Bella Patton, Campus Carrier features editor
Ava Jarrell, Campus Carrier asst. features editor
The various study abroad opportunities Berry offers allow students and faculty the opportunity to explore the world and interact with people from different cultures. These trips range from lasting a week over spring break or a month over summer to an entire semester overseas. No matter where they go, students come home reflecting on the different lifestyles of these countries compared to life in United States. Travelers also find different perceptions of Americans outside of the States, both positive and negative.
One trip over spring break was the Berry Singers’ visit to Portugal. Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Music Paul Neal described the choir’s experience with the Portuguese locals and how they felt as American tourists abroad. Overall, Neal felt that they were warm, friendly and open to Americans. He said that the exchange time with the University of Porto’s chamber choir was one of the highlights of their interactions.
“Not only did we share a concert together and sang a few pieces together, but then afterwards, the Berry Singers and the choir from University of Porto went and had dinner together and had just the best time,” Neal said. “They did a great job of interacting with each other.”
Neal found creative ways to encourage students to engage with one another, utilizing activities and items that everyone could appreciate.
“We actually had prepared to help kind of break the ice by all having Berry stickers,” Neal said. “So, I had handed those out before we got there and said, you know, hand these stickers out to these students, and apparently that was a very good icebreaker. It was a really great way for them to get to know each other. Then after dinner, they started playing line dance songs. So, like, they actually had this entire line dance party after dinner.”
Neal mentioned that his choir also spent a lot of time before the trip learning ways to be respectful when traveling. He said that whenever he takes his choir abroad, he tries to prepare them to recognize that Americans interact with each other differently than people in other countries.
“Especially in the last month or so, we were having regular conversations about how to communicate, and I encouraged them to do some Duolingo classes online so that they could learn a little bit of Portuguese, because Portuguese is a difficult language,” Neal said. “It’s not your Spanish, it’s not your French, it’s something completely different. So, learning a few catchphrases, to be able to say thank you and please and those kind of things, we discussed that.”
The choir also recognized that Americans can sometimes be perceived negatively abroad, and they prepared in advance.
“We talked about how just the overall persona of Americans overseas can sometimes be that we’re a little bit loud and obnoxious,” Neal said “So, we talked a little bit about just keeping themselves quieter. I was just really blown away by the Portuguese culture and how they were laid back and relaxed and also just very open to the American experience.”
Neal feels his choir trips abroad are important to open horizons for his students, and his ultimate goal of doing so was met.
“I think, again, because America is such a powerful force in the world, I think it’s also important to realize that we aren’t the only force in the world,” Neal said. “I think that’s one of the things that I hope the students realize is that while America is amazing and is a wonderful place to live, when you go to a foreign country, being respectful of their culture and their ways of life are equally important, and it really helps you put in perspective your own way of life a little bit too.”
In another trip abroad over spring break, a group of BCC 205 students visited Hungary. Freshman Natalie Drosakis, a student on the trip, described her experience with Hungarian locals as positive overall, even with the tense political climate.
“Most Hungarians — from what we learned there and from what I learned in my classes — they are perfectly fine with Americans,” Drosakis said. “I know some of them are frustrated because of gasoline, but overall, they seemed perfectly fine. Though I did have one interesting conversation. Dr. Hall, who we met on the trip, actually told us that she didn’t envy us Americans. I actually kept thinking about that. It’s like, ‘What do you mean?”’
Drosakis also expressed surprise at some Hungarians during their trip being excited about meeting Americans abroad. She described one such experience at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest.
“Before the opera, we decided to take pictures as a group outside,” Drosakis said. “So, we had one picture of just us, and then we had this Italian man come, and he was like, ‘Americans!’ and decided to join our photo and take a picture with us on his phone. So, now we have our own picture circulating wherever he goes.”
Drosakis said that her class also spent time discussing etiquette and being respectful while traveling. This included things such as keeping their voices down while in the group or on public transportation.
Professors from abroad have a unique perspective on how Americans are viewed worldwide as well. Nichols Professor of French Vincent Grégoire moved to the United States forty years ago while pursuing a PhD at Rutger’s University. He had a good experience moving to the United States but recognized his position as much easier than that of some of his friends and colleagues.
“I enjoyed my experience very much,” Grégoire said, “But I remember that it was not easy for some of my friends. It was the beginning of AIDS, less money was spent on social issues, etcetera, but the political life was definitely less polarized than it is now.”
As an immigrant, Grégoire has an outside perspective how Americans perceive other countries and how those perceptions have even been weaponized in recent years.
“To me, the ambiance in this country started changing more than ten years ago when Donald Trump thought of running for president,” Grégoire said. “He expressed doubt that candidate Barak Obama was not born an American and belittled former Senator John McCain because he had been taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese.”
Though the students and faculty on these study abroad trips may not actively engage in xenophobic behavior, it is important to be aware of cultural differences when traveling. With Americans becoming more divided on issues of immigration, Grégoire explained that a diligent respect and interest for other cultures is key when visiting other countries and can add to a positive perception of Americans abroad.
“Regarding Americans visiting other countries, I think that they are mostly perceived in a positive way,” Grégoire said. “They are interested in exploring other places, and as a result, up to a certain point, ready to get out of their comfort zone. Though Americans may be by and large given a positive light, it remains important for them to act with honesty and transparency, as discussions and questions of American politics will invariably be discussed.”
Grégoire further highlighted the importance of Americans being educated and ready to answer questions about the United States’ political situation abroad.
“If they spend an extensive period of time [abroad], they have to be ready to answer questions about what is going on in the US,” Grégoire said. “The French are generally quite interested in politics and want to understand what is happening abroad. Americans going abroad have to do their ‘homework.’ Read about the countries and cultures they are going to visit, learn basic expressions to be polite and not take these countries and cultures for granted.”