Presentation Abstracts

Asia and Africa: Cultural Awareness/Personal Growth and Service Learning

 

Chris Ruder, Beloit College

Living Routes: Sustainability in Practice at Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India - Fall 2007
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Religious Studies

In Praise of Mortality:  Postcolonialism, Imperfection and Engaging the Other

“At the bottom is the only courage that is demanded of us: to have courage for the most strange, the most singular and the most inexplicable that we may encounter.  That mankind has in this sense been cowardly has done life endless harm.”

—Rainer Maria Rilke

Through my search for an ethical and sustainable way to live and a society to live in, I found Auroville: an ecovillage in south-India “created to realize human unity.” I knew that the experience would influence my outlook about the world and myself, but I did not expect that my personal identity and dreams would be fundamentally shaken. I entered India romantically expecting to find a community in which I might immerse myself, learning the language and culture through service learning and community participation. Instead, I found myself inhabiting a position of neocolonialism resulting from my own inescapable and irreducible privilege.

I grew increasingly sensitive to how the “Western” perspective approaches, imagines, reflects and conditions the “other,” and became afraid that I was in fact reinforcing colonial power structures despite my desire to study from a nonrepressive and nonmanipulative perspective.  In my symposium I will problematize my study abroad experience through a postcolonialist lens, and then attempt to explore different models for moving forward and ethically engaging with the “other.” I will examine how owning and integrating the world’s and my own imperfections and pain is a complex process that changes my relationship to it. With this recognition comes a sense of interconnectedness that empowers creative, active response.

 

Katelyn Reid, St.Olaf College

St. Olaf Global Semester: France, Egypt, India, Hong Kong/China, Korea - Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Economics and Management Studies

Geographic Impact on Cultural Identity 

In my semester abroad I visited seven countries in five months. The field supervised course focused on the interplay of globalization and traditions in terms of such issues as technology and culture. I observed this interplay within a geographical context. Specifically, in Egypt, India, and Hong Kong I saw three distinctly developed societies, but also three very distinct geographic settings. The concentration of populations and the histories of conquest are shaped by the lay of the land and thus so, too are the people. This presentation seeks to illustrate the extent to which I observed social development as a function of geography.

 

Zachary Bahr, Knox College

Knox College Teaching English in China: Anhui Province, China - Fall 2008
Graduation: June 2010
Majors: Art and Educational Studies

Teaching English and Culture in China

After completing a trimester-long TESOL course, fifteen students and three faculty from Knox College traveled to Wuhu City, in the Anhui Province of China. This trip served as the first step in the formation of an exchange program with Anhui-Normal University.  For three weeks students and faculty taught English lessons at the University while experiencing life in China.

 

Heather Bhimull, Cornell College

Global Service Corps: Buddhist Immersion Internship in Thailand - Fall 2007
School for International Training: Transformation of Social and Political Conflict, Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland - Spring 2008
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Philosophy
Minor: Religion

From Buddhist Temples to Greener Pastures: Thailand, Ireland and the Culture of Spirituality

In this presentation we will journey from Buddhist Temples in Thailand to the Sacred Hills of Ireland. As a former volunteer English teacher at a temple school in Inburi, Thailand, I will discuss my experiences in Thai culture and Theravada Buddhism.  Paying particular attention to Celtic Spirituality and the Hill of Tara, we will then journey to Glenageary, Dublin where I will expand on my experience as a student in SIT’s Social and Political Conflict program.  From food, customs and languages to host families and familiar faces, come walk these lands with me as we explore what lies at the heart of these places.

 

Ariana Kiener, Carleton College

CIEE: Development and Globalization Studies, Thailand - Fall 2008
Graduation: June 2010
Major: American Studies
Minors: African American Studies and Educational Studies

Tied to Thailand

I spent the fall of 2008 living and studying in Northeastern Thailand, where I did a total of thirteen homestays with rural Thai families. In each homestay, villagers and host family members tied dozens of simple cotton strings onto my wrist, symbollicaly tying me to the many communities I visited. Today, I still wear the traditional threads I received several months ago. As I prepare for my upcoming return to Thailand over the summer, I recall the connections I made with my thirteen host families and I anticipate the difficulties I’ll encounter in visiting and leaving new villages.

 

Ryan Greene, Ripon College

University of Wisconsin-Platteville: Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies, Japan - Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2009
Majors: English and Global Studies

A Gaijin in Nagasaki

When I first arrived in Japan, I thought: I love the idea of this place that I’ve garnered from reading books, so I’ll be prepared for anything.  However, I quickly realized that things wouldn’t be so simple.  In my travels through Nagasaki City I followed street performers, nearly got flattened by a 300+ lb wrestler at a sumo arena, and had an encounter with a group of drunk Japanese people in a karaoke bar. I discovered that the Japan I’d learned about through academia wasn’t quite the same as the real thing.  Thanks to the help of some good friends, I was able to get a glimpse of the real Japan and also learn more about my main reason for travelling to Nagasaki: the modern perceptions of WWII and the Atom Bomb. I have a slideshow of my photos from these and other events for my presentation.

 

Asia and Africa: Research and Internship

 

Heidi Chun, Grinnell College

Associated Colleges in China/Hamilton College: Beijing, China - Summer and Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Psychology and Chinese

Website (debut): Study Abroad in Asia: Program Summaries and Reviews

For people hoping to study abroad in Asia, locating a study center to meet their needs may prove a challenge. As part of a Freeman-ASIA project, I have created a Wikipedia-style website for reputable study centers in Asia. In this presentation, I will introduce the wiki, how to access it and edit it, and then I will ask for audience input on the project. Please visit “Study Abroad in Asia: Summaries & Reviews” at http://studyabroadinasia.wikispot.org/ to see for yourselves and help make the wiki useful to everyone considering studying abroad in Asia! 

 

Kathleen Quigley, Monmouth College

ACM Tanzania: Ecology and Human Evolution - Fall 2007
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry

Tembo na mibuyu: An Investigation of spatial utilization patterns in TNP using GIS

The goal of my research was to search for spatial patterns in elephant utilization of baobabs. I hypothesized that trees near roads and the Tarangire River would show greater signs of damage than those which were further away. This is because elephants travel along the dirt roads at night, and they are dependent upon the river for water since it is the only permanent water source in the park during the dry season. To investigate my hypothesis, I measured many qualities of each baobab including perimeter, involution of bark, canopy cover, number of elephant droppings present, and the total area of fresh damage seen on each tree. I also recorded took GPS coordinates for each tree to create maps using ArcGIS. More than 120 trees from the park’s northern region were sampled.

A greater density of baobabs in a given area was correlated with greater amounts of damage, suggesting that elephants choose to browse simply where there is a greater quantity of trees available in a small area. Trees located at intermediate distances from the roads exhibited the greatest amount of damage. This is likely because elephants remain a safe distance from the roads to avoid conflicts with tourists on safari. A similar trend was seen with the number of elephant droppings present at each tree, implying that elephants browse in relatively small groups of about 5 or 6. It is also important to note that every tree showed some signs of previous or current damage, whether it was old scarring toward the top of the tree or a large hole. Although every tree noted was damaged, all of the resilient trees appeared to still be growing.

 

Rachel Johnson (Joint presentation with Nate Stewart), Carleton College

Carleton College Environmental Studies in Africa: Tanzania - Winter 2008
Graduation: June 2010
Major: History
Minor: Environmental and Technology Studies

Nate Stewart (Joint presentation with Rachel Johnson), Carleton College

Carleton College Environmental Studies in Africa: Tanzania- Winter 2008
Graduation: June 2010
Major: Biology
Minor: Environmental Studies

A Model for Protein Consumption in Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania

In Tanzania, an estimated 44% of the population suffers from malnutrition and 28% from protein deficiency.  It has been shown that protein deficiency is tightly linked to overall malnutrition.  In Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania we researched protein acquisition strategies and consumption levels at a household level in order to determine how many people were suffering from protein deficiency. With a rapidly growing population immediately adjacent to a national park, potential for illegal bushmeat hunting is high.  We developed a model for calculating protein consumption at a village level based on interviews with heads of households.  Using this model, we found that 22.73% of the villagers were protein deficient.  We also found a thriving, highly available bushmeat trade. 

 

Michael Barnett, Lawrence University

University of Minnesota Studies in International Development: Kenya - Fall 2006
ACM: Newberry Seminar in the Humanities, Newberry Library, Chicago - Fall 2008
Graduation: June 2009
Majors: History and Saxophone Performance

Lived Learning: Internship in the Global South

The University of Minnesota Studies in International Development program in Kenya was a once in a lifetime opportunity to live the subject taught in the classroom.  The two phase program immersed students in international development while allowing a unique opportunity to intern with a community based development organization.  My internship brought me to Kitui District; an area affected by seven years of severe drought and consequent famine and economic hardship.  During my internship I participated in micro-financing projects, local community groups and food distribution while being embroiled in conflict between the Kitui Development Center and the community members it served. 

 

Europe and the Western Hemisphere: Research

 

Sarah Van Etten, Macalester College

School for International Training Bolivia: Culture and Development - Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Anthropology and Latin American Studies
Minor: Hispanic Studies (Spanish Literature)

Grassroots Development through Andean Weaving

I will present the culmination of my study abroad research on a grassroots weaving organization in Bolivia - two short documentary films totaling 22 minutes. The films use the images and words of traditional Andean weavers to show the process of weaving and address themes of culture, economic sustainability, organizational structure, migration, self-esteem, and development within the context of this grassroots development initiative. Following the film screening, I will discuss my methodology, research constraints, and exploration of visual anthropology. Questions and feedback from the audience will be welcome. 

 

Ryan Casserly, Colorado College

ACM Costa Rica: Tropical Field Research - Spring 2008
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Neuroscience

Health Conditions of Migrant Ngöbe Coffee Plantation Workers in Santa María de Dota, Costa Rica

An investigation was conducted regarding the health services for the migrant, indigenous Panamanian Ngöbe harvesters in Santa María de Dota and San Marcos de Tarrazú in la zona de Los Santos, Costa Rica. To this end, three groups were interviewed: Community Members, Institutional Functionaries and migrant Ngöbes. Health services for Ngöbes via La Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social were found to be improving, but a greater system of health prevention, promotion and multi-institutional involvement was lacking. Community sentiment regarding migrant Ngöbes was found to be mostly positive with little discrepancy between plantation owners and other community members. Ngöbe participants reported varied use and knowledge of available health services. Educational programs and greater institutional coordination are recommended to facilitate the coexistence of the distinct Ngöbe and local cultures.

Read more about Ryan's experience on the ACM Costa Rica program.

 

Po Ling Pauline Chan, Knox College

Organization of Tropical Studies: Tropical Biology in Costa Rica - Fall 2008
Graduation: June 2009
Major: Environmental Studies
Minor: Biology

Research Experience on Leaf-cutting Ants (Atta cephalotes) and Study Abroad Experience in Costa Rica

I participated in a study abroad program in Costa Rica through the Organization of Tropical Studies. My group traveled along different kinds of tropical rainforests and learned about tropical biology, environmental economics and policy as well as research methods in the tropics. In one of the sites we visited, La Selva, my group and I conducted a research on leaf-cutting ants. In particular, we studied the role of the lowest cast, minim, on its cleaning hypothesis. Besides my research experience, I would also like to share my experience on Costa Rican culture, the challenges I encountered and the lessons I learned from the program.

 

Brianna Buljung, Colorado College

ACM: Newberry Seminar in the Humanities, Newberry Library, Chicago - Fall 2007
Graduation: May 2009
Major: History
Minors: Religion and Anthropology

“Rendezvous with Destiny”: Women, Journalism and World War II

Dorothy Thompson and Martha Gellhorn, both accomplished and well-known journalists, were representative of the group of women with whom they worked.  I considered the different ways in which female journalists actively impacted the industry on the home front and as war correspondents.  My central focus was an in-depth analysis of specific correspondence from the World War II era and proved Dorothy Thompson and Martha Gellhorn were typical of their contemporary female journalists, yet stylistically different from the male correspondents of their time.  The emergence of women in the field of journalism began more than half a century before the war, but it was not until the United States became involved in this multi-continental conflict that women began to work in the field in significant numbers.

Read more about Brianna's experience on the ACM Newberry Seminar.

 

Mikelle Wortman, Cornell College

ACM: Newberry Short Term Seminar: The Transformation of America's Second City, 1880-1940, Newberry Library,  Chicago- May 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Major: Ethnic Studies
Minor: Biology

At the Foot of the Cliff: African American Health Care in Chicago

One important aspect of discrimination against African Americans in Chicago after the Great Migration was access to health care.  African Americans were given substandard health care at white dominated facilities, if they were provided with any services at all.  Although feeling more welcomed in an all black hospital like Provident, serious interracial issues caused the black community to be more hesitant about utilizing “race” hospitals knowing that they lent further support to segregation practices.  Provident Hospital was a positive development for blacks by creating some source of health care at the time but also helped to encourage Jim Crow practices and furthered segregation by becoming the role model for many “race” hospitals across America.

 

Tracy Schwartz, Lake Forest College

American University, Washington D.C.: Washington Semester Program - Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Communications and Politics

Washington Highlands: D.C.’s Diamond in the Rough

The best views of Washington, D.C. are east of the Anacostia River in the community of Washington Highlands.  It offers the most splendid views of the monuments and museums yet is home to some of the highest crime, teenage pregnancy, and poverty rates in the city.  Out of sight and out of mind, this old dumping ground for public housing is the product of gentrification and a lesson to community developers and politicians everywhere, but it is also a community that can have a bright future.  For all the bad in Washington Highlands, there are still promises of good. 

 

Europe and the Western Hemisphere:  Cultural Awareness/Personal Growth

 

Caitlin Staebell, Coe College

ACM London & Florence: Arts in Context - Spring 2008
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Political Science
Minor: Theater

Acting Pinter

What does the ACM London & Florence: Arts in Context program have to offer those interested in theatre?  A first-hand experience of English productions is one feature.  This presentation looks to develop a deeper understanding of Harold Pinter, an accomplished English playwright who has a way of spinning an audience into a frenzy of confusion. Through encountering his work in London, he has shaped the way I understand and dissect theatre.

 

Jennifer Halbman, Lawrence University

ACM Florence: Italian Renaissance Studies - Fall 2007
Graduation: June 2009
Majors: Art History and Studio Art

Bella Figura: The Subtle Art of Making a Good Impression in Italy

“Bella Figura” literally translates to beautiful figure in Italian, but in practice it means much more than that. Bella Figura is similar to our notion of making a good impression. In Italy, I experienced a culture in which good impressions are not only based on one’s resume or rapport, but on one’s composure, beauty, emotional confidence and attitude. Drawing from Renaissance literature, modern sources and the examples presented by my host family, I explored how the notion of Bella Figura functioned everyday --at the dinner table, at cafes, in class and in my own life style.

Read Jennifer's essay "Bella Figura!"

 

Yiqian “Phoebe” Zhang, Grinnell College

Danish Institute for Study Abroad: Copenhagen - Fall 2008
Graduation: June 2010
Major: Political Science

Hyggylig -- Denmark in a Word

The European lifestyle is generally very laid-back and slow-paced compared to the American one. The Danish have a unique concept called "hygge", which cannot be translated in English but carries a meaning along the lines of relaxation. I will talk about the Danish welfare state, which is a very unique phenomenon, as well as the Danish values. For the personal growth part, I will to talk about living with a host family and my travels in Europe, focusing on the incident when I was caught by the border police of Croatia without a proper visa and send back to Budapest at midnight. These events had much impact on me and made me learn about responsibility, independence and how to interact with different people. I think most of the growth needs to be credited to encountering a different culture and society. 

 

Polly Young, Knox College

Knox College Program in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Fall 2007
Knox College Program in Barcelona, Spain - Winter and Spring 2008
Graduation: May 2009
Major: Spanish
Minors: Economics and Political Science

Studying Abroad: Cultivating a View of the World and an Understanding of Yourself

Travel changes you.  As you move through life and experience what the world has to offer, you leave your footprints behind and, in return, you learn lessons along the way. These lessons can be beautiful and even sometimes painful, but upon reflection they provide deeper levels of understanding that continue to inform the way you view the world, address future situations and live your life. 

There is something very special about the place where you began to really find yourself. It’s indescribable how it makes you feel, and often times, you really just want to cry. Thankfully, it's there for you to rediscover, just a flight, dune-buggy, jitney or skype call away.

 

Hadley Skeffington-Vos, Lake Forest College

Lake Forest College: Program in Greece - Spring 2008
Lake Forest College: Paris International Internship Program - Fall 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: International Relations and French
Minor: Economics

Recognizing Stereotypes and Becoming a Global Citizen

My symposium presentation discusses cultural stereotypes of Europeans, and how awareness of cultural ‘otherness’ can help us to become global citizens.  I will draw stereotypes from student surveys and dialogues, focusing on the three countries in which I studied abroad: Greece, Switzerland, and France.  First, I will discuss the typical American stereotypes of these countries, what I discovered about the people and culture of each country through my studies and personal experiences, and how this differs/confirms the cultural stereotype.  I will conclude with how an awareness of cultural stereotypes when abroad can help overcome the barriers of cultural difference. 

 

Alice Dworkin, Beloit College

Global Partners Semester in Turkey - Fall 2007
Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey: Direct enrollment - Spring 2008
Graduation: May 2009  
Major: Environmental Studies

Memory’s Impermanence

A five-minute photo film telling the story of people, spaces, and patterns I met in Turkey. How do travel and the physical sensations of sight, sound, and motion pass from immediate experience to a memory? How are friendships maintained over time? Can we emotionally connect with people and places we will never see again? I try to draw meaning from impermanence and the knowledge of our transience in a fast-paced and shifting world.

 

Tiffany Born, Ripon College

Ripon College Maymester: Ethnology of Killer Whales, San Juan Island, Washington - May 2008
Graduation: May 2010
Majors: Psychology and History

Learning Passion: The Value of Studying Killer Whales to a Wisconsin Student

One may think that killer whales have little to do with the experiences of college students in Wisconsin.  However, during a wonderful off-campus study program through Ripon College, students not only learn about killer whales but also have the opportunity to study them up close and personal from beautiful San Juan Island, Washington.  This Maymester allows students to gain knowledge from a true liberal arts experience while also learning important life lessons.  This presentation discusses one student’s personal experiences on San Juan Island and how studying killer whales changed her outlook on life. 

 

Francine Boylan, St. Olaf College

St. Olaf Interim: Literature of the Eastern Caribbean, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad - January 2009
Graduation: May 2011
Majors: Theater and American Studies

America as a Paradise in the Land of Sand, Surf and Sun

Obama T-shirts, Pringle Snack-Packs, and challenges to the US Gymnastics Team.  This only begins the list of the endless amount of American influence that can be found in the nations of the Eastern Caribbean.  The United States of America has never had any specific colonial involvement with the nations that I visited.  If one spends ten minutes in the airport, one would think that my previous statement is entirely false.  One would only have to look at the American brand clothes sold in stores, and the KFC and Subway in the food court.  Most of the valuable goods produced in these countries are shipped and sold in the United States.  The beaches are covered in American tourists and American cruise ships crowd the harbors.  The countries of the Eastern Caribbean are young nations struggling to find an identity in the global community.  Are the carnivals, calypsos and folk dances that seem essential to Caribbean culture being swallowed by American influence?  Will the young people in the Caribbean ever feel that they have education opportunities in the Caribbean, or will they always look to American soil?  Will Caribbean nations ever truly be free?

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