{"id":2379,"date":"2010-12-22T17:14:49","date_gmt":"2010-12-22T22:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=2379"},"modified":"2011-01-25T16:10:11","modified_gmt":"2011-01-25T21:10:11","slug":"spainmorocco-cross-cultural-students-recount-their-study-abroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2010\/spainmorocco-cross-cultural-students-recount-their-study-abroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain\/Morocco Cross-Cultural Students Recount Their Study Abroad"},"content":{"rendered":"

Twenty-four EMU students returned to campus obviously elated by their “life-changing” experiences of the fall 2010 semester.<\/p>\n

“Thank you, EMU, for the incredible opportunities we had,” the group said in a university chapel service Wednesday, Dec. 14.<\/p>\n

The students spent time in Spain and Morocco through EMU’s cross-cultural study program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moira R. Rogers<\/a>, professor of language and literature at EMU<\/a>, assisted by Samuel Hernandez, adjust instructor of Spanish, were group leaders.<\/p>\n

The group read excerpts from their journals, reflected on often humorous incidents arising from language differences, did brief skits and closed with a slide show with indigenous music.<\/p>\n

About their journeys<\/h3>\n

Students spent the first month living with host families in Granada, Spain, attending Spanish classes, hearing lectures and visiting historic sites. Throughout their time abroad they blogged about their experiences and shared journals and photos<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nicole Russer, a senior Spanish and psychology major<\/a> from Royersford, Pa., spent most of the semester studying at the University of Granada. She colorfully described her “cross-cultural interaction” with the lively flea market vendors in the city. The hardest part of her time there – “finding Internet connections.”<\/p>\n

Travel amid security warnings<\/h3>\n

Sara Derstine, a junior nursing major<\/a> from Harleysville, Pa., reflected on her free travel time in Europe that coincided with a travel warning from the U.S. State Department of the potential of terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n

EMU implemented precautionary safeguards as the students were spread across Europe, and there were no incidents.<\/p>\n

The “difference in attitude towards time” issue between countries was evidenced as the group described a grueling hike supposed to last an hour that actually took nearly four hours. They also noted that meal times with host families “could be anytime.”<\/p>\n

Jesse Weaver, a junior nursing major from Royersford, Pa., and Jenna Longenecker, a sophomore Spanish major from Lancaster, Pa., delighted the audience with a flamenco dance demonstration.<\/p>\n

Life and lessons on the go<\/h3>\n

In Fez, Morocco’s second largest city, most students spent five weeks “living out of suitcases,” learning basic Arabic, visiting historic places and experiencing daily life with their host families.<\/p>\n

Ana Jimenez, a junior Spanish and international business major<\/a> from Harrisonburg, described her and a fellow student’s exploits in the Sahara Desert on a non-compliant camel, complete with video clip.<\/p>\n

Hospitality of host families a highlight for students<\/h3>\n

Ali Eanes, a sophomore elementary education major<\/a> from Scottdale, Pa., cited “the amazing hospitality and being treated like family” as a trip highlight. In Morocco, most of the women wore tunics and head scarves “out of respect for Muslim practice and culture,” she noted.<\/p>\n

The students returned to Montoro, Spain for the last two weeks, from there visiting Cordoba and Toledo and other locales and wrapping up their course work.<\/p>\n

2011 cross-cultural programs<\/h3>\n

EMU student groups will leave campus the second week of January 2011 for cross-cultural study in India, Guatemala\/U.S.-Mexico Border and the Middle East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Twenty-four EMU students returned to campus obviously elated by their “life-changing” experiences of the fall 2010 semester. “Thank you, EMU, for the incredible opportunities we had,” the group said in ... read more about Spain\/Morocco Cross-Cultural Students Recount Their Study Abroad<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":5532,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4515,5583,5185,409,5593,4513],"tags":[],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-2379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academics","category-campus-community","category-campus-ministries","category-chapel","category-intercultural","category-student-life"],"yoast_head":"\nSpain\/Morocco Cross-Cultural Students Recount Their Study Abroad - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2010\/spainmorocco-cross-cultural-students-recount-their-study-abroad\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spain\/Morocco Cross-Cultural Students Recount Their Study Abroad - 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