#dominguezhills

[stupidsmartkids]

The look of a man who is ready to graduate. This photo was taken by my mom, she also got me all those pretty flowers around my neck. #flasbackfriday #dominguezhills #csudhgrad16 #csudh #fbf (at California State University, Dominguez Hills)

[dhstudyabroad-blog]

Q: How has study abroad and travel helped you today? Kyle Lee California State University International Program Alumni 2014-2015 My experience from studying abroad and travelling has changed my life completely. Before I left for Seoul, South Korea I was not sure what I wanted to do as a career in Political Science. At Yonsei University in Seoul I started to participate in many activities and conventions that related to Political Science. I took a class in International Law where I gained new perspectives from the students in my class who came from all over the world. In this class I had to represent my country and really prove to the class that stereotypes about the United States were wrong. I also got to go to meetings regarding North and South Korean reunification and the ramifications of the Korean comfort woman during the Japanese Colonial period. These events during my time abroad helped shape my career path in which I showed great interest in international relations and foreign policy. When I came back to Dominguez Hills I had new found drive and determination to pursue my aspirations in the Political Field.I have joined organizations such as the Japanese American Citizens League and now want to pursue a career in the foreign-service with the United States Department of State. Without studying abroad I would not have found the ambition, drive and passion I have today to pursue a career that I want. I have gained a new found confidence in myself to be able to compete in an interconnected world and have now recognized myself as a global ambassador and leader from my experiences abroad.

[dhstudyabroad-blog]

Why Asian Americans should study abroad.

The face of America is rapidly changing, so is the rest of the world. Historically, many different ethnicities have had a major influence on shaping the United States. Asian and Pacific Islander cultures are no exception. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Asian population in the U.S. is projected to grow more than 200 percent in the next fifty years, from 3.8 percent to 8 percent. Furthermore, the Census Bureau also predicts that by the year 2100, ethnic minority groups in the United States will make up 60 percent of our country’s population, with a significant number being of Asian origin. Getting in touch with your family’s heritage can be another strong motivation to study abroad. Many Asian/Pacific Islander Americans report tremendous educational and personal benefits from exploring countries where their families have roots. Whether your family recently immigrated to the U.S. or has lived here for generations, and whether you are discovering your family’s culture for the first time or interested in learning more, study abroad can provide you with an opportunity to get in touch with your heritage and explore your own identity. There is a distinct challenge Asian/Pacific Islander Americans face abroad. Many other cultures only have experience with Asian/Pacific Islander Americans through the American media (i.e. news, sports, music, and movies). Asian/Pacific Islander American students may become frustrated when stereotypes from home follow them overseas. However, this is your chance to be an individual, as well as a representative of your culture, and to encourage positive understanding of global diversity. Everywhere diversity is increasing. There is a growing importance for students in the U.S. to travel and study in other countries. The chance to live and study in another culture will provide you with the ultimate learning experience, as well as the perfect opportunity to get out and explore the world. With the realities of globalization today, the options Asian and Asian/ Pacific Islander students have for studying abroad are endless. Whether you choose to study in Barcelona or Beijing, Guatemala or Ghana, Delhi or Dublin, to explore your heritage or to immerse yourself in a different culture, studying abroad will be an experience that will change the way you see the world. There are countless reasons why you should participate in a study abroad program. A number of Asian/ Pacific Islander Americans were strongly shaped by their international experiences, including: •Elaine L. Chao, 24th Secretary of Labor of the United States. As a former Director of the Peace Corps, she established the first Peace Corps programs in the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. •Amy Tan, bestselling novelist and author of The Joy Luck Club, was born and raised in California, but finished her high school education in Montreux, Switzerland. She says, "When my feet touched China, I became Chinese. I knew I was not totally Chinese, but I felt the connection It was a sense of completeness, like having a mother and a father. I had China and America, and everything was all coming together finally."

[dhstudyabroad-blog]

Top Ten Reasons to Study Abroad

There are countless reasons why everyone should study abroad. Here are our top ten:

1.See the world and broaden your experience.

There are so many amazing things to experience around the world. You can see different natural landscapes and climates that do not exist in America. There are historical landmarks in every country that helped shape the history of the globe. You can expand your knowledge of the world by actually being there, seeing it, touching it, and experiencing it. Pictures in text books simply do not do justice to standing under the Eiffel Tower or on the Great Wall of China. Is there a place or landmark you have always wanted to see? This is how you can understand the world in a direct, all-encompassing way. Studying and living in a different culture will help you see the world from a completely different perspective. It is an amazing experience that will change your life.

2.Gain a new perspective on your own country.

Being immersed in one country tends to give us a limited view of our world. Traveling outside the country will show you how America affects and fits into all of humanity. From the vantage point of someone else's culture you can truly see your own. By being exposed to so many diverse traditions you will understand the significance of keeping your own traditions alive. The American anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly, our own." You may come to a better understanding of how you as an individual fit into this world. Learning about your own country by living abroad remains extremely relevant today as we continue to further our understanding of other cultures.

3.Explore your heritage.

Getting in touch with your family's heritage can be another strong motivation to study abroad. Many minority students report tremendous educational and personal benefits from exploring countries where their families have roots. Studying abroad can provide you with an opportunity to learn about your own ethnicity and to explore your own identity. Whether your family recently emigrated to the U.S. or has lived here for decades, and whether you are discovering your family's culture for the first time or interested in learning more, study abroad can provide you with an opportunity to learn about your own ethnicity and to explore your own identity.

4.Learn a language in a country where it is spoken.

The only way to truly become fluent in a language is to be immersed in it. If you've studied a language for several years and wish to gain fluency in that language, study abroad. Conversely, if you haven't studied languages at all, remember that almost half of all Study Abroad programs don't require any foreign language. Learning a foreign language will increase your educational development, improve your communication skills, and give you a world of opportunities you might not otherwise have. Knowing another language will help you to appreciate international literature, music and film, as well as to better understand the culture you live in. As you learn a different language, you will also come to know more of your own, as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, "Those who know nothing of foreign languages, knows nothing of their own."

5.Improve your professional and financial potential.

International experience is a critical and impressive part of any resume. In addition to the personal growth you'll undergo while overseas, the international and cross-cultural skills you'll develop will certainly expand your employment opportunities and, consequently, your income potential. Globally-minded employees are in high demand. Many companies seek out individuals with multi-lingual and multi-cultural experience and skills. Additionally, students can also take advantage of internships while they study abroad for an international work experience that is valued among U.S. employers. Your newly acquired skills will strengthen your resume in America's increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse workforce.

6.Become a full-time learner.

While studying abroad you will have the opportunity to truly become a full-time student. Traveling outside the United States will be an education in itself. Many students who go abroad report that in addition to enjoying and learning in their classes during the week, they learn some of the most valuable lessons outside of the classroom. Weekend excursions to museums and cultural sites also add to your academic and personal growth. You learn to interact with people who may not necessarily think or communicate like you. While in a foreign country, even mundane activities – like shopping for groceries –become educational experiences. Study broad programs also run for a variety of timeframes, meaning a student can fit a study abroad experience into their academic schedule and gain credit towards their major.

7.Gain new insights and outlooks through new relationships.

The relationships formed while studying abroad might become some of the deepest friendships you will ever develop. You will have the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures, and some of these people may even become life-long friends. Study abroad returnees often report meeting others with whom they expected to have no common ground, and then discovering that, despite being from different parts of the globe, they have much in common and much to learn from one another. These relationships, insights, and outlooks are a critical part of the study abroad experience. You'll network with fellow students, teachers, host families and professionals. Oftentimes your best opportunities will come from who you know.

8.Fight stereotypes by educating others.

There is a distinct challenge everyone face abroad. Many other cultures only have experience with different ethnic groups through the American media (i.e. news, sports, music, and movies). Students may become frustrated when the same stereotypes from home follow them overseas. However, this is also a unique opportunity to educate others about who you are as an individual and as a group. You can illustrate your own experiences in the United States in comparison to what others see and hear. This is your chance to be an individual, as well as a representative of your culture, and to encourage positive understanding of global diversity.

9.Dispel your own stereotypes.

Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist of the 19th century, once said, "Men who travel should leave their prejudices at home." In addition to serving as a cultural ambassador to dispel other's misconceptions, studying abroad gives you a chance to break down some of your own stereotypes about other countries and peoples. Not only will you have the chance to immerse yourself in another culture, you will also meet people from different backgrounds and make personal connections with people whom you may have never expected.

10.Take control of your future.

During your time abroad, you will be exposed to countless different experiences that may influence the rest of your life. Some students even end up changing their major or career path as a result of the new things they learn from being abroad. Others discover a newfound passion for travel, decide they want to work abroad, or desire to learn a new language. Elaine Chao, the Secretary of Labor, explains how her experiences in different cultures have influenced her career, "Memories of living in a developing nation are part of who I am today and give me a profound understanding of the challenges of economic development." After studying abroad, you may find your travels have had a profound influence on your career or personal goals. If you wish to continue with your higher education into either a masters or a doctorate, study abroad experience will give an edge on the competition. Graduate programs, law schools, and med schools all look favorably on such global experience. You never know who may be impressed by your travels.

[lesieoo]

Yaaas! I got into Dominguez Hills! #collegebound #DominguezHills plus I get to graduate with #Biliteracy and #APScholar yay! Pshh all those people who didn't believe in me said I was gunna get pregnant and drop out I don't have to prove them wrong because I just did and I'm not done yet. 💘💋 #insertmotivationalquotehere