IU grad studies abroad, sees US in new light

Many IU students have decided to bolster their educational resume and cultural awareness, and appease their sense of adventure by taking part in overseas study programs administered by the IU Office of Overseas Study. \nDavid Wisnieski graduated in December of 2002 with a B.S. and B.A. after traveling abroad to both Australia and South Africa.\nPaige Weting, an overseas study adviser, said Europe is still one of the most popular regions to study abroad, but other regions, including Africa, are becoming more popular.\nWisnieski studied at the University of Cape Town from February to June of 2002. He said he wanted to be part of the program because it offered support such as homestays and programming directors that allowed him to maximize his experience in a country ravaged by apartheid.\nWisnieski said many of his experiences came from interacting in social and learning environments directly with South African students. As part of his curriculum he took part in discussion sessions where he learned to understand the perspective of the underdeveloped world.\nBut not only did studying abroad give Wisnieski a perspective on the social outlook of a third world nation, it also gave him a glance at ethnic diversity. \n"They had different ethnic backgrounds which exposed me to the diversity of South Africa," Wisnieski said. "I was able to learn about their political opinions and what they wanted for their society."\nThose political opinions include a negative view on several stances taken by the United States in its foreign policy.\n"The South Africans expressed concern over America's position in nuclear proliferation because the U.S. has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, and has not reduced the number in spite of treaties," he said.\nWisnieski said he feels this notion is part of the reason why countries outside the United States are hesitant about the current situation with Iraq. In these discussion groups, Wisnieski said he was the only American and was curious about discussions of "Americanization," which is the spread of American culture into other countries.\nThe discussion topics ranged from competing with multi-national corporations, to the concept of a free market economy.\nKathleen Sideli, associate director for the Office of Overseas Study, said many students view the United States in a new light when they travel overseas.\n"It is my experience, after working in this field for the past 24 years, that most students who study abroad for a semester or a year begin to view the U.S. quite differently," Sideli said. "It is inevitable, given the fact that they're viewing the U.S. for the first time from the outside rather than the inside. I believe the experience causes students to reevaluate some things they've always taken for granted." \nAfter the semester closed, Wisnieski left South Africa and toured other African nations including Zimbabwe where he lived with a family and watched its recent election.\n"I better understand the problems underdeveloped nations face, and how they see world issues," he said. "I was able to see how such a diverse nation functions, and how they deal with a troubled past."\nFor more information about study abroad programs, contact the IU Office of Overseas Study in Franklin Hall Room 303.