Jessica's Journey

This personal story chapter describes the journey undertaken by a transgender youth as she discovers her true gender identity. Told by a mother and daughter team, each individual shares her feelings and experiences from the time J is a toddler until the present, including preschool experiences, travel abroad anecdotes, school and social encounters, and family reactions and adjustments to J's transition and ongoing transformation. The chapter addresses the social, emotional, physical, academic, and economic factors that many transgender youth and adults face on a daily basis and suggests ways that schools and society can ease this complex process for individuals who are LGBTQ+.

Management of Quality, Satisfaction, and Loyalty of Rural Destinations

Tourism is a major global industry that, in its heyday, has become significantly concerned with quality and related themes, satisfaction and loyalty. This chapter aims to identify the factors that influence the quality of a rural destination and the associated visitor satisfaction and loyalty. These factors in turn have an impact on destination management, but also other stakeholders such as tourism entrepreneurs in the destination or residents. In 2020, tourism has undergone significant changes due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For instance, travel abroad was regulated through government regulations, which caused an increase in demand for rural tourism. As the author's research has shown, some quality factors have undergone significant changes. Even the quality management to achieve visitor satisfaction and loyalty has proven to be very important, especially in the sense that by gaining loyalty at this specific time, it can ensure that visitor numbers are maintained even after the pandemic period when the return of and high growth in overseas travel is expected.

Redefining Interaction in Study Abroad Programs

As international borders closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, study abroad programs struggled to send students back to their home countries and to maintain academic continuity by transitioning from in-person to remote instruction. Afterwards, university administrators found themselves in the unenviable position of having to make decisions based on limited information regarding the feasibility and safety of allowing students to travel abroad. Uncertain mobility and visa processes, limited flights, health risks, and lack of preparedness for managing students abroad in a pandemic contributed to cancellations. Some programs remained open by reinventing their programming and procedures. In the meantime, those responsible for study abroad, both on home campuses and on international sites, began to examine different ways to provide opportunities to interact with first language (L1) speakers without physical proximity. This chapter focuses on how interaction has been redefined and adapted to limited in-person, hybrid, and virtual study abroad.

A Broader Relevance of Gullivers Suffering in the Context of Culture Shock

Purpose: This study analyzes Gulliver’s sufferings among his different hosts and his relevancy to today’s sojourners who travel abroad and suffer from the effects of culture shock. During his stay with four different hosts, Gulliver remains unable to adjust with them due to the impact of culture shock. He looks at his hosts from the cultural parameters of his native land that leads to multiplication his problems. Like him, most of the travelers who move abroad for various reasons undergo the effects of culture shock. If they fail to understand the internal and external aspects their hosts’ culture, they may respond as Gulliver does. Approach: Though critics have analyzed Gulliver’s character from different perspectives, none has studied him from the lens of culture shock. On close analysis of the text of Gulliver’s Travels, readers can easily observe Gulliver suffering from the effects of culture shock among his hosts. A fresh perspective has been adopted in this study by analyzing Gulliver’s character in the light of culture shock. Culture shock affects sojourners in multiple ways. Many students, migrants, and the diaspora go through this experience while living in a new culture among new people. Findings: This study shows that culture has been a common phenomenon for people who stay abroad for long or settle though they do not realize that several problems that they face are caused by culture shock. However, if someone consciously assimilates the effects of culture shock, it becomes a great experience to live a better life. Implications: Though Gulliver belongs to the eighteenth century England, yet he exists around and among us. It is Gulliver’s relevancy that adds to the meaningfulness of his character for the contemporary sojourners.

Transplant Tourism: New Zealand Residents Deciding on Commercial Transplantation Overseas

<p>The demand for organs exceeds supply in almost every country, including New Zealand. As such, scholars have argued that this has contributed to a rise in illegal kidney purchase and commercial transplantation. Taking into account the likelihood that patients in New Zealand have been involved, this research considers the factors that motivate these patients to circumvent the transplant opportunities here in favour of a commercial transplant overseas. In addition, this project examines the ethical concerns that arise for medical professionals who suspect or become aware of a patient’s intention to procure an organ outside of New Zealand. Interviews were conducted with eight medical professionals working in the field of kidney donation and transplantation, two key informants (stakeholder and academic), and two patients. The patients have previously undergone a kidney transplant in New Zealand and have both — to varying degrees — considered transplant tourism. Using narrative thematic analysis, the data was organised into three predominant themes; The Desire for Health, Transplant Tourism: An Uncommon Phenomenon, and The Healthcare Response. Numerous insights were generated from this analysis. While transplant tourism is considered by many patients in New Zealand, it is pursued infrequently and arguably only by those with connections to common destination countries. When such instances occur, medical professionals in New Zealand encounter a variety of ethical, legal, and professional dilemmas that affect their ability to prevent transplantrelated crimes. This research concludes that patients (regardless of whether or not they pursue transplant tourism) experience feelings of frustration and hopelessness as a result of their illness experiences along with the current healthcare infrastructures. Assisting patients in setting realistic expectations of their treatment options, as well as increasing the transparency of the deceased donor waiting list is recommended. Moreover, it is suggested that transplant professionals at all levels are offered education about organ trafficking and transplant tourism, and a policy statement on organ trafficking and transplant tourism should be developed to clarify the rights and obligations of medical professionals in relation to organ purchase and offer guidance on how they can interact with patients who travel or plan to travel abroad for a transplant.</p>

Transplant Tourism: New Zealand Residents Deciding on Commercial Transplantation Overseas

<p>The demand for organs exceeds supply in almost every country, including New Zealand. As such, scholars have argued that this has contributed to a rise in illegal kidney purchase and commercial transplantation. Taking into account the likelihood that patients in New Zealand have been involved, this research considers the factors that motivate these patients to circumvent the transplant opportunities here in favour of a commercial transplant overseas. In addition, this project examines the ethical concerns that arise for medical professionals who suspect or become aware of a patient’s intention to procure an organ outside of New Zealand. Interviews were conducted with eight medical professionals working in the field of kidney donation and transplantation, two key informants (stakeholder and academic), and two patients. The patients have previously undergone a kidney transplant in New Zealand and have both — to varying degrees — considered transplant tourism. Using narrative thematic analysis, the data was organised into three predominant themes; The Desire for Health, Transplant Tourism: An Uncommon Phenomenon, and The Healthcare Response. Numerous insights were generated from this analysis. While transplant tourism is considered by many patients in New Zealand, it is pursued infrequently and arguably only by those with connections to common destination countries. When such instances occur, medical professionals in New Zealand encounter a variety of ethical, legal, and professional dilemmas that affect their ability to prevent transplantrelated crimes. This research concludes that patients (regardless of whether or not they pursue transplant tourism) experience feelings of frustration and hopelessness as a result of their illness experiences along with the current healthcare infrastructures. Assisting patients in setting realistic expectations of their treatment options, as well as increasing the transparency of the deceased donor waiting list is recommended. Moreover, it is suggested that transplant professionals at all levels are offered education about organ trafficking and transplant tourism, and a policy statement on organ trafficking and transplant tourism should be developed to clarify the rights and obligations of medical professionals in relation to organ purchase and offer guidance on how they can interact with patients who travel or plan to travel abroad for a transplant.</p>

Scholars for Life! Building Faculty and Community Connections on an Age-Friendly University Campus

Central Connecticut State University’s Scholars for Life! supports the engagement of older learners in the community through faculty guest lectures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, participation in the virtual format frequently swelled to over 100 attendees, which is five times the number participating pre-pandemic. Moreover, faculty engagement increased. This presentation will share results of a study that used an Age-Friendly University (AFU) lens to explore this expanded connection to community members with the intention to build on its successful faculty-community engagement. 132 participants responded to the survey (M age = 69), mostly identifying as local retired alumni and community members. Participants reported high satisfaction with the lectures, connection to the university, interest in joining future travel abroad experiences, and utilizing campus resources when safe. Indeed, 84% are now aware of CCSU’s AFU status and 61% expressed interest in the 62+ course tuition waiver. Implications and future directions will be addressed.

Mobility of the Workforce and Its Influence on Innovativeness (Comparative Analysis of the United States and Poland)

The article describes a comparative analysis of the mobility of the workforce in the United and Poland. The collected data includes permanent relocation as well as temporary travel abroad. Data also includes the reasons being taken under consideration while relocating. The paper also discusses the phenomenon of innovative people cloistering together and creating innovative cities. The article also addresses the influences of mobility of the workforce on innovative and entrepreneurial behavior. A comparison has been made between the innovativeness in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. This comparison also includes the percentage of people with higher education in the most innovative cities in the United States and Poland. The percentage of the immigrant population in the most innovative cities in the United States in comparison to the national average has also been provided. Since there is no accurate data related to the number of immigrants in the most innovative cities in Poland, a comparison between the United States and Poland was not possible.

Factors impacting Jordanian women in computing case study: Hashemite University

<p>We consider pursuing the Jordanian women their graduate studies in Information Technology disciplines as an indicator of socio-economic development and empowering women in Jordan. This paper presents the first study of multi-variate stereotypes that shape the problem by addressing the following factors: travel abroad, family matters, skills and experience, traditional and cultural differences, scholarship opportunities, financial matters, and language complications. These factors were extensively studied, and their effects were estimated by applying the linear-regression, one-way ANOVA, and Scheffe tests. The scholarship opportunity (R² = 0:354), travel abroad (R² = 0:281), and financial matters (R² = 0:226) were the most influential factors on Jordanian women’s decision in pursuing their graduate studies. On the other hand, skills and experience stereotype (R² = 0:076) has the least influence.</p>

The Impact of International Experiential Learning and the Community and University Partnership Supporting Global Citizenship in U.S. Schools

As global citizens, we have an increasing international interdependence that now impacts the way we solve problems and interact with one another. Intentionally planed travel abroad has the potential to transform lives by creating a greater global and personal awareness, where adolescents see themselves as not just members of their local community, but also a global community. In an attempt to prepare students for an international and interdependent world, one inner-city nonprofit agency partnered with a local university in South Texas to provide overseas experiential learning opportunities paired with service-learning projects. Through one innovative program, more than 600 students have traveled to more than 20 countries as a full-immersion experience, most of which were centered on service-learning opportunities. The students in this program had the opportunity to examine their prejudices, assumptions, and fears while learning about themselves and developing deeper relationships with members of their school and local community through global outreach.