Active Learning at Home and Abroad by Brenna

Active Learning at Home and Abroad by Brenna - November 2017 Scholarship Essay

There are many ways to go abroad. One of the best reasons to go is to experience another culture, expand or pick up knowledge of a foreign language, and, not least, to discover cultural sensitivities in the form of social sciences and understanding of current events. Particularly important to any study is active learning and personal engagement.
To study abroad, as a student of Psychology planning to take a class in Cross-Cultural Psychology the Spring 2018 semester at UNM would be beneficial as an emersion study in another culture. The University of New Mexico offers only the one Psychology class in cross-cultural understanding. Yet it is an important class for a psychologist in New Mexico because New Mexico is unique in the United States as a state which boasts more Hispanics than any other group.
Germany, at the moment would be particularly interesting to me, as my declared second major is German, and also, the last time I followed the news on the “Fluechtlinge Krisis” (Refugee Crisis), Germany had accepted more refugees from the Middle East than any other country. I have already benefited from a friend who emigrated from Syria to the States fifteen or more years ago. Speaking with her and frankly asking the question, “Why do you keep persistently offering us more food?” She, not offended, bluntly answered, “I keep offering because Syria is a poor country and they would not take food on the first offering because they feel ashamed.” To make a poorer community member feel unashamed the more wealthy families offer their foodstuffs non-offensively several times.
I have no idea where I want to live after graduation, nor do I yet know where I will end up benefiting the most for the community I live in. I think with a strong background in psychology and with diverse background within New Mexico of knowledge of various cultures approaching people in other cultures is best done with an open mind if not a bit of observation and knowledge beforehand.
Observation is a key in active learning. Going abroad on an exchange program is beneficial to students of any major. I am happy for the opportunity to study different cultures where I live and in any manner, especially a guided format such as a well thought out concise class. Travel abroad as a student, beyond the blatant, is an enriching experience for people desiring to expand their experiences and learning capacities related to investment in human understanding of the broader context of world events. Any student would benefit from observation, analysis, and communication across different cultures i.e. active learning and engagement.