Seeking Solace in a Foreign Place

Thoughts in relation to Meyrowitz (2004) reading:

The idea of locality as a backdrop rather than a physical place we must engage and commit to could be applied to students studying abroad. ‘There is no essential connection between the physical setting we are in and the mediated experiences we are having in that location.’ As international students often communicate and keep in touch with their families back in their home country, the physical space they are currently at is nothing more than a backdrop for students to engage in interactions through an array of media. Often like mentioned in the reading, we find ourselves describing and relaying information regarding the place we are currently at and what we were doing to someone communicating to us from a distant place. Moreover, students have the privilege to choose their level of commitment towards the location they are currently at. International student might not need to commit to the local community or express their concerns over local news as they receive up to date news on their own countries via a call back home or browsing their countries’ news site online. Thus, further strengthens Meyrowitz’s idea of locality as a backdrop. I’ve met a couple of international students who do not seem to be aware of what is going on in Victoria and some do not even know who is the Prime Minister of Australia. Besides that, some might find it difficult to fit in with the locals and seek solace in familiar sights and voices from their own country through communication devices.

However, while some might not be interested in news on the foreign place they are at, some might beg to differ. Travelling became such a common activity among the globalized society, that it no longer seems like we are bounded to the ongoing and history of our birthplace. In fact, we are now offered a myriad of options in terms of information we want to access. For instance, a student from Thailand might be yearning to study at the United States due to the exposure of the American programmes in her country. No doubt she will be aware of the news ongoing in the States even as she travels there to pursue her studies. The relocations of locality are nothing new in our modern society as global information is publicise. The migrating trend is increasingly popular over the years now as people are now more willing to abandon their locality for another in hopes of a better life.

We are now free to pick what suits our aspirations and interests. Also, we can exit the physical place we are at psychologically; resorting in alternative ways to seek what reflects us as a person and what makes us feel comfortable. In a nutshell, the physical space we are at does not necessary serves its purpose other than a space where we utilize mediated experiences whether to quench our thirst for information, support or for our social purposes.