Studying Abroad and Giving Back

By Mary Lou Forward, Bradley Rink, and Diane Robinson
This article was printed in Abroad View magazine fall 2005

If your study abroad program does not have a formal service-learning component, there are still ways you can positively engage with your host community:

CHOOSE YOUR COMMUNITY WISELY Study abroad programs are typically immersed in several communities simultaneously, or with different communities at different points of the program. Selecting a community to work with should entail more than preferences—you should also consider the type and mission of the program or university, the needs of the community, and how much time you have. Working through the program or university to the greatest extent possible will help you refine your possibilities. Finding and establishing a relationship with a community leader will be an important first step.

DETERMINE YOUR PARAMETERS Consider your own expectations and those of the community and whether the engagement will be formal or informal. For example, you may choose to work with a community’s elderly residents, volunteer to supervise a community playground, or get involved with an already active student group on campus. For any of these, you could commit to participate for a set amount of time or be “on-call.”

FOLLOW THROUGH Once the community and type of engagement has been decided, you should make sure the experience is working for everyone. Checking back with your main contact in the community, as well as others with whom you are working, will make them feel like you are genuinely concerned. Check in with yourself, as well, to make sure you are getting what you hoped from the experience. If anyone is not satisfied, have a discussion to plan for improvement.

UNDERSTAND YOUR GOALS What are your personal goals for studying abroad? What are the goals of your program? The answers to these two questions and understanding the broader purpose of engaging with your host community are critical to the ultimate success of your study abroad experience.

FOLLOW YOUR PRINCIPLES There are a number of strategies that you can follow in order to make the most out of your experience with host communities. One possible strategy comes from the four core principles of Service-Learning itself: 1) Engagement; 2) Reflection; 3) Reciprocity; and 4) Public Dissemination. In other words, ensure that you are making meaningful connections with your community; take time to think about these interactions and the learning that comes from them; find ways for your community to also benefit from your presence; and tell your story to the world so that your learning experience gets shared with others.

PREPARE YOURSELF Wherever your study abroad experience takes you, and for whatever length of time, preparation is key. Researching local issues, including cultural, safety, and health considerations, can have a huge impact on the time it takes you to open yourself up to learning.

AN EXAMPLE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Like education itself, the ways in which you engage with and learn from local communities can take shape through both formal and informal educational activities.

Students on the School for Field Studies (SFS) programs, for example, are required not only to partake of the more formal, credit-bearing aspects of community-based research; they are also required to participate in less formal areas of community integration through activities such as teaching English, environmental clean-ups, fundraising for local schools, and hosting and participating in various festivals. Carrie Simon, student affairs manager, SFS Turks & Caicos, Summer 2005, had this to say about the service aspect of the program:

“Saturday morning was filled with many different community outreach opportunities. One group of students went to the disabled center and painted on poster boards with the four men who live there. Another group ventured out by boat to Admirals Aquarium, a snorkel site, and cleaned the underwater snorkel trail that takes you around the reef and teaches you about the coral and fish in the vicinity. The other groups worked on marine-oriented workbook pages for the local school children, and posters and handouts for spaying and neutering of local pets. During the second week of July veterinarians from the U.S. will be on South Caicos providing a free spaying and neutering service for feral and domesticated dogs and cats. This is not only a wonderful service that they are performing, but it is also a great opportunity for the students to provide information to the South Caicos community on the importance of spaying and neutering your pet.”

MARY LOU FORWARD, School for International Training; BRADLEY RINK, Council on International Educational Exchange; and DIANE ROBINSON, The School for Field Studies adapted this article from their 2005 NAFSA Conference presentation.