- FAQs for Race & Ethnicity
What experiences might a minoritized student encounter abroad?
Black Americans often have to deal with the stereotypical notions of African Americans as rap and hip-hop artists, gangsters, and athletes (the three most commonly cited perceptions of African Americans in foreign countries).
You may find that host cultures react very different to your identity, and students of color frequently cite political incorrectness as something they were unprepared for.
You may get very direct questions about your race, ignorant remarks, curious stares. People may even want to touch your skin or hair, or you may enjoy celebrity status, with locals wanting to take pictures with you.
While this bluntness may be challenging at first, students have shared how it often leads to surprisingly open dialogues about race and ethnicity.
Conversely, you may find yourself in a country where race is not discussed very much at all, which can bring about its own range of challenges.
What is "racial fatigue"?
During your time abroad, there may be a point where you become tired of always having to serve the representative for your race, your ethnicity, and tired of the stares, the ignorant comments, and the need to constantly explain American expectations around race.
What can I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed?
Navigating racial/ethnic identities abroad can be frustrating, confusing, and tiring. But there is support available. Seek out help from your program staff, who are more often than not natives to your host culture and can help you navigate local norms and expectations, also when it comes to race.
Connect with student groups at Swarthmore and abroad, and try to reach out to peers on your program. Reach out to campus resources such as the Black Cultural Center at Swarthmore.
Where can I find further reading/resources on race and ethnicity abroad?
Where can I find narratives that share others' first-hand experiences?
- Living in China and Taiwan as a Black Woman (external blog)
- FAQs for LGBTQ+
How do I navigate being “out” or “closeted” abroad?
If you are “out” at home, reflect on what it means to leave behind a support system of friends and family.
Asserting your LGBTQ+ identity abroad has been described by some as a second "coming out." Are you ready to go through that experience in a different cultural context?
How will you re-establish your identity overseas? Similarly, think about how open you want to be about your sexual / gender identity while studying abroad.
If you plan to study in a country that does not support LGBTQ+ individuals, are you willing and able to suppress that part of your identity? To what extent will this affect your study abroad experience?
What are the laws, and will I be treated differently as a foreigner?
It is important to research and understand the customs and attitudes, as well as the laws of your host country so that you know how to feel comfortable and be safe.
The laws of the host county may either be more supportive of their LGBTQ+ citizens than in the U.S., or less so, and often the same attitudes extend to visitors.
In several countries consensual same-sex sexual activity has been criminalized, and penalties could be severe. This map visualizes sexual orientation laws.
What in-country resources are available before/during my program?
Speaking with local program staff about local norms and attitudes is a great way to feel supported, along with seeking a community of locals with similar identities.
Where can I find further reading/resources for LGBTQ+ students abroad?
- FAQs for Heritage
What are some benefits to being a heritage student abroad?
Research has shown that for most students, studying abroad in a country where they share a racial or ethnic identity with the majority was a very positive experience. The shared connection and different national identities often lead to stimulating conversations and rich learning opportunities.
What are some challenges to being a heritage student abroad?
Before arriving, you may have expected to feel a deep connection with the local culture, but instead you might feel like an outsider, be regarded as one, or both.
Due to your physical appearance or native-sounding name, your hosts may hold you to a different standard than other students on your program. You may be criticized by locals for not speaking the local language fluently enough or for not picking up on all the socio-cultural clues.
People in your host country may not always understand your experience as a minority in the U.S.
Some heritage students have described how they are sometimes made to feel like they are "not American enough" when in the U.S., and not "local" enough when abroad.
What can I do to prepare?
As a heritage seeker, one of the best things you can do is to enter the country with an open mind, and prepare for your experience.
Reflect on how you might react if you find something to be offensive. Think about what it means to you to suddenly be part of a majority abroad, when you might be used to being part of the minority at home.
Is there one "real" or ideal experience?
Even on the same program, there can be other heritage students whose experience(s) could be very different from yours.
To share her own experiences, Swarthmore student Maria Valadez Ingersoll '20 authored this insightful, personal account about what it meant to study abroad in Mexico as a heritage student.
Where can I find further reading/resources for heritage students abroad?
- FAQs for Religion
What are some hidden benefits of faith-based community-building?
For many students, connecting with their faith community abroad has been a great way of establishing meaningful relationships abroad. It can also help to provide support when most of your support system is likely back in the U.S. or your home country.
How can I continue my religious practices safely?
Before you go, consider your host country's religious tolerance. Is it safe for you to wear religious symbols and/or clothing openly? Will you be part of a majority or minority religion, and might that be different from what you are used to in the U.S. or in your home country? How accepting is your host culture of agnosticism and atheism?
If you plan to practice your religion abroad, ask your program staff where you can do so safely.
Why is it important to learn about religion(s) in your host country?
Whether or not you consider yourself a religious person, it is good practice to research the dominant religion in your host country, especially if you are largely unfamiliar with its beliefs and practices.
You should also find out if there are laws regarding religions or religious practice, and whether or not the government and religion are separated.
Even if you do not practice the dominant religion in your host country, you may find yourself participating in cultural events that are tied to religion, so you should know how to do so respectfully.
Where can I find further reading/resources on religious practice abroad?
- FAQs for FLI Studnets
Where do I start?
A good first step is to talk to your peers, your advisors, a SAM, or study abroad alumni at Swarthmore. There may be many aspects of study abroad that seem daunting, but GEO is with you every step of the way!
How can I afford to study abroad?
If you're concerned about financing an off-campus study program, please check out Money Matters for many scholarship opportunities, as well as specific information about costs.
Your financial aid applies normally for the semester/year abroad, and Global Engagement covers many extras, from a round-trip flight from Philly-host city, to local transportation, to visa fees and health insurance abroad.
Personal travel comes at an additional expense, but there are many programs with built-in travel. Your GEO advisor can assist in finding those programs if travel outside the host country is important to you.
How do I explain my plans to my family?
If you are the first in your family or social circle to study abroad, there may be questions about the validity of your plans. They may think study abroad is a glorified vacation, or they may be concerned that you are putting yourself in harm's way. It could be helpful to point them some of the information provided by Global Engagement such as “Information for Parents and Guardians”, “Global Safety”, and “Health for Semesters Abroad.” Swat FLI can also be a resource.
Where can I find further reading/resources on FLI students abroad?
- FAQs on Disability & Access
Will I have the same protections and rights for my disability abroad?
It is important to know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a U.S. federal law and does not necessarily apply abroad.
That being said, many international universities and programs do have disability services and at times can provide accommodations.
How can I ensure my needs can be met?
It is best to plan in advance and discuss your plan to study abroad early on. GEO advisors can work with you to identify if there may be factors that make a specific location more challenging than others.
Before/during your time abroad, you will need to be proactive regarding your program’s process and timelines. (For example: filing dates to request extra time for exams). Well before your program starts, you may need to compile documentation/materials to send to the program.
In preparation for your time abroad, think about how you will answer questions about your disability in the language of your host country - look up key vocabulary words ahead of time. This can also be useful for an Anglophone country!
What support is available?
The Global Engagement Office can work with Swarthmore Student Disability Services and your overseas program to determine what is/isn’t possible based on local realities. External organizations such as Mobility International can be an extremely useful resource when you are gathering information.
Where can I find further reading/resources on disability and access?
- MIUSA Tip Sheet: Preparing to Go Abroad with a Disabilty
- MIUSA Personal Story: Finding Strength in Identify (wheelchair user)
- MIUSA Personal Story: The Greatest Gift (neurodiverse)
- MIUSA Personal Story: This Asbergian Life (neurodiverse)
- MIUSA Personal Story: The Right to Fall (visual disability)
"Rethinking Identity Abroad: Studying in Buenos Aires as a blind, bilingual, Salvadoran-American, FLI woman"
