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我知道自己是美国的少数族裔.S. 可能会影响我在国外的经历. I know some other students may be thinking the same thing. You could fantasize all you want about what you want to see and do in 你的 destination country (eat delicious food, 满足当地居民, 冒险去远足, 等.). You could make a list of goals you plan to conquer by the end of the program. You could spend many weeks packing and repacking 你的 suitcase. By now it seems like you’re all set and ready to step onto that plane, 正确的? 但别忘了一个 underestimated task to prepare 你的self for 你的 destination. 做好调查! 越早 你让自己了解你的目的地, the easier it is to react smoothly to the infamous culture shock.
但是我说的研究是什么意思呢? 我绝不建议你打开课本! In educating myself, here are the five areas I focused on gathering information about:
- 社会生活
- Social “issues” (I use the word “issue” sensitively in understanding the diverse interpretations of what an “issue” is within a certain culture)
- 当地特有的口语表达/方言
- 通常的着装方式
- 作为一个少数种族/LGBTQ/女性生活在那个地方
When addressing these topics, don't just refer to ONE site. 看看 许多人, and do not underestimate the effectiveness of community forums (Reddit, Quora, 多样性 Abroad, 等.), which provide a unique perspective from people who have actually experienced the above topics.
For example, in preparation for living in 格拉纳达, 西班牙, I googled the following phrases:
- 西班牙的社交生活
- 像西班牙本地人一样生活
- 西班牙的女性待遇如何
- 西班牙格拉纳达的西班牙方言
- 西班牙最流行的口语俚语
- 在西班牙生活所面临的问题
- 我在西班牙格拉纳达的个人经历 (阅读别人的经历)
- 作为一名亚洲女性生活在西班牙格拉纳达 (looking up information about being a minority abroad is VERY insightful!)
在做研究的时候, especially if you are reading somebody’s personal perspective/experience, 不要只是读了一本，就认为你也会面临同样的问题. One person’s experience pertaining to the topics could be quite negative and may make you worry about what lies ahead for you, but another post could be discussing a positive experience! Pay attention to what happened to that person and how that person reacted in that situation. Vicariously learn through them and prepare for the possibilities of what can happen at 你的 destination.
Researching the social “issues” and living as a female racial minority provided some of the strongest mental preparations that influenced my 个人经验. 在研究“问题”时，我遇到了一种意识形态 大男子主义, which is an amplified sense of masculinity and gender roles -- a term used in Latin America and 西班牙. 每种文化对骚扰的定义都不同, and what is interpreted as sexual harassment in one country might not be the same in another. 而我肯定是被骂了, 有时候你必须保持开放的心态, and I simply kept an eye out for the tone of the situation and trusted my instincts. 如果你去一个说西班牙语的国家, it is not abnormal to feel like you are being intensely stared at on the streets by men (and women). 我强调“美国的 因为 gender issues are culturally varied depending on the country and its history. 注意你的目的地的社会“线索”——如何 你的 actions/words might be interpreted in a different culture AND how that culture uses their actions/words toward you.
In addition, I felt increasingly self-conscious about my race when I first arrived. 我得到的目光比在美国还多.S., and certain words in Spanish sounded inappropriate if you translated them back to English. A lot of Spanish terms seem to address physical characteristics, 不管是“胖子”、“亚洲人”还是“黑皮肤”,“但有时这并不是贬义. I found it best to listen to the tone, and listen to my instincts. Certain ethnic-based colloquial expressions exist, so be aware of that. That said, I didn't feel hindered from having some of the best moments of my life!
The purpose of this advice is to help you educate 你的selves and prepare for the possibilities, but I am not telling you to “deal” with how different 你的 destination might be. 如果你感到不安全或担心，我总是建议你这样做, 你应该经常找人帮你处理, 不管是东航的员工还是家里的朋友, and to report to the police and staff if something serious happens. I only warn of the importance of recognizing a cultural difference vs. judging/criticizing that culture and believing what 你的 society has taught you is “better.“我积极的研究 非常 helped me maintain an open mind and an ability to adjust, and I hope it helps you all too!
瑞秋 Bornstein is a CEA 校友大使 from the University of Oklahoma and went abroad to 格拉纳达, 西班牙, 2018年春季.
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