I’ve returned, America! After a long journey home, I’m beginning to settle back into my normal routine. I’ll put the emphasis on “beginning to” since jet lag has me feeling a little run down. I’m having to adapt pretty quickly though, since our last semester of graduate school is already in full swing. Before life…
In the past year of my graduate studies, my cohort has become very familiar with a man named Geert Hofstede. He is most noted for his contributions to cross-cultural communication and psychology. More specifically, his cultural dimensions theory provides a framework for understanding how a society’s culture can affect the values and behavior of its…
Before leaving for the summer, the graduate program required each member of my cohort to profile the country they intended to visit. It certainly makes sense, since it’s important to understand exactly what you’re getting into when traveling abroad. However, I must admit that I didn’t fully consider the relevance of certain components within this…
Living in a foreign country can really open your eyes to the differences between two cultures. These differences have become a part of my daily routine and will probably end up causing a bit of confusion upon my return home. In the case of Japan, many people would instantly focus on the use of chopsticks…
Hello again! It’s been a little over two weeks since I arrived in the city of Niigata. I’m finally (finally!) over jet lag and have been hammering away at my internship during the work week. Luckily, I’ve been able to do quite a bit of exploring on the weekends. It’s almost overwhelming to choose where…
Welcome to the land of rice and sake – Niigata, Japan. To give you some background, Niigata is the capital and most populous city of the larger Niigata prefecture. The city faces the sea of Japan and is known for the production of high-quality rice and sake, in addition to famous seafood cuisine. So why…
MAIGC Summer Engagement Abroad Module 