Mentor Advice
Question
If I travel to a country not of my ethnicity, what issues should I expect to face?
2 Replies from Mentors
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SaraStudent Program CoordinatorUSC Master of Education ProgramFor some students, this may be your first experience as a minority. It is important to enter into the experience knowing that locals' reactions to you may feel awkward or uncomfortable, especially if they have never met or seen someone of your ethnicity. Expect that people will make assumptions about what ethnicity or race you come from and may ask you probing questions. While this can be an engaging learning experience for you and the locals, it is also important to reflect beforehand on how much personal information you may be comfortable sharing with strangers you encounter.
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Miloni GandhiAssociate Director, International Recruitment, Office of AdmissionsUniversity of Southern CaliforniaMany times students are looked upon as something of a spectacle in countries where they do not fit the typical physical description, where locals are very curious about their origin and background. But again, this curiosity is really just that, curiosity and should not be seen as a negative. There are a few places where being of a different ethnicity might be harder, but again, this varies per country and usually the issues are overcome by learning about the host culture in greater detail before going and being prepared for any obstacles you might face.