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Can I negotiate my personal identities and values with a particular host country’s demonstrated level of acceptance?
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How do individuals of my race/ethnicity fit into a host country’s society? Will I be treated in a similar or different way in my host country compared to how I am treated in the US?
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How will I reflect on my class status as I navigate new class structures in new environments?
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What is the history of ethnic or racial tension in the country? Is the situation currently hostile to members of a minority race, majority race, or a particular ethnicity or religion? Are those issues influenced by immigration? Do politicized immigration concerns fuel tensions?
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How do I like to present myself? When do I feel most myself? Will that conflict with any religious or cultural values/traditions/restrictions in a host country? Would I feel most comfortable in gender inclusive housing? Does my selected program/university offer that?
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What are a host country’s perceptions and expectations for various genders? Are there differences in political and social power based on gender?
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Are there safety considerations for individuals who are members of the LGBTQ+ community?
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Will my disability impact which program/university I apply to, and how will I plan ahead to manage my disability while abroad?
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Will I have access to religious or spiritual spaces that are important to my everyday life?
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How can I explain to my family and friends at home that studying abroad will contribute to achieving my academic and career goals? How can I reassure them about my health and safety while studying abroad in a specific host country?
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Who at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ will I remain in touch with if I encounter challenges while studying off-campus?
Diversity and Identity
How do other countries consider issues of diversity, identity, inclusion and equity within their own cultural framework? How do you leverage the skills you’ve already built in adjusting to new environments to the study abroad context? In what ways do gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, and other identities influence your time abroad? How accessible are other countries to differently-abled individuals? Will it be difficult or easy to explain your goal of studying off-campus to your family as a first-generation student? How will class and privilege play into the way in which you navigate your study away experience?
Navigating your identities in the context of studying abroad is a deeply individual experience, which can be simultaneously challenging and incredibly meaningful. One of our office’s guiding principles is that students feel supported while considering and participating in off-campus opportunities as it relates to individual identity. Issues of identity and inclusion play a role in how you experience ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. Likewise, these issues may also impact how you select your off-campus study location and ultimately seek out a sense of belonging in your new location. Understanding a host country’s history, cultural norms, local systems of power, and attitudes towards difference -- along with the support systems available through a program/university -- is an important part of preparing for off-campus study.