Stan and Karen Johnson
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
Welcome to the newest edition of Going Global, the monthly newsletter that provides readers with information and reflections on the international experiences of GCC students. Presented by: The Stan and Karen Johnson Office of International Education Director: Dr. Lois Johnson Field Director: Dr. Mark Reuber Staff Assistant: Mrs. Jennifer Gilliland Student Advisors: Justine Simon, Reed Alioth, Pierre Elkoms, Precious Grieco, Jocelyn Halliley, Joel Kearney, Jesse Nelms and Lauren Schoeppener
We hope you enjoy our newsletter! Find us on Facebook (GCC Office of International Education). Visit us anytime in HAL 319!
Bahrom International Program 2017 2
May Intersession Trip to China 2017 By: Jocelyn Halliley
I sat down with Morgan Blue, Travis Yohey and Mary Buchanan and talked with them about the May 2017 intersession trip to China. On this trip they were able to visit five different cities including: Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Xi’an, and Beijing.
What was the biggest cultural shock for you? Morgan: I was expecting it to be a lot different, but was surprised how similar it was. Travis: Americans, no matter who you are, are a novelty. Also, in their society, people with the palest skin are considered the most beautiful because that meant they didn’t work in the fields. Mary: Everyone wanted to take pictures of us. They all think you’re a celebrity, and people would stop you multiple times a day. I had to remember we weren’t a common thing to see. What was the most amazing thing you saw? Morgan: The Terra Cotta Soldiers were probably the most amazing thing I saw. Travis: The canal in Suzhou. We went to visit it at nighttime, and there was an arched bridge where we were able to see the Chinese lanterns hugging the entire canal. Mary: The Terra Cotta warriors. You hear a lot about them but when you actually see them its like wow!
What was the weirdest thing and your favorite thing that you ate? Travis: The weirdest was duck brain (it tastes like hummus). The best was probably in Beijing, where we had fried beans with chili peppers, and it was fantastic. Also the duck hearts cooked in cilantro were fantastic and taste like steak. Mary: The weirdest was duck blood or cow stomach. My favorite was probably duck, in general, because it tastes completely different, but its really hard to pick one specific thing. Morgan: Duck brain was the weirdest, but my favorite was probably the giant tray of seafood. What was one of your favorite parts of the trip? Morgan: Two years ago I went to France, and we visited two cities. I liked that with this trip we were able to see so many cities, and that they were all so different from each other. Travis: There is always a village effect when you go on trips like this. The people and food were definitely the best part. Mary: I loved the meals, and how they were family style. You would sit for 1 ½ to 2 hours just talking and getting to try different things.
Tobogganing down the Great Wall of China Mary: The tour guide asked if we wanted to participate, but said everyone would have to do it--professors included. It was there, so why not try it? At the end we were asking, “Can we do it again?” Morgan: Tobogganing was a lot of fun, and it wasn’t in the itinerary so it was a surprise. Travis: Tobogganing was the most fun thing we did. It’s not every day you can take a toboggan ride down the Great Wall.
Calligraphy Class Mary: There are 8 basic Chinese letters, and you hold the brush up and down. We practiced with words like “forever”, “love”, and “soulmate”. The word forever involves all eight strokes so they practice it “forever”. At the end, the teacher told us we did well for never having done it before--but she might have just been saying that. Morgan: It was a lot harder than I thought it would be when the teacher demonstrated it on an easel. This also wasn’t on the itinerary, so we were surprised by it. See pictured left to right: Dr. Ayers, Hannah Schuller, Dr. Hogsette, Rebecca Krupp, Adriana Maritato, Madeline Blue, Mary Buchanan, Morgan Blue, Gabriel Cirio, David Cheung, Lillie Bovard-Jones, and Travis Yohey
Nanjing University of Traditional Medicine Mary: Going to the university was an amazing experience. I was expecting a lecture, but when we pulled in there was a big welcome sign and a bunch of different stations to try out. We went into an herb garden and were able to try some of them, and I just wanted to be able to stay longer. Morgan: I love plants and have worked with them in an internship over the summer. I wish I could go to school there and study Chinese medicine. The students at the University put the whole thing on with the different stations and they showed us tea making, acupuncture, cupping and tai-chi movements. Travis: They pulled out all the stops for us. There was tea, acupuncture, herb smelling, salts, martial arts, massages, and cupping. It was all student led, and it was phenomenal. It is the oldest, most prestigious medical school and was a very enlightening experience.
Final Thoughts If you go abroad, are fairly safe, and are with a group of people, go out and explore! Those are the times that are worth something, and they stretch your comfort zone. - Travis
Top 10 Reasons to Go Abroad 1.) Traveling is fun! There are so many different things to see and do while you’re
abroad. Whether exploring the city in which you study abroad or going around to other countries, it is a worthwhile and exciting experience.
2.) It helps build confidence and independence. When in another country, you are immersed in a completely new culture and spend time with many different people. Through these new experiences you can build a new independence. 3.) If you don’t, you will regret it. One of the biggest complaints from college graduates is that they wish they had studied abroad. Don’t be a part of that statistic. It is worth it to study abroad, no matter the time frame. 4.) It helps your resume. Employers look for a student who has studied abroad and has that cultural and international experience that many others lack. 5.) You can meet new people! Not only do you get to spend time in an amazing new country and experience a new culture, but you get to make new friends that can become like family. 6.) You will learn so much more about yourself. When off on your own in a new country, you can look at your own life in a new perspective and see who you are as a person without the social stigmas that are in place. 7.) See different worldviews. When studying abroad you can see all different worldviews and make your worldview your own. You get to see all sorts of different countries’ religions, traditions, and cultural norms, and it can change the way you see the world. 8.) You can learn another language. Being immersed in a different language is the best way to become fluent or at least conversational. It’s an amazing thing to be able to talk to people in their own language and really communicate what you are trying say. 9.) You can start fresh. Nobody knows you when you study abroad in a new country, so you have the opportunity to get away from any preconceived ideas about you. Start fresh and enjoy getting to know people in an authentic manner. 10.) It doesn’t cost that much! There are so many great programs to choose from, and a lot of them are the same price, or maybe a little less, than a semester at Grove City. Why wouldn’t you study abroad if there isn’t a price difference?
Chopsticks andMy Trend Reports Quenching Wanderlust By Lauren Schoeppner “This past summer I spent three months interning in Singapore. In case you’re not familiar with the citystate, Singapore is on the southern tip of Malaysia, almost completely bordered by water. Indonesia is only a short plane ride to the south. Singapore is very western for an Asian country; despite there being four national languages (English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil), English is the language of business and is spoken by most people across the country. Forbes ranks Singapore as the 12th best country for doing business, with a GDP per capita of $52,900 USD. Although the population is only 5.8 million, the population density is the third highest in the world given the small geographical size of the country—you could drive across the entire length of Singapore in under an hour, even with traffic.
My days in Singapore were filled working for Startupbootcamp Fintech, an accelerator of startups with 21 programs globally. As a venture analyst intern for Startupbootcamp, I spent much of my time researching and writing about trends. My main project was a trend report on the state of Fintech in Vietnam, which I completed for a Vietnamese bank seeking to be more innovative and aware of the ecosystem surrounding it.
In a rather bizarre way, I was fortunate enough to receive another employment opportunity during my time in Singapore. After reading an article I wrote on a startup in our cohort, I was reached out to on LinkedIn. The trade finance publisher, Global Trade Review (GTR), was starting a venture capital arm and one of its co-founders was interested in my working for him. I met with the co-founder, and we worked out an agreement in which I would work part-time for the rest of my time in Singapore and work remotely once I returned to the U.S. By these fortuitous circumstances, I secured a position as an analyst for GTR Ventures. In this role, I have done content building for the website and have written a few white papers for investors into trade finance funds and equity.
Although I learned a lot simply from the work and research I was doing, what taught me the most was living abroad and working among people from a multitude of countries. My small team of six at Startupbootcamp was comprised of people from England, the Philippines, Australia, and Singapore. Furthermore, within our cohort I also worked with startups from India, Taiwan, South Korea, Myanmar, the Philippines, Japan, and France.
“…no matter where you come from, some things are universal. Kindness. Hard work. Passion.”
were
At GTR Ventures, my peers were from Malaysia, China, and Singapore, and we often met with trade financiers from various African countries. What did working with people from all these backgrounds teach me, though? I learned that no matter where you come from, some things are universal. Kindness. Hard work. Passion. Though it sounds cliché, regardless of the language you speak or culture with which you are familiar, you can still develop relationships with people from anywhere if you stick with some of these core principals.
Lauren Schoeppner • • •
Studied in Lyon, France Interned in Singapore International Business & French
Granted, working with a multitude of different nationalities was not easy. My Filipino boss expected much more structure and communication than my English or Singaporean bosses, which was a difficult adjustment to make, but it ultimately taught me about flexibility and adapting to different expectations. I believe these skills are relevant for everyone, regardless of the industry in which they work, and I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn a little, make a fool of myself a lot, and meet some of the greatest people I know.
Business Opportunities Global companies are constantly developing new branches within China, as evidenced by the fact that there were nearly 12 million business trips taken here in 2015.
Language Practicality With over 1 billion people in the country, Mandarin Chinese is fast becoming one of the world’s most dominant languages. Many program providers within China have excellent Chinese language programs geared towards developing students’ language skills.
Travel Options From the Great Wall to the “Hawaii of China�, there are countless beautiful places to visit here. The vast network of high speed trains and inexpensive plane flights make getting around easy and convenient.
City Life China has major metropolitan centers, such as Shanghai and Beijing, that offer international students the chance to experience some of the world’s most truly amazing urban centers. Outside of the classroom, these cities have a plethora of cultural experiences just waiting to be explored.
OIE Question of the Month
Answers
Internships and Missions • • • • • • • • • • • •
Education Special Education Physical Therapy Health Care Men’s Sports Women’s Sports Biosand (water Filtration) Technology Media Microfinance Dentistry Women’s Social Work Men’s Social Work
Students International Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic May 28June 9, 2018
Contact jlgilliland@gcc.edu or the OIE, HAL 319 to sign up or for more information www.Stint.com
Team Leader: Mrs. Jennifer Gilliland from the GCC OIE staff (HAL 319)
Freshman – Seniors eligible to participate!
Germany Czech Republic
Prague Join Dr. McFeaters and Dr. Munson on a faculty led travel course during May of 2018. Email either MRMcFeaters@gcc.edu or PAMunson@gcc.edu for more information $4,950 BUSA 214, HUMA 301, or BUSA/ACCT/FNCE 260
ORIGINS - Exploring the Great Debate in England and France SSFT 212 - May 20-31, 2018 Taught by Dr. Anderson - Led by Dr. Bardy
Travel to London, Paris, Nantes, and Angers. Visit Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the London Natural History Museum. Stand beneath the Eiffel Tower and experience the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame, and the Paris Museum of Natural History. Engage with French students in Nantes on diverse subjects.
Program Fee $3,749 includes: Round-trip air travel, Lodging, two French meals per day, Tuition for 2-credit course, health insurance coverage. Museum fees, tips, all transportation in France and London.
FOR MORE INFO Contact Dr. Erik Bardy erbardy@gcc.edu
January 2018 intersession in
Rome
Spend 11 days in Italy! Explore Rome with trips to Florence and Naples- for credit! With Dr. Michael Coulter
St. Peter Church
Pantheon Vatican Museums
COURSES OFFERED: • HUMA 200: Western Civilization • POLS 101: Foundations of Political Science • POLS 390: Studies: Politics of Italy COST: approximately $4,125 TRAVEL DATES: January 8th- January 20th, 2018 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SIGN UP: Office of International Education, HAL 319 Or email Dr. Coulter at CoulterML@gcc.edu
Colosseum
Email MooreSG@gcc.edu for information or to sign up.
Freshmen Welcome!
Recipe: Spanish Omelette
by Joel Kearney
The Spanish omelette, or “tortilla española,” is a staple meal in Spain. This dish is simple yet so incredibly flavorful. There’s so much room for creativity. Feel like adding some ham, sharp cheddar, or bell pepper? Go for it! • • • • • •
Directions: Dice the onion and potatoes, and fry them in olive oil until they are slightly crunchy. Set on paper towels to drain. In a lightly oiled pan, combine the potatoes and onions with the eggs (beaten) and a pinch of salt. Get creative! Add any herbs, spices, meats, or veggies your heart desires! Cook over light heat, and flip the omelette once to cook the other side. ¡Buen provecho!
What You’ll Need: 3 small potatoes 4 eggs 1 onion Salt Olive oil Someone to share it with! Serves: 2 | Ready in: 30min
geniuskitchen.com