kianac – Page 3 – Global Education Oregon

Ethiopia: Past, Present & Future

Posted on October 17, 2016October 17, 2016 by kianac

It has been 11 years since I’ve stepped foot in Ethiopia, yet every day I am reminded of this country. The day I arrived in Ethiopia was one of the most exciting moments of my life. As soon as I landed and stepped out of the airport I was greeted by uncles and cousins that I had not seen in over a decade. One of the first things I noticed about Ethiopia is that it has drastically changed. There were skyscrapers on almost every block in the capital city, and it seemed as if the amount of people that lived in the city was multiplied by ten! There were so many cars, people, buildings and traffic. For a moment I thought I may have landed in the wrong country. Over the last ten years, Ethiopia has industrialized extensively then I had ever imagined. Nevertheless, although Addis Ababa is now known as the capital of Africa, there were still moments of the old Ethiopia such as cows, goats and sheep running around the city. I also noticed that the only means of “fast food” in the country included grilled corn, or steamed potatoes and samosas on the side of the road. After spending a night in the capital city, Addis Ababa, I began my journey to start my 10 week internship in Aleta Wondo five hours south of the capital.

The journey to Aleta Wondo was not an easy journey, mostly because the roads are not completely paved yet, so the car ride was extremely jerky. Upon entering the Common River gates I was mesmerized, it was like I had walked into a tropical garden. My experience interning with Common River has been nothing but enjoyable. All of the faculty and staff on site were always there to help me in anything I needed, and I was able to get a long a create meaningful relationships with all the other international volunteers. In my internship with Common River I completed an ethnographic study of the Sidama tribe in Southern Ethiopia. Throughout my three months in Aleta Wondo, I completed a number of different interviews with the local Sidama people learning about all the different aspects of Sidama culture, including their cultural foods, dance, clothes and I even had the opportunity to participate in the Sidama new year. It was amazing to see how the people of Sidama value their religion. Through my internship in Aleta Wondo I was able to see how much the Apostolic movement has influenced the city. There were church conferences almost every weekend in neighboring towns, in which thousands of people would gather to church. While in Aleta Wondo I also had the chance to explore the city. Aleta Wondo is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever experienced because of its exquisite natural scenery. Aleta Wondo is a sub-tropical area so there were several avocado trees, coffee trees, passion fruit, pineapples and more on almost every corner of each street. I also had the opportunity to help teach an English class for students in primary school. Because I come from an Ethiopian background myself and speak the national language, Amharic I was able to efficiently help teach and translate during English lessons with some of the other international volunteers. Although Aleta Wondo was an extremely beautiful city, it was also a city struggling to cope with poverty like many other cities in Ethiopia. Poverty and hunger are serious issues that the beautiful city of Aleta Wondo is still battling, allowing me to truly appreciate the beauty and nature of this city. There were many things that I have learned through this trip but one thing that I am most grateful for from this adventure is the relationships I have created. From the staff and faculty that work at Common River as well as all the students and parents I was able to work with, I will forever be grateful for these relationships I have made and cannot wait to reunite in the coming years. -Ruhama Dimboré, Summer 2016

California to Canada: Vancouver Study Abroad

Posted on October 5, 2016April 1, 2020 by kianac

Growing up in California is a gift and a curse. The California suburbs, much like Hollywood portrays it, is a place of manicured lawn (before the drought), friendly neighbors, and endless sunshine. Despite living in California for most of my life, I’ve never run out of things to do.

Everything, including a change of lifestyle, was a stone throw away. Lake Tahoe, in the north, with its wood cabins, tranquil sceneries, and ski resorts. San Francisco, located in the opposite direction, with its hi-‐tech offices, world-‐famous landmarks, and bustling neighborhoods. Spoiled by the weather and proximity to different settings, the shortcomings of elsewhere becomes more than a nuisance. I would enjoy the novelty of a new location for the first few days then quickly get bog down by something I find irritating. Places like D.C and Texas become too humid. Places like Seoul and Tokyo become too quick-‐ paced and too dense. This is, however, not to say that California does not share its own set of problems. My bias, as a long time residence of California, meant that there is always a “home is best” mentality. And then I was presented with Vancouver and it changed the way I perceived a place.

Initially, I hesitated to apply for the Vancouver program because it is simply “too close” with barely a seven hours ride from Eugene. It seems like a place that I can visit instead of studying abroad. But the prospect of learning about kinetic architecture (gizmos that transform spaces such as recessing a wall to create a larger space) and living in an urban setting was captivating. As someone wants to design residential housing in the future, I believe it is important to live in one myself. The opportunities Vancouver promised heavily outweighed my initial hesitation, so I applied.

Of all the cities that I had the fortune of living in, Vancouver may be at the top when it comes to livability. This city seems to have it all. My daily commute from my apartment in downtown Vancouver to class on Granville Island involves a twelve minute bike ride crossing a bridge and arriving at the destination located under another bridge. Granville Island is like miniature city. During my lunchtime, I would often mingle with the locals or tourists in its large pubic market try one of the dozens of restaurants the island offers, or eat my own lunch at one of its vista points.

I was so curious and so fascinated by what Vancouver has to offer; I would constantly spend all of my free-‐time biking around exploring with my camera and sketchbook, capturing landscape, people, and even wildlife. I would go to different coffee shops each time so I can take a different path home. Despite going to all the major point of interests, by the end of the trip, I felt like there are still so much more nooks I have not discovered!

I took this curiosity and fascination back with me. Now I often find myself bringing a sketchbook out to sketch the sceneries and being really excited to explore familiar places with new eyes. This mentality allows me to really enjoy what a place has to offer. These places do not have the same charm that California has but they do not have to. They are very charming in their own way.

-Hieu Vo, Summer 2016

Medical Internship in Bolivia

Posted on October 5, 2016October 5, 2016 by kianac

Before going to Bolivia, my greatest anxiety was my Spanish level not being high enough. Although my first few weeks were very challenging with being able to understand and img_1869-1 communicate with others in a different language, I am so happy I made the decision to go to a country where not only I would be observing different medical aspects of a new country but I would also be learning a new language. Although it has been amazing to observe medical practices and different forms of health care in a different country, I think it has been even more amazing to improve my Spanish skills and gain the confidence that being able to converse with people in a different language gives.

I have learned that when I am on my own, I am capable of figuring things out and being independent by myself in a different country, even if I can’t speak the language fluently. Before this trip (in the United States), I would be very shy on asking people for directions or asking people for help if I was confused about something, but being in Bolivia has made me a lot more confident on asking people for help, and for taking initiative for myself in the hospitals (like for which rotations I want to go to, or if I want to go to the emergency room in the evenings). I have also gotten a lot more confident in asking people questions if I don’t understand something in Spanish. A lot of times, all of us students in the program wouldn’t understand something that our medical director said, or that our Spanish teacher said, and they wouldn’t say anything about it. I was always the one to tell them I didn’t understand everything and ask them to repeat it. I think the greatest reward here has been being able to see things that I wouldn’t have been able to see if I hadn’t taken initiative for myself. For example, I got to see an amazing surgery during my internship, but if I hadn’t asked the doctor if I could go to the emergency room after my rotation, I wouldn’t have been in the hospital when the surgery was going on and I wouldn’t have been able to see it. Additionally, I think me not being scared to try to speak Spanish (or even if I am nervous to try), even when I know that I am going to make mistakes every time I speak has been a great reward because it has allowed me to gain confidence as well as allowed me to improve my Spanish level immensely.

One of my favorite moments on this trip was when I went to the emergency room after my clinical hours to observe. My roommate and I went to the emergency room because one of the doctors had told us he would meet us there at 8pm. However, when we got there, he had already left and we were left alone, unsure of what to do. The doctor told us he was going to call another doctor that was there and he would help us. The new doctor told us that we were going to go to a surgery with him but to just wait in the room for a little bit until the surgery was ready. In the United States, if someone were to tell me to wait for a little bit I would assume 20 or 30 minutes maximum of waiting, but the culture in Bolivia is definitely different when it comes to the perception of time. Instead of waiting for just a little time as they had said, we waited for almost 2 hours for the surgery to start. While we were waiting we were a little confused what was going on because the doctor that had told us to wait never came back to us during the time we were waiting: were we supposed to keep waiting? Did we hear the doctor correctly? Did the doctor already go into the surgery without us? I think if I hadn’t already been in Bolivia for 7 weeks, I would have left, thinking the doctor had forgotten about us, but because I had been here for almost 2 months, I understood the culture a little more and knew that they wouldn’t have forgotten about us, they are just on a different time schedule. One of the main cultural differences between Bolivia and the United States is the perception of time (in Bolivia, everyone is at least 20 to 30 minutes late from the predetermined time). Although this cultural difference can be very frustrating at times, I think it has helped me be a little more relaxed and patient, which can be very hard for a perfectionist.

-Sofia Hardin, Summer 2016

A Journey to The End of The Earth: Life on Rapa Nui

Posted on October 5, 2016March 10, 2020 by kianac

When my plane landed on Rapa Nui, I had already taken two classes about the island, read countless books and articles, written about 10 papers, and watched several videos and documentaries. But for all the plethora of research and information that is available about Rapa Nui- or more commonly known “Easter Island”- nothing could have prepared me for this experience.

After leaving Oregon, we had been traveling for over 24 hours before we finally reached the tiny 632 mile island. Since taking off from the bustling airport in Santiago, Chile five hours earlier, we hadn’t seen a single land mass anywhere in the 2,290 miles of ocean we had crossed. It began to feel as though we had left the entire world behind, as if we would reach the end of the Earth. Finally, the island came into view, and we could see our destination. From the air, you can see the entire island easily, with it’s air strip stretching from coast to coast across the width of the island, the “airport”- which is just one small building- off to one end.

The utter isolation is exhilarating. Thousands of miles of ocean stretch out in all directions, with no land in sight, and the only connection to the outside world is the one daily flight to and from the island, carrying with it the daily load of groceries. In extreme weather, the island is sometimes completely cut off from the mainland. The island is populated by just over 5,500 people, most of whom live in the village near the airport. Although tourism dominates their economy, their vibrant culture is apparent. The “island lifestyle” is common among most island societies- the laid back attitude, living on “island time”- but on Rapa Nui, this lifestyle is taken to the extreme. Shops open and close when the owners feel like it, and you will often find all businesses closed on Sunday, or during the daily “siesta” from 12-2pm.

When you’ve lived your entire life on one small island with the same few people, you end up knowing every inch of the land and every person in town. While on the island, our group had two local guides that we worked closely with every day. Wherever we went, they knew exactly where we were and exactly who everyone was, greeting every passerby by name. This type of community and culture was entirely foreign to me, and in some ways it was great. The police force and crime rate is exceedingly minimal on the island- since everyone would be able to figure out who committed the crime anyway, people just don’t bother to try anything. In other ways, it wasn’t so great. Everyone knows everyone’s business, and privacy is hard to come by.

Aside from the fascinating culture and the uniquely isolated location, the truly enthralling aspect of Rapa Nui is the richly abundant and accessible history. Most people know of the famous “Easter Island heads,” but most don’t realize how many there are. There are thousands of these statues throughout the island, as well as an extensive collection of other archaeological artifacts. You can’t take a step without coming across an obsidian flake, a stone tool, a carving- all created thousands of years ago. Walking past the monumental statues, looming two or three stories above you, and thinking of the people who have walked there thousands of years before you, who spent years creating these massive stone faces, is awe-inspiring to say the least.

Living on Rapa Nui was a once in a lifetime experience, and probably the closest I’ll ever come to living on another planet. With my program, we were able to spend many days out exploring, hiking, experiencing the local culture, and collecting research data. We even had lectures and discussions for the class while out at archaeological sites around the island. If you ever have the chance to make this beautiful island your classroom, do not pass it up. I know firsthand- when it comes to Rapa Nui, you have to see it to believe it.

-Kayla Bucolo, Summer 2016

Rowing Across Seas

Posted on September 28, 2016September 28, 2016 by kianac

I consumed nearly 100 “kugeln” (scoops) of gelato during my 6-week study abroad trip to Vienna, Austria. While that may sound like the early stages of diabetes, it was only a small fraction of what made this trip so incredible. For most of the trip, every day was a new adventure with friends. Luckily, I was never truly lost because the transportation system in Vienna is highly efficient and easy to use. Four hours of class in the morning lead to numerous excursions in the afternoon. After the first week, I already felt like I had meshed into the Austrian lifestyle. Our program director, Karen, did an amazing job with scheduling all of our excursions. We made the best use of every day and explored the culture of Vienna while also learning about the marketing behind some of Austria’s biggest companies. This meant trips to museums, businesses, art galleries, famous restaurants, historical sights, mountains, dark caves, and of course, gelato shops.
While I could write a novel about the all the wonderful trips we embarked on during our stay in Austria, I want to focus on a particular experience. Before heading to Austria, I realized that being away for 2 months might make it a bit difficult to continue my training for rowing. While summer is usually a maintenance period, it’s extremely important to stay fit because fall comes around fast you don’t want to be the one out of shape in the boat. In addition, I knew that my passion for food would be a double-edged sword, especially in a chocolate filled city like Vienna. With that being said, I contacted a few rowing clubs in Austria and decided that Erster Wiener Ruderclub-LIA would be the best choice. They are the oldest club in Austria and they are notorious for winning at major global rowing events. Might as well train with the best, right?
I joined with the intention of staying in shape while abroad, but along the way I made numerous friends that all shared the same passion as me. The rowing community itself is extremely friendly and being abroad, it becomes a bit more difficult to make new friends. Reaching out to LIA changed everything though because I was now making new friends every day and learning about Austria first hand from those who lived there. From workouts to sharing meals, my new friends helped me feel like Vienna was becoming my new home. I was even able to help out and witness their popular annual event known as the Vienna Night Row. With nearly 100 entries and different countries competing, boats race in a 500-meter stretch while decked out in creative light decorations. With plenty of food and music, the event goes long into the night and is certainly one that I will not forget. Matter of fact, I hope to set up something similar along the waterfront in downtown, Portland so that more people become interested in rowing. I cannot thank my Austrian pals enough for how welcoming and friendly they were. They helped make my study abroad experience much more memorable, and I look forward to visiting them again in Vienna.
Everyone has something that they are passionate about. If not, I am more than sure that there is something you really care about or don’t mind spending countless hours on. When traveling abroad, I advise that you find a club or organization that shares your interests and get in contact with them. They are more than likely going to be excited to meet you and become your friend. Making new friends while abroad makes the trip a million times better, but you already know that. You don’t have to be attached to your university group. Making friends abroad will help you integrate into the culture much faster and in the process you could be making friendships that last a lifetime. Also, you never want to eat gelato alone. Even if you go nearly every day of the trip.