Abstract
The concept of foreign is familiar to everyone. We might have met someone who comes from another country or we ourselves have experienced being a foreigner in a different land. With the feeling of foreignness, comes a certain discomfort that stems from misunderstanding, frustration, or even biases that have been ingrained in our subconscious.
Foreign/Familiar explores the notion of being foreign and the baggage that comes with it. Based on personal introspection and a series of interviews, it tells stories from the point-of-view of foreign MICA students: international students and students for whom English is a second language (IS/ESLs). By letting the foreigners tell their stories, it highlights the myriad of ways the United States and its inhabitants are foreign to them. Ultimately, it aims to push the concept further and find ways to use design and storytelling to make the foreign familiar.