Page 82 - Phoenix2002-03

----~--. Wednesday. November 20, 2002 ~ Page 10 FEATURES and to master challenges without the sup- throws. Even with all of these differences is, "John some of your constituents believe port of friends and family. All can contrib- going to a Rugby game gives me a feeling that you've been sitting on the fence when it I consider studying abroad to be very re- ute to a better understanding of life's rigors. of nostalgia, like watching old videos of NFL comes to terrorism and how do you explain warding because I've learned more socially In other words, going expatriate is for the when it was back in the day; small stadiums the Bali bombing?" It takes a lot of balls (Q in the past five months then all of the last adventurers, the thrill seekers and the risk and Cheerleaders are raggedy and not all ask those types of questions but every seri- three years of college. Go- wearing the same uniform. ous news investigator I've seen asks those ing overseas to study ex- They aren't hyped up, not only to politicians, but to supermodels poses you to other people's moves are done half-assed, as well. opinions and views not lim- and so on. It's pretty funny A lot of people come to Australia for a ited only to that of your to watch and compare. lot of different reasons. Most of the interna- country. A lot more than just the tional travelers aren't rich-they're just like Not all of It is good, how- land and the sports are dif- you and me. Most of them are backpackers ever. I've gotten in to quite ferent over here in the land taking a break for one year after completing a few arguments over the down under. Even the me- college or high school. or they're studying correct way to play pool. abroad for a degree. Most internationals I run You don't only meet Ausrra- into are on my campus. The University I'm lians when going to Austra- going to is huge with a student body of lia. I've met people from all around 50,000. I swear half of them are over the world like: Norway, internationals. This is good because right off Switzerland, Germany, Rus- the bat you have something in common, not sia, England, Singapore, being a native. There is also a 101 to talk about Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, internationally, especially at this moment Korea, China, Papa New with the war on terrorism and our situation Guinea, Turkey, Israel, Swe- with Iraq. Although not everyone I meet likes den, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the U.S., it is still interesting to hear their Botswana, Soutb Africa, opinions. I'm fine with it as long as they New Zealand and many can back it up logically and not just with how more. said r~- ....- ....-~~..",.-..,.....,.~~--cT=""'~~"'l they feel. When I talk to them about my country, I takers. If what is being There are others also ask them about theirs. It has inspired scares you from studying that say to me that they me to do some more traveling after I gradu- abroad, don't worry. wouldn't like to travel ate. [think that studying abroad has some- to America. I ask them thing to offer to people who are tired of the why and for what rea- same old place and routine-it lets them get environment as are interna- sons, They come up out and do something different. I do have to tional workers. For one thing, with some good expla- admit, though, I was scared about leaving fellow students are not a repre- nations too, one is our home with all of the unexpected fears, like sentative sample of the national ghettos, the other is how do they treat foreigners? Will school be population. Moreover, dealing Jerry Springer, which harder? Well after experiencing it all, the with well-educated peers may gives the world a bad benefits far outweigh [he consequences. be easier than with typical line- impression of our cul- In order to help with your social life as level employees. Nonetheless, ture. No wonder why an expatriate (living outside of your coun- international students often face people get the impres- try) student, it would help to be eager to team comparable challenges to those sion that we're all loud about global issues. People who enjoy learn- of international workers. What and in-your-face. I told ing about foreign cultures, history, geogra- I'm breaking this down into is them Jerry Springer is phy, and those who keep up with current that backpacking through a just a bunch of desper- events, are more likely to adjust and adapt country on working holidays is ate people willing to do, and have fun. a different world from studying or say anything just to Some might see studying abroad as hav- abroad. get on TV, but I had no ing many disadvantages because most of the Since I've landed down in excuse for the ghetto classes are harder, the assignments are worth Aussie Land almost five months ago, I've of skin cancer and in the end they show you reason. more, and there is the inevitable language traveled to four out of the seven territories. how they remove the cancer (looks like a I've been in a lot of cities in Australia barrier; yes even in other English-speaking There is no real difference in the Australian bulb to a plant). After seeing that I will al- and none of them have ghettos except for countries there is a language barrier because dialect unless you're talking to someone ways wear sunscreen. It's not trying to scare the bigger ones like Sydney and Melbourne. at the slang. I find these differences easier from the bush. They have a real heavy ac- you-it's trying to educate you. It's not like I was still shocked walking through to adjust to if you think of it as a learning cent like Paul Hogan. Australia isn't that during the commercial they're playing the Brisbane, one of the fastest growing cities opportunity rather than as an unfair disad- much different from the U.S. other than driv- John William's now famous "Jaws theme," in the country, and there are no dark allies. vantage or hardship. ing on the other side of the road, on the other but at the same time they're not playing They have them all blocked off with twenty- Studying abroad is very rewarding in a side of the car, having a prime minister (John lullaby music either. way, that by learning what it takes to live in Heward) other than a president. and Cricket Even the Media is on a different page than foot tall steal gates. The fact that they don't have any ghettos a new environment for an extended period and Rugby are on Fox sports instead of base- ours. When I watch them interview John culture shock. puts me in even more of a of lime you must work with people who ball and NFL. But what the hay! Rugby is a Howard [The Prime Minister], they seem to Think of it as a big city in a foreign coun- think, behave, and manage differently than good substitute for football and wrestling go into attack mode. What I mean by this is try-- that is almost completely idiot proof! what one is used (0: to apply foreign lan- otberthan the fact that you pass the ball back- they ask the most threatening questions pos- It's hard for me to even find a good hole in guage skills (if applicable), to bean outsider, wards to go forwards, no pads, and over arm sible. One mild example that I can think of the wall of a bar. ATTENTION McDANIEL STUDENTS: December 2, 2002 7-9:30PM. in Decker Auditorium If you wanted to get involved with the Phoenix Explore cultural diversity with the neafitnc of this semester, but just didn't have the time or the duPont Scholar Series were just too busy, we would still love to hear "The Bicycle Thief' from you. This is Vittorio de Sica's remarkable drama oj desperation and survival in post-WWIl Rome. If you are interested becoming part of the It wom an Academy Award before foreign film had its own category, It features a father Phoenix, McDaiel College's newspaper next whose job depends on his bicycle and the SUIl who helps him pursue the thieves who've semester, give us a call at x8600 or email us at stolen it. phoenix@mcdaniel.edu