Global Learning Portal

Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality While Away

Traveling abroad can present new contexts to navigate in which you experience your identities. Being proactive by preparing yourself to anticipate and process these experiences is an important part of planning for your travel abroad that may contribute to a more enriching experience. 

Things to consider

When considering a Global Learning program or destination, make a point to research your host country and become familiar with and connect with UCSC resources that can provide support and assist in planning. Some topics and subjects to research include the following points.

Social and Cultural Context

  • How will I be perceived in my host community because of my ethnicity, race, or nationality?
  • How is race/ethnicity understood in my host country?
  • What is the historical context of race and ethnicity in my host country? How might this affect the way people perceive me?
  • Are there local tensions in my host country around my identifying ethnicity that might influence my experience abroad?

Processing Your Experience

In the U.S., you might be first identified by your race, but when you are abroad it is possible that you will be identified first as an American. In some contexts, your nationality may be assumed based on your visible identity, such as how you dress, how you speak, body language, etc.

  • How will you prepare for this possible shift in the way others perceive your identity?
  • Will you be in a country where you will be perceived to be in the majority? Or the minority? How will these experiences differ from your day-to-day experiences in the U.S.?

Heritage Seekers

Students looking to travel to countries where they have family or cultural connections are called Heritage Seekers. Seeking to learn more about your cultural or family connections is not an unusual reason for choosing a particular country, as you may feel an affinity for the language or cultural traditions, or you may wish to get in touch with aspects of your family history represented by a particular culture. When considering travel for this reason, you should understand your expectations before going.

  • What are you looking to get out of the experience?
  • What views does the host culture have of heritage seekers?
  • What are my expectations for how I will be received by members of the host culture? What will I do if their reaction doesn’t meet my expectations?

Perceptions abroad

Attitudes and perceptions around race, ethnicity, and national identity vary widely around the world. It will be very useful for you to be prepared enough to understand how you may be perceived or treated in your host country due to your identities.

Cultural Context

Perceptions of your racial or ethnic identity can vary across contexts, which may lead to assumptions about your heritage, nationality, language ability, and more. Consider how you will feel if:

  • You are traveling from one country to another while abroad and suddenly shift from being in the minority to the majority or vice versa.
  • Someone in your host country assumes you can speak or write a language based on your visible race or ethnic identity.
  • You are assumed to be a person of affluence and wealth because of your nationality.

This Being Black Abroad presentation provides additional perspectives on being abroad in different cultural contexts.

Global Learning Support

Your Global Learning advisor can help address questions and concerns relating to your identities in the specific programs and countries you are considering, including:

  • Provide insight into whether students of color typically study on the programs you are considering and what their experiences have been, if known.
  • Connect you with students of similar identities who have studied abroad.
  • Provide information about support resources at UCSC and abroad that are available to you.

It’s easy to make an appointment with an advisor. It’s a good idea to start asking questions and talk to an advisor as early in your decision-making process as possible.

UCSC Campus Support

A valuable UCSC resource is the Ethnic Resource Centers. You can inquire with resource center staff about being connected with students from your respective communities who have studied abroad or away to learn about what their experience was like. You should also keep an eye out for events like Being Black Abroad, Being Latinx Abroad, or other identity-focused sessions that could be offered throughout the year.

Additional Resources 

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Last modified: Oct 24, 2024