An authentic global perspective

By Isabelle Fisher, Foreign Language Department Chair & French Teacher, P 20, P 23 ‚ ‚

Thethirst for discovery and adventure is innate in most of us. Historically, travels were driven by all sorts of motivations: the noble ones - to understand and learn; the other less noble - to get rich, to civilize, to convert. Though today, why do most of us like to travel? What is it that we are aiming to discover through traveling? And most importantly, how does traveling impact oneself and shake up the outlook on the world and our relationship with others?

In “Les Lettres Persanes” written in 1721, Montesquieu draws a portrait of two Persians introducing themselves to the French aristocracy. Their foreign perception gives a sometimescomic tone, in any case ironic, to the story. The two main characters are astonished, do not understand, and are amused by French customs and institutions of that era. Their viewpoint reverses our usual relationship to the world: the most banal fact becomes surprising when seen by a stranger. This distance created makes it possible to call into question the validity of customs and usages and thus, undermine certainties.

Montesquieu’s work is timeless. Immersing oneself in an unknown place is inevitably the best way to understand who we are, where we come from, and to develop humbleness. And that is exactly how the journey begins, whether you are learning a language or not.

Our students in residence, mostly here to perfect and to develop their understanding of our culture and our language, are certainly well aware of this reality. On several occasions, I witnessed students consult their translation application to be sure they were following the topic, either in a classroom setting, or with fellow students. For that reason, our students whose mother tongues are French, Spanish, or Mandarin often find refuge in our language department because they miss the mere fact of being able to express themselves easily in their own language. They confide in us that they are struggling and missing certain aspects of their daily life (the food being most certainly a predominant aspect!). They see in us a genuine understanding of what it is like to be an expatriate, and to speak, every day, a language that isn’t theirs.

If you have never traveled or lived abroad, comprehending these challenges is difficult. Those obstacles could seem small in the eyes of our Western culture whose perception of traveling is indeed much connected with wealth. But in the eyes of our students, some of whom have fled wars, dictatorships, and so on, education is not only part of life, but it is a must.

I have been in Buffalo for over 10 years, and I have made many friends. But still today, if I walk down the street and I hear some of my FrenchCanadian compatriots, I will naturally reach out. Connecting to our roots is deeply ingrained in us, especially abroad. This strong desire for connection is most probably driven by some sort of loneliness.

It is not easy to leave the comfort of one’s family to settle several thousand miles from home to either perfect a language, or to live a cultural experience, but it is precisely by doing so that a world of discovery opens.

Our students in residence hail from China, Korea, Guatemala, Germany, Bahamas, Kenya, Spain, France and more. It is by rubbing shoulders with them that our American students are witnessing the impact of what life abroad means. It is also through their gaze, just like Montesquieu’s characters, that we understand that our American culture and traditions are not superior or better to any others. Instead, having students from all over the world makes us humble about who we are, curious about the world we live in, and most importantly, respectful towards each other.

SEM understands the value of welcoming foreign students. It generates, in return, a desire for exploring. Through contact with students from all over the world, our students also want to see what it is like to be a foreigner themselves. Traveling is an important aspect of our curriculum at SEM. Unfortunately, the pandemic obliged us to pause our trips, but we are now back at it, and we will attempt to make this happen every year. We want our students to explore and to embrace the world we live in. This year, our sophomores renewed the opportunity to leave on an eightweek study program in Australia. We also reopened our exchange program with French families during Spring Break to allow our students to improve their speaking skills and to embrace the lifestyle.

Furthermore, we reestablished our Spanish educational trip, this year’s destination to Cuba, to allow our language learners to take risks in speaking the language outside the classroom. In addition to our group travel, we also had a senior who decided to perfect her French for two months in Normandy, and last year, a junior did the same thing in Sevilla, Spain. Our Flex program allows this avenue. SEM strongly encourages and allows our students to have a unique overseas experience and fully embrace it.

Whether our students come to SEM to board, or travel to improve a language skill or to live a cultural experience, in welcoming a global commnunity we develop a rare quality: altruism. Our collaborations with various schools around the world offer this possibility of openness to develop compassion, humanism, respect, and philanthropy.

Cultural exchanges may be intimidating, yet they inevitably generate the precious gift of long-lasting self-knowledge, and consequently a better understanding of the world around us and the citizens we meet daily.

Montesquieu’s timeless work is still relevant today. A stranger’s perception of our culture and tradition is just as pertinent as the one we have on the others’ when we explore. No judgment. No preeminence. Just a genuine purpose for discovery, for learning, and for growth. And that is how the journey could truly begin. Bon voyage! •