UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH BLOGS
The Office of Undergraduate Research sponsors a number of grant programs, including the Circumnavigator Club Foundation’s Around-the-World Study Grant and the Undergraduate Research Grant. Some of the students on these grants end up traveling and having a variety of amazing experiences. We wanted to give some of them the opportunity to share these experiences with the broader public. It is our hope that this opportunity to blog will deepen the experiences for these students by giving them a forum for reflection; we also hope these blogs can help open the eyes of others to those reflections/experiences as well. Through these blogs, perhaps we all can enjoy the ride as much as they will.
EXPLORE THE BLOGS
- Linguistic Sketchbook
- Birth Control Bans to Contraceptive Care
- A Global Song: Chris LaMountain’s Circumnavigator’s Blog
- Alex Robins’ 2006 Circumnavigator’s Blog
- American Sexual Assault in a Global Context
- Beyond Pro-GMO and Anti-GMO
- Chris Ahern’s 2007 Circumnavigator’s Blog
- Digital Citizen
- From Local Farms to Urban Tables
- Harris Sockel’s Circumnavigator’s Blog 2008
- Kimani Isaac: Adventures Abroad and At Home
- Sarah Rose Graber’s 2004 Circumnavigator’s Blog
- The El Sistema Expedition
- The World is a Book: A Page in Rwand
Saturday in Singapore
Hello from Singapore! After over 20 hours of traveling, I reached my final destination and the continent of Asia. I am enjoying it so far, but I have mainly been sleeping off the jetlag and trying to find times to get outside when it stops raining (Southwest Monsoon season = lots of rain). I enjoyed karaage don chicken at a restaurant near my stay in Chinatown today, and it was delicious! This is a meal I often enjoy in America, so it was nice to have it at a more “traditional” place. I spent time walking around my neighborhood, and I stopped at multiple small shops inside and near the Chinatown Complex with the food stalls. Unfortunately, many of the stalls are cash only, so my next mission will be to get some cash. Also, I have noticed the people here have been so incredibly kind so far! At lunch, the hostess stopped by to get to know me and gave me a full list of recommendations. Solo traveling is mainly on your own, of course, but I have found that the kindness of strangers goes a long way as well. Whether it’s asking if you’re at the right train stop or the best place to grab some groceries, local strangers are part of what has shaped my travel experience.
Prague, Czech Republic: Research Summary
I just finished my research here in KL at EMS Languages. As I take time next week to reflect on my fourth and second-to-last research location, I will write about the patterns and singularities I noticed at James Cook Languages in Prague.
Next week I will need to start outlining my paper for this trip and project–my oh my, how to encapsulate the experience in mere words!
I copy the ever-important blurb from my first research summary post:
As a reminder, I am studying different approaches to English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching with a focus on accent training.The different schools I will observe differ with regard to two main features: first language backgroud (i.e. Spanish in Peru) and program centralization (how many locations the school has vs. how standardized or regimented their curriculum is).
“Accent Training” is a loaded term. I will not study accent correction or accent coaching, which is when a student seeks to “improve” or “neutralize” their so-called foreign accent in, for example, thier English. Everyone has an accent: you, me, our President, the neighbor down the street. My accent, the Californian accent, happens at this moment to be a prestige accent in the world; therefore, many ESL learners want to speak with my accent. But what about in 50 years? What will the prestige accent be then? My point: while everyone has an equal accent, society constructs a valuation system that categorizes accents within a heirarchy.
Instead, what I will study is a metric called accent differentiation, or the frequency and amount of different accents students hear, For example, students who hear many different accents very often have a higher degree of understanding for an additional language than students who hear one accent (their teacher’s) and no other accents with any frequency. I inquire in my world study whether ESL teachers are listening to this key bit of language acquisition research.
Main Points from Prague:
– Though the school trains teachers centrally, there is no set coursebook that instructors must use. Instead, there is a list of acceptable coursebooks to choose from, and the teachers are also able to create their own materials or bring in authentic sources (e.g. YouTube videos, audiobooks) as they wish. James Cook is the most centralized language school I will study, with four locations in central Europe; thus, I expected a tighter control over the curriculum.
– The school offers a wide variety of courses, including specialized courses for businesses. In that way, the school is able to cater to the differing needs of its students: students from major companies have different goals from the community members I will mention in the following bullet. I observed one business course with an A1-level student, and I found that the student had already encountered teachers with several different accents. The student experienced a high level of accent differentiation with the school as they worked on their English in company training.
– Jipka, a satellite school of James Cook, also offers community courses for people who live in Prague and want to improve their English. From what I understand, the lessons are free or very cheap. They also did not work (in fact, they did not meet) during the pandemic, as people who attend the community courses attend them for the social aspect of them, rather than to improve their language skills. For these courses, it is common for the same group of students to have the same teacher for several years, meaning that during that period they expeirence a low level accent differentiation.
– The student population includes a high number of first language Czech speakers, though there are some Ukrainian and Spanish speakers in the courses as well.
– The teacher retention, unlike in Cusco, is extremely high with the teachers I observed having lived in Prague for between 2-12 years.
General Patterns:
– I have not discussed the teaching materials in the other two summary posts. Yet, materials matter. Audio materials or the use of other speaking resources can heavily impact the environment for accent differentiation in the classroom. The classrooms I saw in Cusco and Prague were “low-tech” in the sense that there was a reliance on whiteboards and handouts. However, the accent differentiation was still high in some cases due to influences from teacher turnover (meaning the often low rate of teacher retention in ESL generally) and teaching materials.
– As in Spain, there were several teachers who had learned English as their second or third language. The opinion about certain teachers over others varied, however. For example, the administration found it better to pair a first language Czech teacher with lower-level students.
– I have thought a lot about English as a commodity in the language schools I study. It remains true in Prague that the market for English courses (and the content of those courses) caters to the students’ demands. For example, I observed two online courses during my observations, as they became extremely popular with business courses over the pandemic.
Cheers,
MEG
Quick Update Before Leaving Paris!
I am all set to head to Singapore soon, and I can’t believe this will be my last stop! It doesn’t even sound right to say I’ll be back in America in 14 days. I’ve spent my last few days in Paris doing some more touristy activities. I went on a Seine River cruise, and I went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I paid a little extra to take the lift, but I had to refrain from looking down too often. It was a beautiful view and so worth it! I also visited the Musee d’Orsay to see some Van Gogh and Monet pieces, both of which I love. Finally, I spent my last day on a little day trip to Versailles to see the palace and estate. It was gorgeous! So much luxury and I enjoyed hearing the history of each room. It was very hot with lots of people and walking, but I am glad this is how I ended my trip. I’ve picked up a bit of French while being here, and I think I want to try learning more of the language when I get back. Au revoir and I’ll touch base from Singapore next!
Málaga, Spain: Research Summary
I made it safely–and surprisingly without incident–to Malaysia, my fourth stop! As I start to schedule my first interviews and observations with EMS Languages here, I will also reflect on the previous two language schools. (I finished work with both last week.)
My post this time will consist of a Málaga-specific summary as well as a section with general patterns that I notice between Cusco and Málaga.
I copy an important blurb from my last research summary post:
As a reminder, I am studying different approaches to English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching with a focus on accent training.The different schools I will observe differ with regard to two main features: first language backgroud (i.e. Spanish in Peru) and program centralization (how many locations the school has vs. how standardized or regimented their curriculum is).
“Accent Training” is a loaded term. I will not study accent correction or accent coaching, which is when a student seeks to “improve” or “neutralize” their so-called foreign accent in, for example, thier English. Everyone has an accent: you, me, our President, the neighbor down the street. My accent, the Californian accent, happens at this moment to be a prestige accent in the world; therefore, many ESL learners want to speak with my accent. But what about in 50 years? What will the prestige accent be then? My point: while everyone has an equal accent, society constructs a valuation system that categorizes accents within a heirarchy.
Instead, what I will study is a metric called accent differentiation, or the frequency and amount of different accents students hear, For example, students who hear many different accents very often have a higher degree of understanding for an additional language than students who hear one accent (their teacher’s) and no other accents with any frequency. I inquire in my world study whether ESL teachers are listening to this key bit of language acquisition research.
Main points from Spain:
– This language school was decentralized with only one location. In the current summer session, there is only one English teacher and two students, one of whom I was unable to observe.
– Differently from Maximo Nivel, the teacher is a second language English teacher who also teaches Spanish. He reported that he feels comfortable teaching English up to the intermediate level.
– The teacher also owns the company, and faced significant benefits after he moved his company online in the wake of the pandemic. He noted that the lack of a commute was a positive, though he also highlighted that he felt online teaching was just as effective.
– The teacher integrated me quite a bit in the lesson, which surprised and delighted me! It was moving to see in real life how increased accent differentiation–even within one lesson–impacted the student. The student remarked that he felt challenged and engaged while he tried to understand my speech.
– The student at the school experienced a low level of accent differentiation in the classroom, though he interacted with a high level of accent differentiation at work.
– Most students in Spain take English classes not for fluency, but rather for test preparation. The students therefore do not want to learn English so much as they want to pass a test. The teacher noted that he usually speaks Spanish (sometimes exclusively) during lessons so the students can gain the skills they need for the test.
General Patterns:
– I saw high levels of accent differentiation at work and often in the personal lives of the students at both schools. In Cusco, many students worked in the tourist industry and spoke English with a wide variety of foreigners; in Spain, the student worked for an American company and spoke English with his colleagues from around the world.
– The market for English instruction caters to the specific demands of the country. In Cusco, students needed to prepare for a broader demand on their language skills: tourists with accents from around the world, requesting drastically different things from them. In Málaga, students needed to prepare to pass an exam; thus, the need for test-taking skills supresedes the need for communicative ability in English.
– There is often a question about whether a second-language instructor is inherently worse than a first-language instructor. It depends on the instructors in question. For example, some students seek out an instructor either with their own first language or with the target language as the first language. It is contingent on the student’s prejudice and how they think they would learn with a certain type of instructor. However, factors that exist externally to the instructor’s first language also matter: the teaching materials (and their corresponding level of accent differentiation), the classroom environment, the course level, the teacher’s teaching ability and experience, etc. etc.
Cheers,
MEG
Meeting with Crips-Île-de-France
As I mentioned in my last post, earlier this week, I met with a few staff members at Crips-Île-de-France (Crips for short). When I first got there, I met with Estela who I have been in email contact with for about a month. Estela introduced me to Chloe and one other colleague. They had some concerns about the language barrier at first since they work mainly in French, but we barely noticed as we continued getting to know each other. I spent about four and a half hours hanging out around their offices. It was perfect timing because August is when most employees in France are on holiday, so it was pretty quiet and they had no school/community groups scheduled.
We started by spending time in the area where most group lessons are held. I noticed they had a corner with bean bags, birth control method demos, a pride flag on the window, and informational posters about menstruation and intersex people. I told them it was nice to see a poster about intersex people because representation in America is fairly low, and it is often forgotten in sex education courses. They told me that they discussed it a few months ago as part of the LGBTQ+ day celebrations. As we continued walking around, I spotted some resources that I’ve also used as a sex educator, like the Gender Unicorn, translated into French. I asked what kind of groups they work with, and they mentioned that they either directly go to schools to teach comprehensive health courses or they hold programming at this center for youth of all ages, young adults that may not be in school or working, disabled youth, and LGBTQ+ youth. All of their programming and resources are free! Next, they showed me some other resources in the main center area. They have a TV with headphones for youth who are not inclined to speak with them or want to be alone, so they can listen to educational lessons/videos instead. There was also a closed-off curtain where youth can meet with a professional to discuss a traumatic experience or ask for advice. They explained that they do not offer services directly at Crips, but they are able to make recommendations to youth and help them with every step to get the care that they need. On their main counter, they had bowls of external condoms, internal condoms, and lube packets for free for anyone to grab as well. I mentioned that internal condoms are very expensive in America, so we cannot offer those for free as much, and they were shocked!
After that, they asked if I wanted to see some lessons and tools that they use. I was super excited for this part! They told me that their lessons are more of an overall health class curriculum that covers drugs/alcohol safety, comprehensive sexual health, relationships, mental health, and social justice (i.e. discrimination, prejudice, gender equality). However, because of my topic, we only looked at sexual health-related materials. I asked them to tell me what their curriculum looks like or the main mission statements for their lessons. They explained that they provide information to youth, but they do not tell youth what are “good” or “bad” choices, it is more about providing all options. Also, they do not use a structured lessons approach. Instead, they work with school leadership or get to know the group of students and determine the best topics to cover. There is no requirement for how many lessons, time spent, or which topics to discuss. They explained that this gives the facilitators more flexibility, and it ensures that youth are able to learn what they want to hear about which increases engagement. Finally, they use a games and debates approach. I was very impressed with their games, and they mentioned that this is a way to make sex ed more interesting while being educational. For example, they showed me their version of the game “Taboo” where the goal is for a player to have their group guess the word on the player’s card without using the word itself or five additional words listed on the card. They created a deck with terms like puberty and STI. They shared trivia games as well that were based on famous French game shows. One game that they were very proud of was a debate-style game–they said it is what Crips is famous for in the classroom. The way it works is that the facilitator reads a statement, such as “Transgender people always undergo gender confirmation surgery” or “It is healthy to check your partner’s text messages,” and students move to agree, disagree, or neutral. Then, they ask all or a few students to share why they chose their position. They mentioned that some are opinion-based, but others do have a right/wrong answer to ensure a teaching moment occurs. I appreciated how they emphasize discussion in all of their lessons. I asked why they do that/why is it so important. Estela shared that “Youth already know so much about these topics usually, so it is often just hearing what they know and building from it that is important. We don’t think they need lectures and presentations as much when it comes to this stuff.”
The other part of their teaching models that stood out to me were their actual tools. They showed me an interesting looking lazy Susan type of circle with five different colored, shaped, and sized penises. They said this is what they use for condom demonstrations. I was intrigued because I have only performed condom demonstrations with a typical wooden phallus. They said that they used to use those, but they found this tray is more realistic, feels more approachable with the fun colors, and it emphasizes that penises can all look different. They also pulled out five different colored vulvas with each one having its own unique features. Similar to the penises, they use these to show that vulvas are unique, and this is completely normal. As a nerd of this work, I was personally blown away by one vulva model that they had that was opaque and had a neon pink model inside of the clitoris. They said that was the special one that they use to teach people with vaginas how big the clitoris actually is and other important information about it. This may sound odd to someone that doesn’t work in sex ed, but we were just geeking out as a group sharing stories and techniques! The other item that they showed me that I thought I could purchase for my own health education groups was this large, white rectangular box that had all forms of birth control inside. It had effectiveness rates, images of what it looks like on someone, important information, and tangible items for some methods. It was the coolest representation of birth control methods that I have ever seen! They even taught me about a new method called the thermal method that is undergoing research in France right now that would be another option for those with penises to try to prevent unintended pregnancy. It was included in this box, so I was impressed with how modern it was.
Next, they took me up to their room with all of their printed resources. I grabbed just about one of everything! I am excited to take it back to America and show my team because I was feeling very inspired. One of their best resources is that they have created workshop books for youth to take with them to continue learning. They have four topics right now including mental health, equality, discrimination, and body positivity, but they are actively working to create more. They mentioned that they give these out for tabling events as well, but it is a fun way for youth to continue learning and keep resources with them even when Crips may not be there again.
Finally, they showed me their resource rooms. They explained that they have multiple copies of each lesson plan, games, books, magazines, and other tools for local professionals to come and grab whenever they would like for free. They said doctors may come and grab something for their team to learn from or schools that do independent health courses will grab a resource for a topic that they know less about. It is a wealth of knowledge! I told them I was impressed that people return the items, and they said they have had no issues with that since you have to return items to get new ones, and they know most of the people in this field pretty well. They also have a separate resource room specifically dedicated to HIV/AIDS material since that used to be the sole focus of their work.
Throughout this tour, we discussed overall systems in France. They explained (and gave me a resource) that French youth receive a green card in the mail at 16 years old which is their access to social/healthcare services. They can go get contraception by themselves, and it is usually free because the policy makes birth control free for those under 25 years old. They said you can even get condoms prescribed for free as of a recent policy change. I mentioned that it is great that 16-year-olds can take that initiative, and I was curious more about why that age. They said that 16 is considered a somewhat major age in France because you get your medical card, you can work, and it is basically the first age that signals adulthood, so they think you can manage your health choices as well. I also asked them about getting these products at local pharmacies since I have checked some out while I have been here. I said that I noticed way more skincare and perfume, and Estela said “Ah yes, France where you can find more creams than condoms in pharmacies” which was absolutely hilarious to me!
My day with Crips was one of my favorites while traveling so far. I am so grateful that they welcomed me in, and they are very excited to be part of the final report. I let them know that I would share a final draft to ensure that I can incorporate their feedback before submission, and they mentioned that they are excited to hear about other countries as well. Even though the communities that we serve are different, it is clear that our mission and passion as reproductive justice advocates surpass any border.
Busy Week in Paris / 20 Days Left 🙁
It has been quite a week in Paris! On Monday, I met with Crips-Île-de-France, an organization that provides public health information to youth and young adults. It was amazing to meet with professionals that do what I do in a different community. I’ll type up a more in-depth post about our discussions soon, but I am grateful that I had the chance to work with them this week. They gave me a tour of the facilities, showed me lesson plans, and walked me through the resources that they share with their community. I was honored by how excited they were to welcome me into their community, and they are very excited to read my report later on.
Then, on Tuesday, I spent time visiting the Arc de Triomphe and walking the famous Avenue de Champs Élysées. I bought tickets to go to the top, but it was quite a workout to get up there. There are about 285 steps to the top, but I did it! The view was breathtaking, and I saw the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre from there. On Thursday, I visited Disneyland Paris. It was a magical day! I rode rollercoasters and ate many delicious snacks.
Today marks 20 days left of traveling, and I can’t believe how quickly time passes by. Even though there are some tough days here and there, I am so grateful for this experience, and I love it. It has reaffirmed my love for travel, adventure, and working with communities on sexual health initiatives. However, I am quite excited to get back to air conditioning, ice cold water, and Chipotle 😉
Prague: Tea Houses, Bookstores, and Churches, Oh My!
I decided preemptively to visit as many traditional teahouses, bookstores, and churches as possible when I was in Prague. My thesis (in part) detailed analyses of Gothic church architecture; Prague is the perfect city for me in which to enjoy more Gothic churches.
My hometown, Tucson, Arizona, is home to Seven Cups Tea, which is a traditional Chinese teahouse and wholesaler. Tucson is lucky to have a consistent, authentic teahouse. So is Prague, though Prague has many more than just one! I love spending time in teahouses because they are great vehicles for me to think quietly and reflect.
Bookstores: my achilles point. If I had a travel headline, it would be: “Solo Female Traveler Weighed Down by Paperbacks.” I bring my kindle in vein for every trip, knowing that I will eventually succumb and buy the amount of books I will read during the time I am there. Normally, a book/week. During the summer? 2/week.
Cheers from Prague,
MEG
Prague: First Adventures
My first week in Prague ist vorbei and I thought I would take a moment to reflect on some first adventures. I devoted the first few days to setting up class observations and interviews with James Cook Languages here in Prague. I also went to the Prague Castle and many, many initial attractions.
The Czech Republic reminds me so much of Germany–and to boot I have used more German here than English! It is nice to see so many German speakers, especially as I am preparing for the DSH exam, which I will take in September.
The only bout of travel bad luck that I got coming to Prague was a misplaced travel power converter! Thankfully, I found an electronics store so that I could get a new one for Malaysia and Japan.
Research-wise, aside from the meetings I had last week, my first two observations take place today. I will continue to have observations every day until Friday. In addition, I have two interviews scheduled for this week. The last of my online observations for Spain I finish tomorrow morning.
(Positive) Changes to Irish Policies
Still settling into Paris, but I received a great email about updates to policy regarding contraceptives in Ireland from one of my contacts there! As I mentioned before, I visited the Little Museum of Ireland, and I spoke with my tour guide, Sarah (also one of the museum directors), about my project. We exchanged contacts, and we discussed more about the culture and history of contraceptives in Ireland. Sarah emailed me an article that legislation was passed on July 25th to establish free contraceptives for women 17-25 years old. This age group is the primary consumers of contraceptives, and those usually most impacted by unintended pregnancies. Although some women are able to afford birth control through the General Medical Services (GMS) card based on their socioeconomic status, this policy will expand access for those that are above that financial threshold and young people who are dependent on parents/guardians. While I read through this policy, I am impressed with how comprehensive it is. They included coverage of costs for long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs), such as IUDs, and birth control consultations are covered as well. This is all great news for the people of Ireland! I plan on following up with this by reading their news and staying in touch electronically with my contacts because the next step is implementation. The training of providers to offer comprehensive birth control consultations and patient experience evaluations are the challenging steps to ensure day-to-day action of this legislation, but they are also some of my favorite parts to study of this work.
Moreover, this news further emphasizes the appropriate time that my project is coming in. I truly believe we are seeing a revolution in reproductive rights internationally, and policies like this give me great hope. I am excited to do this work at such a time, but I can’t help but consider how this project could be done in another 5-10 years with completely different updates about the state of birth control internationally with the way changes are working. Progress is being made every day by those committed to reproductive justice, and I am thrilled to live and experience it in real-time.
All Aboard the Contraceptive Train
Bonjour from Paris! I arrived here yesterday evening after a delay and the struggle to find an Uber from the airport. I am now rested up and beginning to enjoy my time here.
My last few days in Ireland were great, and I became pretty comfortable with the country and its people. Earlier this week, I visited the Little Museum of Dublin, a famous museum all about the city housed in a 3-story townhouse. I went on a guided tour to learn about the women of Ireland specifically. It was a splendid place! My favorite artifact and story were about the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement. One of the founding members of the movement is Nell McCafferty who led the major historical event of the Contraceptive Train between Dublin and Belfast. In May 1971, the Irish Women’s Liberation Movement had grown frustrated with the legal restrictions on the sale/usage of contraceptives since 1935 within Ireland. To protest this, they traveled to Belfast, which is in Northern Ireland and part of the United Kingdom, to buy any forms of contraception they could get their hands on to bring back to Dublin and make a statement. The women purchased condoms and spermicide, but they were told that oral contraceptive pills required a prescription. Although they were content with what they had, they felt they needed pills as a statement, so Nell McCafferty and others purchased aspirin pills instead. They figured that customs would not know the difference and neither would those watching the protest. As they arrived back to Dublin, other protestors were waiting for them and press coverage as well. When they got to customs, the women refused to hand over the forms of birth control, and the guide shared that some women started swallowing the (aspirin) pills loudly declaring they were taking the oral contraceptive pill. The purpose of this movement was to protest the ban on contraceptives and to destigmatize birth control, especially for single women.
The next day, I decided to take my own day trip to Belfast. I had some challenges getting there with misunderstandings about the train, but, with the help of several kind Irish people, I made it! I visited the Titanic Museum which was super cool. I had no idea that the Titanic was made in Belfast. I learned about the construction, shipyard life for workers that built it, the interior decoration, the sinking, and ongoing legacy and pop culture. I spent a few hours there, and I’m so happy I went!
For more regular updates, I am keeping a close to daily log on Instagram @aroundtheworldvivica!