This article comparatively examines the micro-dynamics of the internationalization of higher education at two major research universities: one in South Africa and one in the United States. It is specifically concerned with understanding the multidimensional flows: global, national, and local (gloconal)--within which international education practices are created. Focusing on study abroad and international students, the research examines the convergences and divergences in these practices, analyzing how local, national, and global contexts both enable and constrain the possibilities for internationalization. In conclusion, the research discussed here suggests the need for new research focused on understanding the consequences of the "encounters" produced by the internationalization of higher education. (Contains 65 notes.)