Technically Abroad

Adrienne Stoner’s presentation focused on the Study Abroad experience and the use of new media. New media according Stoner is “the stuff that is the newest in our life that we are consuming (i.e. the internet and mobile media technologies). Her theory is that if an individual has the ability to connect with their family and friends at any time their study abroad experience will be impacted.

I was interested in this presentation because I am preparing to study abroad after this academic year. I have always been interested in studying abroad because I have always been attracted to the idea that I could have the opportunity to experience the world I live in from another side of it. I have always been intrigued by places and people that I’ve never seen and I’ve always wanted to learn more about them. Not from a television special or a book, but straight from the source, first hand. Before listening to the presentation, I knew that I would be bringing some of my technology with me. I didn’t even think twice about how the use of technology and my study abroad experience nor did I think about what I would be using my technology for. My technology use has become second nature.

Stoner presented a model called the Degree of Adjustment (Schneider and Barsoux). The degree of adjustment is a graph that shows the different phases: honeymoon phase—you’re excited to be in a new place, culture shock—unsure about your surroundings and starting to feel disoriented, adjustment—beginning to adjust to your new surroundings as time goes on, and mastery—you have mastered the culture and in turn become a part of it. These stages are ones that the student abroad should be going through and the graph shows at what degree they should be going through them. 

Degree of Adjustment graph (Schneider & Barsoux)

As I said earlier, I am preparing to study abroad and with my “Apple Gang” (iPod Touch iPad, and MacBook Pro) and my cell phone. I will literally have access to my home at my fingertips at all times. Studying Abroad is not just an opportunity to transfer your major to a different country. You get to immerse yourself in another culture. Eat different foods, smell different smells, meet with people who think differently than you do. But how can you completely immerse yourself in another culture when you’re still wrapped up in your own?

According to the Degree of Adjustment, the slow decline into the culture shock phase is vital to the individuals study abroad experience. Without this, you cannot truly immerse yourself in the foreign culture. So, if I go over seas and used my technology to contact my family and friends every day or even every week, I haven’t really taken myself out of my comfort zone. By failing to do this I impede my own study abroad experience and miss out on the one thing that I wanted to gain, a new and exciting adventure filled with many opportunities to see my world differently. 

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Picture--https://www.google.com/search?q=degree+of+adjustment