Internationalization as lived experience

A major goal of our study tour is to provide internationalizing experiences for our doctoral students in the College. In many small ways, and some not so small I think we are beginning to realize, at some level, what that means as lived experience. It is relatively easy to come to a place like Vietnam and not really experience the sense of difference that is so  important to internationalizing experiences, especially if you are wrapped in the cacoon of a study tour group, and shuttled around by a tour company that plans out most of your explicit activities. Still, differences of language and culture insert themselves readily into our everyday experiences here. It sometimes takes some mindfulness and paying attention, but the experiences are there.

I notice some of this in myself. Despite eight prior visits of varying duration, I still find myself becoming a little impatient at times with how things are going, the heat, the service, etc. It is a good time to check my assumptions.

Today we also began an interesting discussion about Vietnamese culture - and the extent to which the country can claim its own, separate from China, Japan, France, or other colonizing powers. We toured a museum in Hoi An, at which they displayed artifacts from the third and fourth century B.C. What does it mean for a country to claim its own culture, especially in the face of 54 different ethnic groups?

It is interesting to consider the meaning of internationalization as lived experience through the various activities of the tour. 


Challengin issues - stay tuned!