emergency situation? Do you now plan to prepare a process for the future?

2)  Relationships: These are necessary for a smooth transition through an emergency.  These relationships include internal partners (your safety and emergency planning committee as well as anyone who touches the registration/financial aid/advising processes, counseling center, public relations, etc) as well as external (your partners abroad, your vendors, your community, State Department contacts, local press, etc.)  I cannot stress enough how important it is to have formed these relationships BEFORE an emergency.  Whenever possible, you do not want to be introducing yourself for the first time during the emergency.

3) Rely on the wisdom of your NAFSA colleagues: Thankfully, through the list serv, we have received invaluable information that helps us to do our jobs effectively and with confidence.  Know that our colleagues around the country, and the world, will lend a hand when we are in need.  Take that hand and remember to be grateful after things calm down.

4) Don’t forget: about your international students and scholars, as well as immigrants from this region of the world. They need support too.  Remind your senior administration, Human Resource team and other colleagues of this.  Ask your counseling service to provide information directly to this population.  While they may not fall under your immediate “jurisdiction” we must not forget their needs as they are part of our community.

5) Educate others: Use this opportunity to document your learning.  Take notes about what you could have done to prepare better or what you’d do next time.  Bring this to your safety and emergency planning committee meeting.  Ask your boss if you can present the unique requirements of your work to faculty and staff during professional development opportunities on campus.  Write up a proposal for your next conference and share your learning. (And if you don’t have a plan in place and need help formulating one, feel free to reach out to me at Melibee via the contact form.)  Situations like these also create opportunities to develop programming around this region of the world.  Pull in your subject matter experts to create a teachable moment for your campus and community.

6) Your well being matters too: Being a study abroad adviser, program administrator, faculty leader – these are some of the most rewarding jobs in the world.  We believe in our work and are deeply passionate about it.  And we will give out our home and cell numbers and let people call us at all hours during times like these.  Our families know that we are “on call” and they expect to be a bit neglected or to share in the stress of the experience.  It is important work and sometimes we have to stop and acknowledge that it is draining to be on the hot seat, ultimately feeling quite responsible for the well being of another person who may be in harm’s way.  Remember that your well being is important during these experiences AND after.  Most campuses have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  USE IT if you feel that you are a little overwhelmed, shaken up, or simply need to share what you maneuvered through in a confidential environment.  Take a day off after you know that everyone is ok.  Treat yourself to that hot bath, good book, day with the family. Whatever helps you to refill your tank to be ready for the next adventure in study abroad!

I hope these reflections are of help to those of you in the trenches at the moment. Please do share your feedback, ideas, suggestions in the comments section of this posting.  (You do not need to register to comment.)

Needless to say, at times like these, I am honored to be part of such a caring community.  Thanks for reminding me, once again, why I love my job today!  And most importantly, we are all thinking about a peaceful and swift resolution to the situation in Egypt.

• Tweet

Nicole Zeoli, Guest Blogger, Study Abroad, Rome, Italy (2007)

Today’s guest blogger is Nicole Zeoli.  She and I recently had a conversation about her time in Rome, Italy at John Cabot University.  I asked her to share her reflections, now that she has been back in the States for 3 years.  As international educators, we always wonder how study abroad impacts the lives of our students. Here is Nicole’s story:

When asked about my experience abroad, I am always thrilled.  I will take any excuse to reflect on my time in Rome, and try to convince people to go have their own life changing adventures. What better way to start off describing my experience in Rome then to quote my own travel journal:

“I am finally starting to feel the difference from living in Rome, which is a very different feeling from just visiting as a tourist. The lost Americans, with their cameras in one hand and maps in the other, are starting to become very obvious to me. It is reminding me of why I must have stuck out like a sore thumb only weeks ago.  I take it as a compliment when people now mistake me for an Italian.  After traveling with my new friends to Sicily, and Capri, it is nice to be back in Roma, and for the first time, I considered it home. The class I am taking at John Cabot University is beyond awesome. It’s all about ancient Rome and Pompeii, and we meet every time at a different ancient ruin.  It covers from 753 BC to the 5th century AD. It is surreal to be in the middle of these beautiful ancient monuments. I mean, we are talking about before Michelangelo, before the Middle ages, even before Julius Caesar!!  It’s… surreal.  I am in heaven.  I mean, who gets to go to class at the Colosseum for the day?”

I remember how nervous I was when I first decided I wanted to study abroad. I was about to be a junior in college, and I felt like my time of freedom was running out and the real world was going to come sooner rather than later. I knew that this would be a once in a lifetime experience, and luckily, I had the support of my family and the faculty at my school to pursue it. Studying abroad in Rome changed not only how I viewed the world, but how I viewed myself. Even now, as a nurse, I have a completely different outlook on our own health care system after seeing a friend experience the Italian version during our stay. I gained so many different views on life;  I had no idea how much they would impact me later.

Nicole (on right) in Cinque Terre, Italy

After college, I decided to apply to grad schools to pursue a career in nursing. I was lucky enough to get into my dream grad school in New York City. The “old me” would have thought that moving across country to a huge city would have been way out of my comfort zone. In fact, I can honestly say that the “old me” would have settled being closer to home and missed out on a life changing opportunity. But I firmly believe, because I had lived in a large city like Rome, and had so many wonderful experiences there, that it allowed me to see that there is more to this world than the comfort of my home town.

To this very day, I still believe that studying abroad was the single most important decision I have ever made in my life. That experience changed not only how I viewed the world, but how I viewed myself.  Years after studying abroad, I know that who I have become, in large part, is credited to studying and living in Rome. Going abroad was definitely a turning point in my life, and gave me so much independence and growth into my young adulthood. I still consider some of the people I met there to be some of my closest friends. I wish I could explain each and every moment of my travels there; the funny stories, the amazing views, the interesting people, but it’s one of those things where “you just had to be there.”  If you are considering study abroad, and in particular Italy, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s something that can’t be explained….only experienced.

About the Author: Nicole Zeoli grew up in a small town in Southern California. She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she had 2 majors – Interpersonal Communication and Dramatic Art. She studied abroad at John Cabot University in Rome, Italy in 2007.  After a change of heart in career paths, Nicole decided to move to New York City where she is currently a graduate student at a top university. She is studying to be an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.

• Tweet

I am writing from the BEVI (Beliefs, Events and Values Inventory) training in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, US. I learned about the BEVI at the Forum on Education Abroad Conference earlier this year.

While I will be filming Dr. Craig Shealy, founder of the BEVI later today for a future blog posting, I thought I would give you a preview of the training so far.

By way of introduction, the BEVI is designed to assess a number of relevant processes and constructs including (but not limited to):  basic open receptivity to different cultures, religions, and social practices; the tendency (or not) to stereotype in particular ways; self and emotional awareness; and strategies for making sense of why ‘other’ people and cultures ‘do what they do’.

Dr. Shealy started our certification training by having us actually take the BEVI online.  It took about 40 minutes and we each answered, in strict confidence, a series of questions related to our demographics, personal histories and upbringing.  We were then asked 336 questions about our beliefs, life events and values that required answering with either “strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree.”  There was no room for being wishy washy – you had to dig deep and answer questions that evoked feelings and emotion, ranging from how you were raised to your opinion about the environment. The BEVI successfully hones in on thoughts we have but don’t necessarily speak to others about.

BEVI emphasizes that there are no right or wrong answers and that there is no judgment attached – it is simply a way to collect information and ultimately create a confidential report that can be used by the reader as a summary of the individual’s world view and how learning can be considered as a result of the BEVI findings. Ultimately, the BEVI looks at who learns what, under what circumstances and to what degree.

Several schools are here for the training – some, simply to explore the tool and how it can be used in a learning environment, while one university is actually having a sample of freshmen take the BEVI at orientation this summer (it is not mandated, but a volunteer request) before the students’ first semester and then having the sample population retake the BEVI at the end of their junior year or beginning of their senior year, to see if and how the group’s world view has changed.  They are also asking participants to create an electronic portfolio, where they can deposit copies of course papers and other pieces of work that related to international, global and multicultural learning.

It seems that the BEVI can be used in a variety of ways:

- looking at world view of a cohort in a class or study abroad/international program (study abroad, service learning abroad, etc)

- a tool for Multicultural and Human Resource offices

- as an assessment tool, perhaps prior to freshman year and then after an international experience/multicultural focused course

- exploring what type of experience the student may be ready to have, perhaps in an advising capacity (with the student’s permission, obviously, as the BEVI generates a confidential report)

- perhaps as a tool in re-entry workshops

As mentioned earlier, I will soon have a video interview of the BEVI’s founder, Dr. Craig Shealy, so that you can hear more about this new inventory tool.

• Tweet

I just returned from a  Forum on Education Abroad conference session entitled “Integrating Education Abroad into the Campus Ethos.”  One of the discussion points was re-entry and how schools are supporting students through coursework and campus programs/events. 

This raised a big question for me:  What about the faculty?  (Funnily, when I googled “faculty re-entry issues” I got a bunch of listings about “prisoner re-entry!” Hmmmm?!)

One of challenges that we often face is hearing from our faculty about how hard it is for them to be home and how many days/months/years it is before they can consider a sabbatical so that they can go abroad and conduct research and travel.  One of the most difficult situations in my career was hearing from a faculty member, who literally broke down in tears, unable to articulate how traumatizing it was to be ”home.”   All I could do in that moment was let her cry, which is what she needed to do.

I posed this question to the panel and audience – Are we seeing issues with faculty re-entry and how are we addressing them?

No one in the session, including the panel, had a structured program or plan for faculty facing challenges with this issue.  One of the panelists did contribute that his school required final reports from faculty leading courses abroad and that he often has them meet with the international committe, but that nothing systematic is in place to consider how they are doing upon return.

So, I pose the question to you:  Have you ever experienced faculty dealing with re-entry challenges?  Does your institution have a program in place to assist a faculty member who is readjusting to teaching in the “confines” of 4 walls again, missing the ability to speak a 2nd language 24/7, having trouble explaining the value of the time abroad to a spouse who remained at home to go to work and stay with the kids?

I look forward to your comments.

I will blog about “Day 2″ of the Forum on Education Abroad conference later tonight.  And by the way, for those of you who read last night’s “Day 1″ update, Mexico and Iceland TIED in the friendly soccer game!

• Tweet

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!