The Asian Experience
Students explore Eastern cultures during semester immersion trips
by Caitlyn Doyle, ’07

Loyola’s International Programs offer juniors the option to enhance their college experience by studying in one of 12 different countries, and nearly half of them take advantage of the opportunity. More than 63 percent of juniors either study abroad or participate in a trip out of the country. While most choose traditional countries such as England, Ireland, Italy and Spain, a growing number are attracted to Asian travel experiences.

"[Asian countries are] undeniably part of the future of the global economy and community," said Andre Colombat, Director of International Programs.

"With recent and future social and economic developments in Asia, I think it’s very important that American students familiarize themselves with Asian culture and society," said Dylan O ’Shea, ’08, an Economics major who studied in Bangkok in the fall of 2006.

Twenty-three Loyola students are currently studying in Asian countries. Many of them are business students who want to learn more about the Eastern cultures. Loyola offers programs in Bangkok, Thailand, Beijing, China and Tokyo, Japan. In addition, during winter breaks, students have the opportunity to take a tour through India.

Lauren Smith, ’07, who studied in Beijing in the spring of 2006, was looking for an experience that offered stark contrasts to United States' culture, language and customs. "I wanted to do something completely different and challenge myself," she said. "I didn’t know the language or much about Chinese culture, so I wanted to immerse myself in order to learn."

Smith gained an appreciation for the various Asian cultures, which she says are very different from one another. "I had a chance to travel to Vietnam and see how South Asian culture differs from a North Asian country like China," said Smith. "In order to contribute to society and advocate for the world, we must know more about countries on the other side of the world," she said.

"I gained an admiration and a respect for Chinese culture that can only be acquired by living there," said Sean McElroy, ’07, who is an Economics major. "Our own history is rooted in many advances made by the Asian cultures. The story of China is also the story of modern economic growth, and studying there gave me a glimpse into such a powerful society," he said.

The impact of the study abroad experience can extend far beyond the semester or year that students spend in foreign countries. Omar Ali studied in Beijing in the summer of 2001. When he returned to Loyola, he started recruiting students for the program. After graduation, he took a job at Loyola Marymount in California, recruiting students for its Asian program. He is currently in Beijing filming documentaries with his brother.

Students studying in Bangkok attend classes at Assumption University for one semester, from late May to mid-November. Sophomores and juniors of all majors with a cumulative average of 2.50 or higher can apply. All courses are taught in English. The program, directed by Rev. Frank Nash, S.J., includes opportunities to volunteer in orphanages, elementary schools, academic departments or offices at the University. Students partake in a four-day trek in Chiang Mai to visit hill tribes, spend several days on the island resort Koh Samui and wrap up with several days in Hong Kong.

Students studying in Beijing attend the Beijing Center at the University of International Business and Economics. The program, which serves several Loyola majors, is open to sophomores and juniors with a cumulative average of 2.8 or better. The program has a fall, spring and summer semester, and students can also study for a full academic year. All courses are taught in English, except for the Chinese language course. The Jesuit consortium provides a full-time d irector, one major field trip, one minor field trip each semester as well as a year-end reflection in Hong Kong.

Another option Loyola students have for leaning about Asia is to travel to India over Christmas break. The Rev. Charles Borges, S.J., began the program two years ago and invites students who are open to discovering other points of view to travel all over India.

"I want Loyola students to see another part of the world," said Borges, who typically travels with nine to 12 students. "India is a fast-growing economy and world power and is well connected with the U.S. technologically. I also wanted students to study, firsthand, Indian cultures and religions."

Lorraine Cuddeback, ’08, considered her India trip during Christmas break 2006-07 a "sort of compromise," since she knew she could not study abroad for a longer period. "It was a way to still get a taste of something different," she said. "We went to museums, palaces, Hindu temples, Buddhist caves, Mosques and cathedrals. Everything, right down to the texture of the landscape or the sort of haze in the sunset, was really different, and I found that I learned something new wherever we went."

Cuddeback considered her trip an educational adventure. "The trip to India isn't a vacation so much as a challenge and a learning experience."

For more information on Loyola’s International Programs, please visit www.loyola.edu/academics/internationalprograms.