While I really enjoy teaching German at the university level, and part of me is sad to not teach the whole lower division curriculum, I think moving to this office makes sense for my long term goals.

Doesn’t matter. We should still fight it.

——————————————-

From: Devon XX, FLE PhD Student

1234 XX Rd.

Austin, TX 78703

To: Provost Dr. Steven W. Leslie

The University of Texas at Austin

1 University Station, G1000

Austin, TX 78712-0538

To: Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies ad interim Dr. Judith Langlois

The University of Texas at Austin

VP & Dean of Graduate Studies


110 Inner Campus Drive, Stop G0400

Austin, TX 78712-1710

To: College of Education Dean Dr. Manuel Justiz

Office of the Dean, College of Education

Sanchez Building Room 210

1912 Speedway, Stop D5000

Austin, TX 78712

May 6, 2013

The US needs foreign language educators in order to combat extremism and terrorism.

Dear Dr. Leslie, Dr. Langlois, and Dr. Justiz,

A key objective of foreign language education is to promote intercultural sensitivity. This is especially important for people living in cross-cultural situations, such as students going abroad, or immigrants moving to a new country. These people go through a process of acculturation, in which they are learning to live in a new culture.

Oberg identifies four stages of acculturation:

• Honeymoon stage

• Culture shock stage

• Adjustment stage

• Recovery stage (1960, in Wintergerst & McVeigh 2011).

In the honeymoon stage, everythings seems exciting and great. One is often unaware that deep cultural differences exist. When this euphoria wears off, a person adjusting to a new culture is no longer fascinated by and often experiences problems with cultural differences. This leads to the culture shock stage, in which one is aware of cultural differences and perceives them in a negative light. Causes of culture shock include “the loss of familiar cues, the breakdown of interpersonal communication, and an identity crisis exaggerated by cultural differences” (Weaver 1993, in Wintergerst & McVeigh 2011). In the third stage, one begins adjusting to the new culture, but may still experience difficulties. By the fourth stage, one can appreciate and accept cultural differences while successfully functioning in both cultures. Although this model suggests a clear, linear path, people adjusting to new cultures can go back and forth between stages, depending on their situations, roles, and expectations. Oberg’s model does not suggest giving up one culture in favor of another; rather, this model is additive and encourages adapting to a new culture without giving up one’s own culture.

If individuals get stuck in the culture shock phase, they are at risk for developing avoidance strategies, such as avoiding the host culture and grouping together with other “shocked” individuals and groups from their home cultures (Kohls 1996, Ogden 2007, Vande Berg 2007). These people may become more prone to the influence of extremist groups, who provide them with a new sense of meaning. The confusion of daily life can be replaced by a clear and simple message.

However, confronting problems, reflecting about critical incidents, and dealing with cultural differences are powerful methods with which to progress to the next stage of acculturation. Therefore, it is necessary to move beyond avoidance strategies if one is to develop a cross-cultural competence. Durocher and Mantle-Bromley recommend culture-neutral activities and self-awareness exercises that may be useful first steps for people who are not ready to discuss their own and the target cultures (2007, 1992).

While some individuals can progress through the stages of acculturation and develop intercultural awareness on their own, many benefit from guided reflection. Educators can help people in cross-cultural situations by providing them with scaffolding to reflect on their own experiences in a meaningful way (Wintergerst & McVeigh 2011). Something as simple as asking the right questions can elicit the reflection necessary to make gains in intercultural sensitivity. For example, nudging learners to think about critical incidents from multiple perspectives can help increase their tolerance for ambiguity and allow them to develop cultural empathy (Wintergerst & McVeigh 2011). Individuals can also be encouraged to think about their own culture or cultures in comparison to their host culture, as this self-awareness may first develop when one’s own cultural notions are contrasted with and challenged by another culture.

An article in the Washington Post chronicles the story of two young men who were stuck in the culture shock phase. Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were successfully functioning in US, but acculturation is not a linear process. Financial challenges and family problems apparently led Tamerlan to seek meaning within an extreme practice of Islam. His influence possibly changed his brother, Dzhokhar, very recently. Some individuals can progress through the stages of acculturation on their own. These two young men could have benefited from guided reflection. These two young men could have benefited from a pedagogical intervention provided by graduates of the University of Texas’ graduate program in Foreign Language Education.

Foreign language educators are necessary to help cross-cultural individuals to create meaning in a rapidly changing world. Please reconsider the decision to close UT’s highly regarded graduate program in Foreign Language Education.

I am looking forward to further contact with you and your colleagues. You may reach me through e-mail: “xxx@xxx.edu”.

Sincerely,

(my signature, which I’d rather not publish online)

–

Sources

Durocher Jr., Dennis (2007). Teaching sensitivity to cultural difference in the first-year foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 40(1), 143-160.

Fisher, Marc (2013). The Tsarnaev family: A faded portrait of an immigrant’s American dream. Washington Post, April 27, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/feature/wp/2013/04/27/the-tsarnaev-family-a-faded-portrait-of-an-immigrants-american-dream/

Kohls, L. R. (1996). Survival kit for overseas living (3rd ed.) Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press. In: Wintergerst & McVeigh (2011).

Mantle-Bromley, Corinne (1992). Preparing students for meaningful culture learning. Foreign Language Annals, 25(2), 117-127.

Oberg, K. (1960). Culture shock: Adjustment to new cultural environments. Practical Anthropology, 7, 177-182. In: Wintergerst & McVeigh (2011).

Ogden, A. (2007). The View from the Veranda: Understanding Today’s Colonial Student. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. Winter 2007, 8, 3.

Vande Berg, Michael (2007). Notes from the Field: Direct Enrollment and the Resident Director. Portland, Maine: CIEE. Web.

Weaver, G. (1993). Understanding and coping with cross-cultural adjustment stress. In R. M. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.

Wintergerst, A. C., & McVeigh, J. (2011). Tips for teaching culture: Practical approaches to intercultural communication. NY: Pearson Longman.

Photo: Lisa Ahrens

First, you need to make sure your learning tools and research equipment are working.

But in the case of equipment failure, you learn to improvise and keep going.

Photo: Peter Voyvodic

Then you get started on group projects. Collaboration with other scholars can be fun and rewarding when everyone has clear expectations, works together, and fulfills their rolls.

Sometimes projects hit snags, but then you renegotiate roles and priorities.

It’s exciting to go to conferences and meet experts in the field.

Left Turn Coaching boot camp in Dallas, TX with trainers Juke Boxx and Demanda Riot

At your best, you succeed at finding a work-life balance while also fulfilling your goals and objectives as a student, researcher, and instructor.

And sometimes you just have to keep pushing and power through a semester without taking a break.

Photo: Peter Voyvodic

This presents the danger of burn out. When everything seems overwhelming, you may feel you lack the ability to succeed.

Sometimes you take on more than is realistically possible. Or you run into institutional snags that seem impossible overcome. For example, it was just announced that my program in Foreign Language Education will be closed. Because of my work commitments, I might actually be the last PhD student this program graduates.

But you learn to take setbacks in stride. You learn to get back up again. You learn to keep going. Because that’s what it takes.

I like it when he’s away. It means I can:

1. clean the house and have it stay clean,
2. jog or do yoga in the mornings,
3. be a workaholic without feeling guilty, and
4. catch up on phone calls to old friends.

But the best part about Elmar traveling without me is when he comes back. See you soon!

2013. Two bombs. No answers.

One of those killed was a Boston University grad student. That student’s day-to-day worries about research, advisors, funding, and work-life balance disappeared. Senselessly. There was a memorial for this student and the other victims today at BU’s Marsh Plaza, where I attended a memorial for the victims of 9/11 back in 2001.

Photo credit, creative commons license

What strikes me the most in reading accounts of what happened is that people ran towards the explosions to help with anticipated injuries. People shared phones, gave away coats, signed up on a google doc to house runners and visitors from out of town.

Tragedies can illustrate the worst in human nature, but also bring out the best.

I love you, Bahston.

Campingplatz Chisos Basin im Big Bend National Park

Kurz nach Mittag bin ich dann hier in Austin losgekommen und bin dann kurz vor Sonnenuntergang um acht am Campingplatz im Big Bend angekommen. Die Nächte waren viel kälter als ich gedacht hatte und mir lieb war. Den nächsten Morgen konnte ich schon alleine wegen der Sonne kaum erwarten. Tags ist es dann über 30 Grad gewesen. Den ersten Tag bin ich zum bekannten Window und anschließend einen Bogen durch die Wüste bis zurück zum Gebirge zu einem Wasserfall gewandert, was fast wie eine Oase war.

Window, der Name sagt´s schon

Kaktus in der Wüste vom Big Bend

In den nächsten Tagen bin ich dann in den Bergen wandern gewesen. Die Berglöwen und Bären habe ich leider oder zum Glück nicht getroffen.

Als ich dann nach meinem Urlaub zu hause angekommen bin gab es leider eine böse Überraschung für mich. Statt des Vertrags ab Mai, den ich per Email erwartet hatte, gab es eine Absage. Meine Exchefs waren auch geschockt, da ich eine mündliche Zusage hatte, die ich und meine Exchefs als verbindlich angesehen hatten. Der Chef der anderen Abteilung, in die ich gewechselt hätte, anscheinend nicht. Jetzt versuchen meine Exchefs mir dabei zu helfen, etwas anderes in der Firma zu finden.

Ich auf dem Emory Peak (2385 m)

Wanderwege im Big Bend National Park

Grad school is hard this semester. Every time I finish a task, it’s on to the next one. Example: Today I had a two-hour statistics midterm. Now it’s time to focus on a literature review on L2 writing, due Monday. When that’s done, I have a paper on diversity to write for my teaching seminar on Tuesday. And then there’s the telecollaboration and presentation on cultural aspects of compliments in German vs. English on Wednesday. Etc. etc. etc. Wah wah wah. And that’s not even considering my teaching load.

My drama-free roller derby team has had drama. Maybe it’s all a misunderstanding. But now I see people hurting each other unintentionally and intentionally, and that sucks. I don’t take sides, but I am exhausted from trying to understand and explain everyone’s perspectives.

House buiding has been buerocratic and slow. It took a full 4 weeks for our land to be surveyed. The next step is to figure out where to put the house on the lot. That’s complicated because of the steep slope. Everything is complicated because of the steep slope.

But I’m still glad to be in Austin.

This is the only city I’ve lived in that would respond to North Korean nuclear bomb threats with brilliant parody. And while it’s still winter in Germany, we’ve already had lake days and sunburns. Sigh… I wish I could have spring break back.

Landvermessung an unserem Grundstück

Wir haben ja zwei nebeneinanderliegende Baugrundstücke gekauft und bei jedem Grundstück haben die Versorgungsunternehmen (Strom, Wasser, etc.) hier in Texas, das Recht, auf einem Streifen an der Grundstücksgrenze, ihre Kabel oder Rohre zu verlegen. Über diesen Streifen darf man deswegen auch nicht bauen. Bei unserem Doppelgrundstück müssen wir daher, wenn wir unser Haus in der Mitte bauen wollen, eine Verzichtserklärung der Versorgungsunternehemen einholen. Und dafür brauchten wir den Landvermessungsplan. Das ist jetzt erledigt und alle Versorgungsunternehmen verzichten auf ihr Recht. Als nächstes müssen wir das Recht der Versorgunsunternehmen offiziell bei der Stadt austragen lassen.

Die Vermessungsfirma hat auch Markierungen an den Grundstücksecken und am Mindestabstand zwischen Haus und Grundstücksgrenze angebracht. Wir haben jetzt zum erstenmal überhaupt gesehen, wo unser Grundstück genau ist. Um besser planen zu können, wo wir unser Haus hinsetzen können, haben wir letztes Wochenende an den Seitengrenzen Schnüre verlegt, was man auf dem Foto sieht.

Uns erinnert die Stimmung auf SXSW auch ein bischen an die BRN (Bunte Republik Neustadt) in Dresden, was für uns eines der besten Festivals überhaupt ist.

Stadtzentrum von Austin während SXSW

Vor einigen Tagen hat SXSW angefangen, wobei es aber erstmal mit den ganzen Konferenzen losgeht und noch nicht so viele Konzerte stattfinden. Viele der Sachen finden draußen statt und die Straßen im Stadtzentrum sind für das Festival die ganze Zeit gesperrt. Gestern waren wir da, es war aber weniger los als sonst am Wochenende, außer dass mehr Leute auf der Straße waren.

Lassowerfen. Hier musste ich Devon einfangen.

Der Höhepunkt kommt aber erst am letzten Wochenende von SXSW, wo dann das Stadtzentrum aus allen Nähten platzt. Für die meisten Besucher von SXSW von Außerhalb ist natürlich auch das Wetter extrem super. So auch für Daniela, einer Freundin von Devon aus Boston, die uns gerade besucht.