United States environment bewilders foreign students
By Norma C. Romano
When a foreign student decides to study in the United States, by means of a scholarship or on his own, he usually is bewildered with the idea of living in a different environment. Seldom does he realize that his change means a challenge to his social, economical and cultural background.
International students studying in this country must not only leap the language barrier and marvel at the kaleidoscope of campus life, but they also face an adjustment to American humor. American view of sex, the educational system, food and a diversity of social customs they encountered on their arrival.
"FOR THE FIRST four months in this country, I starved to death. American starchy food just didn't appeal to me. It was difficult to learn to like this type of meal at the beginning. Now I have to take them whether I like them or not," Mamitua Saber, Philippine graduate student, said.
Siegfried Magiera. Germany graduate, agreed with Saber, "It was not what I ate, but the way meals were fixed here, besides it's so expensive for a foreign as well as for an American student to eat properly on an American college campus. The government should do something to finance part of the student's meals," he said.
"Learning to restrain my emotions was hard. Americans are too conventionalistic and contain their feelings, training their heart as they do with machines. They hate to be sentimentalistic and don't allow themselves to make close friendships." Girma Negash, Ethiopia junior, said.
MARGARETA ASKLUND, Sweden graduate student, thinks that American students have forgotten their sense of relaxation, something to which she was accustomed in her Scandinavian homeland.
"I just don't see how Americans survive in such a rush, a student is unable to relax with the daily readings he has to do, plus the crowds of papers to write. Students here accept all the work their instructors assign, hence they struggle to do well in every subject," she said.
"They don't have time to relax, and when they do, they find themselves more tired than before. They don't take relaxation in small doses," Miss Asklund added.
Learning to laugh American style was a challenge for Swaebou Conateh, Gambia junior.
"AMERICAN HUMOR — I couldn't understand it, what was funny to me wasn't so among Americans; I had to learn their way of telling jokes," the African student said.
Mrs. Annika Noort, Swedish graduate, said it was difficult to have closing hours while she was living in a dormitory last year. She solved this problem by marrying Gahzzi, her Iraqian husband whom she met at KU.
"It was so strange to have someone constantly watching the girls in the dorm. Back home, the university doesn't intertwine with the student's private life. Also, we don't study under the pressure our American counterparts do; we can take exams when we desire." Mrs. Noori said.
SAID ADRA, LEBANON sophomore, said his biggest adjustment was to learn to follow American social customs in order to be accepted.
"Americans expect us to behave the way they do, and then they accept us, otherwise we are considered as 'funny foreigners,'" he said.
Kansas weather, on the other hand, challenged Emmanuel Akuchu, Cameroon junior.
"I never thought," he said "one place could have so many changes in climate as Kansas does, unstability in weather beats me."
"Americans say they have more social freedom than the majority of other countries, I've found the opposite," Alvaro Gonzalez, Peruvian graduate, said.
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