I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to go on two study abroad experiences since coming to Dartmouth, both of which took me out of my comfort zone and opened me to new perspectives and experiences.
The summer after my freshman year, I attended the Italian FIRE program in Rome. The FIRE program an Italian language study abroad designed for people who have never taken the language before. I felt nervous about moving to Italy without speaking a word of Italian...
[more]Adaptability in an increasingly globalized world requires self-awareness, an understanding of different cultural values, and learning to be comfortable with discomfort. Additionally, adaptation involves respecting others and a willingness to pursue new and unfamiliar circumstances. While it might require modifying certain behaviors to respect cultural norms in some situations, adaptation does not require total conformation to the surrounding environment. Rather, it is a balance of honoring...
[more]If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us one thing, it is just how deeply interconnected we are to one another. Coronavirus has reshaped not only how we understand ourselves, but also how we think about our world.
In our highly globalized world, it only took a few months for COVID-19 to infect millions of people across the globe. In the past months, we have demonstrated our ability to adapt and understand our role within the collective. We stay at home, we limit our outings, and we wear...
[more]Assumption-making is a very common practice today. Even though at times it can be helpful (such as saving time), it is often hurtful and discriminatory. It is human to have assumptions, but it is important to recognize them when they arise and reflect on why you made the assumption and what you can do to have a more accurate and inclusive perspective in the future.
A common assumption that is made about many Asian American’s including myself is that we were born in an Asian country...
[more]The single most important tool for building dialogue across difference is intentional listening. Not only must we intentionally listen to the thoughts and words of others, but we must thoughtfully listen to ourselves to determine our own cultural biases. When we listen carefully to the words and thoughts of others, and respond even more carefully, specifically with respect to what we have heard, we will be more effective at building a productive dialogue across difference. Most times,...
[more]Globalization and its effects on politics and trade have become an increasingly widespread topic of conversation in recent years, but the impact of multiculturalism on everyday interactions are still in the process of being realized. During the weekly sessions of the Rockefeller Global Leadership Program, I was able to learn how to define perspectives and guide conversations through a multicultural lens as well as analyze the greater implications of cross-cultural communication on a larger...
[more]Culture is a broad term that can be used to describe someone’s geographical and ethnic backgrounds, as well as lived and shared experiences. Most people view their culture as the center of their world experience, similarly to the way geocentrism was prominent in early scientific knowledge, before heliocentrism became widely accepted. Before people have many intercultural experiences, they view their own culture as the standard and assume everyone else will adapt to them. However, throughout...
[more]My favorite session of RGLP was when we role-played a virtual conference between the people of two different cultures. I was assigned to be a “Sharahaden”, a made-up culture with specifics about how people from my culture react to certain actions and interact with people. My classmates were assigned to be American, so they didn’t need to change their behaviors at all. When we interacted, I was mortified at the way I was supposed to treat my classmates. In the meeting, they were trying to...
[more]In the summer of 2020, while quarantined at home wallowing in self-pity and self-importance (I was lamenting the loss of my future and dreams), I started maniacally cooking for my family. It began with pasta. My mother bought me a pasta maker on which I spent hours making linguini, spaghetti, bowtie, and even ravioli. It was delicious. My thighs got thicker and my glutes widened. I started working out in the morning. I made myself an elaborate morning schedules that I followed for two weeks...
[more]Culture shock occurs when someone is met by an unfamiliar culture, or when they are in an environment that is not like their own, or an environment that they are not accustomed to. It is important to note that not everyone experiences culture shock, and that culture shock is not the result of interacting with new cultures. Culture shock does not occur every time that someone is in a new environment or interacts with a different culture, rather culture shock occurs when this change in...
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