Q and A with Riley Carlson

Q and A with Riley Carlson

Here is this week's Q and A with Riley Carlson ('13), a student who studied abroad on the CET Program in Jordan!

1.) Where are you from?

I'm from Plainfield, Vermont--just down the road from the city of Barre.

2.) What is your Major/Minor?

I'm an Economics major, and I'm minoring in English (Creative Writing) and Classics (Arabic).

3.) How did you first hear about your program?

I first heard about my program when I met with a study abroad adviser my sophomore year. I said I wanted to study Arabic and he suggested CET.

4.) Why did you choose the program you went on?

I was kind of forced into it. Originally I wanted to study abroad in Egypt, but then the Arab Spring happened. Then I decided I wanted to study in Syria with CET so I applied to that. But then Syria went downhill so they moved the program to Jordan and I was like, "whatever" I just wanted to study Arabic.

5.) What were your accommodations abroad? Did you have a roommates(s)?

I had an apartment. Almost all the students in my program lived two Americans and one Jordanian to an apartment. But there were an odd number of guys so I ended up just me and a Jordanian.

6.) What do you think was the most rewarding aspect of your time abroad?

It was awesome to experience living in a completely foreign country. Macalester might pride itself on diversity, but it really isn't a substitute for getting out there and experiencing a foreign land first-hand. I also felt like my Arabic language skills progressed leaps and bounds while abroad.

7.) Were you able to travel at all while abroad? Where to?

A lot of the Middle East was pretty crazy while I was over there, so I only got to travel around Jordan. I did get to visit all the regular tourist destinations (Petra, Wadi Rum, etc.), as well as some places more off the beaten path. I also spent a week by the Mediterranean Sea during spring break. It was nice.

8.) Was your programs atmosphere similar to life at Mac?

Not at all. We were pretty completely immersed in the culture of Irbid, Jordan. I think in the whole city there were only two other Americans besides the people in CET. The language component of the program was academically intense--more so than any Macalester language classes I've taken--but the other courses were more laid back.

9.) What is one of your favorite stories to tell others about your time abroad?

One time I allegedly told a taxi driver that I had multiple wives. I didn't really understand either side of the conversation, but he seemed to like me.

10.) Did you have an internship/volunteer experience while abroad? If so, how did this impact your time there?

Nope.

11.) How have you been able to apply what you learned abroad here at Mac?
Macalester prides itself on internationalism (both in student body and graduation requirements), but living in the heart of Minnesota does not allow much opportunity to actually experience how different life can be in other countries. Following CNN on twitter, or taking a class on the economics of global food problems doesn't come close to what you get from going out there and experiencing another country in person. Studying abroad has given me greater understanding of the backgrounds many of my peers come from. It also provides me fresh context for what I learn from following CNN on twitter or enrolling in courses on the economics of global food problems.