International Studies & Programs

Nepalese culture is very different than the U.S.

I was in culture shock seeing another country that is so different than the United States. There is a lot of trash in the streets, the water is darker colored, there are lots of people, the roads are full of motorcycles and cars and the sound of constant honking is persistent.

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Published: Wednesday, 01 Jun 2022 Author: Zachary Woloszyk

Zachary standing with elephant in NepalI am a very stereotypical college student from a middle-income family and represent with the LGBTQ+ community.  I was one of three males in a group of 14 students on this program. I graduated from Michigan State in 5 years from my undergraduate degree with a focus on Zoology. I applied to Veterinary school in my last year and got accepted into Michigan State. I met the professor who leads this study abroad in my first year and maintained a relationship with her up until the program ran again. I have been building my education and experiences up as much as possible to help me get the most out of education abroad programs like this one. After going on this study abroad, the idea of pursuing a master's degree in Public Health is definitely on my radar. I enjoy One Health as it is and the DVM degree pairs nicely with this is mind.

Living in Nepal for three weeks had a very big personal impact. I was in culture shock seeing another country that is so different than the United States. There is a lot of trash in the streets, the water is darker colored, there are lots of people, the roads are full of motorcycles and cars and the sound of Zachary standing with dog in Nepalconstant honking is persistent. Some of the other places we went to had better living accommodations and were a bit better taken care of like the National Parks. Animals would roam the streets as you cannot slaughter sick cows, and stray dogs are an abundance along with monkeys, cats, and pigeons. Starving children and families will ask us for money and individuals trying to make a living selling souvenirs will pester and follow you to buy things from them. It can be a lot for a person to take in especially when you do not come from that background.Zachary helping to file elephant's foot in Nepal

I picked up some words in Nepalese, however, I did not prepare for the situations that I would get into that involved needing to understand another language. I was very fortunate to have guides and professors that spoke English and could help translate. This really makes me wish I had taken classes to understand more of the language before I left for Nepal.

I learned a lot of things about the culture when I traveled. We learned about gender stereotypes, domestic and wild animal lifestyles, and rules regarding religion around them. We learned about different cities in the country, how the country is divided, the government and more. We learned about currency, souvenirs, typical meals, clothing, and the language. This is just a surface level idea of the culture shock we went through living in Nepal.

Regardless of funds, do not miss out on opportunities like this. Michigan State will work with you to find a way to get you to go. Talk to professors and ask around. The Office of Education Abroad offers lots of scholarships to help students to travel.

Name: Zachary Woloszyk
Status: 4th year DVM Candidate C/O 2023
Major: Veterinary Medicine
Hometown: Oxford, Michigan
Program: One Health Nepal

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