Vietnamese Personal Statement

As a member of the Altman Program in International Studies & Business, Tulane granted me the opportunity to study in Vietnam. On this program, I helped construct a road for the rainy season in the Mai Chau Valley with the White Thai. While there, I communicated with locals in a language I could neither speak nor read. This program helped me develop my ability to communicate with individuals who live a world away, geographically and ideologically.

Vietnam taught me that if spoken language is not an option, then so much can be said through actions. For example, when we began the road construction, there was a divide between the students and the villagers. It was as if an invisible wall stood between the parties. However, within an hour, patty cake, piggyback rides, and I had made fast friends with the two eight-year-old girls. At that moment, the invisible wall began to dissipate between the villagers and the

With that knowledge, we can open up new roads for communication. For instance, family plays an integral role for the White Thai. When I played with the children, I became less of a stranger and more of a friend. Understanding what the White Thai valued allowed me to communicate with them on a deeper level. It allowed them to accept me into a social meeting with the village elders.

I have volunteered in Asia, South America and Africa, since the age of 16. While my intercultural communication skills continue to grow, I know a great deal about effective cross-cultural communication. I believe I would be a positive addition to the CLS group because of my ability to communicate with diverse individuals. I can help the group and the locals find comfort in strange situations. My perspective of the world has shown me that a thousand miles of geography will never change the fact that we are all human