Professor Stoner

Professor Stoner talked about how study abroad programs are influenced with our new technology and media. She talked about how ten years ago, people had very different experiences with study abroad programs.  Professor Stoner talked about the stages of going to a different country, which included honeymoon phase, culture shock, adjustment, and mastery. This lecture really interested me, because I agree on her outlook on the situation completely. I believe that when you study abroad, you should immerse yourself in the culture. If a person keeps calling and messaging people at home, I believe they are missing out on the experience. I believe that all the communicating back at home would distract a person from really getting all the benefits, skills, and life lessons they would get with concentrating on the new people and the new country they are in.

Professor Stoner talks about the phases in adapting to a new place. I have experienced these phases. I had to move from Germany to America when I was about five years old. I don’t really remember being in the honeymoon phase and being excited and looking forward to a new place. But I definitely remember experiencing the culture shock, adjustment, and mastery phases. I remember crying and telling my parents that everyone in my kindergarten class knew English and I couldn’t talk to anyone. I felt a culture shock, I felt disorientated and I had no idea what I was doing whatsoever. Next, the adjustment phase came. Professor Stoner said it sometimes takes a long period of time to adjust, and it took me a while, it was not a quick process. When I was about in second grade, I finally felt like I was a part of the American culture. I heard my classmates talk about things, and I could actually relate back to them.  After a couple more years, I was in the mastery phase. In this phase, I really felt that I was becoming more and more accustomed to the American lifestyle, and even the Chicago lifestyle.

            She also talked about her method of finding her research results. She talked about how she was going to use qualitative and quantitative methods to find the best results. We talked about these concepts in class a couple times. I think it is really great that she wants to research using both methods. In class, we talked about how using both methods is the most effective way and best way to find out your results.