Foreign students return to their roots with study abroad

Despite living in China as a child, it wasn't until Zhi Geng returned as a study abroad student that she discovered her own jewel in the capital city: a small restaurant near the west gate of Beijing University that serves the most amazing chicken wings.

For the Wharton and College senior, spending a semester in Beijing allowed her to reconnect with her cultural roots, which she had few memories of as a child. The semester allowed her to rediscover her heritage and make Beijing her own again.

This trend of heritage students - those with family ties to their study abroad destinations - is alive at Penn, and such an option gives students a chance to fully reimmerse themselves in their native countries.

Gregory Gee, director of Penn's study abroad program, said heritage students of African American or Latino background may choose to study abroad in a sub-Saharan African or Latin American country, for example.

Asian American students who immigrated to the U.S. when they were young may also choose to study in an Asian country to reconnect with their past culture.

"When you're really young, you don't really get a feel for the place. I always wanted to experience what it's like to study and live in India and how easily I'd adjust," said Wharton senior Gaurav Madan, who left New Delhi at the age of six.

College sophomore Soyeon Park enrolled in an independent summer program at Yonsei University in South Korea last summer to improve her language skills and reinforce her ties with the Korean culture.

"Every time I speak Korean, I feel tied back," Park said.

By speaking Hindi, Madan said he was able to establish stronger relationships and build personal bonds abroad, even though many in India are proficient in English.

"Being able to speak the native tongue helps people trust you more," he said.

Roger Allen, director of the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, said there has been a tremendous interest within the Asian American community to study in Asia, particularly to improve future career prospects.

Wharton freshman Jue Pu, who was born in Beijing, plans to work in China after graduation, and explained that she wanted to have firsthand Mandarin experience before taking a full-time job abroad.

Heritage students, however, sometimes face additional unexpected pressures and cultural challenges.

Asian American heritage students face greater pressure when they study abroad, Gee said. Because they may appear to be native, the students are expected to demonstrate greater language proficiency and cultural understanding than students of other ethnicities.

African American students who travel back to a country where the population is predominantly black may expect a greater sense of belonging, but local residents may sometimes treat the student like just another American, Gee added.

Pu still expects her summer abroad to be fulfilling. "It's about having fun, enjoying that time, and . for my benefit as a Chinese student."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.