Volume IV: November/2013

Dear CLA Faculty, Staff & Students:

Fall 2013 semester has brought with it a tremendous amount of excitement and support to CLA Study Abroad & International Programs. The news of the recent travel grant program for undergraduate students has created interest across campus in all areas of Study Abroad programming. In addition, we have more department led programs than any other college on campus. In summer 2014, we will offer 18 programs led by CLA faculty and staff. It is truly an exciting time for International Programs.

The fall semester CLA Study Abroad Fair was held on September 11. A great many faculty, staff and students attended the event and enjoyed themselves. Thank you to all who supported, attended, and promoted our event. The spring semester fair will be held on Wednesday, January 29, from 10 am – 2 pm in the Purdue Memorial Union West Faculty Lounge. We will use this day to celebrate CLA’s global initiatives and to continue to promote and support programs. All Purdue faculty, staff and students are welcome, and we hope that you will join us in celebrating this event.

We are also excited to announce that CLA International Programs now has a new staff member. Amanda Goodwin is the new CLA Study Abroad & International Programs Assistant. We are pleased to have her support and expertise as we move forward in our growing department. If you should need information about anything related to CLA International programming, feel free to contact Amanda at angoodwin@purdue.edu.

In this newsletter, you will find stories about student experiences abroad, international student perspectives, program spotlights for summer 2014 and cur-rent travel grant information. Our hope is that this newsletter will create even more excitement about all the opportunities available to students and faculty.

Regards,Elizabeth DíazInternational Programs & Study Abroad Coordinator

We would like to extend a special THANK YOU to SAIP Interns Myles Madey, Natascha Perez-Rios, Rosy Garibay, Jessica Cole, and Anna Bao who have helped with this newsletter and a number of projects for International Programs this semester. Their assistance has been invaluable.

Study Abroad &International Programs

In This Issue:Department Led Programs

Study Abroad Fall Fair Recap

Student Study Abroad Experiences

Program Spotlights

Find Us On Facebook:College of Liberal Arts Study Abroad and International Programs

Contact Us:Elizabeth DíazBeering Hall, Rm. 1114 eadiaz@purdue.edu

www.cla.purdue.edu/academics/ip/

College of Liberal Arts Summer 2014 Department Led Programs

• Live, Learn, Work - Cartagena, Colombia – Mrs. Lisa Snodgrass, Career Development Director, lsnodgra@purdue.edu & www.cla.purdue.edu/ students/careers/study_abroad/

• Lima, Peru, Summer 2014 - Assistant Dean Dennis Bowling, bowlingd@purdue.edu & www.facebook.com/PurdueLima2014

• Communication in Global Organizations - Shanghai and Beijing, China - Professor Stacey Connaughton, sconnaug@purdue.edu

• Women’s Studies in Uganda – Professor Alicia Decker, acdecker@purdue.edu

• Global Studies in London – Professor Robert Marzec, rmarzec@purdue.edu & www.cla.purdue.edu/academics/honors/studyabroad/

• Summer in Madrid, Spain – Professor Alejandro Cuza-Blanco, acuza@ purdue.edu

• Summer in Siena, Italy – Professor Jeong-Nam Kim, kim638@purdue.edu • Anthropology in Brazil – Professor Laura Zanotti, lzanotti@purdue.edu • Anatolian Archeology in Turkey – Professor Nick Rauh, rauhn@purdue.edu • In the English Landscape, England - Professor Michael Dana, dana@purdue.

edu, and Professor John Larson, larsonjl@purdue.edu• Rhineland, Germany - Professor William Gray - wggray@purdue.edu • Spring Break in France - Professor Becky Brown - bbrown@purdue.edu • Spring Break Trip to Ancient Greece - Professor Nick Rauh, rauhn@purdue.

edu • Brazil Program, Summer 2014 - Professor Venetria Patton,

vpatton@purdue.edu, Professor Dawn Stinchcomb, stinchcomb@purdue.edu, and Ms. Renee Thomas, Director of the Black Cultural Center, rathomas@purdue.edu

• Trans-Atlantic History of Sexualities, Paris, Amsterdam, and NYC - Professor Yvonne Pitts, ypitts@purdue.edu, and Mr. Lowell Kane, Director, Purdue University LGBTQ Center, kane14@purdue.edu

• Post-Industrial Scotland: Professional Writing Abroad - Professor Michael Salvo, salvo@purdue.edu

• ARANAS - AUI (Al Akhawayn University) Ifrane, Morocco - Professor Ahmed Idrissi Alami, aidrissi@purdue.edu

• Reading London, England - Professor Melanie Shoffner, shoffner@purdue.edu

For information about all types of Study Abroad Programs, visit:

SAIP Newsletter:

Department Led Programs:Summer 2014

www.studyabroad.purdue.edu/programs/programs.cfm

On Wednesday, September 11, faculty and staff from the College of Liberal Arts took to Memorial Mall for the Fall Study Abroad Fair. Complete with a large tent and numerous, decorative tables for all of its featured programs, the fair was a huge success and managed to attract many students who passed through the mall on their way to and from classes that day.

It was a very hot day, so luckily for the students, the fair provided an abundance of free snacks and drinks, including popcorn, cookies, Powerade, and water.

Other than the heat, it was a beautiful day on campus. It was clear, with sunny skies, and plenty of students approached the tent for free water and to talk to Purdue professors who were promoting their study abroad programs for next year. These programs include trips to London, Italy, Uganda, Peru, and many other places all over the world. The Purdue Study Abroad Office also attended the fair, handing out promotional materials to students and informing them of the office’s services and other study abroad programs that were not represented.

The excitement on the faces of the prospective study abroad students was a sight to behold as they stood and listened to professors explain the details about their programs. The students received information on program courses, living arrangements, various trip expenses, extracurricular activities, and other topics related to the study abroad trips. Once students received the information, they were able to sign up for an email list to receive more details and callout information related to the trips.

Overall, the CLA Study Abroad Fall Fair was a huge hit. Those interested in potentially studying abroad next year got to beat the heat and hear about future study abroad programs all at once. So, for everyone involved, the day was clearly a win-win.

If you are interested in studying abroad during the 2014 calendar year and have not yet signed up for a program, please visit www.studyabroad.purdue.edu/programs/programs.cfm for more information on all of Purdue’s study abroad programs, or stop by the CLA Spring 2014 Study Abroad Fair on January 29, 2014, in the West Faculty Lounge of Purdue Memorial Union.

SAIP Newsletter:

Study Abroad Fall Fair Recap:September 11, 2013Myles Madey

Japan, though very similar to the US in some ways, is also vastly different. The country as a whole is a wild mix of modern, flashy, humble, and natural. My final hotel, which was located in Kichijoji, was crammed between two buildings lined with signs and advertisements. There were izakayas (traditional Japanese bars), ramen shops, and small shops stacked on top of one another. The izakayas were made almost completely of wood while the shops were filled with glitzy souvenirs.

Because Japan is a country where almost 80% of the land is unused due to mountains, they take the sharing of space very seriously. Despite being different from the layout of most of the US, the cramped conditions were exhilarating. There were always bells ringing as shop doors opened, the smell of ramen wafting from the store fronts, and people were bustling everywhere at all hours of the day. While this may sound like Chicago or New York City to some of you, the atmosphere is so different it is nearly indescribable.

School is another aspect of Japanese life which could shock many foreign students. Most students attend school 6 days a week. We had class Monday through Saturday, 8:30am to 1:30pm. Because it was the summer session, my schedule may have been slightly skewed from the norm, but a dedication to school is expected nonetheless. On top of long hours during the week, students are also expected to go to cram school in order to prepare for entrance exams into high school and then university.

Here are some of my other experiences crammed into a nutshell: Eating fresh sushi made by an actual sushi chef is a mind-blowingly delicious experience. Americans should ditch cereal and have miso soup and fish for breakfast every morning instead. Japanese karaoke bars are full of some of the kindest and most courteous staff I have ever met, which is saying a lot because customer service is taken very seriously there. Mochi (a sweet bean/rice treat) are heavenly before matcha (green tea). And, lastly, there are so many old villages and castles to explore that it could take you half your lifetime to complete.

Going to Japan had been my dream since I was 13 years old. To finally step foot in Narita Airport this summer left me at a loss for words. If you’re thinking about studying abroad, do it! Don’t let your fear keep you from letting your dreams come true. Believe me, you won’t regret it.

SAIP Newsletter:

Student Study Abroad Experiences:Natascha Pérez-RíosJapan

I’ve been at Purdue for almost two months, and it’s starting to feel like home. As a Brit abroad, at first it was the climate that felt like the biggest change. Here, there’s an unfamiliar yellow orb in the sky that emanates heat on a daily basis. It has only rained twice - my umbrella felt lonely and estranged after the second week. Parading around in dresses and sandals, I’ve been overdosing on vitamin D, playing frisbee on Slayter Hill, and camping under the stars in Kentucky with the Outing club.

The atmosphere here is one of prosperity and innovation; at Purdue an emphasis is placed on not only education, but involvement in university life. Everyone participates in a club, a sport, or a role because that’s part of what being a Boilermaker means. Students are proud to be Boilermakers, and they wear their self-assigned uniforms with pride to classes, football games, and the mall. This is drastically different from the UK, where we shrink away from any open sense of university identification.

My days are filled with classes and activities, and because I’ve been doing 2 years of English and American Literature in my UK university (without having to focus on any other subjects, as students do in US universities), I am finding the work here fairly straightforward and familiar. It does take a while to get used to the different requirements of the professors and the lack of attention devoted towards secondary reading, but I feel lucky to have the opportunity to experience a different sort of education.

SAIP Newsletter:

Student Study Abroad Experiences:Alice BryantBritish Exchange to Purdue

The night before I left for Paris, I completely freaked out. I wasn’t packed, and I wasn’t even sure why I decided to go to a different country for almost a year without a chance to come back home. In that moment, I thought that my decision was completely crazy. I was nervous, but it was final, and I was going to get on my flight early the next morning and be in Paris by the evening whether I whined or not. When I arrived and walked up to my host mother’s apartment, suddenly I realized that despite my nervousness, Paris was a beautiful city, and I would be spending months here, longer than most people get the chance to stay, and I could explore things other people couldn’t. I had opted to live with another exchange student, and doing so boosted my confidence with my host mother and the country. Already, I had a sort of insta-friend, someone my age that I could speak English to. I worried less and less as I started my program, and I stopped convincing myself they’d leave me stranded in the middle of a European city to get mugged or run over. They were there to help and everyone on my program was there to enjoy themselves, and the energy people brought with them helped me boost my own.

By the end of December, I didn’t want to leave Paris. I’d had so much fun, met so many good people and spent my days wandering the city or just sitting in the Louvre because I got in for free (as I could with most places in Paris, even if my student card looked like my ID had been glued to a piece of plastic and covered in tape). This first semester, however, prepared me for my next one in London. I figured if I’d made it around Paris and passed my classes with mangled French, I could pretty much go anywhere at this point, and that was most definitely true. I didn’t want to leave Paris because I loved it, but I wanted to head to London because, already, I loved that too. I wasn’t scared about classes or navigating the city or figuring out the tube map (even if it was annoyingly confusing at first). I spent 5 months in Paris and got along just fine because I threw myself into situations where I had to get tough or cry, and I got tough (and had a better time than I ever imagined I could).

Compared to everything I was scared for before I left for Paris, London was a breeze with plenty of time to travel, and by the time I left I’d gone to a movie premiere and traveled around Eastern Europe, never regretting not going home. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would, and I’d spend even longer if I could. My fears felt crazy by the end of my trip. I kept wishing I could stay just a little longer, and then maybe a little longer than that, because I didn’t want my favorite school year to end.

SAIP Newsletter:

Student Study Abroad ExperiencesTaylor StewartParis

SAIP Newsletter:

Program Spotlight:Summer Internship in Lima, Peru

Instructors: Assistant Dean Dennis Bowling, Kathryn Wadas

Description of the Program:Students of all majors are invited to take part in the Lima Summer 2014 In-ternship Program in Lima, Peru. Participants are guaranteed an internship abroad with corporate companies and organizations in your field of study. Knowledge of Spanish language is not a requirement, but is recommended. You will have the opportunity to complete up to nine credit hours in Span-ish language, South American culture, and course credits for your intern-ship. In addition to gaining on-the-job work experience and Purdue course credits, you will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit Machu Picchu and explore other historic sites in Peru. For more information please “like” our Facebook fan page by searching “Purdue Lima 2014.” Any questions should be directed to Dennis Bowling at bowlingd@purdue.edu.

SAIP Newsletter:

Student Study Abroad ExperiencesAnna BaoChinese Exchange to Purdue

As an international student and a graduating senior at Purdue University, without exaggeration, I have been asked, “Why did you choose to study abroad?” thousands of times. Actually, I can give thousands of answers to this question at different stages of my life. However, the only thing that never changes is that the experience abroad has changed my life and permanently influenced me.

First of all, based on personal experience, studying abroad is different from traveling. As a travel zealot, I know every travel experience can be invaluable and inspiring; however, if you are staying in a place for just a week, you can only be a visitor. The best way to deeply understand a foreign culture is to immerse yourself in it which takes time and effort. Making friends here at Purdue and actively participating in different activities on campus did help me to get a better understanding of American pop culture, which can never be learned by only watching soap operas.

Additionally, being in the diverse environment really helped me identify myself better as well as grow by learning from others. Every time I communicated with a person from a different background, I could learn a new perspective of the world. Over time, these experiences contributed to my creative thinking as well as broad vision. You can think outside of the box everyday!

Last but not least, studying abroad can provide more choices for your future career. Study Abroad experience is definitely a resume booster that helps distinguish you from your peers. Other than that, you might even have a chance to work while you are abroad by participating in an internship program.

Above all, my time studying abroad here at Purdue has been a life benefit. You will never regret it after you take the first step.

SAIP Newsletter:

Student Study Abroad ExperiencesTodd SwanSweden

By far the best five months of my life were the ones I spent studying in Sweden. It was stressful, terrifying, and I even almost had an emotional breakdown once. However, it was the most rewarding experience I’ve had, and I will still be talking about it on my death bed.

As an exchange student, you have minimal information or contacts before you arrive in your new country. I was basically thrown out of a plane and found myself in a very cold place where it was dark for at least 20 hours of the day. Everyone was shy, had blonde hair, dressed nicely and spoke a funny language that somewhat resembled the chef from “The Muppets.” You are forced to sink or swim. After a couple weeks of severe social awkardness, I finally started to adapt, make friends and figure out how the bus system actually worked.

I started riding a bike everywhere like a good Swede. I jaywalked minimally, because you don’t break rules in Sweden. I got lost in the city less frequently each week. I noticed that I was becoming more confident and laid back every day. You can’t control what’s happening around you, so you might as well just go with it. Once you have that down, you begin to “live” in the country instead of just “studying” in it. Don’t worry, it won’t change you completely as a person.

We often hear the cliches of how study abroad changed a student’s life. It does in a way (if it’s done right), but when you return home in large part you’ll be the same. You may have picked up some new skills and be more openminded or professionally oriented or whatnot, but most importantly you’re going to have a life experience that you will never forget, and you’ll have new friends in every corner of the world. That’s why study abroad, and more precisely, exchanges are important. Not because it makes your resume look nicer, but because it’s the most challenging, fun, rewarding experience you can have.

SAIP Newsletter:

Program Spotlight:Trans-Atlantic History of Sexualities

Instructors: Dr. Yvonne Pitts, Assistant Professor, Department of History, and Lowell Kane, Director of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Center

Description of the Program:This six-week, culturally immersive course will explore gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender history and culture from the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries in three cities: New York City, Amsterdam, and Paris. Taking a comparative approach, we will examine the changing meanings of same-sex sexual desire, acts, identities, and sexual regulation. We will uncover how people formed communities around shared sexual and gender identities and how those communities developed and survived, often in the face of devastating, often violent, social, legal, and economic oppressions. These cities have a rich history of vibrant sexual subcultures and simul-taneously have been the sites of some of the most violent repressions of LGBTQ people. We will also have the rare opportunity to work with activists in New York and Paris to experience firsthand how community organizers have responded to discrimination and worked toward different visions of equality.

Interested students can find a link to the application at www.purdue.edu/lgbtq. The deadline to apply is December 1.

Learning Outcomes: 1. With intense academic classroom instruction and an immersive cultural experience, students will connect how historical dynamics shape present realities.

2. Students will gain research experience working in national and interna-tional archives and historical collections. They will understand the craft of history – research, analysis, and presentation of findings.

3. Students will gain a comparative, international experience, which will challenge assumptions about the historical invisibility of LGBTQ communi-ties and historical sexual diversity.

4. Students will see first-hand how historical systems of sexual oppression inform contemporary attitudes and social problems through service learn-ing.

5. Students will engage in service learning experiences designed to encour-age future activism and community involvement.