“ I enjoyed the instructional videos and the lectures in this course. There were so many new things I learned from them. Cultural taboos were particularly interesting as well as the lectures on communication. The multicultural interview was the most helpful assignment. It gave me the chance to interact with an international student and establish a greater understanding of what it would be like to be an exchange student. The interview helped me put into practice what I had been learning in class all along.”
Allie Harrison, UM Davidson Honors College Student, Fall Semester 2005
“I really liked the use of blackboard (the online component) for this course. It is very helpful to be able to look up class handouts when you are off campus and the online discussion was pretty fun and interesting. I liked the guest speakers and the field trips and the in-class discussions where one group was to take one stance and the other to take another stance, and we talk in each group and discuss our views during class. This really helped me understand and think deeply about the topic and think about the good things, even if I was against it. Basically it helped me think more critically.”
Hallie Toews, UM Geography Student, Fall Semester 2005
“Dr. Fluck...brings you into the material and doesn't just present it in a generic fashion. His enthusiasm transfers over to the students. The course has helped me build cultural sensitivity and awareness. It has also sparked a deeper curiosity in all cultures and a general understanding as how cultures operate as individual entities.”
Ross Mittelman, UM Geography Student, Fall Semester 2005
“I felt very comfortable in sharing my opinions and ideas in the class. Dr. Fluck made the atmosphere very user-friendly, fun and interactive.”
Frederick Harris, UM Graduate Student, Department of Geography, Fall Semester 2005
“I was aware that other cultures had many differences, but I did not know what they were. I liked learning the little things like hand signals customs and manners.”
Rebecca Harris, UM Geography Student, Fall Semester 2005
“The organization of this class along with clarity, precision, and depth was exceptional. Everything was organized much better than many other classes I have taken. All of the material was clearly defined and provided an easy outline to follow.”
Aaron Roberts, UM Geography Student, Fall Semester 2005
“I have never been abroad before. At the beginning of the class I felt somewhat intimidated of the other students knowing that many had the opportunity to travel already. Given the fact, I think this class benefited me more because I knew so little about different cultures. Not knowing much, kept me interested throughout the semester about all the facts, as in gift taboos and overall multicultural differences.”
Elizabeth Coughlin, UM Davidson Honors College Student, Fall Semester 2005
“In general, I very much appreciated the Cultural Adaptation workshop series that you conducted for students who are going to study abroad. Although personally I found that most of the information was obvious, as an individual who has traveled abroad several times, I'm sure the information was more useful to other students with less international experience. Also, despite its self-explanatory nature, I think it is sometimes worthwhile to state the obvious, and this was one of those instances. The most useful day for me was the 5-hour workshop with you and Marja. Again, for me personally, the reason I valued the experience of your seminars was not so much for the information provided, but for the chance to dialogue with other students and feel like, collectively we are a group. I feel less alone, and less intimidated by my upcoming study abroad knowing that there are many other brave UM students who are doing the exact same thing, experiencing the exact same emotions, going through the same stresses, difficulties, and thrills. Finally, I think it is a wonderful idea to provide students who attend the seminars and complete assignments with a certificate acknowledging the students' efforts. I will certainly use this certificate on my resume.”
Alice Jones, Cultural Adaptation Training for UM Study Abroad Students, Fall Semester 2005
