As globalization becomes more and more recognizable, the importance of being
familiar with other cultures becomes more and more pressing.
For most of my time as an undergraduate, I did not have much experience
with other cultures, and learning a foreign language in America is not strongly
encouraged or required, unfortunately.
Hoping to increase my knowledge of European politics, I decided to take a course
new to Buffalo State this semester called Transatlantic Public Administration (PSC
389).
The class, which is part of a bilateral grant called the Atlantis Mobility Project that
includes international student exchanges and internships, is a unique experience in
a number of ways. For example, three Romanian exchange students are enrolled in
the class this semester, and next semester three Buffalo State students taking the
course will study in Romania.
What is unique about the course is that it is globally networked and was designed
by faculty in the UK, Romania, and New York. As the semester goes on we will have
online conferences with students in other countries taking a similar course.
My classmates and I have already gotten a chance to meet some students attending
SUNY Cortland at a conference in Buffalo a few weeks ago. Among those we met
were exchange students from Poland, England and Ireland.
It was interesting to compare and contrast with exchange students everything from
views on healthcare to views on dating, fashion and, of course, beer. (According to
a student from England, people in Buffalo don’t always dress so nice. And our gas
prices are incredibly cheap.) That’s not something you get to do every day.
Engaging in discussion and debate with students from other countries is an
important experience, not to mention incredibly fun, and I hope to see more globally
networked classes pop up in the future. Advancements in Internet technology, such
as Facebook and Skype, make it not only possible, but also practical.
Globalization is inevitable and, while it has both positive and negative
consequences, it gives us the ability to have an intellectual conversation with
someone half way across the world. It also gives you experience with a foreign
language and teaches you how foreign governments operate, which is an important
skill for anyone entering the professional workforce.
I would encourage any student to study for a semester or a year abroad, or see how
you can get involved with international students on campus. You won’t regret it.
Ariel Peters can be reached at petersariel@ymail.com.