Tourism and the Importance of Foreign Language

Hospitality is an ever growing industry with the continuing globalization of the world. 

That being said, the type of visitor that tourist destinations sees varies greatly in culture, region, and expectation. The tourism industry must cater to the needs of these varied individuals through the customization of services offered to these guests. This was an attribute that was clear to me during my time interning for the Walt Disney Company.

During my time as an intern, I worked front desk at one of Disney’s deluxe resorts in Walt Disney World. My responsibilities included checking guests in and out of the hotel, answering questions, giving directions and anything I could do to make their stay more comfortable.

Rita's name tag!

Each day, I interacted with guests from not only across the country but from around the world. This sometimes presented a challenge for myself and co-workers because of language barriers, however, there were ways around this challenge. For example, we had a language line, which enabled you to be able to talk directly with the guest. The language line was connected to a phone and each person would be on one end. You would talk into the phone and the language line would translate your words into the target language and vice versa. The language line was a beneficial tool for interacting with guests on a personalized level. Another way we could combat the language barrier was through multilingual staff.

If you work for the Walt Disney World and speak another language, in addition to English, you can take an oral examination to demonstrate your abilities in the other language. Upon passing the examination, you receive a new name tag that notes the other languages you speak. For example, I took the exam for French and after passing I received a new name tag that said “Français” on it. The language being noted on the name tag is a way to let non-native English speakers know that they have the option to speak in their native language, if that is more comfortable for them. Speaking in someone's native language with them demonstrates that an extra effort was given to make the guest comfortable and demonstrates a sense of respect for his or her culture as well. This ensures the guest that their individual need will be tended to and that the company aims high to make the guest feel more welcome in an unknown environment.

Hospitality is such a crucial element in the tourism industry for both the guest and the company. By making the guest comfortable and at home, the guest feels secure and is more likely to return, which will generate future income for the company. At the same time, tourism and hospitality are more than just producing an income. It is an opportunity to showcase different places and cultures, demonstrating what makes them unique and travel worthy.


By Rita Cain

Article Published by Italian Professor Chiara De Santi

Cultura e Comunicazione         

Chiara De Santi, Visiting Assistant Professor at Fredonia, has published an article in the journal “Cultura e Comunicazione” [Culture and Communication] about the linguistic awareness of native speakers trapped between standard Italian and their local dialect, where she analyzes the case of Tuscany, Italy. Why does this case matter?

Tuscany, Italy

While standard Italian and Tuscan have never been identical, they always have been similar, sufficiently so that speakers sense no distinct boundary between the two. Nowadays speakers are in fact trapped between standard Italian and dialect, and often a Tuscan is unable to discern if he/she is speaking Italian or a register of his/her local dialect. Moreover, the dialect is changing over time in a process that can be viewed as either an “Italianization” of Tuscan or a “Tuscanization” of Italian. The character of this change is of interest in the study of language convergence and language death.

In her article, De Santi introduces the Tuscan dialect, before presenting the first phase of field research, which seeks to establish the linguistic awareness and self-awareness of speakers in a Tuscan town. With the interview of nine “old” speakers (O) and five “young” speakers (Y), the data offer important insights into the perception of speakers and reveal apparent-time evidence of real-time change. The outcomes demonstrate differences between the O and Y groups, mostly in their perception of phonological forms (while the O group shows almost no awareness of the phonological forms that characterize Tuscan, the Y group displays greater awareness) and registers (again, the Y group demonstrates greater ability than the O group to identify which kind of register needs to be used in certain situations, i.e. in formal or informal situations). However, in the case of the lexicon, both groups have difficulty deciding whether lexemes belong to Italian or to Tuscan, though both groups are aware that Tuscans today speak differently from the past, rendering the dialect “more Italian.”

The article has been brought to the attention of linguists Thomas Cravens (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Luciano Giannelli (University of Siena, Italy) and Neri Binazzi (University of Florence, Italy).

Chiara De Santi. “La coscienza linguistica dei parlanti nativi tra italiano e dialetto: il caso toscano [The Linguistic Awareness of Native Speakers between Italian and the Dialect: The Tuscan Case].” In Cultura e Comunicazione Vol. V/6 (2015): 10-15, 52.

International Coffee Break Making Connections Over a "Cup of Joe"

Coffee Break!

Each Wednesday at 4:00 PM International Student Service's Jacob Czelusta brings International students and American students together for an hour (plus) for coffee, treats, good conversation and new friendships. The "Coffee Break"'s are held in the William's Center room S226B, commonly known as the Global Connections Lounge. All students are welcome and it's a great time to relax and take a break from the busy week every student has, regardless of their nationality. Students come together and drink the "college-kid fuel" of coffee and/or tea.










Coffee Break is every Wednesday for the semester at 4:00 PM,  unless otherwise noted on the Office of International Education's website or Calendar of Events posted in the Global Connections Lounge.

It is important for all people to expand their International knowledge and this weekly scheduled time is the perfect opportunity to do so.
So take a break, drink something warm and energizing, and get to know our incredible International students we are lucky to have at Fredonia!

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.