[Editor's note: Sarah Zink interned in Ireland's Parliament during fall semester. Read all of her posts on the International Academic Programs Study Abroad Correspondents site.]

Sarah Zink

And now for the dreaded blog post, fated to come since the day I bought that RETURN ticket. That’s right folks, tomorrow I get on a plane back to Chicago.

Since I last blogged I took amazing trips to both Amsterdam and Barcelona, but in my current state of mind, there is nothing else I can discuss but Dublin.

Strolling down in city centre for the last time this afternoon, the mess of abandoned work projects caught my attention. When I first came here, I realize I did not even mention this aspect of Dublin — kind of shocking, considering it is everywhere you look. City blocks are riddled with the skeletons of buildings that have ceased being built. I can only imagine that this is something like it would have felt like to live in the ruins of the Roman Empire. Not that Ireland ever came close to world domination (being an officially neutral country with a population of 4.4 million, hegemonic status isn’t really in the cards), but they did go through a period of tremendous growth in the 1990s, enough to garner them the title Celtic Tiger and make them feel invincible.

The Leinster House, inside of which I interned for three months!

Now recession has hit hard, spurred on by outrageous lending to developers who broke ground on corporate offices and apartments, only to go bust. Half-constructed buildings are blocked off by massive sheets of plastic, and on the plastic are computer-generated images of the how the buildings were to look at completion; computer-generated people move industriously along to their appointments in formal business attire, comfortable in their environment of glass offices and an unnaturally sunny sky (by Irish standards).

Jimmy and me on my last day, posing by the GIANT Christmas tree right outside the Houses of the Oireachtas

Next to all this unfinished business are the stores that have closed, and some still managing to do alright. Many pubs are in trouble, but you can still enter one and feel a sort of warm Christmas feeling I previously thought couldn’t be experienced without the accompaniment of snow. This is why I have come to love the city so much I think — the place itself and the Irish people have been through so much, even in the recent past, but there is still an attitude of contentment. Not in as in everyone is happy, in fact to the contrary, people are unhappy, going on strike over public sector pay cuts, for example. What I mean is, they seem content in a solid sense of identity. Dublin feels like a city that knows about ups and downs, and so even during the downs, they are not lost.

Over the course of these past months I have been gaining a more nuanced picture of Ireland and Irish life, beyond the leprechauns and four-leaf clovers. What I have found is a place that manages to be both old and new simultaneously. They push to move forward, but always with thought to what is behind. I feel some balance at work here that just isn’t quite the same back in the U.S.

Family picture of all my intern buddies! Miss you guys!

On a different note, I am sincerely going to miss the friends I have made on this program. Study abroad friends operate on a kind of fast track. A bunch of students pushed together in a foreign environment equals instant buddies. I was lucky to meet some really great people who I will certainly keep in touch with, both friends from my program and from my travels. I was pleasantly surprised that facebook is useful for more than just all those farmville updates, and I will definitely be making use of it to help keep in touch.

I have a funny feeling when I actually get home, this whole European adventure thing is just going to feel like a long dream. A long, excellent dream that did some serious damage to my bank account. Only time will tell I suppose…

[Editor's note: UW-Madison engineering student Jeff Schacherl spent his summer interning at Plexus Corporation in Penang, Malaysia. We lifted this post from his blog, with permission.]

Jeff Schacherl

Hi!

I haven’t had time recently to update the blog because I have been very busy with work! Two of my projects are at critical points and two deadlines are Monday and Tuesday of this coming week. Monday, I have a design review for my project that I need to prepare for, and Tuesday the Penang Mechanical team has to submit part designs for a different project.

Mechanical group at Plexus PDC

My birthday came and went last Tuesday, but I was too busy to do too much. I went out for lunch with some friends for work and they got me a cake, so that was nice! Then, back to work! :)

Yesterday (Saturday) I did get to relax a little bit- I went on a small organized fishing trip with seven people from Plexus. We took a boat from a jetty on the north side of the island- the weather was great which was very lucky! Rain can come unpredictably. We stopped at a somewhat remote beach to fish from shore. It was pretty rocky and I couldn’t catch anything! The group caught maybe 10 or 12 small fish including a baby shark and green puffer fish!

The best part was the scenery and hiking around to finding the fishing spots. We were climbing all over these giant rocks and through the jungle- and you think that fishing is falling asleep in a gently rocking boat! I only got my hook stuck off in the rocks and lost a lot of sinkers and bait.

Most people think that the moon influences the tide, but actually its people like me losing so many things in the ocean that increases the water level…

Fishing on the north side of Penang Island

My camera battery died so I have no pictures! Sad… but other people took pictures and I will try to get my hands on some to put up here! Otherwise, check back for more photos from Thailand- I am still working on uploading more!

Last night, did some karaoke with some friends and ate some Fillipino home cooking, mm!!!

-Jeff

Roby in Bamburi, which is a village near Mombasa, Kenya.

Bridget Roby, from St. Paul, Minnesota, is a UW–Madison senior, graduating with degrees in international studies and journalism, as well as a certificate in African Studies. She studied abroad during the spring of her junior year (2009) in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya through the Minnesota Studies in International Development program (MSID) which is co-sponsored by UW–Madison. Roby says the experience changed her life and she can’t wait to get back. She will be enlisting in the Peace Corps next year.

Roby shares her most memorable experiences:

Why did you decide to study abroad with the MSID program?

I knew I wanted to have an international opportunity as an undergrad and that I wanted to participate in a different kind of program than a classic study abroad program. I wanted to immerse myself in a culture and to be in the developing part of the world because it would help me experience how the rest of the world lives.

The MSID program caught my interest because it focused on development work and provided me with a learning experience as well as a living experience with a Kenyan family. It was the perfect opportunity for me to get a feel for the rest of the world and learn more about it.

Why did you choose to go to Kenya?

I took six semesters of Spanish, but Latin American programs weren’t what I was interested in because I wanted to be engaged in something that was really off the beaten path. Although I didn’t have prior experience with Africa, Kenya seemed like a perfect fit.

What were you doing while there (studying, internship, etc.)?

Roby sits with a few girls from a program she volunteered for in Nairobi.

In Nairobi, I studied Swahili, development, Kenyan history, and current issues. In a small class, I also studied microeconomy and business. I also volunteered in the local community.

I interned with the Jumbe Organization, a small grassroots microfinance organization. Almost all the businesses we financed were run by women. One woman started a business selling water bottles on the street and she needed a loan to purchase a cooler, another started a fabric shop, and another started a convenience store.

I worked in the Jumbe office with one other full-time employee. My job duties included taking savings, bookkeeping, trips to the bank, and follow-ups on the women who had taken out loans to start their businesses. We only had one computer and I spent time trying to enter in all the data from our work as well.

And when you weren’t studying or working, what did you do in your free time?

I went on a few weekend trips with friends to Lamu, Tanzania, and Uganda. But mostly, I tried to hang out with my family. My host sister and I went dancing a few times—Kenyans love to dance and they will dance all night without even getting a glass of water because they can’t afford it. But most often just stayed home and played cards.

Where did you stay?

For the first seven weeks I stayed in Nairobi. Then I participated in a week-long orientation in Lake Nakuru National Park. I spent my last six weeks in Shanzu, a village on the coast near Mombasa where my internship was.

I would come home every night to Shanzu and to my family there. We lived in a small one-story cement house where I had my own room with a bed and a table. It was quite comfortable and although we didn’t have running water, we had minimal electricity. Mama had six kids and seven grandkids and they all lived together in houses around ours so there were always people coming in and out of our home.

Roby and her host family in their village Shanzu.

I loved my family!

We would spend a lot of time relaxing and eating together as a family. We would follow the shade during the day: moving from one cool place to another to eat and relax away from the hot sun. I felt like I was really part of the family, but a special guest at the same time. I am the first student they have welcomed into their home.

What is the most invaluable experience that you had in Nairobi and Mombasa?

Spending time with my family on the coast, coming home to them, having dinner, and sitting around in the living room was the most invaluable experience I had. I miss them a lot. If I could relive a day in Kenya I would spend it relaxing and eating with them. I hope I will be able to go back there sometime soon, which is one reason I applied to the Peace Corps.

What was one of the most jarring experiences you had there? Why?

The hardest time was in Nairobi. I had to switch host families there.

It’s a cultural practice in Kenya when you have enough money to hire a house help. But the mother in my first host family was disrespectful and mean with her house help. It was hard for me to live with. From a Kenyan perspective the house help was well off because she was getting income, housing and food. From their perspective you are doing these people a favor by hiring them. But I don’t think that means you have to treat them so poorly. It made it even harder because I got close to the house help—it’s so hard to be privileged, to see another person who has nothing and not be able to do anything. Some cultural things are hard to get used to. Apparently the house help left that family but she hasn’t found another job since.

What languages did you need there? Do you feel proficient in any other languages than English?

In Nairobi I didn’t need Swahili, but the farther away I got from the big city the more I needed it. It really depends on what region you are in. Most of the people from the Jumbe Organization understood English, but only spoke Swahili. I didn’t know any Swahili before I left for Kenya. I feel like I can get by with my Swahili skills now, but I can understand more than I can speak. I’ve decided to take Swahili here at UW–Madison now.

How do you think your experiences in Kenya will help you after you graduate? Do you plan on returning there?

It’s hard to overestimate how much it changed me, the way I view the world, and my place in it. I now definitely want to go into international development as a career. I also want to go back to East Africa to work.

What advice would you give a person who is planning on traveling to Africa?

Really try to experience every moment you have there, don’t waste your time talking to people at home. If you throw yourself into the life there you will fall in love with it and the people. Let the experience happen to you.

Jenny Parker first lived and worked in Senegal as part of her Professional French Masters Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After completing her program she decided to return to Senegal. Here is what’s been going on since that time.

Could you give us a little summary of how you ended up back in Senegal after you internship ended?
Actually, I basically came back to Senegal to do the same thing I had been doing last year as an intern. I am still working in the chancellor’s office and am teaching again in the English department. It may sound odd that I would come back to do the exact same thing, but to be honest, the university needs me (or needs a native English speaker) and I need them. I wanted to take a year “off” after finishing my masters to work and have evenings where I don’t need to research, read, or worry how I’m going to get that paper done. Senegal and more specifically the University afford me the best place possible to do that.

During your internship you worked in the Chancellor’s Office at the Université Gaston Berger (UGB) in Saint-Louis. What were some of your duties and how did those responsibilities help you post-internship?
Well, as someone who wants a profession in a university, being at UGB and seeing the inner-workings of a university in its infancy has been amazing. I’m inspired by their drive to see not only their university grow, but their country, their region and even their continent. They’re dreaming big over here, as they should be.

My main job in this position has been translating documents for the Chancellor. Most of them are prospectuses telling the world about what they’re trying to do at UGB. I can’t say exactly how this knowledge will help me, but I know that what I’m getting to experience is unique for any American, even occidental person and it has given me knowledge that few have.

One of my other significant jobs over here has been teaching English. It may seem banal, but at a university where the majority of students majoring in English will never travel to an English speaking country, much less live in one, they are in need of interactions with a native speaker. My work as a teacher here is just as important as anything else I’ve done. I don’t want to paint a picture of them not being able to live without me, but I do bring an important type of knowledge to the students. Clearly this part of my internship will help me in my career as a teacher!

View of Mosque from Market

Can you express the benefits of doing an international internship and what should be some factors when deciding where to go?
Living in a different culture is a challenge, working is a whole other world. Working in a different culture requires much patience, openness, willing to do anything and nothing (often happens that you sit around doing nothing!), putting aside your belief of how things should be done and trusting that their methods may not be so crazy. It will introduce you to new ways of thinking and problem solving that you never dreamed of. It will challenge you in ways you never expected and maybe didn’t want, but in the end will give you an amazing skill set and insight into another culture. I also did an internship in France for six months after my undergraduate study and I can tell you that that short little section on my resume definitely opened doors for me in terms of interviews.

Now that you have lived and worked in Senegal, have your perceptions changed about Senegal, its people, culture, etc., since before you arrived?
It has and it hasn’t. I was going to write a thesis on this country so I did a lot of in-depth research and talked to a handful of friends from Senegal prior to leaving. In a way I knew what to expect, but at the same time, words can never fully express what it is to live in this country and on this continent. I mentioned in my last interview the hospitality that Senegalese people pride themselves on … you CANNOT understand the depth of that until you experience it. Until you are welcomed into a family’s house for a day that you don’t know. Until that family feeds you, gives you a place to take your afternoon nap and would even give you the clothes off their back if you really needed it. And all of that in the name of their duty to you as a visitor, no “thank you” necessary.

Also, I must mention the work ethic stereotype. Many people, including people who have been here, mentioned to me the slow pace of life and laughed at a 40-hour work week when I referenced it. Yes, there is a different pace of life here and yes, nothing is as urgent as we Americans seem to think it is or should be, but I can tell you that I have met many very hard working people who only have one day off a week. People working in everything from the Chancellor’s office to construction. Senegalese people work hard, but they know what is the most important thing, family and community, and when to stop everything else for that.

In my boubou and fulaar

Can you describe some of the personal relationship you have established and how they may differ from relationships in the states (how you socialize, what you discuss)?
Well it must be noted that for whatever reason, most females that come here as an exchange student or like me, as an intern, leave with more male than female friends. I’m still trying to figure that one out. It could be a phenomenon unique to UGB campus or not. I’m not sure.

Most social time is spent at someone’s house. Unless you’re in Dakar most people don’t “go out” for a coffee or drink or go have a meal at a restaurant. All of that simply because money is scarce. So you go to a friend’s house and have attaaya (traditional Senegalese tea – FANTASTIC!) or you go to their house to “yeendu.” “Yeendu” is to spend the day. Yeendu-ing involves going for lunch, having attaaya after, then maybe some fruit and just relaxing with the person and their family if they have one. You do not usually leave before 5 p.m.

Topics of discussion vary as they would anywhere. Colleagues from work and I tend to talk about work, and people at work. Friends on campus (other masters and PhD students) tend to talk about fun things like music or serious topics like society, politics, differences between our countries, etc. Of course they ask a lot of questions about America. Until I become completely fluent in Wolof, I will not know for sure what topics are on the docket at gatherings!

I understand there will be another Presidential election in 2012. What has the political atmosphere been like?
There is a lot of talk about whether the current president should run again, he’s 84!!! He wanted his son to replace him, but the people were categorically against that idea for several reasons, one being him not being Senegalese enough.

Also, does religion seem to influence politics at all? And how does living in an predominantly Islamic culture change your day-to-day compared to home, or doesn’t it?
I don’t think I should attempt to answer the first part of this question. I am interested in politics, but not an expert and don’t feel I can answer intelligibly this question with accuracy.

While I was home this summer, I realized that I missed the five daily call to prayers. It’s a small thing, but it is a part of everyday and it starts to become a comfort of sorts to hear it. I must also admit that I completely relished wearing shorts all summer while I was in America as they are something that one shouldn’t wear here if you wish to respect the religious culture of Senegal. There are many little things that become a part of daily life that aren’t hard to accept but that are different in a society that is predominantly Muslim. I have to admit, I love it. It’s a complete change from anything we know in America and it constantly challenges the senses and your view of daily life. Things like saying “mashallah” when you compliment someone on their clothes or how cute their kid is. Mashallah is kind of like “knock on wood.” You say it so that the thing you’ve just complimented doesn’t change or stop. Of course no one makes you say it, but you can sometimes feel how uncomfortable it makes them if you don’t.

By Flannery Geoghegan, Division of International Studies

Jenny Parker is a student in the Professional French Masters Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. As part of the program she is required to do an internship in a francophone country. Because she already spent five years in France she decided to do her internship in Senegal this year. In the following Q&A she tells us about her experiences there so far:

What are you doing there (studying, internship, etc.)?

I am doing an administrative internship in what is called the rectorat, or the office of the chancellor at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis. I am also fortunate enough to be teaching English at the university. It’s fun and a nice challenge!

And when you aren’t studying or working, what do you do in your free time?

If I can, I love to go dancing! Senegalese people love to dance and it is so fun to learn their dance style, mbalax (even if it is quite hard to look good doing it!). Otherwise, I am often invited to my co-worker’s house to yeendu, which means literally “spend the day at someone’s house.” You arrive for lunch then you just hang out, watch TV, or take a nap, yes, I said take a nap! Any good Senegalese host will offer you a bed to rest on after eating! Then you have attaaya, the Senegalese specialty tea. You are served three glasses: the first is slightly bitter and then the two other are a lighter version with mint. It is delicious! Before you leave the house you are offered fruit juice or actual fruit. The yeendu does not usually end before 5 or 6 p.m. Sometimes you even stay for dinner! Otherwise, I like to go to Saint-Louis and shop at the tourist shops or even better, go to the market to find great Senegalese material!

What is the most invaluable experience that you have had so far?

I just recently got back from a stay with a friend at his house in Guediawaye (suburb of Dakar) where I really got to experience Senegalese culture. I got to see the day-to-day living of a family with eight kids. They have so many financial constraints and yet manage to make life so warm and fun. I also learned how to cook Senegalese food. Most importantly, I got to see over and over again teranga (Senegalese hospitality). It is amazing what they will do to make a guest comfortable.

What is one of the most jarring experiences you have had there? Why?

This will sound a little ridiculous, but the heat in the month of October was quite jarring. Even though I grew up in Texas, I forgot how hard it is and how you have to take care of yourself by drinking plenty of water and staying out of the sun as much as possible.

What languages do you need there?

You can easily get around with French, but knowing Wolof, the national language spoken by more than 80% of the population is invaluable! Young kids don’t speak French. Lots of older people in villages don’t speak French either. If you are anything like me, those are exactly the people you want to speak with! So learn a little bit or a lot of Wolof! It’s worth it!

How do you think your experiences in Senegal will help you after you graduate? Do you plan on returning there?

I’m hoping the internship and the teaching experience will help me to pursue an international career in education. I would love to return, but I guess I have to leave first to return!

What advice would you give a person who is planning on traveling to Senegal?

There is a ton of information available on what to pack and how to prepare for coming to Senegal, the IAP office at UW has some great tips (of which I helped write!). Read those and follow them! They will help you to be prepared for your time over here.

Follow Up with Jenny Parker

Jenny Parker first lived and worked in Senegal as part of her Professional French Masters Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After completing her program she decided to return to Senegal. Here is what’s been going on since that time.

Could you give us a little summary of how you ended up back in Senegal after you internship ended?
Actually, I basically came back to Senegal to do the same thing I had been doing last year as an intern. I am still working in the chancellor’s office and am teaching again in the English department. It may sound odd that I would come back to do the exact same thing, but to be honest, the university needs me (or needs a native English speaker) and I need them. I wanted to take a year “off” after finishing my masters to work and have evenings where I don’t need to research, read, or worry how I’m going to get that paper done. Senegal and more specifically the University afford me the best place possible to do that.

During your internship you worked in the Chancellor’s Office at the Université Gaston Berger (UGB) in Saint-Louis. What were some of your duties and how did those responsibilities help you post-internship?
Well, as someone who wants a profession in a university, being at UGB and seeing the inner-workings of a university in its infancy has been amazing. I’m inspired by their drive to see not only their university grow, but their country, their region and even their continent. They’re dreaming big over here, as they should be.

My main job in this position has been translating documents for the Chancellor. Most of them are prospectuses telling the world about what they’re trying to do at UGB. I can’t say exactly how this knowledge will help me, but I know that what I’m getting to experience is unique for any American, even occidental person and it has given me knowledge that few have.

One of my other significant jobs over here has been teaching English. It may seem banal, but at a university where the majority of students majoring in English will never travel to an English speaking country, much less live in one, they are in need of interactions with a native speaker. My work as a teacher here is just as important as anything else I’ve done. I don’t want to paint a picture of them not being able to live without me, but I do bring an important type of knowledge to the students. Clearly this part of my internship will help me in my career as a teacher!

Can you express the benefits of doing an international internship and what should be some factors when deciding where to go?
Living in a different culture is a challenge, working is a whole other world. Working in a different culture requires much patience, openness, willing to do anything and nothing (often happens that you sit around doing nothing!), putting aside your belief of how things should be done and trusting that their methods may not be so crazy. It will introduce you to new ways of thinking and problem solving that you never dreamed of. It will challenge you in ways you never expected and maybe didn’t want, but in the end will give you an amazing skill set and insight into another culture. I also did an internship in France for six months after my undergraduate study and I can tell you that that short little section on my resume definitely opened doors for me in terms of interviews.

View of Mosque from Market

Now that you have lived and worked in Senegal, have your perceptions changed about Senegal, its people, culture, etc., since before you arrived?
It has and it hasn’t. I was going to write a thesis on this country so I did a lot of in-depth research and talked to a handful of friends from Senegal prior to leaving. In a way I knew what to expect, but at the same time, words can never fully express what it is to live in this country and on this continent. I mentioned in my last interview the hospitality that Senegalese people pride themselves on … you CANNOT understand the depth of that until you experience it. Until you are welcomed into a family’s house for a day that you don’t know. Until that family feeds you, gives you a place to take your afternoon nap and would even give you the clothes off their back if you really needed it. And all of that in the name of their duty to you as a visitor, no “thank you” necessary.

Also, I must mention the work ethic stereotype. Many people, including people who have been here, mentioned to me the slow pace of life and laughed at a 40-hour work week when I referenced it. Yes, there is a different pace of life here and yes, nothing is as urgent as we Americans seem to think it is or should be, but I can tell you that I have met many very hard working people who only have one day off a week. People working in everything from the Chancellor’s office to construction. Senegalese people work hard, but they know what is the most important thing, family and community, and when to stop everything else for that.

In my boubou and fulaar e

Can you describe some of the personal relationship you have established and how they may differ from relationships in the states (how you socialize, what you discuss)?
Well it must be noted that for whatever reason, most females that come here as an exchange student or like me, as an intern, leave with more male than female friends. I’m still trying to figure that one out. It could be a phenomenon unique to UGB campus or not. I’m not sure.

Most social time is spent at someone’s house. Unless you’re in Dakar most people don’t “go out” for a coffee or drink or go have a meal at a restaurant. All of that simply because money is scarce. So you go to a friend’s house and have attaaya (traditional Senegalese tea – FANTASTIC!) or you go to their house to “yeendu.” “Yeendu” is to spend the day. Yeendu-ing involves going for lunch, having attaaya after, then maybe some fruit and just relaxing with the person and their family if they have one. You do not usually leave before 5 p.m.

Topics of discussion vary as they would anywhere. Colleagues from work and I tend to talk about work, and people at work. Friends on campus (other masters and PhD students) tend to talk about fun things like music or serious topics like society, politics, differences between our countries, etc. Of course they ask a lot of questions about America. Until I become completely fluent in Wolof, I will not know for sure what topics are on the docket at gatherings!

I understand there will be another Presidential election in 2012. What has the political atmosphere been like?
There is a lot of talk about whether the current president should run again, he’s 84!!! He wanted his son to replace him, but the people were categorically against that idea for several reasons, one being him not being Senegalese enough.

Also, does religion seem to influence politics at all? And how does living in an predominantly Islamic culture change your day-to-day compared to home, or doesn’t it?
I don’t think I should attempt to answer the first part of this question. I am interested in politics, but not an expert and don’t feel I can answer intelligibly this question with accuracy.

While I was home this summer, I realized that I missed the five daily call to prayers. It’s a small thing, but it is a part of everyday and it starts to become a comfort of sorts to hear it. I must also admit that I completely relished wearing shorts all summer while I was in America as they are something that one shouldn’t wear here if you wish to respect the religious culture of Senegal. There are many little things that become a part of daily life that aren’t hard to accept but that are different in a society that is predominantly Muslim. I have to admit, I love it. It’s a complete change from anything we know in America and it constantly challenges the senses and your view of daily life. Things like saying “mashallah” when you compliment someone on their clothes or how cute their kid is. Mashallah is kind of like “knock on wood.” You say it so that the thing you’ve just complimented doesn’t change or stop. Of course no one makes you say it, but you can sometimes feel how uncomfortable it makes them if you don’t.

By Flannery Geoghegan, Division of International Studies

You can read more about Jenny’s experiences on her blog.

[This article first appeared in the European Studies Alliance Newsletter spring/summer 2009 newsletter.]

By Lorie Grushka, UW-Madison Alumna (A.B. 2009, Political Science, International Studies, French; Certificates: European Studies, Global Cultures)

Throughout my four years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I have had the opportunity to take a diverse assortment of classes, ranging from “French Literature in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries,” to “Biology and Appreciation of Companion Animals.” Through my majors in Political Science, International Studies, and French and my certificates in European Studies and Global Cultures, I have had the chance to take classes which tackle the study of the European-American relationship from different angles.

Students at this college are lucky to have the European Studies Alliance on our campus, an excellent resource for European Studies. With the continual growth of Europe’s importance on the world stage, it is crucial for American students to remain up to date with European developments and current events. Europe is a constant competitor as well as a partner in numerous projects with the United States. The two entities are necessary to each others’ survival and take on the roles of both the student and the mentor on differing international issues. This relationship was further explained to me during my coursework at Madison, especially in the class “Europe and the US: From Partnership to Rivalry?” (taught by Former Swiss Ambassador to the U.S. Alfred Defago, currently Dean of Arts and Letters at Florida Atlantic University) which examined in depth the European-American relationship from the colonization period to the present.

Through my study abroad in Brussels, I was given the opportunity to dispel my previous notions and biases of the European-American relationship. I was able to take a class entitled “Dilemmas of European Integration,” which delved into the European predicament of uniting a continent which differs greatly from country to country. Being able to study Europe from the inside out completely changed my image of Europe as a whole. It allowed me to learn more about the differences in unity of a supranational entity versus one unified country.

I learned even more about the inner workings of the European Union through an internship with the Fundacion Comunidad de Valenciana – Region Europea (FCVRE), an organization representing the Valencian region in Spain. The FCVRE had as its mission to act as a liaison between Valencia and the European Union, and to keep both interested in one another’s developments. It was also created to ensure that Valencia was given the same opportunities as any other region in Europe. My duties at my internship included extensive research of programs between Europe and the United States, which were created to better the relationship between the two. Through this research, I became fully aware of the serious effort put into maintaining a positive relationship between the European Union and the United States, as well as the many exchange programs available to higher education students, which allows them to learn more about their European or American counterpart.

It was both satisfying and exciting for me to be able to participate in the European Studies Certificate and to see the effort that the University of Wisconsin-Madison has made to ensure that its students are made aware of the importance of an education about Europe. Whether the European-American relationship remains balanced or the scales tip, it is important for both American and European students to have the opportunity to study and compare the achievements and failures of both entities.

I hope to use the courses I have taken to fulfill my European Studies Certificate requirements as a foundation for a future career researching the constantly changing European-American relationship. It has been an incredibly valuable experience to declare this certificate and has taught me the importance of always maintaining both a global and a national awareness. I hope that all students who can fulfill the European Studies Certificate requirements declare the certificate, so that they too can have a truly international education.

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Being a European Studies Certificate Student

At UW-Madison the European Studies Program offers undergraduates the
opportunity to earn a Certificate in European Studies. Certificate students
demonstrate commitment to the study of Europe by attaining competency in a
European language (other than English) and by taking a minimum of seven courses
(21 credits) on Europe, its regions, or on specific European countries. With
more than 200 certificate students, European Studies is the largest area studies
certificate program and the fourth-largest certificate program on campus
behind Business, Criminal Justice and Environmental Studies.

For more information about the European Studies Certificate, please contact
Csanád Siklós at siklos@wisc.edu

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A group of Dance students and faculty from the University of Wisconsin–Madison traveled to Brazil this summer, to study dance alongside Brazilian peers and to perform at two-day festival in Rio de Janeiro.

This experience stems from an international exchange project that began in June 2010, explains Jin-Wen Yu, professor and chair of the Dance Department.

“I invited professors Leda Muhana and David Iannitelli from UFBA (Universidade Federal of Bahia), to teach a three-week workshop and choreograph a dance for students from UW–Madison and two other universities from Australia and Taiwan. The dance was performed in New York City in mid-July 2010 at the opening concert of World Dance Alliance Global Dance Events. “

Muhana, who directs the School of Dance at UFBA, arranged for 15 UW–Madison students, accompanied by Yu and two other faculty members (Chris Walker and Kate Corby), to spend three weeks in June at UFBA, in Salvador, Brazil. There, they took classes, rehearsed and learned about the culture.

Yu says: “Their faculty and students are thrilled to take classes and dance with our faculty and students. Our faculty and students are amazed how much they can offer and enrich our dancing education and experiences. The cultural experiences for our faculty and students are extremely rich.

“This is my third trip to UFBA and I am very satisfied that my colleagues and students felt powerful and fruitful in this visit.”

Yu credits UW–Madison Dance alumna Nora Stephens (B.S. ’00 in dance) for arranging for the UW–Madison dancers to participate in Arte ao Vivo, a two-day live arts festival in Rio. Two years ago, Stephens moved to Rio two years ago and now co-directs this new festival.

The UW–Madison group spent July 1-5 in Rio, where they rehearsed, performed, and toured the city’s major landmarks and monuments. The performances included solos by Yu and Walker, and a group performance on a plaza above a major subway station.

Breann Woodruff, one of the participating students, talks about her experiences:

“My initial impression of Brazil was that it was a country full of welcoming people, who took it upon themselves to immerse us into their culture and introduce us to many new experiences that are important to them and their lives.

“My most interesting experience was being invited to a Candomble ceremony. This religion is practiced primarily in Brazil. At the public portion of the ritual, which we attended, the participants invoke the Orixas and fall into a trance-like state. It was amazing to witness this ritual and be a part of something so sacred to them. It is something that I would never be able to experience somewhere else, and something I will never forget.

“What I had hoped to gain from this experience was the ability to take advantage of all the opportunities set in front of me and also to make it my mission to discover new opportunities on my own. I think I have done a pretty good job on this trip.”

–by Kerry G. Hill

Marilee Sushoreba—programs coordinator for International Student Services and coordinator of the Millennium Development Goals Awareness Project at UW-Madison—accompanied seven students in the newly minted Global Health Certificate for Undergraduates program on a United Nations Study Tour in June.

The study tour sought to provide participants with a basic understanding of the UN, its network of specialized agencies and programs, and how these collaborate to fulfill UN goals, especially those related to global health. The students reported on their experiences in articles posted on the ISS-Millennium Development Goals website: http://www.iss.wisc.edu/mdgap/.

For Wisconsin in the World, several of them reflected further on what they found most interesting and what they gained:

Arianna Lund, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a junior, majoring in pre-nursing:

“The most interesting thing that I learned while on the study tour is how interconnected all the programs and agencies are. Each program or agency was working towards the Millennium Development Goals and each group did their part. Through these, they hoped to achieve a healthier, safer world. For example, the United Nations Development Programme works towards reducing poverty through environmental management. Also, the United Nations Children’s Fund works toward child protection and rights through access and availability to vaccines. Each program or agency strives to meet the goals by 2015.

“From this experience I personally learned more of my passion for global health. In particular, my interests lie in women empowerment and children’s equality and rights. I am thankful for this amazing opportunity to study in New York City; while there, I explored the city, made new friends and learned so much at the UN meetings. I would love to find myself working, volunteering or participating in an internship, at the UN. Through this experience, I feel like many more doors have opened for me, and I am now welcoming the idea of pursuing a master’s degree in public health.”

Soyoung Chung, from Seoul, South Korea, is a senior majoring in biochemistry:

“The most interesting/surprising thing I learned during my study visit to the United Nations was the importance of women’s role in solving basically a majority of the problems many developing countries are fighting against. These include health issues, human rights, are education, to name a few.

“I gained the sense of one small world while I was at the United Nations. All 192 member states came together to solve common issues of everyone that were affected regardless of their nationality, and those problems do eventually affect us in the developed countries if we do not help solving them. Also, I learned several ways to get involved at the United Nations, such as getting an internship and also gained the whole view of how a world-class organization like the United Nations operates and influences people all over the world.”

Danica Rockney, of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is a senior, majoring in medical microbiology and immunology:

“Before this trip, I had an idea about what the UN was about and how they ran. However, when visiting the UN, that completely changed. I was unaware that in countries where the UN is active, the governments have to ask for help. Additionally, I was unaware how closely the UN works with each government in trying to find the best solutions that are sustainable based on culture and available resources. Although the UN is a huge organization, they do perform many activities on the ground that directly benefit citizens of the global community.

“This trip taught me that there are many ways to follow your passions and truly make a difference, whether it be with the UN or not. Above anything else, this trip taught me that everybody has the right to be an active participant in the global community no matter age, race, culture, religion, or country of citizenship, and when you follow your passions, you can truly make a difference.”

Madison Victor, of San Diego, California, is an international studies major:

“We often think of the United Nations as an international government of sorts; however, they are not that at all. Most all UN agencies that we met with made it extremely clear that they work with each country’s government and never control or make decisions for them. What I found most interesting is the regulation that an invitation into a country by the government is necessary before any UN affiliated organizations can begin its programs.

“I have obtained a comprehensive understanding of the United Nations, the most powerful international organization in the world. Most information we receive is very one-sided, often from the American point-of-view. Since this experience, I find that when I am trying to understand an international policy I can easily approach it from a multi-nation perspective.”

– by Kerry G. Hill

Dhina Susanti and Cheng Cheng are among the many international students who have come to UW–Madison. This summer, both are building on their international experiences through internships that have taken each of them to yet another country.

Dhina Susanti, a senior from Semarang, Indonesia, majoring in electrical engineering, is working as a service engineer intern (May 30-July 22) at Bucyrus China, part of Bucyrus International, a home-grown Wisconsin company that produces mining equipment.

Susanti explains: “I will mainly work with the service leaders and will be rotated to our sales department for two weeks. I will spend part of my time in the Beijing office and will also travel to service stations adjacent to major customers’ mine sites, such as Inner Mongolia and Huainan.”

Cheng Cheng, a senior from Shanghai, China, is majoring in sociology with a concentration in analysis and research and a certificate in German.  She is an intern at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies, in Hyderabad, India (May 31-July 10).

Cheng explains: “For my internship , I conduct an independent research project, examining how the Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project affects married women’s contraceptive use.  Upon completion of the internship, I will write a final report about my project.”

Susanti and Cheng discuss about their internship experiences:

What attracted you to this particular internship?

Susanti: “When I found that there was an internship opening in China, I was ecstatic. China is developing so fast and by all means has great potential. It was predicted that China’s economy will surpass that of the U.S. by 2021 and is an already economic superpower. I want to see that and just generally encounter the working experience in China while it’s rapidly developing. Besides, Bucyrus is such a globally renowned company and technology leader in the industry; these inspired me to pursue an opportunity in Bucyrus China.”

Cheng: “First, I want to see what social science research is like outside of Madison and the U.S. My academic and career interest lies in sociological research. Under the current context of globalization, understanding the variations in research conventions, resources, and ideologies among different nations and cultures not only will help me to learn from alternative perspectives on how to do research, but also prepare me for conducting collaborative research in the future as my colleagues are likely to come from all over the world.

“Second, I hope to broaden my knowledge of social issues that developing countries—including and especially India and China—are facing in the process of rapid socioeconomic development. What motivates me to study sociology in the first place is that I hope to utilize my knowledge in sociology to contribute to our understanding of the causes and consequences of these changes that rising developing countries are going through.

“Third, I hope to further develop my skills and knowledge in research methodology and statistical analysis, by carrying out my independent research project during this internship.”

What were your initial impressions upon arrival?

Susanti: Beijing was just like Jakarta, almost too similar I thought. I am originally from Semarang, Indonesia, but I spent the year before coming to Madison in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Coming to Beijing during summer, Beijing resembled Jakarta in so many ways: the heat, the traffic, the massive crowd, the mess, the highways, the tall buildings, the malls, and many others.

“Even the people in Jakarta struck similarities with people in Beijing because Jakarta has a rich Chinese backgrounds and history in the past. The only difference was the Chinese language, because in Indonesia we mostly use Indonesian and English language. So I thought the language would be a fun challenge but the feeling of being home impressed me and immediately made me feel at ease.”

Cheng: “First, the weather is extremely hot. I arrived in the beginning of June, which is towards the end of the hottest season in Hyderabad. The average temperature then was around 90. I had to constantly stand under the fan to cool myself down.

“Second, the traffic is overwhelming. Though I was born and raised in one of the most populous cities in the world, Shanghai, I was still shocked by the traffic in Hyderabad. This is primarily because there are no sidewalks for pedestrians. In addition, cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, and livestock share the narrow roads together.  Frequently I find vehicles travelling in the opposite direction, running towards me.

“Third, Indian English appears to be almost a foreign language to me due to differences in pronunciation and vocabulary as compared to American English. Communication problem arises despite the fact that we are all speaking ‘English’. “

Was there anything particularly surprising or different from your expectations?

Cheng: “I was not prepared for two things.  One is the Indian head shake, commonly found in South India. I was really confused at first when the locals try to express ‘no problem’ while shaking their heads. Another is the looser standard of punctuality. Being punctual represents responsibility and reliability in the U.S., China and many other countries, but perhaps not necessarily in India. When I was scheduled to meet with the professor or a colleague for a meeting or a gathering after work, I need to be very flexible and wait for at least 15-20 minutes beyond the scheduled time. “

What has been the most challenging adjustment?

Cheng: “Adjusting to Indian ways of communication, the accent and the mannerisms—such as the head bobble—is the most challenging for me. On the one hand, I need to learn to understand what the locals are trying to express. On the other hand, I must try to let the locals understand what I am trying to say. Indian accent is as hard for me as American accent for them. “

Susanti: “Aside from the language barrier that hinders me to adjust to the place even better, I found it most challenging to make social interactions and just generally find a community in Beijing. I will be travelling to other places such as Inner Mongolia, Huainan, and Langfang every two weeks and I will only stay in Beijing for one week in between. Thus, I have no capacity and time to make and meet friends outside of work. It makes me feel lonely and I sometimes miss Madison. I tried to cope with this feeling by exploring the city during the weekend, whether it’s Beijing, Hohhot, or Nanjing.”

– by Kerry G. Hill

Susanti has posted photographs from China on Flickr: