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For Participants from Historically Disadvantaged Racial/Ethnic Groups
Despite the fact that more and more students from the United States
are studying abroad, research shows that the majority of those are
white.
While the Center has
worked hard to recruit more diverse students, our enrollment numbers
for students of color are only slightly higher than the national
averages.
Therefore,
students of color are
still in the
minority within most of our groups. As a result, they
sometimes feel isolated or alone when facing some challenges that
are completely different than those of the white students due to the
ways in which issues of race and ethnicity are constructed and dealt
with differently in Mexico, Central America, and Southern Africa
from in the U.S.
Some former participants have said that their program led them to
reassess how they identify themselves with regard to race and
ethnicity while others have indicated that it helped them deepen the
identities with which they arrived.
Many Latino/a students studying in Central
America and Mexico report tremendous educational and personal
benefits from exploring countries where their families have roots.
Some Latino/a students feel that they are able to blend into the host
culture. For many, it is a journey of self discovery and one
of exploring their family's heritage. They often go back home with a
new perspective of themselves as North Americans and their role as
Latinos in the Americas.
While participants' overall
experiences were very positive and life-affirming, they have also
sometimes been very emotional. This is why it is important to
have your support structures in place before traveling abroad.
Your need for an external support structure may depend
on the length of the program you choose.
The following are suggestions offered by former students who studied
in on our semester programs:
1.
If you haven’t already done so, be sure to reach out to groups on
your campus for students of color and/or campus staff people who can
provide space for listening to students of color. Students who
were interviewed for this guide emphasized that these support
structures are essential for having safe spaces to be able to
process their study abroad experience with other people of color.
2. Talk with other students of color who have studied abroad in the
location you're choosing. If you would like to talk with
former students who participated in a Center for Global Education
semester or short-term program, please contact us at
globaled@augsburg.edu so that we can put you in touch with
participants who have volunteered to serve as resources to future
participants.
3.
Be prepared to be identified racially in ways that may completely
surprise you. Race is constructed differently and addressed
differently in our sites than it is in the U.S.; it is not better or
worse, simply handled differently. You may be asked direct
questions about your ethnicity and the answer of, “I’m from the
U.S.”
might not satisfy someone asking you where you’re from. People
from the host country may give you nicknames that you feel don’t
reflect your reality.
4.
Take charge of your education. While it is a tricky line
between being a token student spokesperson and educating by example,
trust your gut. If you feel moved to speak out, do it in a
manner that feels safe and comfortable to you.
Check out some of the resources that have been developed
specifically for students of color who plan to study abroad.
Please also look at the region in which you are thinking of studying
for more country specific information.
On Diversity and Multicultural Students in Study Abroad
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