Summer in South Asia Fellowship - Information Session

Are you up for an adventure in India? Want funding to make it happen?

Apply for the Summer in South Asia Fellowship program!

Learn more at an information session:

Monday, December 1 at 3:30 pm, room 1636 SSWB!

Don't miss out on this incredibly opportunity! ‪#‎mgoabroad‬

Upcoming Program and Funding Deadlines

Spending Thanksgiving Abroad? Read this!

Are you studying abroad and spending Thanksgiving alone? Read about how to handle being away from home during the holidays! 

Now that Thanksgiving is right around the corner, it’s almost time for many Americans to eat pumpkin pie, roast gobblers and spend quality time with their families and friends. But what if you’re studying abroad?

Adjusting to life in a new country on a day-to-day basis is difficult in itself, so it’s understandable for homesickness to rear its ugly head around this time of year. Here are a few tips that should quiet your qualms and help you make the most out of your Thanksgiving away from home.

1. If you can, resist the urge to go home.

Plane tickets are expensive now, and they will be up until after the new year has started. Any attempt at returning to the US for the holidays will cost you a lot of money — maybe even that quick trip to Edinburgh you were planning to take once classes are finished.

Just as there are many resources for international students studying abroad in the US during the holidays, there are certainly resources for American students studying overseas. Ask your institution’s international student services office if they will be offering any kind of celebration for American students. Keep a look out for US embassies, too, that may be hosting American holiday celebrations.

2. Immerse yourself in your new country.

Instead of focusing on where you aren’t, focus on where you are. Place a spin on your holiday homesickness by taking the opportunity to learn more about the country in which you’re living. For example, Guy Fawkes Day (November 5) and the history behind it is a pretty big deal to the Brits. Celebrating holidays that aren’t normally celebrated in the US might just take your mind off of what you’re missing.

3. Limit calls to the family in the days leading up to the holiday.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but trust me – you may not want to hear all about who’s coming to dinner, what weird dessert Grandma has decided to bring this year or anything else that will remind you that you are missing a traditional family event. It will just make you wish you weren’t studying abroad and you were still at home – a feeling that you’ll undoubtedly regret once you realize how much fun it is being abroad in the first place.

4. Talk to your new friends about Thanksgiving.

While speaking with your family members about spending Thanksgiving away from home could make things worse, speaking with your non-American friends could make things a little easier. Not only will it be a cool tidbit of cultural information to share, but it may even give you a fresh, new look on the holiday itself.

You may even realize that while Thanksgiving has its history, it can be incorporated into any new environment. Nowadays, it’s all about eating and good company, anyway! Which leads me to tip number four…

5. Celebrate your Thanksgiving away from home in your new country.

There’s a saying that goes something like, You can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. Fewer things are more heartwarming than sitting around a table with a group of wonderful people whose lives just so happened to intersect with yours because you happened to study abroad.

Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving abroad the traditional way, change it up. Roast a chicken instead of a turkey. (In some countries, the former is probably going to be easier to find.) Have your friends bring dishes that they would normally have during their own family holiday celebrations.

Eat everything, take lots of pictures, and — if you’re as hokey as my group of friends was when we had our own makeshift Thanksgiving abroad — go around the table and say what you’re thankful for. You’ll find your list to be a considerably long one.

Wallenberg Fellowship - Apply today!

Graduating senior? Apply for an opportunity to make a difference. 

Apply for the Wallenberg Fellowship. 

2014 Wallenberg Fellow, Lilly Bonadonna is spending the year in Lima, Peru to study and write about the social contexts of tuberculosis that is endemic in neighborhoods of poor urban immigrants.

"Today, Raoul Wallenberg's legacy continues. I along with all of the other students receiving fellowships in his name get to explore that which intrigues us because of him. It is hard for me to express how thankful I am; how lucky I feel to be able to come here, to learn about health and Peru and in turn, myself."

Apply today! http://bit.ly/1taOwWD

Peer Advisor Highlight

Last but not least, we highlight Peer Advisor Aubrey! 

We hope you've enjoyed our International Education Week show of appreciation for our fantastic Peer Advisors! Stop by the Office in the Student Activities Building to meet them in real life!

Aubrey Sitler - Dual Master's student in Social Work and Public Policy

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?

Every time someone asks me this, I think of what I'm pretty sure is an Albert Einstein adaptation of an old adage: "The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know." Global engagement feels like this kind of intellectual, personal, and cultural curiosity to me, and this translates directly into my academic and professional life. My experiences studying, working, and traveling overseas have taught me more about who I am, what drives me, and what I believe to be worth working for than anything else in my life. I can confidently say that without various encounters in Spain, India, and Argentina, I would not currently be pursing graduate degrees in public policy and social work. International experience has become inextricably linked to who I am and what I do.

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.

Absolutely. It can teach you so much about what you want out of life and how you fit into a larger global context, if you go into it with an open mind, humility, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone. The people you meet -- whether in hostel bunk bed above you, on overbooked RyanAir flights, in the community in which you live, or elsewhere -- have the capacity to expand your worldview in specific ways that I have never experienced in a classroom.

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why?

Indonesia -- While I was doing a social work field placement in Australia this summer, one of my clients was from Borneo. She talked frequently about how much she missed it, how delicious the food is, how beautiful the islands are, and how much she preferred the culture, language, and lifestyle. All of this inspired me to want to visit. (Plus, let's be honest: Bali sounds and looks like the most incredible/culturally thriving place EVER.)

4. What is your travel motto?

"You do you." You want to spend your summer in Buenos Aires traveling to new places every weekend? Do it. You'd prefer to eat your way through Paris and never leave the confines of the city while you spend a semester there? Fantastic You plan to spend your time in Salamanca memorizing the interior of its every bar and chupiteria? Be safe! (XOXO, -Mom/Dad) But "you do you." Always.

#youdoyou #mgoabroad

Peer Advisor Highlight

International Education Week Peer Advisor Highlight! 

Brenda Duverce -- 1st year Master of Public Policy student

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?

My international experience helped shaped my academic and professional goals. I always had an interest in issues facing people in marginalized communities, and going to Botswana, South Africa, and Morocco reinforced this interest. I had a chance to work with organizations focused on promoting gender equality, preventing new HIV infections, and ending poverty. Those experiences helped shaped my educational goals to pursue a degree in public policy, and a career in making a difference.  

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.

Absolutely! Going abroad is a nice way to incorporate what you learn in the class outside of the classroom. You learn to be more patient, flexible, and more creative. Often times you find yourself in situations you never in a lifetime expected to be in or experience, and you laugh, cry, or do both. My fondest memory as an undergraduate student was studying abroad. 

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why? 

The one place I am dying to visit is Alaska. I have had the opportunity to travel to many countries, but now it's time for me to explore more places in the U.S.

4. What is your travel motto? 

Travel motto: You only live once (YOLO)! 

LSA Int'l Internship Program UK & Ireland Info Session

Join LSA International Internship Program for an information session:

 Wednesday, December 3 from 6 - 7 pm, room 1401 Mason Hall

Bring Questions and something to write on! 

Peer Advisor Highlight

Continuing our International Education Week celebration, we present:

Kinza Ilyas, Senior, Screen Arts & Cultures

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?

Through traveling abroad I have found my true aspirations; I aspire to document my experiences along with telling the stories of these vibrantly unique cultures of which current media still lacks a true understanding.

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.

Absolutely, traveling anywhere is a fun filled adventure  and the challenges the adventure throws at you helps you grow as a person. Traveling helps you find your passions and it tests your strengths. Why wait until you’re old and unable to enjoy things; now is the best time to travel!

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why?

New Zealand! To go on an unexpected journey (a.k.a. a Lord of the Rings + The Hobbit style adventure)

4. What is your travel motto?

“It is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times” -Asian proverb

Peer Adivsor Highlight

Alison Climes, Senior, International Studies & Spanish

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?

My first international experience in college was a volunteer trip to Nicaragua after my freshman year with a group of other U of M students. This positively influenced my decision to go abroad the next summer to intern in Spain, led me to my job as a peer advisor, sparked my interest in public health and Spanish, and even influenced my decision to go to Ghana this past summer. It was a very important part of my freshman year and impacted the rest of my undergraduate career.

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.

 

Yes! I think going abroad is one of the best experiences a student can have. By being outside of your comfort zone, you will be able to learn so much about yourself and those around you. It will challenge you and can be difficult at times, but overall I think it is an enriching way to learn outside the classroom. 

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why?

Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia... so many places left to explore! Because of my interest in Spanish, I'm eager to travel to spanish-speaking countries and I have yet to set foot on the continent of South America, but it's on the top of my list.

4. What is your travel motto? Example: “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

Travel motto: "The people make the place" -  From my experiences, I have learned that what makes the place you are traveling to special is the people that you meet along the way and/or the people who are there to experience it with you. 

Peer Advisor Highlight

Up next for our Peer Advisor highlight is, Sarah Cunningham!

Sarah Cunningham, Senior, Cell and Molecular Biology and Anthropology

My international experience gave me a new language, a new family, a new perspective, and above all, a new understanding of the world and my place within it. Living in another country provides real-life lessons every single day in communication, organization, cultural awareness, adaptability, persistence, and independence that are invaluable in both an academic and professional setting. International experience also helped me decide what career I was passionate about and wanted to pursue. Everyone should try to travel internationally - as students we have so many opportunities to go abroad (many of which can be funded!), and international experience allows you to apply what you've learned in the classroom to real-world experiences. Traveling abroad also exposes students to so many different cultures, lifestyles, and ways of thinking that challenge what we think we know, and promotes global awareness and thinking on a global scale. The next place I want to visit is Morocco - I've always wanted to learn Arabic, and I think the culture and history of the country is fascinating.

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela

Happy International Education Week! #mgoabroad

Peer Advisor Highlight

In honor of International Education Week, the Education Abroad Office will be highlighting our wonderful Peer Advisors! 

Our advisors work hard every day to provide up-to-date information on all things travel, work, and study abroad. They inspire us and many others to get out and see the world on a daily basis! 

Stop by the Office for a visit and learn more about all the opportunities available for you! 
Make your appointment here: http://bit.ly/1HbgyL8

Michelle Gonzalez – 2nd year MPP student 

1. How has your international experience influenced your life academically and professionally?
My international experience reinforced my academic and professional goals. I always had an interest in poverty alleviation. I know that term is very broad but I think my goal was to dedicate my professional career to help in the fight to alleviate poverty. My time in Latin America, both as a student and Peace Corps volunteer, helped me realized that for as much progress as we have made, there is still so much work to be done abroad and here in the United States to combat poverty and inequality. I felt that the place where I could possibly make the most impact was through policy, which is what brought me to Michigan to pursue my Master’s in Public policy. 

2. Would you recommend traveling internationally to other U-M students? Explain.
If you have the chance to travel internationally do it! Traveling internationally helped me in so many ways. I experienced a lot of personal growth. I definitely became more independent. It also opened up my eyes to the fact that there is a HUGE world outside of the U.S. I stepped out of my comfort zone and felt like I had such an amazing and unique experience abroad. 

3. Tells us about one place you are dying to visit! Why?
I’m dying to visit Turkey! Turkey is a country that has such an interesting history and I hear that it’s incredibly beautiful. 

4. What is your travel motto? Example: “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” - Lao Tzu

My travel motto I guess would have to be “expected nothing”. I say that because the times that I've traveled with no expectations (in terms of how I thought I wanted my trip to go, or what I wanted to experience when I went there) I've had the most memorable experiences. A lot of times, we can have really high expectations when we travel. You set an itinerary and you expect things to go according to plan and when it doesn't, you’re disappointed. When you have no expectations you open yourself up to so many new and incredible experiences.

Peace Corps Information Session and Application Workshop

           
       

Peace Corps Information Sessions

Tuesday, November 18 - 7:00-8:30 pm

School of Social Work

Room B780

Tuesday, December 2 - 5:00-6:30 pm

School of Natural Resources & Environment

Dana Building, Room 1040

Come hear about the international work of local Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, learn about what PCVs do, where they go and how Peace Corps service opens diverse career paths for RPCVs. Get your questions answered and even learn about grad school partnerships between Peace Corps and universities across the country, including many with U of M.

Application Workshop

Thursday, December 4 - 4:00-5:00 pm

International Center Conference Room

Suite 1500, Student Activities Building

515 Jefferson St.

Want to leave this summer for Peace Corps? The next big application deadline is January 15, 2015. Come to the application workshop to learn more about the Peace Corps application, get tips to make your application more competitive and gain feedback from U-M’s Peace Corps recruiters. Feel free to bring essays and your resume for review!

See you there!

Teaching English as a Second Language: ELI 391/591

Interested in Teaching English as a Second Language?

Get your training done right here at the University of Michigan!

Register for this Winter Semester course:

Fundamentals in Teaching English as a Second Language Internationally

ELI 391/591: Topics in ESL (3 credits)

Bonderman Fellowship Information Session - November 17, 5 PM Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union

Attention graduating LSA seniors!!! Picture this: 

$20,000 given to you to travel to no less than six countries in two regions of the world for eight months where your only job will be to immerse yourself in new cultures and explore new countries...

This is real. And it's only available for University of Michigan students. You need to apply for this!

Learn more and join the Center for Global and Intercultural Studies (CGIS) for an information session MONDAY, November 17, 5-6 PM in the Kuenzel Room, Michigan Union.

http://bit.ly/115C3f2 #MGoAbroad

Graduate Studies in China! Join us for an Information Session!

Don't miss out on an information session for these fantastic programs!

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

School of Social Work Building Room  1644

ROSS GLOBAL INITIATIVES - Programs and Deadlines

      Undergraduate Lyndsey Housman represents Ross on the Great Wall during the China May International Course.

Add an International Business Edge to Your Degree! 

Apply Now: Applications Due December 1^st

U-M undergrads of all majors are strongly encouraged to apply for these opportunities. Funding is available for all students. 
You have the unique opportunity expand your international business knowledge this year with a global course or study and intern program!
Explore M-Compass and speak to a Global Education Advisor during walk-in advising hours to determine which global opportunity is right for you.

2015 Global Initiatives Undergraduate Opportunities:Global Study and Intern Programs – Applications due December 1^st
10-week programs abroad consisting of a 2-week business course followed by an 8-week internship
Global Study and Intern Program in Australia & New Zealand
Global Study and Intern Program in Hong Kong & Singapore

Global Immersion Courses – Applications due December 1^st
Short-term, action-based courses abroad in May or August
Sustainable Business in Latin America in San Jose, Costa Rica
Global Legal Environment for the Entrepreneur and Manager in Rome, Italy
Corporate Strategy in India
Cross-Cultural Negotiation and Dispute Resolution in Zagreb, Croatia

Connect with Global Initiatives
Walk-In Advising Hours: Tuesdays, 10am-Noon and Wednesdays, 1-3pm (3^rd floor of Wyly Hall)
E-mail ross-globalinitiatives@umich.edu with questions or to schedule an advising appointment
Website: http://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/global-initiatives
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INFORMATION SESSION

Wednesday, November 19 2014

3:00 PM

Center Room, Pierpont Commons, North Campus

Join the International Institute for a FLAS information session! This is available for undergraduate and graduate students interested in funding to study languages during the academic year and summer semester!

TOMORROW! 

The CLS Application is due tomorrow, 

Wednesday, November, 12 2015 at 8:00 PM! 

Get your applications in early!

TONIGHT! Lost in Translation, Stories of International Experiences, 7:00 PM 2435 North Quad

Join us for one of our favorite events of the year! 

RSVP here to attend: umsi.info/story-rsvp

See you there!

Sponsored by the School of Information, College of Engineering, School of Social Work, and College of LS&A