Name: Mauree Schroeder
Major/Minor: Global Studies, Japanese Minor
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Year at UNL: Sophomore
Why Global Studies?
Growing up in suburban Omaha meant that I was one of a few mixed-race students throughout my public school years. Although I'm familiar with the things my classmates liked, there were also some small things that I felt made me different. As I grew up, I realized that most of these were cultural differences passed to me from my parents. Meeting other minorities, immigrants, and mixed-race people made me interested in cultural- especially linguistic- differences.
My favorite classes so far are international relations and foreign language. Understanding the relationship between politics, culture, and society provides a vital framework to better understanding current events and issues in the world. Foreign language, while less heavy, draws your focus on a specific area to really make you think like a native speaker of the language. Just learning the language can teach you so much about a place and how the speakers think.
For new Global Studies majors, I think it's best to just jump into whatever your interest may be. Global Studies provides an excellent way of sampling different areas, like history, political science, and sociology, that are not open to most other majors. If there's a topic you're interested in, there is most likely a class that covers it at some point at UNL.
Tell us about your study abroad/internship experience.
I haven't studied abroad yet, but I have spent time overseas. I took a summer trip to France its neighboring countries and traveled through Nice, Paris, Port-au-Prince, Saint Paul de Vince, Aix-en-Provence, Italy, and Monaco. My time was mostly spent sightseeing (everything from the Arc de Triomphe to the royal guard at Monoco), with the occasional exploration into less famous areas, where I found delicious chocolate-filled pastries, lovely boutiques, and quiet, luxurious gardens.
I also spent three months in China. I lived in a smaller city in Liaoning neighboring Shenyang, one of China's busiest cities. I took long walks through the bustling streets where old men played Mahjong, and I sometimes went with my boyfriend's mother to get facial massages at the spa next to their apartment. I tried many of the local street vendors' foods, like grilled lamb skewers and jianbing guozi: egg and sausage wraps, and ended my day by buying dinner in the beautifully-illuminated night market. I also traveled to Leshan, a quiet mountain town famous for the giant Buddha statue situated by the river. From there, I flew to Shanghai, where I window-shopped at Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Armani Exchange on one of the most opulent boulevards in the world. I finished my experience by taking a 2-hour long bus ride to Zhujiajiao, China's own Venice, a rustic river city through which one can travel by boat.
What are you post-graduation plans?
After graduation, I plan to teach English abroad in either Japan or China. There are many eager students- young and old alike- who are interested in learning English and desire an equally-passionate teacher. I hope to show them the same passion in teaching my language as I felt in learning theirs. If I enjoy teaching as much as I expect, then I plan to make it a permanent career. Otherwise, I plan to go