NAME: Michael Brown

MAJOR: Psychology

PROGRAM: SJSU Exchange – Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland

EMAIL: Michael.j.brown@sjsu.edu

BIO: My name is Michael Brown, and I chose to study abroad because it had always been a goal of mine in college along with wanting to broaden my horizons as a student and an individual and using the experience of being around a different culture and people helped exponentially in this. Studying abroad has helped instill a strong sense of self, strengthened my self-confidence, and opened my eyes to numerous opportunities  available to me in the future post-grad.

LEADERSHIP, VOLUNTEER, OR JOB EXPERIENCES: I was apart of many organizations during my time in high school, as I helped my senior class plan events, and fundraisers as well as communicating vital information that the graduating seniors around me would need. I also was a captain on my track and field team, and helped lead practice and stretching at the end of the day. In terms of leadership experience at SJSU, I was only here a semester before going abroad as I was a transfer student, so I am hoping to be involved in leadership opportunities this upcoming fall semester.

GOALS: Goals I had set out to acheive when studying abroad was to gain insight into my major Psychology, from a non-american perspective, along with being open to meeting new people, and trying to involve myself with new experiences and clubs in order to full feel immersed in the culture as I was abroad. Other personal goals were to be able to adapt to a different climate, and be able to adapt to a city that had a better system of public transit and walkability. It was also a goal of mine to make friends abroad in order to establish connection to them and be able to still follow up with each other and see what we’re all up to.

ACADEMICS: I took a Psychology of Immigration course, a Brain and Cognition course, and a Social Psychology Course. Out of all three of these, the one that impacted me the most and what I took the most from back with me to SJSU was the psychology of immigration course. Learning about the different aspects and views that the UK has on immigration versus the ones the US has was an interesting part of the course, and also learning the way within psychology these two nations’ cultures influence the differences of the issue. Using this new world view, and bringing back the knowledge I gained to SJSU, it will help me think in a broader scope when it comes to psychology as a science as there are so many different people all over the world, and that should be accounted for.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: My immersion impacted my perspective on the world through being able to be around so many different people all over Europe, it helped me understand that we’re not all that different. Yes, the different cultures are numerous and intricate, but at the root of it were all just people and that was a big takeaway from it for me. It also helped me understand the difference from my peers to myself, as they were around my age but had a completely different life from me having grown up in Scotland versus growing up in California. This definitely helped make the world feel a lot smaller and less daunting.

CAREER: Skills that I learned and grew in when being abroad were problem-solving skills, interpretation, and overall awareness. Having been able to have the privilege to travel a lot while being based in Edinburgh, there were many different languages, customs, public transit and airports, and food that I had to navigate and learn about for the first time. Having the self-assurance that I could figure out this new city and its people helped me tremendously as it was only me who I had to make sure got things that I needed done, or else they wouldn’t have gotten done. This aspect of being abroad strengthened the overall independence, grit, and ability to make sure I was safe and aware of what was going on in order to have fun while traveling but also be able to learn how so many new places worked.

PERSONAL GROWTH: The biggest impact that studying abroad had on me was the fact that the world is bigger than I could have ever imagined but that also it’s quite small at the same time. I learned so much about what I like in a city, and in a culture, along with seeing exponential growth in myself and being able to take that confidence back with me and be able to feel more self assured back home then I ever have been able to.

IDENTITIES: I would say my identity as an LGBTQ+ individual in Scotland was a better experience than I would’ve had back home. In Edinburgh it was very open and welcome to people who are under this umbrella and I felt for affirmed and safer in this city than I have in many places back in the US.

FUTURE: The advice I would give to future Global Spartans is to do a lot of research about where you are studying at and where you want to travel to, but also be open to letting go of that knowledge and just exist in the space you find yourself in. Walk into a random store or supermarket. Sit in the park and just observe and people watch. The research and knowledge will serve as a backbone but shouldn’t be the sole supporter of your time abroad. And take lots of pictures!