Why a cross cultural experience?
“Bluffton’s cross-cultural program allows students to get a glimpse of how others, whose cultural, economic and social realities are so different from their own, experience the world. Whether they go as far away as China or as close as Chicago, students are confronted with a way of living they could not imagine before embarking on these experiences. The cross-cultural program opens up possibilities for new ways of thinking and new ways of caring about all of God’s children. As an administrator, one of my greatest delights is to hear students’ testimonies of transformation as they return to Bluffton after being on their cross-cultural experiences.”
-Sally Weaver Sommer,Vice president and dean of academic affairs
A cross-cultural experience is a central element of the Bluffton University general education curriculum. While a cross cultural experience is a graduation requirement, many students find that their trip is a high point of their time at Bluffton. The requirement may be fulfilled through a semester-long experience, a 2-3 week trip in the spring or by taking a number of foreign language courses.
Student blogs from 2008 May term cross cultural experiences...
Internet access is sometimes limited while students are on their trips. If there isn't much information here yet, check for news of their experiences when they return.
Guatemala
Arizona
Bolivia
Student blogs from 2007 May term cross cultural experiences...
In the spring of 2007, nearly 200 Bluffton students scattered across the globe to experience life in different cultures during the May Term. Experiences were had in San Antonia, Texas; Chicago, Ill.; Los Angeles, Calif.; the Gulf Coast and abroad in Germany/The Netherlands, France, Trinidad, Botswana and China. Other students will travel to Northern Ireland and to Pittsburgh for semester-long experiences this fall.
Rene Inniger: L.A.
"Looking back on the trip, I think the best part of it wasn't the scenery, or the tourist sites, or the things that we got to do. I think the best part was the way we all came together and bonded. Coming into the trip, most of us knew at least OF each other, but weren't really that good of friends. Now, we're planning things to do together next year, getting each other's cell phone numbers to keep in touch and have just developed really great friendships."
Read Rene's blog...
Jonathan Beougher: China
"They tried to teach us a little Chinese and we tried to learn, but it was easier said than done. This was probably the most fun we have had to date with cultural interactions."
Read Jonathan's blog...
“It is important to experience different cultures and heritages, so that we can understand how big our world really is. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own little worlds where everything revolves around us and our problems we forget that there is a huge world that we are a part of. NO matter how many books you read, pictures you look at, or people you listen to, nothing is better then going out and seeing a new a different place first hand.”
Sara Mattingly ’08
Hartville, Ohio
