| Summary: | 10 Cfoncordian Relationships Students find themselves in a new world January 15, 1999 Studying abroad allows students to develop international relationships Jodi Hatzenbeller The Concordian Last week, Concordia students returned from break to a snow covered campus. As winter weath-er arrived, first year students across campus bemoaned their fates — "How can we spend the next four years here?" A handful of seniors sat back and smirked. These few have escaped from the Concordia tundra into foreign lands for at least one semester of their college career. For the cost of a plane ticket and Concordia's comprehensive fee, students have the opportunity to study in a variety of environments ranging from the beaches of Malta to the former Olympic village in Lillehammer. Last year, Concordia's World Discoveries program helped 102 students explore and build relationships with people of alternate cultures in 23 countries, said International Education Administrative Assistant Charlie Hovde. "Absolutely everyone should study abroad," said senior Sally Schmiesing. Schmiesing claims submersion in foreign culture greatly broadened her perspective on life. "It opens your mind and opens your world. You understand much more about yourself and your cul-ture," she said. Bit by the travel bug Students decide to study abroad for a variety of reasons. The travel bug caught up with senior Jeff Anshus when he was 19. Two summers ago, he departed on Concordia's math May Seminar to Egypt and the experi-ence was so enjoyable that he returned to Concordia with plans to travel again. He walked into the World Discoveries Office looking for a program that would fit his schedule and discovered the Malta and the Mediterranean program. Senior Dave Steger began his quest for foreign lands under less scholastic conditions. Steger's decision to study abroad came about abruptly at a party during his sophomore year. A friend of his had brought several British friends to the gathering and after spending just a few hours with them, Steger was hooked on trav-eling to England. "I chose England because there was no language barrier" he said, which lead him to a year of study last year at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England. Senior Sonya Nelson spent her first semester this year at Lancaster. She decided to study abroad for a change of pace. "I worked with a girl who went to Lancaster last year and she encouraged me to go," Nelson said, A difficult arrival Arrival in a new country is not always easy. Steger faced moving into Lancaster on his own. He was provided with a single room on campus that was approximately the size of a Concordia dorm room. He initially doubted he would fit in with the 10 students who lived on his floor. "My biggest fear about going was being the weird American boy" Steger said. Stcger's doubts were soon squelched. Within five minutes of moving in, "I got swarmed by like photo courtesy of Sonya Nelson eight guys," he said. Steeer said the students were Sonya Nelson stands in front of a castle in Conway, Wales with two of her friends that she met while curious about American culture s t u dyi n 8 abroad. Nelson spent her fall semester studying at Lancaster College in Lancaster, England. tooed on their foreheads. Greece and took brief trips to Anshus easily associated with Istanbul and Crete throughout the Maltese natives. He met a variety semester. It was great, Anshus of people through his classes and said, because "you could get on a involvement in theater. Anshus, plane and fly anywhere in Europe in like two hours." For Anshus, however, one of the most amazing places he visit-ed, the city of the Hagar Qim Temples, required little travel. It was located right in Malta. The temples, which were built in 5000 B.C., are the oldest free standing man made structure on earth. 'They still let you climb on them, which is the weirdest part of it" he said. Homeward bound Like all things, studying abroad must eventually come to an end. and they asked a lot of questions. "They weren't afraid to ask to questions, so I felt comfortable asking back," he said. For senior Kristin Helvig who studied in Jena, Germany during however, did face difficulty her sophomore year, the biggest adjusting to Maltese spatial per-challenge of arrival in Germany sPe c t l v e - was not adjusting to jet lag or fit-ting in with the natives; it was retrieving a key to her new apart-ment. After lugging a year's worth of luggage on and off trains, Helvig climbed up a big hill to face unwelcoming arms. Having new friendships, been told by building supervisors "Making friends with British 'There is a whole different mindset on an island," he said, "because you can only go so far." Building relationships Conversations with natives soon led to the development of // that her apartment key would not be available until weekday business hours were in ses-sion, Helvig had to spend her first weekend in a local hotel. "At the time, I was ready to com-mit homicide and ri&£'->&£*£]y*!?$i throw everything in the garbage " she said. Helvig suppressed these urges and was eventually allowed to move in. Conversation starters Once students became com-fortable in their new environ-ments, they began to talk with the natives. For Helvig, conversation with native Germans came easily. Jena is located in what was for-merly East Germany. It was easy to observe the differences between East and West, Helvig said, and Dave Steger people was pretty easy because they were very inter- International Experiences Study abroad options :,,_:".at Concordia ^ • C o m m u n i t y v'-••• •'-•}-*"•'&' ' Development in India • CREDO in Crete -^l Q French Teaching $$$* Interns :&i&t?^^^£\ ;*f Ijniversitat in Jena Q!German American 'Y-^iVj'tf.-? , . r ested in meeting Upon returning home, Helvig Federation Exchange P'SB^St T^ar, new people, experienced an odd form of cul-about going "*"' vt*"'\; They usually ture shock-patriotism. Before being the weird . w •-.; -';*•*•':s;v*» -••>>ft American i n t r o d u c e d themselves to me," Nelson said. Many of these spending a year abroad, Helvig said she had "an ambivalence towards being American." "When I first arrived in Germany," she said, "I felt f r i e n d s h i p s ashamed to admit I was from the have lasted, even though students United States. I felt I had to apol-have returned home. ogize." "I email them (my friends) Now that she's returned home, every day and it keeps us in close Helvig is much more proud to be contact" Nelson said. American. Time to travel "I almost think studying abroad Many students believe that all should be required of anybody?' work and no play would have pro-vided them with only half of the international experience. They cherished time off, which allowed them to travel. Helvig spent Program Q International Business , Program Q Malta and the /( - • Mediterranean ^ • Norwegian Study Programs Q Scandanavia and the >J • Baltic ^'-—-'^^:yW^y^ • Student teaching - ^ ^ | opportunities oversea?* | Q Universidad d e ^ . - ^ - ^ ^ Program Christmas vacation in England and Ireland. She traveled to vari-the East Germans were very eager ous destinations during her two-to answer her questions about month spring break. She also took time to play hostess/travel guide when her mother and younger related issues. Despite their eagerness to dis-cuss, the natives still treated Helvig as an "auslander" or for-she said. "It's such a perspective changing experience." Helvig, who has since spent a Q T a n z a n j a n E x c h a n g e d semester in Crete, has few regrets .,-,- ,.<;.*_;.>^$?%^ about her travels. Program'- ' ' ^ ' -*' ' ? ' . ' .^ Td do it again" she said, "and • Semester Study-Abroad|j just pack lighter" Programs % Nelson agreed. Her only regret . ^ about her travels were that they were too short. Information about pro- "if I had to do it over again, Yd grams can be obtained do it over again," Nelson said. "I'd f r o m Concordia College rciiecuuu, me lugiiiigm 01 ucr go for at least a year. I dove in and . , . contacting eigner. Helvig said that she and studies abroad was "mostly the spent every day with the same *** " * J, . * . travel" she said. people. That makes it difficult to the Office Of International brother visited from the states. In reflection, the highlight of her other Americans were visually recognized throughout the town Anshus also highlighted his g° home. " and they used to joke that they had travels as the most memorable of huge "A's" (for auslander) tat- his time abroad. He spent April in Education at 299-4549 source: Concordia College Catalog
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