by Charmie Vang
For some students, including myself, the academic year of 2017-2018 emerged as a year of global experience and adventures in Asia. These study-abroad programs were highlighted in the Study Abroad in Asia Luncheon event hosted by the Asian Studies Department on September 12th. For each of the abroad offerings, participants spoke about their unique experiences as well as tips for making the most out of your time abroad. For instance, numerous speakers emphasized that living with a host family facilitated language acquisition and culture more strongly. This is especially true to my experience in Bali where my classmates and I stayed at my teacher’s compound for the majority of the course before moving to the tourist areas. The intimate living situation instigated warm relationships with the family and village, thus ultimately allowing an experience of Bali beyond the typical vacation areas.
Several speakers at the luncheon also stressed the importance of eating local food, using regional transportation, and visiting neighboring events and pastimes; these experiences conferred a sense of submersion in the culture and society. This is further illustrated by several claims that language classes should be taught abroad as they fully entrench scholars in the intricacies of the language in social contexts outside of the classroom. For most of the semester programs, language courses are required. Along with this, internships and research projects were expected throughout the semester as well. While each program differs in terms of what specific courses are offered, the study abroad opportunities at CC are nonetheless a great opportunity to study in Asia.
Lastly, some study-abroad programs hosted field trips to popular sightseeing areas. For example, my class visited the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple in Bali and several other popular destinations. Other study-abroad programs such as the CET Shanghai Program and the CC Chinese in China blocks had the opportunity to view historic places, including the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army. So, while there is a lot to learn in each of the programs, there is also a lot to see and experience! For a global adventure, I highly recommend you checking out the study-abroad programs and partnerships available at CC.
