KARA
Adult Education Graduate |
KARA
Adult Education Graduate |
The hardest part about being home initially is the time change. It takes some time for your body to adjust and adapt which means a lot of sleepless nights. Being back in a apartment with air conditioning and having the ability to drive my car wherever and whenever had me feeling a little spoiled. Which just goes to show you how much we take things for granted in life. I gained a new appreciation for my life style after being in Germany.
Being back has caused some reverse culture shock. This feeling of shock of how we do things here in the U.S and missing things from Germany. It's been a bigger adjustment that I thought it would be. I feel glad to be home but I miss the German cuisine and all that Germany had to offer. I loved having the opportunity to explore, get lost and immerse myself in the culture. I gained a lot from my travels and I feel like the trip matured me and prepared me for my future as an educator. Having the opportunity to shadow in the German classroom gave me insight into different cultures and allowed be to become more sensitive to cultural differences. I, unlike most of the participants, will be entering the field of Adult Education. With America becoming a melting pot of cultures, I will likely have students with diverse ethnic backgrounds. English may not be the first language for a lot of students. Having the experience that I did in the classroom, not understanding everything being said and feeling lost for a lot of the lessons has made me more aware and sensitive to the language barrier that others face in an American classroom. I truly had a wonderful experience with the IPDS program and it has matured me as an individual and as a professional. I gained life-long friends from the trip and I am so thankful for the opportunity and help from Buffalo State. I strongly encourage those in the Adult Education field to take advantage of the IPDS programs and enrich their Graduate Studies.
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Traveling is one of the greatest experiences one can give to themselves I truly believe this! In a few weeks I will be interviewing for a part-time teaching position and I feel more prepared then I ever have. I think this is largely to do with the fact that traveling has significantly impacted my personal development. A lot of people don't understand all the ways in which traveling can benefit you, and the advantages it can give you in your career. I'm excited to share my traveling experience with the interviewer and inform them how it has helped me grow in my profession.
Some ways I feel as though traveling has helped me develop as a professional include the following: -You gain a lot of confidence in yourself and your abilities - You become more independent -You learn to trust you instincts -You become more culturally aware, enhancing your communication skills and cultural sensitivity. - You quickly adapt to change -You become more patient All of these things are qualities that interviewers look for in an applicant and I have no doubt that it will be seen as strengths on my resume and during my interview. I am so happy that I had this opportunity with IPDS. I believe that it has advanced my abilities personally and professionally and I will be a better educator because of it. I encourage everyone to travel and experience life outside of their comfort zone. Thank you IPDS! One of the most difficult aspects of traveling in a foreign country is navigating your way around public transportation. Our transportation in Buffalo is small in comparison to the giant stature of Berlin and Stuttgart’s transpiration. One goal I had for myself during this trip was to be able to navigate around the cities on my own.
By the end of the trip I like to think that I have mastered the German transportation systems as well as the other countries I had been to before my time in Germany. I think my comfort with traveling prior to the trip allowed me to take on the role of navigator in our group. At first I was a little bit nervous about it, but what I realized is that everyone makes mistakes and it’s okay to make mistakes because you learn most from them! Throughout the trip I was able to get myself and the group to many different destinations without the assistance of John and Tamara. I gained a lot of confidence in my ability to navigate and you become more comfortable in a foreign city when you know you can find your way around. The feeling of being lost can be very scary so knowing your way around is a crucial part of traveling. It takes lots of practice and the right mindset. Just remember it’s okay to hop on the wrong train, just make sure to get off of it before the end of the line and turn yourself around to the right direction! |
AuthorHi my name is Kara! I’m 25 years old, and I live with my fiancé in Rochester, NY. I am currently working as a dental hygienist while I pursue my Masters Degree in Adult Education. In my free time I love to travel, I have been all over the world from Hawaii to Iceland. I am getting married this year and hoping to buy my first home with my soon to be husband. We both love the outdoors, hiking, kayaking...you name it. I’m looking forward to my summer in Europe. In addition to being in Germany, I have travel plans to visit London, Paris, Amsterdam, Belgium and Greece! ArchivesCategories |