The Complexity of Study Abroad: Stories from Ethnic Minority American Students in China

Abstract

This study focuses on the experiences of two African American and three Chinese American college students studying in China during the 2013–2014 academic year. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, all five students made progress in their Chinese proficiency, measured by test scores, lexical diversity, and total amount of language produced in each conversation. Qualitatively, the following themes emerged: (a) interactions with Chinese people outside the classroom, (b) how the concept of “self” was viewed by the Chinese people, (c) personality factors, and (d) the language progress. The student who did not enjoy the experience as much as the other students was ethnic Chinese with the highest level of Chinese proficiency. The explanation might be a mismatch between her ideal subject position of a successful language learner and the perceived subject position of a local Chinese person. This study provides additional evidence to show that experience abroad is complex and highly individualized. Even students from the same ethnic groups might have different experiences. Factors such as personality, prior cross-cultural experiences, language proficiency, expectations, and self-identification interact with each other in complex ways to influence the students’ experience abroad. Encouraging students to cultivate a more outgoing self in their second language (L2) might help them better take advantage of the study abroad experience.

Translingual and Transcultural Reflection in Study Abroad: The Case of a Vietnamese‐American Student in Guatemala

“…It is likely that Terry's contact-zone socialization, growing up in a working-class, traditional Vietnamese family in an inner-city Texas neighborhood, contributed to her awareness of the intersections of multiple cultures, languages, and peoples while in Guatemala. In fact, Terry's positive sojourn experience seems in part due to the richness of her prior cross-cultural experiences (Du, 2018).…”

“…Previous research has illustrated tendencies for racialized students to disengage from SA host communities due to discriminatory experiences (Goldoni, 2017; Quan, 2018; Talburt & Stewart, 1999). Students who share a linguistic, cultural, or ethnic heritage with host communities have also described being held to expectations of monolingual‐like competence, leading to linguistic insecurity and frustration (Du, 2018; Jing–Schmidt, Chen, & Zhang, 2016; Petrucci, 2007; Riegelhaupt & Carrasco, 2000). Nonetheless, students who confront discrimination based on myriad intersecting identity factors both at home and abroad potentially have much to gain from SA in regards to symbolic competence.…”

Returning to Normal?: Reimagining Study Abroad and Language Learning for a Sustainable and Equitable Future

“…Research has also examined the negative experiences of Asian Americans abroad, such as ethnolinguistic discrimination from locals who do not view them as Americans or who expect them to sound like a native speaker of an Asian language (Du, 2018;Van Der Meid, 2003). As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries experienced a resurgence of anti-Asian racism and even violence.…”

“…Nonetheless, such affinity should never be assumed, as heritage students are linguistically and culturally very diverse. In fact, heritage students may experience unique challenges while studying in their ancestral homeland, as they struggle simultaneously with not sounding authentic enough even though they may be racialized as a local (Diao, 2017;Du, 2018).…”

Bilingual heritage language learning in China: Applying the Douglas Fir Group's transdisciplinary framework

“…As studies of Chinese BHL learners have demonstrated, they often exhibit wide variation in social interactions with locals, ethnolinguistic identities, investments, and proficiency gains during SA (Diao & Wang, 2021; Du, 2018; Jing–Schmidt et al., 2016). Some learners were highly motivated, actively participated in the local community, developed a positive attitude toward local culture and traditions, successfully renegotiated their social and racial identities, and thus gained closer ties with local people and communities as well as greater linguistic competence, forming a virtuous circle.…”