Fredonia Alum Experiencing the First Year of Teaching While Abroad in Argentina

William Webber is a 2015 Fredonia alum currently teaching English in Argentina.

We had the opportunity to talk to Will via Skype about his experiences teaching in Argentina. He is a 2015 Fredonia alum, graduating with a Bachelors of Arts degree in French and Spanish and a Bachelors of Science in International Studies and a Minor in Political Science. 

What are you doing in Argentina right now?

Right now, I am an English teacher in a private secondary school in Buenos Aires. I teach the advanced students of English as well as provide ample opportunities for students to be exposed to the American English accent. Additionally, I advise and administer English club.

How did you get this opportunity?

Long story short, I asked for it. I was the President of International Club at Fredonia and my name as President was published on the International Club Facebook page. One day I received a message from a woman who introduced herself as a former student of Fredonia who lives in Buenos Aires with her husband and together they own a school. She reached out to me to form a language exchange with her students and our students for her students to practice English with our students and for our students to practice Spanish with her students. After a couple of months of the exchange, I decided that I was going to ask her if she would like to have a native English teacher. To my utter surprise, she said yes enthusiastically! Three weeks after graduation I was on a plane for Buenos Aires.

What is the biggest culture shock you’ve experienced?

This is a hard question because there were so many. I guess I would have to say that the biggest shock I have experienced is not being able to access things as easily as I could in the United States. For example, in my school we have very limited resources. There are no textbooks, teachers do not have their own classrooms, there are no computers except for one in the main office, and printing and copying is very limited. If you want to make copies you have to go to the kiosk next to the school and of course that costs money. This makes lesson planning and execution more or less difficult. I’ve had to become more creative and change my entire thought pattern to become more Argentine, and use what is given to me. Even the littlest things, like paying for my cell phone is a process. Because my credit card is not accepted online, I have to pay in cash; what that means is I have to find the store that accepts my money to pay. Sometimes that includes going to the bank to withdraw money, walking to the store or taking a bus, giving my reference number, explaining how much I am going to pay, giving the employee my money, and then receiving a receipt. It’s not like in the United States where at the click of a button you’re done.

What is your everyday look like linguistically?
Linguistically speaking, every day I am speaking in both English and Spanish. From the moment I get up to the moment I go to bed, I never know which language will come out next. At the school, I speak primarily in English to my students and Spanish to those whose English levels are not at conversation level. Outside of school, most of my friends speak little to no English, so I must communicate in Spanish. The Spanish itself is a special form of Spanish where the Spanish I learned in school and at Fredonia has basically been completely wiped away. I have had to learn a new accent, new words and phrases, and new conjugations. For example; Vos sos re copado! This means, "Tú eres muy genial" in neutral Spanish (the Spanish I learned) and “You are very cool” in English.

Most unique/coolest thing about Argentina?

The coolest thing is the amount of diversity here. That lends itself to Argentina’s history of immigration from Italy and Europe. Before living in Argentina, I had the stereotypical Spanish-speaking-person image in my head. To my surprise, there are people who look just like me; white, blond hair and blue eyes, who are Argentine and speak Spanish natively.

What are your goals after your program?

After my program finishes, I plan to return to the United States to continue my studies in Graduate School at George Washington University; where I have been accepted into the Master’s Program for International Education. My goal is to one day be the director of an Office of International Education at an American university and lead that university to have a more global perspective. Dreaming big, I would like to become the United States Ambassador to Argentina.

Advice to Fredonia students?

Oh, there's so much...In terms of language study I would say, talk in your target language as much as you can. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, and ask for help. In terms of living abroad, my best advice would be to just roll with the punches because you are going to have really good days and really bad days. That also goes along with language learning; if you go to a country to live in your target language, you will find out you will be able to speak your target language really well one day and the next day you cannot get anything out. It is a roller-coaster ride, that's what it is. This is an opportunity to really show yourself what you're made of and break down the barriers you've created for yourself.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy teaching day to enlighten Fredonia about your experiences, Will. We miss you and wish you the best!

A Chat on Bilingualism and Biculturalism Streamed from 400 Miles Away

The Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City held "A Conversation of Bilingualism with François Grosjean" on September 23, 2015

The event was held in New York City at the French Embassy and consisted of a conversation on bilingualism and biculturalism between researcher and specialist, Professor François Grosjean, and Education Attaché at the Cultural Services, Fabrice Jaumont. The conversation was live-streamed for interested parties who were unable to make the trip to NYC. The event was two hours and packed full of answers to frequently asked questions, personal questions, and fascinating research.

Jaumont began the discussion with questions about Dr. Grosjean to acquaint the audience with him. Professor Grosjean was born in France with a French father, but was educated in British schools. He returned to France when he was eighteen but then moved to the United States. He considers himself to be a cultural mosaic of 4 cultures and identifies his nationalities as French and Swiss. Grosjean got into researching bilingualism by being a bilingual and learning about it while witnessing his children going through it. His own family is fully bilingual, with some of his children actually being quint-lingual. He took the time to reassure parents that it is not as impossible as it may seem, since he himself raised his chidlren in both French and English. 

Grosjean and Jaumont at the French Embassy

Professor Grosjean discussed the basic questions whose answers can be found in Grosjean's books, including his most famous book, Life with Two Languages: An Introduction to Bilingualism. Questions included, "do you need to master both languages to be bilingual?" and "do bilinguals have a split personality when using one language versus another?". 

Professor Grosjean described the difference between biculturalism and bilingualism, with the definition of bilingualism being "the regular use of 2 different languages".  This definition takes into account language use and knowledge, the two defining characteristics of bilingualism. He claims to take the matter at a holistic viewpoint as a bilingual speaker and communicator managing life with 2+ languages. His "complementary principle" is when bilinguals use a language in different situations and domains of life with one language or both languages for other things. The "crucial brick" to his research is that bilinguals need to ask themselves, "which should I be speaking and do I need to bring in the other language?". Language choice is hyper complex as are code-switching and borrowing.

Professor Grosjean cleared up the misconception that biculturalism is the same as bilingualism. It implies merging certain aspects of both cultures, and it is not a bad thing. However, he humorously added how sometimes his French use of space overpowers his English "personal bubble" culture and he accidentally sits or stands too close to someone and must readjust mentally to the setting he is in. Grosjean suggests bilinguals find their identity based on others perceptions and on their own needs; in the end they must accept who they are. A focus right now is on young people and helping them to understand and accept biculturalism. 

The next topic was about the roles of parents and schools in encouraging and aiding bilingualism and biculturalism. It is absolutely critical for parents to have a plan for how they plan to raise children bilingual, and there are a range of strategies; one person one language, one language at home and one language outside, and other supports who are not the parents such as other adults, families, or friends. He claims that children are pragmatic and will notice what they need and if they do not need one of the languages then they will revert to monolingualism. Parents must create the need with the help of community groups, friends, other families, etc. to immerse their children in a situation where they need to use that second language. Schools are notorious for killing a first or language a student may have, and they can help by promoting immersion for children to use other languages when home.

The advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism were addressed as well. Some common advantages are cognitive ability, job opportunities, and communication opportunities increase and bilinguals tend to have open minds and perspectives. A main disadvantage was that communication in the weaker language can be difficult when one is tired or stressed.

The conversation consisted of vital and fascinating information for anyone interested in bilingualism and biculturalism. Grosjean's books are available in bookstores and Amazon.

More information and a video of the full conversation can be found by clicking here or by entering into your browser:

www.livestream.com/frenchembassy/Bilingualism-with-Professor-François-Grosjean/videos/100077232

Merci beaucoup à Professor Grosjean 
for the suggestions and edits!

Experiencing Cultures Across the Globe While Seated in a Lecture Hall

Exploring Different Cultures on Campus- Student Success Activities

Wednesday, September 16th Fredonia held a Professional Development Day that included all day Student Success Activities. For most students, this meant no class and a day to relax. But, for some this means helpful workshops to help be successful in higher education and in future careers. Jacob Czelusta and guests from the International Student Services hosted fun presentations about South Korea and Japan, presented by students from those countries. This presentation honed in on Fredonia's Baccalaureate goal of "Connected".

Students got a chance to see into the culture of each place, with an emphasis on the differences in population, housing, food, education, and culture in general. The differences between the three countries; United States, South Korea, and Japan, were extremely interesting!

Hello Kitty Bento

Some notable differences between the three countries were in food, education, and population.
Attendees learned that South Korea has a large admiration for side dishes; a typical meal is not made up of one large entree with some sides, but many, many sides and tons of variety! Japan, on the other hand is famous for, of course, sushi and bento, which in recent years has become a decoration contest!




Education systems are dissimilar as well. In South Korea, students begin taking a foreign language in elementary school, which is 6 years, and continue taking the language throughout middle school, 3 years, and high school, 3 years. The students have a lot of pressure put on them about grades, and some cannot sleep due to needing time to study.

Apartments in Seoul, South Korea

As for population, South Korea and Japan are very much urbanized and densely populated. In South Korea, 92% of the population live in 17% of the territory. South Korea is smaller than New York City yet has almost 2.5 times as many people! Needless to say, the city buildings that look like business buildings at first, are actually apartments to house the surplus of people. Parking is all underground to save room for more buildings.
In Japan, there is a population of 127.3 million people, with 13.35 million people just in the city of Tokyo; about 1/10 of the population! The presenter, Yuki, stated the city is small and crowded.

Some  social/cultural aspects that are unique to South Korea include the honor code; respect is shown to elders through communication and it is immensely important. Also, drinking with one's boss is a casual, common custom which is interesting since the workplace is intensely hierarchical.

Yuki, from Japan, took a moment to describe her "culture shock" after coming to the U.S. She explained that Americans love of hugging and saying "I love you" was hard for her to understand and very opposite from the culture she grew up in, in Japan. Also, she was surprised to learn about "tipping" at restaurants; a custom the Japanese do not do.

Test your global cultural knowledge!
Did you know that tae-kwon-do is a martial art form from South Korea?

Did you know Honda, Nissan, Toyota, SONY, and Nintendo are companies from Japan?

Did you know at 4:00 PM every Wednesday in the Global Connections Lounge of the William's Center there is free coffee and social hour with international students?! Stop by and meet some of the awesome students from all over the globe we have studying right here in Fredonia, NY!

Study Abroad 101 Workshop With the Office of International Education

The fall semester has begun and the Office of International Education has begun hosting workshops to educate students on the SUNY Study Abroad System! 

SUNY Study Abroad Website
http://www.suny.edu/studyabroad/ 

The goal of the Study Abroad 101 workshop was to acquaint students with the process of researching and applying to study abroad using the SUNY Abroad website. The SUNY system has over 600 study abroad/student exchange programs ranging in price, location, and length to accommodate one's desires in a program.

The workshop began with students introducing themselves, stating their name, major, and a location where they are interested in studying. Each attendee also received a "Study Abroad 11 Worksheet" they could fill in throughout the presentation. The worksheet had sections for academic goals, personal goals, and professional goals, as well as a space to write the important factors for a desirable program. Attendees found out at the end of the presentation that the worksheet they filled out would help them write great application letters; stating their goals for the program! There were also several questions that, once filled out, were a great reference for students considering studying abroad ,such as answers to FAQ's and steps to applying. 

The workshop was a pleasantly brief half hour, packed with helpful information for prospective study abroad students. Financial situations are always a popular topic with study abroad, and workshops for the Gilman Scholarship for studying abroad were announced and can be found on the OIE's website. 

The Office of International Education is located in LoGrasso Hall and the door is always open for students from all majors inquiring about study abroad opportunities and more information!

There will be one more Study Abroad 101 workshop on September 17th at 3:00 PM in the Global Connections Lounge in the William's Center. There will also be a presentation about Study Abroad experiences on Professional Development Day for Student Success Activities on September 16th at 2:00 PM in McEwen 202. 

Meet the Blogger: Rita Cain

Rita Cain at La Tour Eiffel

Hello, my name is Rita Cain. I am a senior French and International Studies major with a minor in Spanish. I have spent this past semester interning with the World Languages and Cultures department here at Fredonia.

During my time as an intern, I have had the opportunity to work with students and professors within the department for the blog, The International Buzz. This has been an absolute pleasure for me. I met with students to interview them and learned about each person’s experience with studying a language and their adventures and aspirations abroad. It is safe to safe that I now have an even longer list of places that I want to visit! I attended various events put on by the student groups and the department, which furthered my knowledge of a particular aspect in culture and language. I corresponded with students and professors who wanted to compose a blog entry on a particular topic that interested them. In addition, I also interviewed students and professors to create a video for the department. All of these interactions were amazing. Not only did I build new relationships within the department, I found new topics of interest to learn about.

Next year, I will be attending graduate school at King’s College in London for European Studies. I am incredibly excited to be able to spend a year abroad and further my studies. Reflecting on my experience at Fredonia, I know that my success has been positively impacted by Fredonia. I am fortunate to have studied in such a supporting environment. I have made so many friends in my language classes and have even traveled with them. My professors have been very knowledgeable and their help has be invaluable for helping me improve myself as a student and plan my future career. For this reason, I am so incredibly glad that I was able to give back to the department as I worked with them this semester. 

Sigma Delta Pi Induction Ceremony 2015

On April 27, Fredonia's Eta Alpha of Sigma Delta Pi, the Spanish National Honor Society,  inducted eleven students: Emma N. Basile, Benjamin J. Bengert, Brianna Bhola, Rebecca J. Deschner,  Alexandra R. Drake, Jordyn J. Holka,  Jordan Holmes, Chelsea L. Jones, Holly P. Lavin, Alicia D. Rutkowski, and Alexandra J. Shanahan.           

The Department of World Languages and Cultures is proud to have inducted these outstanding students into Sigma Delta Pi. These students have demonstrated academic excellence in Spanish and in their overall work at Fredonia. Inductees will be made life-long members of the society and are eligible for various national scholarships offered by the society. 

The Art of Translation and Applying Language Skills to Life: Rahdne Zola

By Terese Caiazza

Speaker Rahdne Zola with the French Club Executive Board

This past week, L’Alliance Des Amis Français (French Club) and the World Languages and Cultures Department had the pleasure of welcoming back Fredonia alumni Rahdne Zola.  On Tuesday April 28th, 2015, Zola visited campus to present on translation and the way in which he has been using his passion and higher education in French to move on to a successful and inspiring occupation.

As a Fredonia student, Zola was involved in L’Alliance Des Amis Français, and he and his peers were the ones to give the club that name after it’s former name, French Club. After graduating from Fredonia in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in French, Rahdne Zola went abroad to France. Then, graduate school at University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee earned him a Masters degree in French translation. Zola is now a freelance translator with his own translation and language service out of Buffalo, NY, Lexemes, and has been working in translation now for over ten years.

During his presentation, Zola gave his audience an overview of his education and his experience with translation. He even passed out printed examples of some of his work, comparing it to the original French text as well as the work of another translator.  He engaged with his audience by enlisting help to read the text and translations. This was an extremely effective way of letting his viewers see different interpretations by various translators as well as demonstrating translation work and dedication applied. Zola offered some wisdom from the world of translation, saying that the best translators translate into their native language. This means that he, as a native English speaker, employs his knowledge of French to decipher text and convey the same messages to the best of his ability in English. Zola answered many questions from the audience, including one about the difference between translation and interpretation. Zola explains that (not discouraging anyone from pursuing either or both) he feels either job takes a specific kind of person, and that one person is rarely skilled at both. Translation is a more isolated and private profession. Because it involves translation of text, it can be done from almost anywhere and it can be taken at a slower pace. Interpretation is a very quick and in-the-moment kind of job, where you have to be on location and ready, making sure you are conveying the right messages at the right pace, listening and immediately reciprocating. Zola covers both modes of interpretation, explaining that “simultaneous interpretation” usually involves being in a booth with a microphone and being expected to keep up with the speaker. “Consecutive interpretation” happens when the speaker pauses every so often to allow the interpreter to step in.

Beyond it’s extremely informative and engaging structure, Rahdne Zola’s talk served an even more important purpose to his language-loving audience. Often in the field of foreign language study, students are questioned about their intended professions and presumed struggle for success. There is a common misconception that it’s hard to pursue careers involving foreign language, when in reality, the possibilities are almost endless. Rahdne Zola is a real life example of someone who was able to turn his specific love of French into a career for himself that he builds his life around and enjoys doing every day is something that was heartening for everyone to see. From Fredonia, to France, to Wisconsin, to Buffalo, Rahdne Zola has used his French translation expertise to make a difference, and now has undoubtedly inspired those who were there to see him, to do the same.