Post trip paper

Title Your Name Subject and Section Professor’s Name Date 1 How do these readings contribute to developing the themes mentioned as they relate to your trip experience? The readings are about what the students need culturally and academically to do in another country, which directly connives with the issues of cultural exchange witnessed during the journey. The emphasis on linguistic and cultural similarity increases adaptation. It decreases culture shock corresponding with real-life experiences of experiencing and understanding new cultural spaces positively (Chapter Three, Almost There: Preparing to Study Abroad, n.d., p. 38). For example, following the tips on cultural encounters suggested by the course, materials helped me immerse myself in Spanish culture during my stints in Madrid and Barcelona by embracing the culture and even picking up the language to some extent. These preparations made me engage with local communities better, enabling me to understand more about the cultural differences within the cities. In addition, the chapter offers an insight into the academic goals, which are an essential focus in study abroad experiences but encompass the whole education process. This approach was particularly evident in my learning during my stays in Madrid and Barcelona, where theory was applied in the class while exploring the two Spanish cities. During the trip to Madrid, knowing the role of this city in Spanish politics and cultural history contributed to the academic success of the described travel and personal development, while in Barcelona, the overall perspective on modernist art, both with the academic view and personal observations contributed into the academic success of the described travel and personal development. 2 What key observations did the readings raise after your experience? The readings emphasized the need for students to be active pursuers of culture and be linguistically ready to experience study abroad programs optimally. In light of my journey in Madrid and Barcelona, I realized that the initial effort of learning Spanish made my daily communication and my enriched cultural experience much more accessible, proving the awareness described in the readings that preparation is critical to cultural assimilation (Chapter Three Almost There: Preparing to Study Abroad, n.d., p. 38). 3 Were your cultural and social values expressed/challenged after your trip experience? If so, how? If not, why so? Please include support from readings as well as your experience. Culturally and socially, I fully lived out my beliefs while simultaneously being exposed to the application of conflicting beliefs. Regarding strategic interventions discussed in the readings, the issues of cross-cultural communication encountered in the first chapter of th...