Modern Languages Newsletter

FOREIGN – EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER

Department of Modern Languages at Ohio Northern University

Study Abroad: Nicole Amadon in Paris, France Jennifer Radomski in Pau, France Mandi Dodson in Morocco Elizabeth Hohner in Costa Rica Faculty Activities Dr. Roseanna Dufault and Dr. Mary Kempen Travels Abroad

Asian Studies Chiu-yi Lin and Mami Ito

Spring 2010

Paris, France

By Nicole Amadon, a third-year pharmacy and French major from Wadsworth, Ohio

Last summer, I had the opportunity to study for one month at l’Institut Catholique de Paris in Paris, France. I decided to study in Paris because this city has so many things to offer, and I wanted to take as many excursions as possible. I lived in the suburb called Levallois with a host and another American student. Living with a host instead of in the dorms definitely helped me to improve my ability to converse in French. Our apartment was only a 20-minute metro ride from the center of Paris, so it was far enough to avoid much of the congestion, but still close enough that I did not have an unreasonable commute each day.

I enjoyed being immersed in the Parisian lifestyle, from taking the metro all around the city to visiting several museums and monuments to walking down side streets just to see where they would take me. I found many unique shops while walking around with friends, and we never had to worry about walking too far because, with all of the metro lines running through Paris, we were never far from a metro stop that could take us anywhere we wanted to go. Of course, I visited the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, but my visit to the catacombs was so cool – it’s a two-kilometer bone-collection landmark of approximately six million Parisians who died during the 18th and 19th centuries. There are also many street musicians, and sometimes the metro ride would include someone playing the violin or the accordion. My favorite thing about Paris was not visiting the Eiffel Tower, but rather eating a fresh baguette from a local boulangerie and enjoying French wine.

The food was very good, although I was not brave enough to try escargot (snails).

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My study-abroad program offered excursions on the weekends, and my favorite excursion was the trip to Normandy. Spending time on the beaches watching kart races was fun, but it was also very humbling to spend time in the American cemetery. I learned about some World War II events from a French perspective, which added some interesting details about the war literally being in someone’s backyard. It was really neat to visit an old battlefield and see how well the country has preserved the landscape for more than 60 years.

Paris is a reasonably safe city, considering its size and population. No unfortunate events happened to the students in my group, and we had no problems staying out past midnight because all of the locals had things to do.

The mentality toward tourists has changed over the years, and some of the French are friendly toward Americans, which was a stereotype I was warned about before I left for my trip.

I definitely want to go back to France and explore the southern part of the country, which I did not see when I was overseas last summer. Of course, a trip to France would not be complete without a visit to Paris, and I already know what I would like to do when I have the opportunity to go back.

Pau, France

By Jennifer Radomski, a senior French and international theatre production major from Gahanna, Ohio

I believe that everyone should be required to study abroad! Based on my experience here in Pau (pronounced “poe”), a small city in southwest France, I don’t think there is any better way to learn who you really are and what it means to be a citizen of the world.

Because the United States of America is so large, with so many interesting and diverse places, the rest of the world can be very easily ignored. It still surprises me every time I think about the fact that the country of France is smaller than the state of Texas. Since European countries are similar to the size of our states, and also due to discounted student rates, I have been able to travel all over France and throughout the rest of Europe as well. I have thus far been able to visit Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Spain as well as French cities Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Limoges, Bayonne and, of course, Paris.

I enjoyed the experience of living with a host family during the fall semester, which was a wonderful opportunity. I was able to learn and experience firsthand what it means to be French. I learned the most through meals, which is really the best way to experience a different culture. My two favorite meals were the Thanksgiving dinner my friends and I cooked for my host parents and the three-hour lunch that took place after my host parents got married.

That meal was particularly interesting because they are only slightly older than my parents and have two daughters about the same age as my younger sister and

me; however, they had never been married. This struck me as incredibly French. When I asked about it, they laughingly replied (in French of course), “Well, we’ve been together for almost 30 years now, so we figured it was safe to get married!”

The culture shock that I have experienced is not as extreme as I had expected. It occurs mostly in the little day-to-day things, such as going to the grocery store.

I often find myself walking up and down certain aisles several times, staring at the products, hoping with each pass that they will suddenly make sense to me.

I hope desperately that I choose what I actually want and won’t be disappointed when I arrive home and open it. Another difficult thing to get used to was all of the striking, which I have been told is the national sport of France. I have witnessed a few post office strikes, several from the transportation industry (buses and trains), as well as a student strike at the high school that took place for three consecutive Wednesdays.

I am also constantly in awe of how old things are here.

The oldest buildings we see on a daily basis in the U.S. were built in the 1800s, whereas Pau is home to the castle (or château) where King Henry IV was born.

Even if you’re not a history buff, you can absolutely feel the history when you visit places like Roman ruins and medieval cathedrals.

I am so thankful that I have been able to achieve my long-held dream to live abroad. While a year may seem to some like a long time, I cannot express how quickly it has flown by. This experience has certainly had its challenges as well as high points and low points, but I definitely wouldn’t trade anything for this opportunity to explore the world.

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Learning and Living in Morocco

By Mandi Dodson, senior French and criminal justice major from Amherst, Ohio

Studying abroad had been a goal of mine since high school, but it wasn’t until fall 2007 that I really committed to the decision. I wanted to visit a less-traveled location, and I needed classes to fulfill my French major.

After much searching on the Internet, I finally found the perfect program for me through the University of Virginia (UVa). UVa’s program in Morocco included three courses taught in French and extensive travel.

It wasn’t until I was waiting in New York that I started to become nervous about spending six weeks with people I didn’t know and who were not even from Ohio Northern. I was happy to find out that, although the majority of the 30-some students were from UVa, they, too, were strangers for the most part. Unlike ONU, most of students had never studied French together and were just as unfamiliar with each other as I was. I was also very lucky to have two great roommates throughout the trip. We all began as strangers but grew closer as we spent more and more time with each other.

I can’t speak for other programs, but the schoolwork with UVa’s program was not something that could be neglected. UVa students told me stories from other people who have studied abroad and that they partied all night and sat through classes without worrying about participation or homework. We joked about how we didn’t know we were in for such a rigorous schedule, but despite the hard work, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. In addition to classes, we also became involved in activities such as belly-dancing classes and surfing.

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Every weekend, we traveled to different locations in Morocco. This wasn’t just sightseeing, as we were often given tours and presentations from different organizations. We visited a village and learned about a government loan program to help families purchase cows and hopefully increase their income. Another program helped children and young men and women by providing schooling, counseling and job training. We also toured a facility to help disabled people produce sellable goods such as blankets and clothing. During our travels, we experienced the colorful markets, were showered with Moroccans’ incredible hospitality, helped schools by donating supplies, and spread cheer to kids by giving them lots of candy.

My time in Morocco taught me how to cook with a toaster oven, to always pack a pair of sneakers, and that friends can be made anywhere in the world. As I prepare to apply for another study abroad, I’m revisiting the nervousness of traveling without friends, but then I remember how much I learned in Morocco. Staying home may be comfortable, but exploring other countries and getting to know others from around the world is a life-changing experience. To read more about my travels in Morocco, feel free to send me an e-mail or visit my journal at koreanprincess11.xanga.com/weblog/

Experiencing life in San Jose, Costa Rica Elizabeth Hohner, a third-year pharmacy and Spanish major from Rochester Hills, Mich.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to study abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica. During the four weeks I was there, I not only took classes, but also was able to travel around the country and experience the natural wildlife and exquisite culture.

While in Costa Rica, I stayed with a host family, which was a wonderful experience. Upon arriving, I learned that they did not speak any English, which was slightly intimidating, but turned out to be a wonderful learning experience. I was able to translate for my roommate, who spoke no Spanish when she arrived, and this interaction helped my Spanish to improve greatly.

Mama Tica not only opened up her home, but also shared her life and family with me. One afternoon, she took my roommate and me out into the country to visit her family and see their homes and farms. Here, I was able to truly experience the rural life and culture of Costa Rica.

Every person we met opened their doors and arms and shared a little piece of their life, whether it was a story about their home or even just a cup of coffee.

Every weekend, we were able to participate in excursions throughout the country. My favorite was to Monteverde Rain Forest, where we were able to experience the natural beauty of Costa Rica.

This excursion consisted of hiking in the Monteverde

Cloud Forest Reserve, which provided endless amazement in the natural beauty, and participating in a zip-line tour in the rain forest, which was a new and thrilling experience.

As a double major in pharmacy and Spanish, I chose the program in Costa Rica for the Spanish program offered at the University of Veritas for health care professionals. This program emphasized not only the special set of vocabulary that is involved in utilizing Spanish as a health care professional, but also the cultural norms and aspects that may arise in the field of practice. As a class, we learned many of the natural home remedies used by the Costa Rican people. We not only were taught these in the classroom, but also had the opportunity to question other students at the university about what remedies they found most useful and go to the local market to find many of the commonly used herbs and plants. In addition to learning about the importance of this alternative approach to medicine in the Costa Rican culture, we had the opportunity to practice patient counseling with Costa Ricans from the area.

This study abroad experience was one of the best experiences in so many different areas. I greatly improved my Spanish, created many new and lasting friendships, and learned to love a new and extraordinary culture.

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Faculty Activities Travels Abroad

By Dr. Tom Finn, professor of French and Spanish

Traveling abroad to maintain linguistic aptitude and remain abreast of international issues is a regular component of foreign language educators at ONU, and this year proved no exception. During May and June 2009, Dr. Thomas Finn was able to travel to England, Germany and France to sharpen his language skills and renew old friendships. Despite these efforts, relations remain good among all the countries he visited, and he was able to enjoy the generous hospitality of friends who live there. Taking advantage of a few sunny days in England, he toured the Globe Theatre in London and visited a studyabroad site in Oxford. In Germany, friends were kind enough to show him the Franconia wine region and shared some of the fine fare that draws many tourists each year. In France, he split his short time there between Paris and the bustling metropolis of Morangles, just north of the capital, where he enjoyed the conviviality of long-time companions.

In March 2010, his travels took him to Spain to visit several study-abroad sites. He was privileged to see the center in Alicante, on the southeastern Mediterranean coast. Although most of his time was taken up with meetings, he did find time for sightseeing and for touring the university campus.

He also had the opportunity to reacquaint himself with Madrid, where he managed to squeeze in a visit to the Prado museum between meetings and visits to the study-abroad site at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. His final stop was Bilbao, where the deluge of meetings was not enough to daunt his efforts to break free and see the breathtaking Guggenheim Museum. He was also able to inspect the same facilities used by ONU students when they study at the University of the Basque Country, take a chilly walk along the beach and see a former Spanish colleague who now makes Bilbao her home. Talks with this colleague and others helped Dr. Finn update his knowledge of contemporary Spanish life.

When asked if such endeavors to help colleagues experience life outside of Ada, Ohio, were worthwhile, the modern languages faculty member responded, “Yes, yes they are.”

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Dr. Roseanna Dufault

Dr. Roseanna Dufault has two trips to Montreal planned this spring. She will present a paper on Haitian-Canadian author Marie-Célie Agnant at the Northeast Modern Language Association meeting in April and then serve as a delegate at the International Council for Canadian Studies annual general meeting in May. Two articles on Haitian authors will appear in forthcoming anthologies: “La poursuite de la justice dans Un Alligator nommé Rosa de Marie-Célie Agnant” In Paroles et silences chez Marie-Célie Agnant. Mémoires et oublis d’Haïti.

Edited by Colette Boucher and Thomas C. Spear.

“Edwidge Danticat’s Pursuit of Justice in Brother, I’m Dying” In Re-Conceiving Hispaniola Edited by Robert McCormick.

Dr. Mary Kempen

In June, Dr. Mary Kempen presented a paper, “Ser padre y patriota en Zaragoza y Gerona,” at the Ninth Congreso Internacional Galdosiano in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. At this quadrennial conference, Kempen was able to meet some of the most renowned scholars in Europe and the Americas who work on the literature of Benito Pérez Galdós. Her paper will be included in the proceedings of this conference, which will be made available electronically through the Internet and a CD-ROM. In December, she presented “Imperial Loss and Preservation in Confusio’s Conquests in the Fourth Series of Episodios Nacionales” to the Modern Language Association at the annual national convention in Philadelphia, Pa. During fall quarter, Kempen taught Business Spanish for the first time. This class explored cultural practices in the Hispanic business world as well as vocabulary useful for conducting business in Spanish.

This year, she also advised students as they founded a new Spanish Club, and she looks forward to working with them as they continue to plan activities and conversation opportunities.

Asian Studies Chinese and Japanese Instruction

For the past two years, the Department of Modern Languages has had the pleasure of hosting two teaching assistants, Chiu-yi Lin for Chinese and Mami Ito for Japanese. Available to us on a twoyear basis through the ALLEX program for Chinese and Japanese, Mami and Chiu-yi have taught the first- and second-year courses in their respective languages and overseen the growth of these two fledgling programs, all while earning what is, for them, a second BA (in international studies). We will certainly miss them and are grateful for the foundation they have laid, one on which we hope to build. Along those lines, the department is happy to be able to offer both Chinese and Japanese in 2010-11 with an experienced instructor for Chinese, Heling Johns, and a new teaching assistant from ALLEX for Japanese, Saki Morikawa. First-year courses will again be available, and a small but dedicated group of students will be able to study these languages at the second-year level.

Chiu-yi Lin

Mami Ito

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