{"id":42445,"date":"2019-06-13T14:39:38","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T18:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=42445"},"modified":"2020-08-25T13:49:04","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T17:49:04","slug":"summer-2019-cross-culturals-mexico-puerto-rico-washington-d-c-and-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2019\/summer-2019-cross-culturals-mexico-puerto-rico-washington-d-c-and-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer 2019 cross-culturals: Mexico, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eastern Mennonite University students studying on cross-culturals this summer traveled to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and South Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cross-cultural study, which students have called an integral and \u201clife-changing\u201d component of EMU\u2019s core curriculum for more than 30 years, has taken students to more than 80 domestic and global locations such as the Middle East, Lithuania, Central America and China. <\/span><\/p>\n

Whether with a full semester abroad or as part of a summer or alternative program, students fulfilling their cross-cultural requirements establish the foundations they need for living, serving and leading in a global context.<\/span><\/p>\n

Summer cross-culturals<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Students traveling in South Africa are learning about the nation’s legacy of colonialism and apartheid, and its attempts to overcome that past.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019ve experienced, which has provoked much thought and emotion, are the many ways in which one history can be told,\u201d the South Africa group wrote in the \u201cUnderstanding the Boer Narrative\u201d entry on the <\/span>cross-cultural blog<\/span><\/a>. That trip is focused on the nation\u2019s legacy of colonialism and apartheid, and its attempts to overcome that past.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>Puerto Rico<\/span><\/a>, students observed the \u201cawe-inspiring\u201d perseverance of people still suffering the effects of Hurricane Maria, wrote Emily Lam<\/strong>. The group, led by Professor <\/span>Jenni Holsinger<\/a><\/strong> and Adam Yoder<\/strong>, also learned about the island\u2019s history, participated in service, and visited Aibonito, San Juan and El Yunque.<\/span><\/p>\n

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In Puerto Rico, students\u00a0learned about the island\u2019s history, participated in service, and visited Aibonito, San Juan and El Yunque.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The group in <\/span>Mexico<\/span><\/a>, led by <\/span>Linda<\/a><\/strong> and <\/span>Brian Martin Burkholder<\/a><\/strong>, learned about cultures in different regions of the country, and visiting Mexico City, Teotihuacan and the Costa Esmeralda of Veracruz. They also visited a church youth group in Ecatepec, near Mexico City. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the language barrier we all got along great,\u201d wrote Emma Picht<\/strong>. \u201cSome of us made bets over hot salsa, and we played word games to practice our Spanish and their English. \u2026 Jessica, one of the girls from the youth group, and I connected over music and singing, despite my limited vocabulary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n