<p>I know that students interested in the third world program orientation for freshman need to arrive on campus earlier. Is it possible to move into the dorm earlier too? Also to those who have gone to this orientation, how was it and was it worth going to?</p>
<p>I went to TWTP. On the first day of the program, they gave me until 6pm to move into my room. After 6pm we had a dinner and TWTP began. I think it is an excellent program because you get to meet people and get a feel for the campus. Hopefully things change this year but I felt that it got a bit redundant (there was a lot of sitting and talking) so me and my room mate (also in twtp) stopped going and we would just relax on the Green or go meet other people. Be sure to search the forums too I am sure there are alot of other threads for twtp.</p>
<p>I went to TWTP, and I would definitely recommend it. For one, you’ll be able to choose the better side of the room and the better set of furniture and move in without the hustle and bustle of everyone else. You also get a good feel for the campus and meet a lot of people–people I still consider amazingly close friends even a year after the program.</p>
<p>As for the program itself, I would recommend it. All of it. The first day or so IS very repetitive and awkward, but the 3rd and 4th days… I don’t know how to describe it other than magical. (But the group can only get to where they do the last 2 days with the awkwardness of the first 2!) The whole experience really did change (for the better, I hope) how I look at the world and how I should interact with it.</p>
<p>I hear a lot of problems with it, that some of the minority students meet each other in it and then sort of self-segregate themselves into groups once everyone else gets there. </p>
<p>I, for one, if accepted, won’t be attending.</p>
<p>i wondered the same thing. i heard the program was excellent. as for the self-segregation thing, i think its up to everyone to include everyone else once they arrive.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/87710-twtp-worth.html?highlight=twtp[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/87710-twtp-worth.html?highlight=twtp</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/662938-third-world-welcome.html?highlight=twtp[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/662938-third-world-welcome.html?highlight=twtp</a></p>
<p>These two threads are previous CC discussions about this program at Brown. Perhaps worth the read.</p>
<p>I know a (white) student who went, and he said it was made him feel very uncomfortable. And that the phrase ‘the white man’ was used, haha. </p>
<p>I remember hearing (about TWW) that they had the same hosts for that and ADOCH, yet they made themselves sound a lot more ‘ethnic’ (or ‘ghetto’, or whatever) for TWW, by changing their vocabulary, mannerisms, etc. This bothers me so much!</p>
<p>The program isn’t geared for Caucasian people. It is geared for minorities. There are many discussions where I could see a Caucasian person feeling intimidated or guilty. If you are Caucasian and you are NOT interested in bridging the gap between minorities and white in society it is best that you do NOT go to TWTP. </p>
<p>Furthermore, as for people changing their personalities for TWW/ADOCH I can see that happening to ANYONE. I mean I tried to be a bit more out going for my ADOCH prefrosh, than I would normally be. I also emphasized some of Brown’s culture, talked to my friends a bit more than I would have, (and watched my room mate smoke a bowl with our prefrosh haha). It is just trying to make your guest feel comfortable and welcome, I am sure this is beyond TWW and ADOCH and is just something that we as human beings do.</p>
<p>But the way he made it sound is that the program didn’t do anything to help ‘bridge the gap’ (something that I think does interest him); instead, he felt outcast. Plus how does it help to bring minorities and white people together if the program caters only to minorities? I didn’t attend, however, so I don’t know the specifics of what went on.</p>
<p>I think that the TWC should exist - it’s very important for minority students, women, etc. to have safe places to talk. But as a pre-orientation program? It could use some work. I do think it’s a natural thing to self-segregate - it happens in high school and it’ll happen in college - but having a more diverse group of people at TWTP (or a similar race-oriented program) would do more to promote discussion and understanding. As it is, TWTP does seem to serves more to segregate than to promote a mutual exchange of ideas.</p>
<p>My roommate, originally from Columbia, went to the program. He agreed with the concept, but vehemently disagreed with the execution, feeling that in some ways it made the gap worse.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it certainly helped him meet people. And some people will stand by it and defend it. I didn’t go and so have no way of knowing, myself.</p>
<p>TWTP doesn’t only address issues regarding people of color. The -isms that they go over are racism, imperialism, sexism, homophobism, and classism. I might be forgetting some… Either way, from the -isms that I did list, most can be applied to white people as well. As long as someone strongly identifies with one of the -isms, I think he/she has a duty to go and be heard, or at least experience a safe place.</p>
<p>The truth is many students who attend TWTP have been affected by one of the -isms, and this is one of the few times where they find themselves with others with the same experience. Although I do agree that at times there was a lot of negative energy towards “the white man,” I can assure you, at least on my part, that there was no ill intent.</p>
<p>I can personally say that I have been affected in one way or another to varying degrees, and this was the first time I was able to discuss them openly without feeling stupid (for lack of a better way of putting it). I personally feel it helped me become a more candid person.</p>
<p>In regards to the people changing their way of speech depending on their environment, everyone does it. Do you talk to a group of children the same way you talk to your parents? Do you talk to strangers or people of authority the same way you talk to friends?</p>
<p>This post is kind of all over the place. Sorry.</p>