HIGHLIGHTS
November 2014
• Spotlight: US Forest Service Ernst Schutte and Justin Ewer
• Holidays: National and Capitol
Christmas Trees
• Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
• Washington, DC Educational and
Cultural Excursion
• Travel Signatures
• Culture Corner: How Cultures
Vary -- Dimensions of Culture
• Mad Libs Holiday Edition
• On the Horizon
For more information on the
International Visitor Program,
please contact Brenda Dean:
(email) bdean@fs.fed.us
(tel) +1-202-644-4600
The US Forest Service International Visitor Program (IVP) facilitates participation
in a wide variety of professional and educational exchanges, which encourage scientific collaboration and discovery, increase intercultural understanding, and promote
cooperation among people of many cultures and countries.
SPOTLIGHT:
ERNST SCHUTTE’S STORY
Tell us about yourself. I’m 23 years old
and a SEPAM (System Engineering, Policy
Analysis and Management) student at the
Delft University of Technology, specializing
in sustainable energy technologies. I grew
up in a small country, in a small town called
Mijdrecht, nearby Amsterdam (but for
American standards, everything is close to
Amsterdam). The Netherlands is a beautiful little country but unfortunately without
any vast public lands or even mountains!
Fortunately my parents always took us on
hiking trips into the mountains of northern
France. Later on, we also traveled to the
west coast of the US to visit all the beautiful
National Parks and National Forests in that
area. That’s when I really fell in love with the
mountains and the outdoors!
Ernst
What did you do with the Forest Service this summer? I worked as a
Wilderness Ranger for the Mt. Adams Ranger District in the Gifford Pinchot National
Forest in Washington State (stationed in Trout Lake). Specifically, I made contact with
visitors, helped out with a GPS data collection project, placed and repaired signs, did a
lot of hiking and overnight backpacking and a lot more! I also worked a few days with
the trail crew and tagged along with our District Ranger one day. To make a long story
short, I did a variety of incredible, awesome stuff!
What are your favorite memories of your time in the US? My favorite
memories are the combination of the outdoors and the people. My colleagues, my
supervisor and all the other people at the ranger station were so nice to me and
made me feel at home after just a few days. Besides doing ‘work,’ I also did a lot of
fun stuff with my friends and my supervisor, Justin: rafting, hiking at Mt. Rainier, taking
in the local culture and much more. All of this took place in one of the most beautiful
landscapes I’ve ever been: the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in the Pacific Northwest region. For some reason, a lot of times I still think back to this specific moment
when I was driving back with two of my best colleagues (Cassie and Spencer) from a
five-day overnight in the Mt. Adams Wilderness. We were just driving in this huge FS
vehicle with the three of us in the front and our backpacks in the back. Cassie put on
some nice music on her iPhone and we just sat there in silence driving through this
incredible landscape with meadows, mountains, farms and cattle. I don’t know why this
COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC)
Each autumn, Federal Government employees pool
their creativity and funds to support the Combined
Federal Campaign (CFC), the world’s largest and most
successful workplace charity campaign. The mission
of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy
through a program to improve the quality of life for
all. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal, and military donors during the campaign season go to support
eligible non-profit organizations that provide health
and human service benefits. Millions of dollars are
raised each year through approximately 200 organized
CFC programs across the country and overseas. During their campaigns, agencies and offices coordinate a
number of events to collect on-the-spot cash donations and to promote individual pledges, which are
processed through payroll deductions. The pooled
proceeds from special events such as bake sales or
drawings are contributed to designated charities. This
year, the CFC national theme is “Make it Possible.”
For more information on CFC, please visit
http://www.cfcnca.org/.
Justin
crew on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Since
that time I have had a chance to work on several different
forests in Region 6 before landing in my current position on
the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Wilderness/Recreation
Planning/Wild and Scenic Rivers. One of the fantastic things
about working for the Forest Service is that you often have
the opportunity to work across department lines and gain
exposure to other areas. For example, despite having always
worked in recreation, I have also had the opportunity to
work in wildland fire, restoration, archeology, timber marking, wildlife, and more. Even now I still have those moments
when I sit back and think to myself how blessed I am to have
the opportunity to do the work I do. I’m passionate about
my career ‘caring for the land and serving people’ and enjoy
sharing it with others.
moment was so special to me, maybe because it was a moment when all the things I liked so much over there came
together.
What are some of the cultural activities you participated in during your visit? Sometimes in the Netherlands we like to think of Americans as stereotypes; driving
huge cars and listening to country music etc. I’m not that
naive to think all Americans are the same and do that all
the time. But I have to admit; I did it to! I drove a pick-up
for the first time and loved to listen to country music
while I was driving (despite that fact not all my colleagues
liked it). This experience meant a lot to me and I still feel
honored to have had this opportunity. It was so great; I
definitely want to do something similar in the near future.
What motivated you to host an international visitor,
specifically Ernst?
I wanted to think outside the box about ways of getting
needed work done using various resources. Hosting an
international visitor presented an opportunity to do that,
and it had the added value of contributing to an inclusive
and diverse workplace. I choose Ernst specifically because he
seemed like the best fit for the position. Wilderness Rangers
interact with the public and spend quite a bit of time in the
backcountry. Ernst was someone with good communication
skills and had a background which suggested he could work
safely in the backcountry.
JUSTIN EWER’S STORY
Wilderness Manager/Recreation Planner, Mount Adams Ranger District
What has been the most rewarding part of hosting an
international visitor?
It was the unexpected and surprising discoveries you make
along the way, often in everyday conversation. It was an opportunity to see our country, communities and Forest from a
Tell us a bit about you and your Forest Service
career.
I started out as a seasonal employee in 2001 pulling a
crosscut saw and swinging a pulaski on a Wilderness trail
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different perspective. For example, to compare our public
land system to a country that has very little public land,
or the fact that it takes about as long to drive across the
Gifford Pinchot as it does the entirety of the Netherlands.
Another example is our fleet of trucks, which we take for
granted as an everyday part of working in the Forest. He
just loved them as they fit the common perception that
everything is big in America, and they are apparently something you do not see in the Netherlands.
What are you favorite memories of working with
Ernst?
One of the things I enjoyed about Ernst was his eagerness
to make the most of his short time here. Even though he
was gaining a lot from his visit personally he wanted to be
sure that he was as helpful as possible. He also maintained
a perpetually positive outlook. We were out together for
a three-day trip in Mount Adams during one of the rainiest days I have experienced in several years, and he didn’t
complain once. In fact, he was the one cracking jokes and
helping keep everyone in positive spirits.
His parents came to visit while he was here and it was
great watching him show off ‘his’ forest. He wanted to
share all the exciting things he had done and the “beautiful
nature” that he had seen. Upon returning to the Netherlands he sent me a picture of Dutch ‘wildlife’ (aka cows). I’ll
miss his humor.
(Top) Capitol Christmas Tree:
The Architect of the Capitol, www.aoc.gov
formal remarks and popular entertainers give holidaythemed performances at this event. Attendance for this
popular tree lighting event is in such high demand that
there is a lottery to distribute the free tickets. Since 1954,
a “Pathway of Peace” adjacent to the National Christmas
tree has incorporated 56 smaller trees, which represent
all 50 states, 5 territories and the District of Columbia.
Sponsoring organizations from each state provide the
decorations, which usually represent themes related to
their states. The decorated trees are then enclosed within a
protective plastic globe to protect them from the weather.
The holiday season is a festive time filled with lights, decorations, and in many cases, Christmas trees! Fully decorated trees can be found in homes, storefront windows,
and many public spaces where everyone can enjoy their
beauty. A few of the largest and most impressive Christmas
trees are found at the United States Capitol and the White
House in Washington, DC.
The process of selecting, installing, and decorating the Capitol Christmas Tree has been an American tradition since
1964, when the first tree was a 24-foot Douglas fir. Five
years later, the United States Forest Service was asked to
provide the Capitol Christmas Tree and this tradition still
stands. Each year, the Forest Service selects a tree from a
different National Forest. Traditionally, the Speaker of the
United States House of Representatives, or “Speaker of the
House,” lights the Capitol Christmas tree at a tree lighting
ceremony in early December and it remains lit every night
until New Year’s Day. The 2014 Capitol Christmas Tree, an
impressive white spruce measuring over 80 feet, will be
provided by the Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota
in partnership with Choose Outdoors and the Leech Lake
Band of Ojibwe. It was cut during a public ceremony on
Wednesday, October 29, and will visit 30 different communities on its nearly 2,000-mile cross-country journey from
Minnesota to Washington, DC. Seventy companion trees
will be provided by the Minnesota Tree Growers Association to help decorate the inside of the US Capitol Building,
as well as other sites throughout Washington, DC.
The annual National Christmas Tree lighting held on the
Ellipse, the grassy area south of the White House, began in
1923. Every year, the President of the United States makes
For more information on visiting the trees or to
watch videos on past tree lighting ceremonies, please visit:
www.thenationaltree.org.
NATIONAL AND CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREES
(Bottom) National Christmas Tree:
http://thenationaltree.org/event-history/
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iconic monuments and museums. Based on the success of
this pilot, the International Visitor Program plans to continue the program with another Washington, DC excursion
in 2015.
TRAVEL SIGNATURES
If you are planning to travel outside of the United
States for the upcoming holiday season, PLEASE BE
AWARE OF IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS THAT
MAY IMPACT YOUR RETURN TO THE UNITED
STATES. All holders of J-1 visas must have DS-2019s
validated for travel outside the United States if they
wish to return on the same J-1 program. Please follow
these steps to avoid travel problems:
2014 IVP Excursion to Smokey Bear’s Office and the US Forest Service Visitor
Center. Photo credit: Dominic Cumberland.
2014 WASHINGTON, DC EDUCATIONAL &
CULTURAL EXCURSION
1. Check the expiration date on your visa. Make
sure it is still valid for another entry at the time
of your return to the United States.
2. You must have a travel validation signature on
your DS-2019 that is valid for the duration of
your trip outside the US and valid upon your
return to the US. If you are under the Government Visitor, Research Scholar or Intern
category, the travel validation must have been
signed within the past 12 months. If you are a
Short-Term Scholar, the travel validation must
have been signed within the past 6 months.
3. Remember to hand carry your DS-2019 when
you return to the United States.
4. Please send your updated I-94 document to
your IVP specialist upon your return to the US.
This can be retrieved at www.cbp.gov/i94
5. If you must renew your J-1 visa during your trip
outside of the United States, please contact
Misty Sidhu at mksidhu@fs.fed.us or Rima Eid at
rimaeid@fs.fed.us to discuss the process.
From October 16–18, the International Visitor Program
hosted a 3-day excursion in Washington, DC for international exchange visitors currently working with USDA.
The excursion offered participants the opportunity to
learn more about USDA, to network, and to explore the
nation’s capital. Eight researchers from Brazil, China, India
and Tunisia came from Agricultural Research Service locations in Illinois, Mississippi, Texas, Delaware and Maryland to
launch the pilot excursion program.
Highlights of the excursion included meeting Dr. Ann
Bartuska, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Research,
Education, and Economics, interacting with US Forest
Service Research and Development Staff, and touring
USDA headquarters buildings. The visitors also spent a
day at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center hosted
by the ARS Office of International Research Programs
(OIRP). OIRP Director, Ibrahim Shaqir, and Public Affairs
Specialist, Jennifer Woodward-Greene, shared more about
ARS’ international research collaboration and provided a
hands-on look at ARS technology transfer projects. Afterwards, participants visited Dr. Lyndel Meinhardt at the
Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory to learn about his
team’s research on cacao. The group also had a special
tour of the National Agricultural Library to see some
impressively preserved 16th century texts and other rare
documents in the Special Collections that are significant to
the history of agriculture and agricultural sciences.
If you need to have your DS-2019 signed for travel,
please send it ASAP to Misty Sidhu or Rima Eid!
Please mail it to this address:
USDA Forest Service
ATTN: International Programs,
Misty Sidhu or Rima Eid
One Thomas Circle, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
In addition to making stronger connections with USDA,
the visitors had the opportunity to learn more about the
United States and Washington, DC by touring the city’s
We wish you a safe and fun holiday!
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CULTURE CORNER
Pioneering researchers in cross-cultural relations and communications, such as Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars, Edward Hall,
Florence Kluckhohn, Fred Strodtbeck, and Richard Brislin, offered
a number of dimensions of culture:
HOW CULTURES VARY - DIMENSIONS OF
CULTURE
Most definitions of the term “culture” refer to the ideas, ways of
thinking and customary behaviors that are shared by members
of a given group. Oddly enough, however, when we describe cultures, we don’t actually describe ways of thinking. Most commonly, we describe shared characteristics and customs that are based
on historical and cultural influences or nationality. How often have
you heard someone describe another culture by sharing information about one or more of these characteristics or customs?
• Language
• Greetings, gestures
• History
• Arts
• Holiday Traditions
• Religious Rituals
• Dining & Drinking
• Dress
• National identity
Like an iceberg, culture is only partially visible. It is much easier
to describe what can easily be seen than to try to define what
lies below the surface. This is especially true when we try to
define “American” culture, values and beliefs. The United States is
home to a diverse population representing many cultures. When
describing Americans, many revert to using stereotypes and
generalizations.
Assumptions and Values
• Concept of Self – Individualism vs. Collectivism
• Personal vs. Societal Obligations – Universalism vs. Particularism
• The Concept of Time – monochromic and polychronic
• The Locus of Control –Internal vs. External
• Power Distance - expectations about the distribution of power
• Attitudes toward Age
• Concept of Fate and Destiny – Activism/Fatalism
• View of Human Nature
• Attitude Towards Change
• Attitude Towards Taking Risks and the Unknown
• Concept of Suffering and Misfortune
• Concept of Face (Saving Face)
• Source of Self Esteem/Self Worth
• Concept of Equality, Status (achieved or ascribed)
• Attitude towards Formality
• Degree of Realism
• Attitude Towards Doing
• View of the Natural World
Communication Styles
• Indirect – High Context (Implicit)
• Direct – Low Context (Explicit)
• Verbal, conversational tone, structure
• Nonverbal – gesturing, facial expressions, personal space
Psychologists, anthropologists, sociologists, internationalists and
others dedicated to understanding intercultural issues have studied the effects of extensive immersion into other cultures. They
have sought to deconstruct generalizations by using “dimensions”
of culture to illustrate and categorize beliefs, world views, ways of
thinking, assumptions, values and communication styles that are
shared by members of a given culture.
Ways of Thinking
• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinesthetics
• Digital
Explore your Cultural Dimensions
Think about the following statements and mark your responses to them on the continuum below.
1. An important question at a party is, “What do you do?”
2. When I say “Yes,” I really mean “Yes.”
3. Honesty is the best policy.
4. Written contracts are important and must have strict policies. They should never be broken.
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NOW REVIEW YOUR RESPONSES IN RELATION TO THE TO THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS OF CULTURE.
1. An important question at a party is, “What do you do?”
To Be
- Dimensions of Culture -
Status is ascribed in a “To Be” culture. It comes from
one’s heritage, family, cultural group, and affiliations.
Harmony, rather than competition, is valued. Reliance
and cooperation is important to maintain stability.
To Do
In “To Do” cultures, people gain status through hard work and
individual achievement. One EARNS status. Competition is valued.
Individualism and effort is valued (e.g., “I’m a self-made man/
woman!”).
2. When I say “Yes,” I really mean “Yes.”
IMPLICIT/high context/indirect
- Dimensions of Culture -
In more homogeneous, collectivist cultures, there
is greater understanding of what might happen.
Understanding is based on history, similarities, and
transitions. Nonverbal communication conveys great
meaning as there is less need to be explicit. Everyone
already knows and understands messages. The goal of
communication is maintaining harmony.
EXPLICIT/low context/direct
In Low Context cultures, communication usually needs to be more
explicit. People are more heterogeneous and individualistic. Thus,
communication must be more specific and literal to convey meaning. The goal of communication is getting and giving information.
3. Honesty is the best policy.
INDIRECT
- Dimensions of Culture -
In collectivist cultures, saving face is very important.
Maintaining harmony among group members is very
important. Avoiding confrontation is important. One
does not want to upset 9others, cause embarrassment or cause others to lose face.
DIRECT
In individualistic cultures, saving face is less important. Individuals can take care of themselves and are not as dependent upon
others or the opinions of others. Importance is placed on being
truthful and direct. Confrontation is seen as necessary sometimes to clear the air. There is less worry about hurting others’
feelings as “honesty is the best policy.”
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4. Written contracts are important and must have strict policies.They should never be broken.
EMOTIONAL
Particularist
- Dimensions of Culture -
Emotional appeals have greater value. Things are
situational and relative. Exceptions are made based on
the person, status and situation. Situational policies –
no absolutes. No one expects life to be “fair.”
FACTUAL
Universalist
Factual content is most valued. Emotional appeals are dismissed.
Certain absolutes exist everywhere. Practicality is emphasized.
Be “realistic,” “sensible” or “logical.” Rules, theories, policies and
contracts are important.
MAD LIBS: RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED ... WHAT?
Without giving the story title or showing the paragraph below to others, ask a friend or several friends to provide you with some
random words that fit the categories below the blanks in the story, then fill in the text with their words. For example, in the first blank,
ask your friend to give you an “adjective.”Your friend could say any adjective, such as “crunchy” in the example below.Without showing
them the text or giving them any context, continue asking for words and filling in the blanks until you complete the story. Once you
have finished, read the story to them for a funny version of the popular holiday song!
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Please Share Your Stories!
We would like to invite everyone to
share photos and stories about yourselves, your programs, and the exchange
experiences you’ve had in the United
States and abroad. Please submit your
stories, pictures, ideas, and feedback to
Misty Sidhu at mksidhu@fs.fed.us
Contact Info
Brenda Dean: bdean@fs.fed.us
Misty Sidhu: mksidhu@fs.fed.us
Kristin Corcoran: kacorcoran@fs.fed.us
Rima Eid: rimaeid@fs.fed.us
Ashlee Jackson: ashleejackson@fs.fed.us
Lee Blaser: leeablaser@fs.fed.us
Tel: +1-202-644-4600
Here are the real lyrics to the
popular holiday song:
Join in any reindeer games!
Then one foggy Christmas Eve,
Santa came to say
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer,
You’ll go down in history!
All of the other reindeers
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Listen to the song here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzfJdSmTNdk
ON THE HORIZON
US Holidays and Special Occasions
Friday, October 31
Sunday, November 2
Tuesday, November 4
Tuesday, November 11
Thursday, November 27
Thursday, December 25
Thursday, January 1
Halloween
Daylight Savings Time Ends (turn clocks back 1 hour)
Election Day
Veterans Day (Federal Government closed)
Thanksgiving (Federal Government closed)
Christmas (Federal Government closed)
New Year’s Day (Federal Government closed)
If you are a visitor to the US, ask your American hosts, friends and colleagues
how they celebrate these holidays.
Hosts, we encourage you to use this opportunity to share an aspect of American
culture with your visitor(s)!
The US Forest Service International Visitor
Program is now on Facebook!
Disclaimer
This newsletter has been produced by the
US Forest Service Office of International
Programs International Visitor Program Staff.
Information in this publication is provided
for the benefit of current or prospective
Program participants or USDA program
hosts engaged in exchanges through the US
Forest Service International Visitor Program.
Any information provided in this newsletter on immigration regulations or financial
issues is subject to change at any time and
without notice. For official legal advice on
immigration or tax matters, please consult a
certified attorney or tax professional.
Please visit: https://www.facebook.com/
pages/US-Forest-Service-International-Visitor-Program/380788515370097