Justification and Predeparture
To answer this question, I need to go back to a bus ride that occurred about a year ago. I was on my way to classes at USFQ while studying abroad in Ecuador. While the bus swerved around dangerous corners, I was thinking (more accurately, stressing) about classes to choose for the following year. Should I take more Spanish classes? Try to get a minor in mathematics? Maybe Mandarin classes? But as class schedules became more complicated, I began to appreciate my simpler life in Ecuador that much more. Then an idea took hold that I wasn’t able to shake: I wanted to go abroad again.
Why not? The boyfriend was going to be out and about on a submarine anyways and I hadn’t quite settled on a future career direction. This would be a perfect way to ground myself before pursuing higher education. I could start learning another language and engross myself in another culture, preferably one of my ancestors’.
Of course, justification for taking a break from school is not always the most desirable thing to to pitch to parents whom themselves, never returned to school after college. After much discussion, the compromise would be that I could graduate early and take a gap semester.
With parental consent now under my belt, I started looking for opportunities in public health in China. That didn’t quite work out. So I quickly expanded my search criteria to
- must be related to science
- the cheaper the better, paid=best
- Asian country
If I couldn't find any of these, then I would try to obtain an English teaching job (also learned that there are not very many positions for teaching English for less than one year).
With that, I started working the network connections and random internet searches while procrastinating. Somehow, I came across http://www.bii.a-star.edu.sg/career/opportunities/mentoring.php I applied even though I would be unqualified for the undergraduate award. (Most interesting and short application-- I needed to send in a resume and supporting documents such as passport and, whoa, the International Baccalaureate Diploma from high school). To make a long story short, I ended up getting accepted for three months funding. (WOOT!)
After the dust settled back in and I read this wikipedia article on culture shock, I realized I still had some emotional baggage left over from Ecuador. So I hope that during these three months abroad, I will learn from the mistakes I made the last time I was abroad:
I will try to spend more time with my host family
I will try harder to make good friends (with the understanding that it is easier to make friends with foreigners in a similar situation..but I need to get out of my comfort zone and make LOCAL friends)
I will try my best to integrate into life with my new host countryÂ
After rereading that list, I feel excessively awkward. Other goals that I have also set:
Keep people updated with a blog (and pretend it's not like Xanga back in the day)!
Try out a form of martial arts!
If number 2 doesn't work, try to find local bboys and bgirls!
Study some mandarin, but don't let studying interfere with Culture Shock Mitigation goals 1-3!
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