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We’re excited you stopped by. If you have a thought to share, please post a comment. Or send us your story ideas at blog@nafsa.org.
Hello, My name is Mahmoud “Moody” Abdul-Fattah, I am international, by each and every sense of the word. I was born in a country other than my own and I was raised somewhere else that is completely different. Furthermore, I also went for my higher education in another completely different country. I must say that I found that coming in contact with a number of different cultures and customs to be very educational and enriching to me physically and psychologically. I truly consider my self very lucky because throughout my life, I have not settled in one place or region, I have been studying abroad throughout my entire life. I personally think that is an experience that I have enjoyed tremendously and that this particular experience has made me a well educated and well rounded individual. I would advise any and everyone to take advantage of this opportunity or at least take the time and effort to explore it.
Thank you
Mahmoud “Moody” Abdul-Fattah
Hello Everyone, I can only imagine how wonderful it must be to have the opportunity to study in a land of another culture and educational concepts because I am one with limited international travel experiences. In spite of this, I try to learn other cultures through personal readings and ventures of others. Because I recognize that this is a global world that thrives on multiculturalism, my educational practices within the classroom setting attempt to integrate cultural aspects that offer some familiarity to the learners. Essentially each one of us feels more comfortable in a learning environment that shows appreciation of ethnicity.
“Moody”
It sounds life your live has been one big excursion and I think that’s great. I am a doctoral student at Walden University and have now reached a place in my life where I now feel a need to travel. I am a journalist and a videographer, and would like to move around the world reporting on different cultures, traditions, and social ethics that make our world so diverse. I look forward to communicating with you in the near future. Be blessed.
Wanda Carter
Greetings,
I agree that being in touch with people representing different cultures is very enriching in-terms-of interactive knowledge, viewing issues from different perspective, and problem-solving. The whol experience makes the person conscious about his or her own culture and its practices. The experience broaden and deepen one’s underrating and appreciation of his or her own culture as well as those of the others. Hopefully, that will lead to acknowledgement, appreciation, accepting our own as well as the others. Ultimately that might lead to national and international peace and prosperity.
Thank you.
Abdelmonem Saad Ahmed
abdelmonem.ahmed@waldenu.edu
I agree that it is very important to be aware of others’ cultures. I teach nursing in New Jersey in the United States. My student population is extremely diverse. In past years, we have had students engage in a variety of assignments that assisted all students in learning more about the differences (and similarities) among the cultures represented in the classroom. Because students care for patients from many different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, this has helped them immensely in getting to know more about the needs of others.
Even though I have not had the opportunity to study abroad, I have visited different countries and had the pleasure of being exposed to various cultures. However, I think the value in studying in a different county among different cultures is priceless. I also think individuals should have access to this type of experience well before college. I recenlty learned my nephew’s, 11 year old son has been selected by People to People to participate in their study abroad program. This is completely amazing and an unbelievable experience for an 11 year old.
I too have had the privilege of living in two other countries than the one which I grew up. One of these experiences was due to obtaining higher education. I have found this educational experience profound to me well beyond the classroom. Learning about other country cultures and beliefs has become so interesting to me, that I have continued to travel once every couple of years to new countries in addition to learning new languages. I have found international travel experiences to be very rewarding and it has motivated me to help teach and motivate others about the educational rewards of this type of experience. I recommend that everyone break away from daily life and visit another country, for the educational rewards and friends you make along the way are invaluable.
These are great stories about international education – thanks for sharing them here on the NAFSA blog. I also encourage you to take a look at NAFSA’s advocacy grassroots site, http://www.ConnectingOurWorld.org, for more on how you can be a voice for international education. I know that Moody has already done this, but I encourage Alisa and Eric to share your stories on the Share Your Story page and join our advocacy community (sign-up here). If you have any questions, please email them to me at ConnectingOurWorld[at]nafsa.org. Thank you!
I think that studying abroad is a wonderful learning experience that should be offered to everyone to enhance their college experience. As a graduate of an HBCU, I wished that these opportunities were available to take advantage of. I believe more minority college students should seek to explore US Abroad programs so they can get a global learning experience
I am a professor and I take some students abroad for a service trip. Without exception my students let me know that it is always the best educational experience that they have had. US students would all be well served to see the world as much as possible!
Ha, I think this is a huge small world moment. Is that you Dr. Johnson from Baylor University? I was in several of your classes back in the 1990s which seems like a long time ago now. Hope you are great and thanks for your caring. ST
Hi, my name is Clive. I was born in Australia but my parents were born in Mauritius.
At age 12 I visited Mauritius for 2 months and learned to speak French well and experience how to cook the food.
I graduated Yr12 and carried on to tertiary education in an
Asc. Diploma of Electronic Engineering.
After this I worked with a Finish company (Nokia) manufacturing and testing mobile phone base-stations. I continued to build my skill set in Organization and Administration Technology in Sydney for 2 years where I met people from all over the ANZO continent ie. Israels, Japanese, Taiwanese, Kiwis, Sth. Africans etc.
The international influence on my career education was infinitely valuable because it gave me the ability to understand the different view-points and social strata of different nationalities.
There is way too much stereotyping done by corporations in their efforts to dissect market appeal, this constant stereotype exposure gives the everyday person a false expectation and knowledge of other countries and their social strata as well their inherent culture.
As part of my very varied education I run my own business now and offer Education Consulting to Applied Scholastics and advanced Study Tutoring.
Education gave me the ability to do and be what I want, nothing is more important than education in my opinion. It last a life time.
The opportunity to travel and learn about other cultures is invaluable. I have found this educational experience profound to me well beyond the classroom. Learning about other country cultures and beliefs has become so interesting to me, that I have continued to travel once every couple of years to new countries in addition to learning new languages. I have found international travel experiences to be very rewarding and it has motivated me to help teach and motivate others about the educational rewards of this type of experience. Please share this with the younger generation and do all you can to help them travel as well. JS
Jackson,
Where are you from and what do you teach? Do you include information about your travels in your classroom? What countries have you been to?
I live in Atlanta and teach computer science. I try to include travel info in every way that I can
I studied in Norway as a college student and fell in love with the nation (although I’ll never be able to deal with the cold
) Everyone should go there – in the summer.
Totally agree about Norway. Way too cold for me but a fun place and great people. In fact, I still have some Norwegian Krone at the house.
Hey Moody, where are you from? Please post again and tell us more about yourself. Susan
I am from serbia and here there are many great colleges but my greatest desire is to go to Japan and study there. Hope my dream comes through .
))
Annette lewis
I think it is important to be abreast of other cultures especially being an educator in the state of Mississippi. The public school population is somewhat diverse. The university where I am employed must recruit students of different cultures. They are engaged in activities where they study likes and differences in the classrooms. The faculty members are also diverse. The university recruits employees regardless of their race, religion, cultural background, or ethnicity. This process has helped the university to become more aware of globalization.
Annette lewis
I think multicultural classes should be taught at all college levels. This topic will ensure that the adult learners have the opportunities to learn about different cultures.
I am Samir from Gaza, I have extensive experience in teaching and training I have worked a teacher for more than 15 years and 10 years in the field of educational supervision, as well as university lecturer at several universities, has chaired several conferences and training courses that I have holds a master’s degree in education through scholarship grant by the Ford International as you visit the United States Tournament America in 2005, a Na willing to contribute to this work for the benefit of
With sincere appreciation
Samir
My name is Alex A Nwankwo, I am a Nigerian American. I studied in Nigeria and the US and have worked in five other African countries apart from Nigeria. I also had the privilege of working in Hong Kong, China and now in the US. I have visited over 20 countries of the world and I believe in the traditional Nigerian proverb that states the more you travel out of your culture the greater the wisdom you acquire.
I believe that a well rounded education involves learning about school curriculum, academic standards, as well as interacting with cultures and traditions of different peoples of the world. The more open we are to learning and understanding the cultures and traditions of people different from us, the greater peace we will enjoy in this world because we will reverse negative stereotypes, understand broad generalizations, and appreciate each other better. The differences between cultures and peoples are real and can add richness to the fabric of life.
Hi Alex: You are right. Everyone should feel this way but they do not. I love learning about different cultures the more I learn the more enriched and spiritual I feel. I wish I had the opportunity to have visited over 20 countries. I agree that in order to have greater peace we must understand each others values and beliefs and respect each person for who they are and what they believe. THe world would be a much better place to live.
As a doctoral student, I am currently studying about diversity in the educational systems (national and international). While I have never been abroad, I am very interested in the educational systems of other countries (mainly higher education). I live in the United States and I find that our educational system lacks the global approach that is taken in the international educational systems. While I see students from other countries speaking English, I find that our (U.S.) system does not approach learning a foreign language as a necessary entity in the educational system. Case in point…I live in South Texas where Spanish is spoken. I have asked several children if Spanish is being taught in the elementary schools and was told “no”. I know that English is a priority but are we not doing our children a disservice by not immersing them in other cultures. Globalization is here to stay and those that do not acknowledge this fact will be left behind in many aspects (business, economy, etc.).
I also agree that we should allow our children in the US to learn a second language. It will help to stimulate their minds. I believe that learning about different cultures and a new language is fun and exciting. I feel that students learn better and are more anxious to learn when we throw in something fun into the cirriculum
Definitely! I am teaching my children multiple languages. Chinese is at the top of the list
I live in South Africa, which has 11 different official languages. For clear economic reasons, the vast majority of textbooks, particularly at secondary and tertiary levels, are in English. This results in considerable pressure on those whose first language is not English, and in turn results in pressure from parents who wish to see their child educated in English. Wil this trend not ultimately result in the withering away of our other 10 official languages? And is this necessarily a bad thing ?
As a bilingual student who is pursuing her doctorate in education, I can most clearly state that I see the possession of an international education as one that allows you to “live in color” instead of in black and white. Having the ability to travel and experience other cultures is essential if one seeks to be truly educated. Although I do not have the experience that Peter does, with his exposure to 11 different languages, I have been constantly exposed to five languages as my parents each valued speaking their own native language.
In my experience, I have witnessed the value of a common language. My parents spoke English to communicate with most as a necessity. There was the language of business and the language of family conversation. The native language was retained by my sisters who had an interest in doing so. As the other languages were not used with ease, they did evaporate from the conversations of my sisters. I have had to work at maintaining my second language. Like any other thing in life that requires effort, keeping the less-used language alive has to be considered a priority. Without importance, the language used the least will eventually die out.
I enjoyed reading your post. I really liked your analogy of possessing an international education as one that “allows you to ‘live in color’ rather than black and white. I couldn’t agree more. My observation of those who have lived in and or studied in more than one country, especially with differing cultures and language, the overall perspective of the world is different. It is exactly like you say, to live in color. It is like you put on a new pair of glasses with which to view the world. You realize that differences are not good and bad but just different. Your perspective becomes so much broader. Your life is enriched forever.
I also couldn’t agree more with your comment that in order to maintain more than one language, you must work at it unless you are fortunate enough to be able to use all languages frequently. My grandfather immigrated to an English speaking country at age 17 not speaking a word of English. When he died many years later he could only speak English and could no longer speak his native tongue. I would like to see all children from an early grade in school be taught a second language. It could be the language that they have the greatest chance of hearing in the area where they live.
I think that cultural exchange makes the understanding of other cultures, smoothing rough edges and breaking stereotypes. A multilingual and multicultural education helps students to train as a person and understand and respect other cultures.
Video conferencing can bring young people from other cultures to each other, being a good method to bind cultures.
I really agree on this…I believe this will help to the students on how they will look their-self and to others around them, this will help them understanding other cultures and respect for other.
Also i consent we need to permit our kids in the usa to find out an extra vocabulary. It will help for you to stimulate their minds. I think that will studying diverse ethnicities plus a brand new terminology will be exciting. I’m which individuals learn far better and they are a lot more troubled to find out when we include one thing entertaining in to the cirriculum
Well students in the US aren’t exposed to the Global culture in the same way that others are exposed to US culture through television and the media. Likewise, many instances student abroad are required to learn English (British English or American English) whereas foreign language is an elective over here. As an elective there are very few hours of attention given to it and only over the course of two years.
In addition, when choosing a University, Many of our US students miss opportunities to travel abroad.
I have always been envious of students who have had the opportunity to study abroad. What a wonderful experience it must be. I didn’t visit any non-North American countries until my own children were college students. We visited Italy.
I am a Walden University doctoral student. I love that the students in my courses (all online) are not only from different states but also from several other countries, as well. The online discussions posts are so much more varied and lively since each student brings a very different outlook to the discussion. This may be a vicarious way to experience different outlooks, but it is certainly an excellent way to learn about education–even though I don’t need to leave my home office. I do plan to do more traveling abroad when I can fit it into my schedule.
I love what you’ve conjured here at NAFSA. The concept reminds me of the cultural melting-pot that is major metropolitan hubs such as San Francisco and New York City. What a wonderful community you have here, keep on writing!
An African freshmen studying in India being brutally hit to die caught my attention not because of the horrific images that the news media was broadcasting every now and then but for the chilling sensation that overtook me on reflecting on a conversation I had with my niece who happened to be studying at one such institution in India. I can see more such violence erupting just for want of proper awareness programs in communities and educational institutions.
I was meeting my niece during her summer vacation for the first time after she enrolled for an engineering degree at one of the Universities in the state of Punjab which is located towards the north of India. For a southerner to live, settle and study in the north needed considerable adjustments; climate, food, being away from home and a rigorous academic life was a challenge. While those were surmountable, her main issue was mingling with students from other parts of the globe. She considered them as weird people with a different skin tone, different way of dressing, socializing and behaving. According to my niece, these visiting students were not respecting the culture and tradition of the host country and instead inviting unnecessary attention by being and behaving different. I see a case for creating expansiveness to embrace diversity at the same time developing respect for diversity.
I ponder: how much of induction do these foreign students undergo in a host country, what are the mechanisms in place to welcome foreign students to embrace diversity? Are the institutions while paying attention to infrastructure and collaboration devoting deep thinking on the how and why of incorporating diversity in their campuses? Are the faculty trained to impart and model embracing diversity? What events and activities are in place to inculcate diversity? What can parents and communities do as a measure in preparing their children for a global world?
From your comments, it appears that the problem is much more complex than studying a different culture and then heading off to a foreign country for a study-abroad experience. Your concluding question is an important one for parents and school systems to ponder and address.
The importance of breaching the global divide is essential in promoting education through educational exchange. The US should be looking at initiatives for making the schools and institutions of higher learning, more of an international experience. Teachers have to be cognizant and should be positioning themselves to inquire and learn about different tools available to prepare them for global readiness.
GS
the opportunity to travel and study in another country is amazing, you change your way of thinking in many areas and when you get to your home country, you just say, thank you for this experience. I went to study in the U.S. to learn the language
International education is a must, particularly for immigration agents perth. You just start seeing the world in a different light (and in technicolor, too). I hope everyone who wishes to enjoy this opportunity, gets it.
I also have had the opportunity of living in many countries. One of these experiences was from getting higher education. I have found this educational experience profound for me well beyond the classroom. Learning about other countries’s cultures was interesting, and I have continued to travel once every couple of years to new countries in addition to learning new languages. I have found international travel experiences to be very rewarding and it has motivated me to help teach and motivate others about the educational rewards of this type of experience. I recommend that everyone break away from daily life and visit another country, for the educational rewards and friends you make along the way are invaluable.
This website is a terrific website for a terrific organization. Go NAFSA!
NAFSA is so important to the world of education. As an education council myself, I enjoy bringing opportunities to educators, and seeing them experience the lives and culture of different nations. We truly appreciate the work NAFSA does.
It is very educational to teach students everything that is related to leave the country of origin. Thus we encourage tourism and a more global view of our modern society.
I just showed some of my students the NAFSA website. Share and be aware!