Consumption of New Media and it's Effects on the Study Abroad Experience

     My first communications professor at UIC was Adrienne Stoner in the fall of 2009. I can recall her emphasizing about her study abroad experience. To learn that she is now a doctoral candidate is wonderful and I find her research to be extremely fascinating.
     Adrienne studies the relationship between two variables: the study abroad experience and the consumption of new media. She defines new media as cell phones, Ipads, mobile technology, Skype, and the Internet. Adrienne is curious to study how often do people use new media while studying abroad and how does it effect their comfort zone? How much harder is it for an individual to adapt to the new culture abroad with new media? 
     She presented the class a model which represents different phases that an individual encounters based off the duration of time spent abroad (measured in months). It begins with the honeymoon phase, in which an individual is happy and excited for a new experience. It then transitions to a culture shock, in which an individual is completely thrown off from their personal "norm". It is followed by adjustment, which finalizes into mastery. 
     From my personal experiences, I have not studied abroad, but I have traveled across and throughout the country. Although it was a short trip that lasted a couple weeks, my experience was phenomenal. It just so happened that the day before I had planned to leave for my trip, I broke my smartphone. I was extremely upset. My phone provider could only lend me a "temp" phone that was probably from 1992 that still had the classic "snake game". There was no internet connection to my phone, no gps, no Facebook, Twitter, nothing. I would call myself a frequent user of social media, so this was very troubling. However, now I am grateful that things played out that way. I was completely isolated from the internet. I didn't bring my laptop along the way either. The only way people could contact me, was if they called. Because my phone was broken, I got to experience my adventure first hand. I wasn't checking my email, my tweets, or my Facebook. I had full focus on my journey and adventure, in which I could learn more about different cultures. 
     Once I got to the west coast after 2 weeks of exploring the southwest, I gave in and used a pay per minute to check any emails or updates I've received on Facebook. Because I was paying to use the Internet, I didn't spend much time because I didn't want to spend much money. 
     I agree with Adrienne's study in which new media does in fact impact our abroad or traveling experiences. Technology is great, but sometimes we need to set aside our Internet and smartphones and really engage ourselves in the new culture that is presented in front of us. 

Culture Shock

I found Adriane Stoner’s lecture relatable to my own interests, because I would like to study abroad in Spain and her research pertained to studying abroad and the use of new media. I agree with what Adriane said in regards to the impact that she sees new media consumption having on the study abroad experience. Culture shock may not always be the most pleasurable experience, but I agree with the value that can be obtained by learning to maneuver through the obstacles that arise as a result of culture shock.

As was brought up in class, even moving to a new city or starting a new job can illicit some of the same physical and mental states that occur due to culture shock. The apartment that I moved into six months ago is only an hour away from where I grew up, but this was my first time living on my own. Before Adriane’s lecture I had never really considered the role that new media had played in my transition to living in a new place. Even though I don’t see my friends and family nearly as much as I used to, they are still accessible to me in many ways. I use my phone and computer on a daily basis in able to stay in contact with my friends and family. In many ways I take this for granted and after listening to Adriane speak it made me consider just how different my experience would have been if I didn’t have such easy access to these means of communication with my friends and family back home. I wouldn’t say that I want to disconnect with my friends and family back home, but at the same time I think there is something to be gained in personal development by not being so reliant on these technologies.

Last year I went on a camping trip to Michigan as part of my speech class. This was after having only had two class sessions with the people I was going on a trip with. There was no access to phones or Internet while on this trip either. Even though this wasn’t a long trip I learned something about myself when I was cut off from new technology and staying in a new environment with near strangers. There was plenty of anxiety and frustration that I encountered by stepping out of my comfort zone, but looking back this was one of my favorite classes that I have taken in college.

Studying Abroad

Professor Stoner talked about culture shock and new media in her lecture to the class. She shared her personal experience when she studied abroad and how it so greatly affected her. I found this to be very interesting because studying abroad has always been a dream of mine, even though my father is highly against this. I shared some of the information that Professor Stoner gave us with him and he seemed to be more open to the idea.

The chart that she showed us about when you first arrive you are in a honeymoon stage when everything is just really exciting and new. Slowly going down into the actual culture shock stage is when she scared me a little bit. I never really thought about what it may be like to have to make adjustments as to where things are and how to communicate with people in a foreign place. Adjustments take a long time as she mentioned and that was something I never really considered prior to her lecture.

As she ties this into new media and the way we communicate with others back home is much more accessible now than it use to be, I began to feel more at ease. Connecting to family and friends is something I would be able to do on a daily basis and I think that is something that would make the adjustment process much less timely. Communicating to people that I am use too talking with would give me the reassurance I need when I am feeling out of place and lost.

Overall her lecture really inspired me to continue forward with my dream to study abroad. Sharing her insight with my father also persuaded him to be more open to the idea, even if he is not 100% ready to let me go off to a foreign country. 

Prof. Diem

Professor Diem's lecture discussed how we value Asian women's bodies. She began her research through feminist film analysis, addressing three Vietnamese  war films in particular. She choose films that came out between the 1900s and early 2000s, because the US and Vietnam had such a hostile relationship during this time. These films represent Vietnamese women as national and transitional subjects. Women's bodies exemplify authenticity of Vietnam prior to war, colonization and advanced globalization.

The first film Heaven & Earth shows women being tortured, raped, and acting as prostitutes. This romanticized view of the past suggests Vietnam women are peaceful before war and now have become submissive and in a sense useless. The film uses the female body as a narrative device to further the story of the refugee, being a myth of model minority. I have never seen this female prior to watching this lecture and would have never thought the Vietnamese women are testifying the countries current standing.

Professor Diem suggests that through film we make Vietnamese women bodies more legible through commodified stories. As she talked about the film '3 Seasons' she explains that a prostitute being passed from man to man is metaphorically a view of Vietnams current social standing. Vietnam is getting invaded by numerous countries at the time, yet they still survive in the end. The representation of culture and society change forsakes immorality of prostitution.

The way Prof. Diem conducted her research was rather unique. The films all looked to the future, while at the same time looked back into the past to represent Authentic Vietnam, through Vietnamese women's bodies. She mentioned when she was in a bar and was portrayed as a prostitute and how differently she was treated (she couldn't even get a cup of water). From her experience she concluded that an object identify can construct counter narrative orientalism.

I personally have never been mistaken for a prostitute, but have had many occurrences where I have felt womanized. The media and certain movies portrays women as sexual products. Society than believes women are a product of media. The feeling you get when a man looks you up and down makes you feel bewidled and beneath them.

Caitlin F.

Professor Diem's lecture discussed how we value Asian women's bodies. She began her research through feminist film analysis, addressing three Vietnamese  war films in particular. She choose films that came out between the 1900s and early 2000s, because the US and Vietnam had such a hostile relationship during this time. These films represent Vietnamese women as national and transitional subjects. Women's bodies exemplify authenticity of Vietnam prior to war, colonization and advanced globalization.

The first film Heaven & Earth shows women being tortured, raped, and acting as prostitutes. This romanticized view of the past suggests Vietnam women are peaceful before war and now have become submissive and in a sense useless. The film uses the female body as a narrative device to further the story of the refugee, being a myth of model minority. I have never seen this female prior to watching this lecture and would have never thought the Vietnamese women are testifying the countries current standing.

Professor Diem suggests that through film we make Vietnamese women bodies more legible through commodified stories. As she talked about the film '3 Seasons' she explains that a prostitute being passed from man to man is metaphorically a view of Vietnams current social standing. Vietnam is getting invaded by numerous countries at the time, yet they still survive in the end. The representation of culture and society change forsakes immorality of prostitution.

The way Prof. Diem conducted her research was rather unique. The films all looked to the future, while at the same time looked back into the past to represent Authentic Vietnam, through Vietnamese women's bodies. She mentioned when she was in a bar and was portrayed as a prostitute and how differently she was treated (she couldn't even get a cup of water). From her experience she concluded that an object identify can construct counter narrative orientalism.

I personally have never been mistaken for a prostitute, but have had many occurrences where I have felt womanized. The media and certain movies portrays women as sexual products. Society than believes women are a product of media. The feeling you get when a man looks you up and down makes you feel bewidled and beneath them.

Study Abroad

       The study abroad experience is definitely a very independent process.  I want to compare this process to our study of sensation and how it works.  It is a neurological process, you then become aware of your current environment, and this in turn is a very individual process.  This process can be applied to the study abroad experience because you process that you are in a new environment, and everyone responds differently to this experience.  Professor Stoner talked about culture shock, and this definitely ties into our sensation process because the process of culture shock is definitely a sensation one might go through when immersing themselves into a totally new environment.  

       Professors stoners work focuses on the role that new media plays into the study abroad process.  Is this constant connection to our world back home impede the true study abroad experience.  Culture shock is a process that starts with a honeymoon experience, then goes to the culture shock, and turns to adjustment and finally mastery after a number of months.  This is the natural progression of sensations that one may go through, it does vary case to case, however is our new era of being constantly connected destroying this experience.  I find this very interesting because I do believe our constant connection destroys the feeling of being in a totally different place away from everyone you know.  When you are constantly connected, you are still relying on your past environment, and not getting the true study abroad experience.  

        Adrienne described how important this culture shock is to the whole experience.  She explained that the severity of the shock is important in relation to how much we really learn about a culture.  This is so important because perception also relates to this idea.  How can we really take in another culture when we are still so intensely immersed in our own.  Cultural interpretation of an experience abroad is tied so closely to perception.  Our ability to perceive a culture is apart of the perception process, which is why completely immersing yourself is necessary.  Professors Stoners lecture was very interesting because I think that our constant connection and consumption of new media is destroying a number of things.  Not only do I agree that the study abroad experience is destroyed, however I think our ability to verbally communicate in general is effected.  We rely so much on Facebook and texting to communicate, that I think as generations progress our communication skills will deteriorate.  

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