Skip to Content
Sustainability in Education Abroad

The interconnected nature of life in society today is undeniable; we can chat with our friends in Ghana while faxing a document to a colleague in Hong Kong and listening to a news story on the floods in Australia.  Every day we make decisions that affect people, plants, and animals that we have never met nor seen.

Education Abroad allows you to experience life in the house of another; eating, communicating, and exploring identities from another person’s perspective. Espousing a sustainable lifestyle is not only important; it is our responsibility - both at home and abroad.   

Sustainable travel is related to, but not limited to:
  • Being a Green Passport Holder

  • Being conscious of your environmental impact by:
    • Recycling
    • Using a water bottle and other reusable items to cut down on waste
    • Treating your new home the same as or better than Babson
    • Taking the train when possible instead of intercontinental flights
    • Purchasing carbon offsets
    • Choosing an airline carrier that utilizes fuel efficient jets and recycles on the aircraft

  • Understanding the socio-cultural impact of your experience abroad by:
    • Respecting your new home by observing the cultural norms, and trying to blend in rather than stand out. There is no need for you to abandon your sense of self or to change who you are while abroad, but it is very important to recognize how aspects of your personal culture and the norms that you espouse at home may not be appropriate in your new home. If you conduct yourself in exactly the same manner abroad, as you do at home, you may inadvertently offend your hosts or break a law.
    • Building a bridge between your host community and Babson College.  Reciprocate the good will, the knowledge you will gain, and the friendships you will make in your host community by giving back. You can volunteer your time in a myriad of different ways that will benefit your host community. Upon your return to Babson College remember to keep up communication with your overseas friends, host family, and overseas program providers.  If there is a cause that you were involved in while abroad, continue giving back from the Babson campus. Communicating with your host community through writing letters and e-mailing, and raising awareness of the contemporary realities of life in your host community are ways that you can "be the change you wish to see in the world."
  • Investing wisely by taking into account the impact of your buying power on the local economy and environment. Staying at hotels that are owned and operated by individuals within your host community and purchasing items that are made locally will ensure that your dollars are going directly into the hands of the community members who need it most. Patronizing only large chain hotels or chain restaurants, and purchasing souvenirs only from the airport vendors, does not allow for your dollars to go into the hands of local entrepreneurs or artisans.
Additional Resources

 
Last modified 01/11/2011
Top of page