Katie Dul

Crossing Borders Essay

Philosophy on Cross-Cultural Learning
YOLO. You only live once. It has been a phrase that has gotten
some hype within the last few years. Yes, its been overused, and could
pass as a lame excuse to some for doing something dumb, but it
speaks true to the idea that one should enjoy life. Being abroad is a
self-investment. It is a time to discover the world around you, to
discover yourself, meet others, and change you in the best way
possible. People from different cultures bring different things to the
classroom. Cross Cultural learning is an opportunity for the world to
inspire you. Studying abroad does not require a checklist it requires an
open mind and willingness to break down comfort walls so that one
experiences life to the fullest. In my philosophy of cross-cultural
learning youll find I live my life through experiences, memories and
inspiration from quotes.

Travel is the only thing you buy, that makes you

richer.-Unknown. I went into my study abroad experience with no
expectations. It worked for me and I advise the same approach to
people when they ask me questions about my time. I was able to truly
enjoy my travels for what they turned out to be as opposed to what I
thought they would be. There is certain magic to traveling. From the
moment you step on a train or board a plane, you have a destination
but before you actually get there the destination only exists in your
imagination. When you arrive at your destination you stumble into
something new, a different setting that holds endless possibilities to
amaze you. That is what traveling will do for you. It is filled with tons of
adventures in a certain unknown that is worth the mystery of
exploring. These trips and travels will not just be another weekend
booking. It will be instead a ticket to new culture, new history behind
buildings and countries, new people etc. It is those encounters that will
leave lasting impressions and not so much the money value people
place on trips. Whether you have the best of the best or just modest
accommodations, when I studied abroad I came to realize these things
played a minuet role. I did it for the memories.

We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.

Winston Churchill. Cross-cultural learning has so much to offer
because every city, location or destination has its own story. That is

something I loved while abroad. Having studied in Budapest, Hungary

one of the first things I learned was just how important their history
was to them. It shaped so much of what the city and country had come
to be. Unlike the United States where many things have been resettled,
suburbanized, or remodeled the cities I saw held so much of what it
was in the past. They each had their own touch of a modern state it
has come to be today. The architecture of many things was preserved
and the detailing was incredible. There was always a site to behold.
Cross-cultural learning allows you to form your own perspective on
things because you will see things you dont normally see.
I came to realize a month into my time just how real it was to be
living in a city so beautiful. It wasnt just a vacation I was on, but a
temporary move. I needed to take advantage of it all because the city
was my home for the time being. At this point I had been working at
the Ministries of Human Resources. I was normally always an early riser
so that I could make it to work by taking the train or the tram to my
internship located near Parliament. There had been some time when
the tram 2 (my most favorite tram) had been under construction, so
the train was my only option. When they finished construction on the
tram 2, it then became my most preferred means of transportation. I
had the chance to be a part of the hustle and bustle of riding towards
Parliament along the Danube River, with the castle to one side and
amazing concert halls and buildings to my right. The beauty of the

architecture entranced me. And in that sense I have come to

appreciate the words of Winston Churchill because not only has the
shape of our buildings come to impact culture but also has in turn
impacted myself and other visitors. Theres a subtle wisdom these
buildings all boast; with walls filled of history and endless stories.
Therefore, I cannot stress enough that through being aware and
appreciative of ones surroundings one can learn so much.

Travel is at its most rewarding when it ceases to be

about your reaching a destination and becomes
indistinguishable from living your life Paul Theroux. Its
safe to say this quote speaks true to a philosophy of mine I implied
previously. And that is to make the experience about living and
appreciating, not solely going through the motions of traveling to
check countries of your list. Sometimes its something easier said than
done. What I witnessed is that some people travel for the wrong
reasons. We all either consciously or subconsciously have ideal
destinations of travel in mind and wed like to make these trips a
realization. But when these trips are ones that are consumed by a strict

schedule, itinerary or concern of getting everything done, we forget

the element of exploring.
I had a friend that went about study abroad by crossing the top
landmarks, activities and things to see of his checklist. What he failed
to see were the hidden gems you find by walking around and taking a
stroll. To experience cross-cultural learning one has to let go of the
things they know so that they can learn from the things they dont
know about and truly immerse themselves in the beauty of a different
city and culture. You have to notice the people, not just the buildings,
or the attractions. Its about seeing the old men at the market with
their traditional Hungarian slabs of meat and bread alongside a nice
hard drink at lunch, or the gyro men at every corner trying to reel you
in, the campaign rallies, and the sandwich shop that has seen you
come in one to many a times. Ultimately Ive come to find, A

traveler without observation is a bird without wings

-Moslih-Eddin-Saadi. Those who travel without observation lose
touch of forming their own story and learning that of others because no
one story is alike. Just as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie had discussed
how many people have formed a single story about Africa, some truth
about that can be said for other European Countries. Single stories
have formed about how rude and snobby the French are or what heavy
drinkers the Irish are. But these folks have not been able to tell their
own story. She says, The single story creates stereotypes, and the

problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are
incomplete. They make one story become the only story. So become
observant for yourself and let people tell their stories for themselves.
You might find paying attention to what you find out for yourself may
become more valuable than what you think you already know.

You have to taste a culture to understand it.

Deborah Cater. Truer words could not have been spoken. Food was
a constant thought on my radar. I live to eat and taste it all. I can be a
picky person, but when abroad, I push that habit away because eating
is a learning experience in itself. I remember a time I had gone on an
exchange program with a family in Spain. At this point in my life I was
a very picky eater. I knew stepping away from my comfort zone was
going to be an obstacle I faced and as tacky as it sounds sometimes
you have to YOLO the moment so that you reassure yourself to keep
calm and eat on. That is exactly what I did. My host family had
brought me out to an amazing traditional restaurant that was built in

the hills of the land. They brought out an assortment of food, like cows
tongue, curdled blood. These were all foreign foods to me, but very
common on their end. I gave them one instruction, and that was to
avoid telling me what I was eating till after the meal. They did just that
and I ventured out of my comfort zone. I came away with an amazing
experience and a great meal all-together. There will be things one likes
or prefers more than others but you cant hate it till you try it. In trying
all kinds of food you open doors to new flavors and new cultures
because cooking and food make a unique expression of life for the
people of the land. Going to Hungary with some knowledge of the
foods eaten in the country, I had the incredible opportunity to see the
reality of how my father a native Hungarian grew-up.

Learning a different language is not only learning

different words for the same thing but learning another
way to think about things Flora Lewis. I hardly remember
learning Spanish while growing up, but I did and it now comes to me as
a second language. Hungarian on the other hand was a different ball
game. I knew kiscit (little) going into study abroad. But thats the great
thing about knowing nothing; you are given the opportunity to learn so
much. So take advantage! Its something I cant stress enough.
Opportunities dont come around all the time just as how studying
abroad is the experience of a lifetime. You get to meet people within a
program or city from other countries and all walks of life. They bring a

piece of something you didnt know before but through communication

you are given the ability to realize just how similar yet different we all
are. Different words express different feelings. Many people will take
the language for granted and learn the bare minimum. It helps, but
knowing just a little more can help that much more as well. People like
to see you make the effort to get to understand their language or their
culture. Which is why the manner in which you communicate is so vital.
Take for example the word Namaste. It means: I honor the place
in you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place in you in
which is of love, of truth, of light and of peace. When you are in that
place in you and I am in that place in me, we are one; the divine in me,
honors the divine in you. One word can come to mean so much. It
proves the importance of admiring language through cross-cultural
learning. This involved idea of language was not something I had
considered as much until we discussed the debate on the English
language universality in class. Patricia Ryan had said, Languages are
dying at an unprecedented rate. A language dies every 14 days.
Having a universal language can be both good and bad but this is an
alarming idea. To lose languages is to lose a certain aspect of culture.
As I mentioned earlier we must admire those languages. What I did
notice abroad was that many times things were made so easy on those
who spoke English because it was becoming widely taught. In certain
situations we as visitors expected others to communicate with us in

English. This exact attitude is contributing to this lose of languages. We

must in turn take time appreciating their languages, which are so
rooted in the history of their culture.

A camera is a save button for the minds eyes

-Roger Kingston
The memories and experiences you have while studying abroad,
as I mentioned earlier, can change you in the best ways possible. Time
in retrospect is one of the scariest factors to put into play while abroad.
You really want to take advantage of all the time you have to travel
and to live your moments out to the fullest. So document. I find my
mind is in the mode to continuously snap pictures. Many times my love
for taking photos and documenting throughout the day has led to the
nickname, photographer Katie. There are various ways to keep track of
your memories and your time abroad. For myself, it was pictures. I
have always found a beauty in it. Ill snap things as small as a fruit I
ate that day, to a full trip we took that weekend, or selfies around
Europe. My camera always tends to reach capacity after only a couple
of days but the space I make for photos I take are limitless.
Looking back on these photos can transport me right back
to a time, a place, remembering a certain conversation, or event.
Being able to archive those memories in my mind through photos Ive
found to be one of the greatest blessings. As time goes on and study
abroad feels more like a dream than a reality, my memories remain

collectively happy yet fade on details. Therefore, just taking some time
to look back on those photos brings back the best of times.

Ride the wave- Katie Dul

I couldnt tell you who coined this phrase but I know that I have
used it enough times to call it a motto of my own. Throughout my
philosophy on cross-culture learning I hoped to convey a couple quotes
I felt helped frame my experience and my feelings towards it all. Many
times I am at a loss for words as to describe my study abroad
experience because it was that amazing. People will ask me how it
went and I would love to tell them stories, give them details, but those
things get lost in translation when others cant relate. So with that I
think fewer words speaks volumes.
Cross-cultural learning is one many should not miss out on. I
came alive for my entire stay in Europe; more than I ever have at
home. Whatever came my way, whether it be obstacles or adventures
Id tell myself to ride the wave, and it was exactly what I did. If
others got to experience even half of what I got too, it would make our
society a more cultured and well-rounded one. Its not only good for
the mind but the soul. This experience and being able to really dissect
and reflect on it through crossing borders has affirmed my plans of
finding away to work in a global job sector or continue my travels of
seeing so much more.