I am going to base my decision on whether I plan to continue writing for Rowan Worldwide depending on what comes my way next semester.  I would love to meet more students from countries around the world that attend Rowan University.  I enjoyed meeting the exchange students that I did and learned a lot about their lives here, the country that they are from, and the culture they hold to all the while absorbing the American way of life.  I found that I have a great deal of respect for those who decide to study abroad; it really is a leap into an unfamiliar life. 

If you are an exchange student and would like to talk about your country, perhaps to let students know something going on where you are from that they may be unaware of (take a look at my feature on international news) or you would like to talk about your experience in the United States please feel to contact me anytime (including over break!) via Facebook.  In addition, if you are a Rowan student that has traveled abroad and would like to share your experience with me I would love to interview you and learn about the country through a traveler’s eyes.  Thank You.

Merry Christmas!

-Megan Bahoosh

Foreign exchange students study abroad for roughly eight months and while they are away the country they left behind continues to change.  Many students will return home to a different environment or a sinking economy, similar to that of the United States.  Those students from the U.S. who chose to study abroad will return home to a new president. This feature is a look at the current events in a few countries that are represented here at Rowan University by exchange students.

Vietnam

Photo by ThinhHoang

Khoa Hoang is an exchange student from Vietnam who has been living in the United States for five years.  Hoang said that the biggest news story right now is the Vietnam National Football Team, “the news about the team will be on every front page of the newspapers and magazines.” Vietnam defeated Malaysia with a 3-2 victory and is likely to advance to the 2008 Southeast Asian Suzuki Cup semifinals as reported by Quang Huy.  The team will play Laos on Friday, which will be an important game for them.  In an article on the Asean Football Federation website head coach Henrique Calisto says he won’t play the second string, ”We must win against Laos. It is very important that we beat them and it is because of that, we should not play with the second team.”  

            In the same article, the outcomes of the games ahead were predicted by a few. Thailand’s former striker Kiatisuk thinks that Vietnam may win (in the semi finals) but Thailand and Vietnam will meet again in the finals.  Laos’ head coach Saysana Sawatdee forecasts that Thailand will beat Vietnam 1-0, and Vietnams coach foresees a draw between his team and Thailand.

Jos, Nigeria

Nigeria is located on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa; it is the most populous country in Africa. The official language is English however other languages such as Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and others are also spoken.  Nigeria has a federal republic form of government and is divided into thirty-six states.

In an article published by Will Connors for the CNN Time website this past Friday, Connors wrote about the tragic result of religious violence going on in Nigeria.  According to the article the violence that left over 300 people dead took place in the city of Jos, which is located between the Christian south and the Muslim north of Nigeria.

Ibrahim Saleh Hassan watched as his home was robbed and burned and all of the cars at his dealership were put on fire, but the saddest thing for him was finding out that his seven year-old child watched as the family’s four dogs were murdered. 

There is no conclusion yet on who may have started the riots.  Members of both religions are blaming the other group for the violence and damages.  There was suspicion surrounding the intent of police and soldiers that were supposed to be calming the situation.

From the article Religious Violence Rages in Nigeria by Will Connors

Residents displayed three houses where they claim men dressed in army uniforms had killed eight, 11, and three people. Law enforcement officials had been given shoot-on-sight orders by the state governor and had used them. “The security that came to control the situation then started shooting randomly,” says Alhaji Muhammed, chairman of one of the political parties at the heart of last week’s contentious election. “Before the Army came it was the police that did that bad work. Instead of making arrests they started shooting.”

Bashir Mohammed, 26, is a resident of a predominantly Muslim neighborhood that was badly affected by the violence. “We saw hell here,” he says. “The police shot two of our friends. One died on the spot, the other died in the hospital. They were wearing army and police uniforms. We were about to calm everyone down when they came and started firing.”

It is clear that things are changing and Nigerians fear a time where there will not be peace at all between the two opposing religions.

Mumbai, India

Mumbai, India was the victim of terrorist attacks on November 27, 2008. The terrorists used heavy machine guns such as AK-47s and grenades to assault the city’s prominent places; most of the deaths occurred at the city’s two famous hotels, the Taj Mahal and the Oberoi.

Jenny Barchfield of the Associated Press notes in her story, India clears bodies from last Mumbai siege site that the United States requested that Pakistan cooperate with any investigation in finding those guilty; India blames the attacks on a Pakistani militant group. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari assures that these men had no affiliation to Pakistan’s government and warns against the investigation creating hostility.  The group Indians are accusing were banned from Pakistan after Britain and the U.S. labeled them a terrorist clan, they are said to have reappeared under a new name but deny being involved in the Mumbai attacks.

On a lighter note, Rajo Devi gave birth to baby girl at seventy years of age in Haryana, India this week. After fifty years of attempting to have a child Devi finally turned to in vitro fertilization.  According to the article from MSNBC news, the doctor who treated Devi had no worries about the health of either one, other than that the child may be orphaned due to the age of the parents.

 

Sichuan, China

 

photo by thenez

photo by Alex and Jerry 

When asked about the most crucial news in their country or hometown Chinese students said that the earthquake that struck China on May 12, 2008 took a toll on their country and affected them personally. As stated by The New York Times, the earthquake that was measured at 7.9 on the Richter scale assailed Sichuan Province in western China.  The death count was at 12,000 the next day with about 2,000 of those deaths being children and teachers crushed under a school. 

An article published in the New York Times by David Barboza held that the final toll, as of August, killed nearly 70,000 people while leaving millions more homeless and, “so thoroughly damaging the region that recovery efforts were expected to take years, if not decades,” wrote Barboza.

Seven months after the earthquake, people are struggling with the loss of so many homes and businesses, and the economic crisis that is affecting many countries is directly affecting the rate of tourism in China.

From a New York Times article  Winter and Economy Chilling China Quake Zone by Reuters 8 December 2008.

“There are many fewer tourists here than before,” said a gatekeeper at a local scenic spot surnamed Teng. “Partly because of the earthquake, partly because of the economic crisis.”People will not go out for fun if they have no money.”

Yang Tingxiu and her husband, both in their 50s, ran a business before the disaster, but now scratch out a living doing cleaning jobs around their temporary housing community.

“We lost everything in the earthquake except our lives,” said Yang, who lives with her husband in a portable dwelling furnished with an old, donated television and a gas cylinder.

“We just scrape along. The only way for us to survive in winter is to put on more clothes.”

            A natural disaster of this size affects such a large number of people and businesses; it is not hard to believe that it may take decades to fully recover.  The American Red Cross donated $14 million dollars to the Red Cross Society of China, and sent 35,000 staff members and volunteers in an effort to help those suffering from the tragic aftermath of this earthquake.

Correction

I received a comment from Eric who works in public relations for the American Red Cross in Washington DC.  The Red Cross Society of China sent 35,000 staff and volunteers to help communities affected by the earthquake, not the American Red Cross.  He mentioned that the American Red Cross does support the Red Cross Society of China in order to recover and rebuild.

-Megan

                      A Look at International Students and Study Abroad

Take a look!

Frans is 18 from Heemstede, Netherlands.

What are you studying and what do you want to do after college?

At Rowan I am undeclared but I enjoy sports journalism.  When I begin as a freshman at Rotterdam University I will be studying economics and law.

What was your reason for studying abroad in the U.S?

I wanted the experience of living abroad and I want to improve my English.

And it was it mandatory to learn English?

Yes.  We are such a small country it is imperative that we learn English because no one can understand us.

What is different here for you?

The drinking age. I am used to going out to eat with my parents and being able to order a beer and I am not allowed to do that here.  Also, there are many rules here; such as I cannot have my door open because it is a fire hazard.

What do your parents do for a living?

My mother works in a hospital as a radiographer and my father works for ING.

Where else have you traveled?

United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Morocco, Luxemburg, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Libyan, Malaysia, South Africa, the Caribbean, and Turkey.

Wow, why so many places?

Well for me to go to Italy is similar to you going to Florida so it is not difficult for me. My father took us to South Africa because he wanted to go on a safari.  My parents went on their honeymoon to Malaysia and they wanted us to see the country.  Many of these are family trips. 

Do you follow a religion?

No.

Do you celebrate Christmas and what are you doing this year?

I do celebrate Christmas.  This year my family is flying into Washington and on Christmas we will be staying Philadelphia.  My mother, sister, and brother have never been to the United States so over the Christmas break we will be traveling as well.  In an addition to Christmas we celebrate Sinterklaas, which is when we exchange presents, Christmas is more time with family.

Kristin MacLean is a junior studying Psychology with a minor in Spanish.  She is going to Spain over Christmas break.  I asked her the details of her trip as well as why she is going and what her plans are once she gets there; this is what she had to say.

The cost of the trip I’m going on is $1,525 including airfare, hotel, breakfast, but excludes excursions. I’m going to Lisbon, Portugal first and staying at Hotel Lutecia, only for a day though. Then I travel to Seville, Spain and I will be staying at Hotel Don Paco. I’m going with a big group of friends so hopefully I will not be too homesick. I could take 6 credits, but I’m only going to take 3 credits and I’m taking a theater class. The class is all about Spanish theater, Federico Garcia Lorca, and his plays. I’m going to Spain because I want to see if I can further my fluency in Spanish and I love Spanish culture; I have been studying it since freshman year of high school. I can read and speak Spanish very well and I’m almost fluent, however I have some problems with grammar and writing. Once I’m in Spain, I’m going to Madrid, Granada, and Cordoba. When I am in Spain I’m going to do some sightseeing, see some plays, and try to meet locals at bars, which are very popular for young people there. I would love to live in Spain for a little bit and possibly after college I might teach ESL to children over there. However, I think I would get homesick and could never stay there for longer than a few years. 

For those Rowan students looking to be inspired by another’s tale of a life abroad, reading Lisa Lorenz’s articles depicting her life in London may worthwhile.  In her story Lisa, across the universe published in this weeks The Whit talks about her access to European countries while living in London. This past weekend she chose to visit Spain.

 ”We picked a direction and started walking; we didn’t know where we going, but it didn’t matter.”  

She will write about her life abroad in the feature section of The Whit for those who are interested.

Hope, Scarlett, and Mei

            I was invited to have a customary homemade dinner at Mei’s house along with her two roommates and fellow Chinese exchange students Scarlett and Hope.  Arriving about twenty minutes late after getting lost I was afraid I was going to offend some sort of Chinese cultural standard, but I was welcomed with smiles and dinner on the table.  As I sat down at their kitchen table I visually took in what I was being served for dinner.  I love trying new food yet I still had a smidge of hesitation, even though everything looked relatively normal.   

(back to front) grilled chicken with soy sauce, fried egg, potato’s and carrots,the fruit was dessert, and the two other dishes are beef carrots and peppers

The fried egg was my favorite dish, it was unique and quite spicy. The fruit for dessert surprised me a little I had this instantaneous need to buy them a box of Entamann’s. Fruit is a traditional dessert for them though. 

  As we ate, Scarlett and Hope talked to me about their life in China as well as their life in America at Rowan University. They told me their actual names are Kun Chang and Ma Baohui.  Scarlett chose her name because she liked the actor Josh Harnett and at the time he was dating actress Scarlett Johansson who she thought was very pretty.  I thought this way of finding a name was very interesting however, I could relate.  The first day of Spanish class my eighth grade year we were allowed to choose a name culturally suitable, I remember picking Margarita because I was fascinated that my name was an alcoholic beverage.  Hope chose her name because she liked the meaning and she compared the name to a sunrise.   

            I was curious to know a lot about exchange students but particularly, why students who live in another country choose to learn English, I understand it is a good language to know, but what is the sole reason for students to want to learn the English language?  Before I finished the question all three girls were nodding their heads saying the same thing, “We have to learn English and we have to know how to write in English too.  Our tests are given to us in English and if we want to attend a university in China or America we must know English.”  I proceeded to ask them why they chose to study abroad and why America?  I candidly told them that I would want to study abroad to experience life in an unfamiliar world and learn about the country’s history and culture, and hopefully master the language.  Although, they share similar feelings they had an added motive for coming to the United States.  We have better opportunities here; there are many more Universities in America then in China.  Scarlett noted, “It would be much harder for me to go to graduate school if I studied in China.”  According to Chinatoday.com the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2001 tallied 350,000 students were studying abroad.

As we were nearing the end of dinner they wanted to know if I thought Taiwan was part of China.  As I racked my brain trying to remember my last game of, Are You Smarter than a 5^th Grader? I reminded them that my goal in creating this blog was to learn and then I timidly answered with a quiet and unsure no.  Without delay their gasps and wide mouths revealed I was wrong.  They went on to explain that there is a political controversy going on between China and Taiwan. The pro-Taiwan independence party (DPP) does not like the policies of the pro-Chinese unification party (KMT) and have been protesting. Scarlett, Mei, and Hope all felt strongly against Taiwan becoming a separate entity.

Q and A

What are you studying here at Rowan University?

S.  I am a graduate student studying finance.

H.  Education

M.  Journalism

I have always wondered about the animals that supposedly belong to a year.  Is this relevant in your culture, if so what are your animals?

There are twelve animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig in that order.  Each animal has a meaning similar to the astrological signs. (Scarlett was born in the year of the pig; she is supposed to be chivalrous and gallant. Hope was born in the year of the mouse, who are known for their charm and hard work.  Mei and I were born in the year of the hare, we are said to be talented and ambitious)

What television shows do you enjoy?

Oprah, Prison Break, Lost, Heroes, Sex and the City, and Desperate Housewives.

Any favorite movies?

Sleepless in Seattle, Finding Nemo, Serendipity, and Notting Hill.

What do you do for fun?

KTV!

I’m not quite sure what that is…

Singing, like karaoke

O! OK

Do you follow a religion? What do you believe happens when a person dies?

No. When a person dies their spirit does not die; there is a cycle to life.

Hope, me, Mei, and Scarlett.

Berend Messelmans is from Oisterwijk Province in the Netherlands.

            Berend is attending Rowan University directly out of high school with a specialization in business administration.  When he returns to the Netherlands Berend will begin at Rotterdam University as a sophomore.  Through my discussion with Berend I found many aspects of his life fascinating.  At age 18 Berend has been to Belgium, France, Germany, United States, Denmark, England, U.S. Virgin Islands, Egypt, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland.  Along with being a worldly traveler Berend is fluent in German, French, English, and Dutch.  Having never traveled outside of the country and falling somewhere between mediocre and poor in Spanish all of this impressed me. 

            Berend is a fan of some popular movies such as Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Gladiator, and The Green Mile; although all the movies are shown in English with Dutch subtitles.

            In the Netherlands the drinking age for beer is 16 and to purchase liquor or marijuana the legal age is 18.  Being of legal age in his country Berend has been going to the bars to hang out with friends for two years, living in the United States he is not allowed to do any of the aforementioned. Drinking legally before 21 and engaging in the use of marijuana all the while being a law-abiding citizen is foreign to me.  Even though, the law in Holland was something I had previous knowledge of it still minimizes the massive celebration of my 21^st birthday when I think of all the 16 year olds drinking in the Netherlands.

            The high school experience in Holland is very different than that of those in the U.S.  At Berend’s high school Sint-Odulphus Lyceum in Tilburg there were no sports teams and no school dances such as prom or a formal.  For all of us who grew up going to football games on Friday nights or finding our niche in a school sport the absence of these extra curricula’s are alien to us. Nonetheless, Berend found an outlet to exert his athleticism in field hockey and tennis here and there.  I was very excited to learn that Berend played field hockey because I had played all four years of high school and I enjoyed it very much.  Berend went on to tell me that his team had earned the second in the Netherlands!

            On a further personal level Berend was raised Catholic but currently follows no religion. He is the oldest of four and has one brother and two sisters.  He does not have a favorite beer but he does enjoy a cold Hoegaarden in the summer, which happens to be one of my favorite beers.  When asked about his general thought on American’s so far he felt they were open and nice.

On Monday November 10, 2008 G. Jeffrey MacDonald published an article for USA Today on how internships, community service, and studying abroad will augment a college experience. He wrote, “Through five courses, professor-led field trips, 10 days of independent travel and involvement in local religious life, students gain a better understanding of how all the pieces in their college educations fit together.”

On Abroad 101 blogger Mike101 wrote, “The resulting changes that study abroad prompts in global perspective, maturity, and awareness are undeniable.”

The term worldly came to my mind as I was reading these articles.  I am beginning to understand the importance of experiencing life as people live it in other countries.  It has also become clear to me, the value of learning the history and culture of other countries.  The best way to do so, or at least the most intriguing would be to experience life abroad firsthand.