It’s important to research your host country’s cultural behaviors towards religion, including the dominant religion (if there is one) and the degree of religious tolerance in the country. Keep in mind that oftentimes, local religious practice intersects with gender roles to inform the way that people are expected to present or behave. If you plan to practice your religion abroad, talk to locals or program staff and look into opportunities so you know where you might be able to worship and observe your religious tradition. Check out Diversity Abroad's Religious Diversity Abroad page and other resources.
Explore Perspectives by Country
For most students, an international opportunity is an amazing, sometimes even life-changing experience. CGIS has prepared in-progress documents intended to provide identity-related background information and context from news sources and other resources. These documents are a springboard for your own research: they might prepare you for some of the specific dynamics that you may experience in several countries that are the most popular with CGIS students (Australia, Costa Rica, France, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom) but these documents are only a starting point, by no means an absolute or exhaustive list.
Even though you might be a minority based on your nationality in your host country, you may also receive additional attention for your additional identities, including race and ethnicity, which may or may not be discrimination. You might feel judgment from people based on your gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disability, or religion, and your unique identities interact and intersect with one another to affect your experience. Remember that nowhere in the world is completely free of ignorance. No matter what happens, don’t let the possibility of discrimination keep you from experiencing and enjoying the life-changing opportunity to study or intern abroad.
Keep in mind that although these excerpts and anecdotes might ring true for some, every identity and experience is unique, and you will have your own, specific experience abroad. These are living documents, and we encourage you to contact us at cgis@umich.edu if you would like to add your own experiences, input, or other resources to the list, for these or other countries.
Click here for our in-progress compilation of excerpts and anecdotes to start your own research!
