O FFICE
OF
O FF -C AMPUS S TUDY
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROT TER
V OLUME 3, I SSUE 3
S PRING 2012
Someone Like You: by Sara Birkenthal
“Do you like A-deel?” my 12-year-old host
sister, Najwa asked as I unzipped my
suitcase and surveyed what was to be my
home for the next four months. I nodded
and dug out my laptop, opening iTunes
and searching for “Adele.” Next thing I
knew, Najwa and I were singing along to
“Someone Like You” as she helped me unpack.
Since arriving in Morocco I’ve come to realize that there’s nothing like familiar music to make you feel comfortable in an unfamiliar place. Luckily, my host family
likes pop music more than anyone else I
know. Adele, Shakira, and Lady Gaga are
their
favorites.
Shakira’s “Waka
Waka”
is
our
nightly
dinner
anthem, and being in Africa, the
song takes on a
new meaning.
“Shakira’s
‘WakaWaka’ is
our nightly
dinner anthem”
“This is Africa,” my Moroccan family and I sing
in unison, our voices competing with Al
Jazeera’s evening news coverage. My tenyear-old brother, Ayoub likes to belt Lady
Gaga songs at the top of his lungs. He
usually gets the lyrics wrong, but I haven’t had the heart to tell him. If he sings
“’gonna have to pay” instead of “It’ll be
okay,” who I am to correct him? My host
family has, after all, put up with my attempts at speaking Arabic for the past
‘ 13 SIT: Morocco
three months, and it’s the chorus
that matters anyway: “Just dance.”
A Note from the
Editor:
The happiest I’ve ever seen my sister Najwa is when she came running home from the souk with her
first and very own iPod. She
bounded excitedly into the room
that we share to show it to me. As I
This Spring, OffCampus Study has
students in all corners of the world.
The Claremont
Globetrotter
proudly presents
essays from a
handful of students
who share their
experiences abroad
through words and
pictures. Enjoy!
Blake Weber
CMC ’13
held her pre-owned iPod mini (the
same one I had when I was twelveyears old) in my hennaed hands, it
dawned on me that my host family
does not have access to a computer. “How are you going to put
music on it?” I asked. She turned
on the iPod and pointed at the
screen.
“I got it to listen to the Qur’an.” I
looked more closely and realized
that Najwa’s iPod was merely a
shell of the one I had owned when I
was her age. It had been refurbished and pre-loaded with the
Qur’an.
“Just the Qur’an?” I asked, scrolling through the device. The Qur’an
and Adele. Good old Adele. I put on
“Someone Like You” and we sang
along together.
Inside the Issue
Someone like
you: 1
Namaste from
India: 2-4
Is studying
abroad in an
English speaking
country an ‘easy
out’?: 5-7
Salamanca Semester: 8-9
Lubhu Life: 1012
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
PAGE 2
N AMASTE FROM I NDIA !
I NDIA
IS WILD
-
B Y A NNIE J ALOTA ‘ 13, IES I NDIA : N EW D ELHI
COLORFUL , BUSTLING , NOISY , FOREVER ALIVE
-
THIS EXPERIENCE IS AMAZING .
One of many thousand year old temples in Khajuraho,
Madhya Pradesh,
glowing gold in the
setting sunlight.
This is one of
about 85 temples
built between the
10th-12th centuries AD by the
Chandela dynasty.
A colorful group of
rural working
women in the village Tilonia, Rajasthan (home to the
Barefoot College,
which has a TEDtalk if anyone's interested!)
PAGE 3
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
I visited the Taj Mahal
in Agra! Visiting a
wonder of the world
felt surreal... it's even
more beautiful than
in pictures! It was
built by the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan
in memory of his wife,
Mumtaz Mahal, and
it's a great example of
exquisite Mughal architecture.
There are many historical "cities" of Delhi
tucked away in the
modern, bustling capital
we know today. Pictured
here is the Tughlaqabad
Fort, a capital city built
by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq around 1321. Interestingly, it is one of the
lesser known historical
sites of Delhi, and it attracts few local or foreign tourists.
PAGE 4
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
The Golden Temple, one of
the holiest religious sites
for Sikhs, in Amritsar,
Punjab. The temple is
beautiful during the day
and even more so at night!
Here, learning and discovery doesn't just happen between four walls; it happens when you
peruse ancient historical sites, connecting what
you learn in the classroom to history as it tangibly stands in front of you. It happens when
you wander through the winding streets of Purani Dilli ("Old Delhi," Shahjahanabad), stumbling upon various parts of the markets and
temples tucked away in the madness. It happens when you get into villages and talk to locals about how government policy affects them
(or the processes might be so corrupt that the
government's programs don't benefit them at
all).
I'm having an absolute blast and wouldn't trade
it for anything! I give the study abroad experience two thumbs up!
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
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Opinion Pieces: Is studying abroad in an English speaking
country an ‘ easy out ’ ?
After studying abroad in an English speaking country, I often had people comment
that my experience was ‘cheating.’ In their opinion I chose the ‘easy option’ by selecting an English speaking country with a similar culture. Using this idea as a starting
point, I decided to ask both the Director of Off-Campus Study, Kristen Mallory, and
Professor Ascher for their opinions on the topic. Hopefully the two following opinions
will share some insight on the matter. - Blake Weber ‘13
Opinion: Professor Ascher
Everyone should study abroad; it is a great experience wherever
you go. But if at all possible, everyone should resist the easy
out of studying in a country where English is the major language. The benefits of studying in a foreign-language country
are multiple:
There is simply no better way (short of having a non-Englishspeaking girlfriend or boyfriend) to consolidate the language
mastery that you have already worked so hard to gain
Your understanding of a distinctly different culture is helped immeasurably by being there. Language and linguistic heritage—among other things—shape culture. Of
course, any Anglophone country in Africa will expose you to a distinctly different culture, but let’s face it, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand are a lot less different from the United States than, say, Spain, Brazil, Thailand, or Senegal. And if
you want to study Africa, improve your French at the same time.
Potential employers and many graduate school admissions committees will be more
impressed with both your language capacity and intrepid spirit if you study in a foreign-language country. A semester in cold and rainy London will not do it.
You will feel a sense of tremendous accomplishment when you come back having
braved the pitfalls of communicating in the foreign language, having greatly improved
your language competence, and having a much deeper appreciation of a distinctive
culture and people.
P AGE 6
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
Opinion: Off-campus
Study Director
Kristen Mallory
Study abroad in an English-speaking country is a wonderful opportunity for certain
students under certain circumstances. Some students can only study abroad if they
complete a particular major requirement, thus the need for an English-speaking university such as King’s College in London. Other students have always dreamed of
living in a particular country, Scotland for example, and study abroad at the University of Edinburgh offers the opportunity to fulfill that dream. Most students, whatever the reason for selecting an English-speaking destination, do believe that it will
be an easier semester because of the incorrect belief that the cultures are the same
and that English is just English. This may very well be the case, if the student
chooses to spend the semester abroad at a superficial, surface level of the host country.
Any tourist might walk the street of London to see the sights and taste the
food. Only the conscientious student making a deliberate effort to understand the
city and culture at a deeper level will return to CMC capable of knowledgeably discussing in-depth topics such as what British citizens think about immigration,
homelessness, urbanization, politics or education reform. What about the nonvisible cultural nuances such as humor? Conception of justice? Body language?
Competition or cooperation? Class structure? Emotional displays? In my opinion,
it can be harder to integrate into an English-speaking country, because it is easy to
be lulled into passivity and a superficial comfort level when studying in an Englishspeaking destination.
P AGE 7
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
CMC students have many options for study abroad and each student has individual
goals and a definition of success. Whatever that may be, in whatever country he/she
studies, the full experience is contingent upon the student’s effort to understand and
integrate into the culture.
Is study abroad in an English-speaking country a cop
out? If a student gets involved with university activities, lives with host-country (not
U.S.) students, asks “why” to everything he/she sees, questions the background of
current events, volunteers at a local organization, participates on sports teams, or
joins community or religious organization, it doesn’t have to be.
As the Director of Off-Campus Study, students frequently tell me they want to study
abroad in an English-speaking country simply because they have no background in a
foreign language. The joy of offering over 120 programs in 43 countries worldwide for
CMC study abroad is that there are many opportunities to study abroad in English in
a non-English-speaking destination. CMC students with no background in the host
language have studied abroad in numerous countries including but not limited to
Botswana, Japan, Denmark, Tanzania, China, and Hungary. Courses are taught in
English by prestigious and well-known faculty from local universities, and students
have fulfilled major, GE and elective credit towards graduation. Participants on these
programs also enroll in a host-country language course while on the program, enhancing their ability to understand greetings, basic conversations, emergency vocabulary, numbers, grocery items and how to order food or arrange local transportation while learning about the culture, customs and etiquette. So whatever your focus, wherever you go, open your eyes, embrace ambiguity, and go.
P AGE 8
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
Salamanca Semester! By Jenna Kanegawa ‘ 14 IES Spain: Salamanca
Bullfight
Before I left for Spain, I
knew I had to see a bullfight, and this one was
during Carnival. Bullfights can be difficult to
watch at times, but they
are a cultural experience
you cannot miss!
Puente Romano
The Puente Romano,
which passes over what
used to be the Río Tormes, is a well-known
symbol of Salamanca because of its age and cultural significance. It is
referenced in several
works of Spanish literature, including Lazarillo
de Tormes.
P AGE 9
P AGE 9
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
Las Fallas is a
Spanish celebration
in honor of Saint
Joseph, and there
are around 500 fallas throughout Valencia. This falla of
Leonardo da Vinci
was one of my favorites (pictured left),
and it is a tradition
to burn the fallas on
the last night
(pictured right).
The
Mediterranean
I couldn’t pass
up the opportunity to see the
Mediterranean
Sea while I was
in Valencia.
Don’t worry, I
also went into to
the water a little
past my knees,
and it was freezing!
Page 10
L UBHU L IFE :
The Claremont Globetrotter
STUDYING ABROAD IN
N EPAL
B Y D AN M AXWELL ‘ 1 4 P ITZER
IN
N EPAL
I just moved in with my new family and they
are great - they are keeping me in good health.
The immediate family is relatively
small compared to most Nepali family units;
only four in the household excluding myself
(father, mother, two siblings my age). My home
is away from the road, down a terraced hill
where peas are harvested. It is situated in a
complex of several other homes, some occupied by extended family. My Nepali uncle, just
Dan celebrating Holi with his host family and friends
down the hill, is hosting a classmate. A host
father, just up the hill, apparently works for Nepali intelligence. Many kids run around outside, hitting each other with sticks. Two cows sit outside the home, one of which belongs to
my family. Our cow is young, and gets very hungry each morning: when he goes through the
food, he moos repetitively - almost like a barking dog.
Speaking of dogs, my handling of stray dogs
has been quite effective - well, for the most
part. During my runs I simply pass stray dogs,
however some dogs are not that easy. In one
instance, a dog made it clear not to pass, but I
did anyway. It began following alongside me,
so I reached down as if I was going to pick up
a rock. That did nothing, and it kept following.
So then I had to actually pick up a stone,
The view I wake up to every morning, at my home in Jyagata which prompted the dog to stop. In another
instance, I fended off a stray dog minutes away from my home. This one was the ugliest I've
seen: a white dog, red eyes, and visible teeth. It stopped following, but I did not know that it
was observing the location of my home. At the end of the run, I washed my face, looked up,
and the dog was there. It knows where I live. I'm probably not going to leave the house after
dark anytime soon.
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
PAGE 11
For the most part, living with the family has
gone quite smoothly. I have my own room
with a long bed - the length of beds has become a concern to several other students. Communication is limited to "that food
was good," "that food was really good," "I'm
not hungry," "good night," and "good morning." “Bistare” has become a common word,
said every time I make a move. It means
"slowly" - I've been tripping down the stairs,
hitting my head on the low ceiling, etc. I've
also been able to let my family know of my
whereabouts. The other day, I sent my first
Nepali text to my older sister, saying that I'm
going to be home late: "ma bhaktapurmaa
chha, aaune saat baje, dhilo, la." Nepali
I sent my first Nepali text to my older
sister, saying that I’m going to be home
late:“ma bhaktapurmaa chha, aaune
saat baje, dhilo, la."
families are very punctual, requiring me to be
home at 5 in the afternoon to prepare dinner.
This morning I told my mom that I was going
to see friends around 9. My mother bluntly
“Sleeping in meant 7:30am”
Image 1: A local vendor selling goods
Image 2: Jeep ride to the Tangting trail
Image 3: A photo of the US Embassy taken from Google
Images. Mine was deleted.
responded "das baje janne" - straightforwardly, I was going to leave at 10 instead.
Today is also one of our few days off so I decided to sleep in - and sleeping in meant
7:30am.
T HE C LAREMONT G LOBETROTTER
Page 12
I live just up the hill from a town called Lubhu, which has almost everything. There are
three internet cafes; the only problem is that there is no electricity to run computers.
There is an incredible food mart where I buy snacks twice a day. They sell crackers for
$0.20, and if I am feeling Rupee rich, I'll buy the $1 Turborone chocolate bar. Lubhu is a
40 min bus ride to Kathmandu, which requires one transfer. It is also a 40 min walk to the
program house, in each direction.
The Balkot scene, near the program house.
Local cat with mountain scenery in the background
I had a free day yesterday, so I decided to return to Kathmandu's touristy district for coffee
and wifi Internet. The morning was spent at the Himalayan Java joint, which had
the ambiance of a restaurant-sized Starbucks. There, I immediately returned to the world
of Facebook, and had two cups of cafe mocha. I also enjoyed scrambled eggs and a chocolate muffin (after a week of daal-bhaat, you don't even know how good this was). Once our
one-hour of free internet expired, the group moved to another eatery - where I ate two
plates of chicken momos - which is the Nepalese dumpling. The internet high all came to
an end when the electricity went out.
For more information on study abroad, please contact:
Off-Campus Study Office
Center for Global Education
Heggblade Center, 850 Columbia Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
phone: (909) 621-8267 fax: (909) 607-8690
studyabroad@cmc.edu
www.cmc.edu/studyabroad