DU Abroad

I have a question, have you ever heard of the world’s fair or the world expo?

There was a time

When the world came together

To celebrate humanity

Art and technology

And the future

The dirty little secret?

There still is.

(From Where’s The Fair? Trailer- Documentary directed by Jeffrey Ford)

Why do I ask? Because I worked there! It was an amazing summer internship as one of 40 Student Ambassador’s at the USA Pavilion for the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, South Korea. It’s quite a neat story that I’ll tell you more about in an upcoming blog post.

I haven’t watched Where’s the Fair? yet, and don’t know if I can agree that it’s a dirtly little secret, but I definitely feel like the general American populace has been left in out of the loop. The World’s Fair exists! It just changed names and is now referred to as the World Expo. I was surprised and excited when I learned these events have continued to operate every 2-3 years at 3-6 months at a time.

So what happened? Why aren’t they publicized like other world events like the Olympics? Why doesn’t the US host them anymore? Well, I’ll share a little insight that I’ve gained through working at the USA Pavilion.

Firstly, legislation prohibits the use of US taxpayer money for US participation in World Expos. All other nations participate through either a combination of government funds and corporate sponsorship, or rely solely on government funding. For over a decade, USA Pavilions have relied on corporate funding.

Secondly, each expo’s USA Pavilion is a non-profit entity created for that specific year’s expo, and then the non-profit dismantles. US participation in World Expos is the product of a public partnership with the newly founded non-profit funded by corporate sponsors.

The next World Expo is taking place in Milan, Italy in 2015; after that we’ve got Expo Astana 2017 and Expo Dubai 2020. So, for any students who speak Italian, Russian, Kazahk, or Arabic, OR students who want to be a part of an international event, check to see if you can work at one of the upcoming expos or for the USA Pavilion! Milan’s theme is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life—food! The US announced its participation in Expo Milan in March, 2014. The reason it is announced so late, unlike other countries who confirm their participation in future expos before the current one is completed, is because of the funding issue. Because funding isn’t guaranteed, neither is our participation. Instead of concentrating efforts on planning and refining the design, operations, and experience that the Pavilion, valuable time is lost in order to raise the money necessary to run the pavilion.

Finally, the US is no longer a member of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), therefore it does not get a vote in determining which country will host a future expo. Until the US pays dues and is reinstated as an active member it is unlikely that another World Expo will be held here.

Overall expos are great opportunities to show off new developments in technology, knowledge sharing, and celebration of culture. I hope that Americans become more aware of this event, begin to take part in it, and maybe even push for the US to rejoin the BIE so we can host once again.

Emilie, Peer Advisor

As you are preparing for your time abroad, surely you are starting to think of some things you are nervous about. That’s definitely normal – even good. Your time abroad will bring brand new experiences for you, and some days will get tough.

That being said, there are a few things that are certain to make your time abroad the best it can be:

Don’t Freak Out When Things Go Wrong

One thing that we actually can guarantee you is that things will go wrong.

All. The. Time.

You are travelling to a new place, maybe many new places. You are going to be in a new city with a new culture. Many things about daily life will simply be different. When you are making plans to explore the city, plans for a weekend trip, anything you might want to do – remember that it may not end up going the way you planned. If you are a person who prefers to have every hour of your day planned out perfectly – get ready for a change. You might think you are going to the premier of a hot new movie – and it turns out to be in a tiny café that is impossible to find, screening an indie film against a brick wall with only 3 people watching. You might get lost on the way there and never make it. What’s the best way to cope with these situations?

We think you need to:

Laugh at Yourself

So what do you do when your plans get messed up, you get on the wrong bus and are hopelessly lost, anything or everything goes wrong during the course of the day? You just have to laugh at yourself. I didn’t make it through a single day abroad without messing at least one thing up. I once ordered carrot juice on accident because I didn’t know the Arabic word for carrot, I thought it was strawberry. I would get laughed at by cab drivers when my broken Arabic wasn’t quite good enough for the directions I needed to give. I would go to an event and not be able to catch a cab home to save my life.

The thing about being abroad is that you will stick out. You will be the different one in the crowd, no matter what. And when you aren’t familiar with the culture, the streets, the language, you will make mistakes. And that’s okay! Learning from your mistakes, and especially learning to laugh at them, is a part of the study abroad process. So try not to take yourself too seriously – it’s much more fun that way.

Say YES

This advice comes with an important caveat – only say yes to something if it is SAFE and LEGAL to do.

Now, saying yes is simply a suggestion to try new things, and make the most of different opportunities. At certain points, study abroad might be really really really hard. You might want to fall into a routine of things that are familiar – eat at McDonald’s more than is normal, or find a piece of home. We think this is a perfectly fine thing to do, as long as it doesn’t become your routine while abroad. Being in a new country is the perfect time to say YES to all sorts of different possibilities that come your way. Maybe a last second excursion, maybe a weekend trip, maybe a concert or festival happening. So once you get abroad, try to make the most of each opportunity you get!

Most of all, make sure to HAVE FUN.

Tiffany – Peer Advisor

Where’s The World’s Fair?

Making the Best of Things Abroad