The Challenges for International Students in the Us Culture - Research Paper Example

International and US Culture A move to a foreign country for studies would prove a nightmare for international learners due to the challenges that come with conflicting cultural values held by the student and those presented by the new nation of study. United States has been a center of studies for a huge pool of learners from all over the world. This research study focused on how international students fair in the US culture, what challenges they encounter as attributed to cultural differences, and how such difficulties impact on their studies. Introduction Crossing from one culture to another is a source of anxiety among international students. Culture shock comes with confusion, discouragements, loneliness, and a sense of uncertainty and insecurity. Scholars have conducted research that has revealed experiences underwent by international learners. Some cite perceptions of unfairness, physical and verbal confrontations, cultural intolerance and even inhospitality (Lee & Rice, 2007). A move from such a place as China to United States would mean a change in environment in terms of people to interact with, language used in the new environment, and the most predominant culture in the nation of migration. Statement of the problem The purpose of this research was to establish the challenges undergone by international students while adjusting to United States culture. The study would identify the range of difficulties they encounter while trying to acquire knowledge, skills, and new attitudes in a new environment. The research would establish the implications of the new culture on their education while pursuing their areas of specialization. The research was based on qualitative techniques in form of interviews to gather first-hand information from foreigners studying in United States. The data was analyzed to reveal the actual nature of the situation by basing the analysis on their actual comments and feedback. The nature of the challenges faced would reveal whether they emanate from the host society or are as a result of the foreigners’ inability to blend with others. Research question The research focus was based on this question: what are some of the challenges experienced by International students in United States and how do they affect their studies? Some other questions stemmed from the main research question and included; 1. Are there any benefits of International students to American institutions? 2. How common are incidences of conflicting values between those of the foreign student and those in United States? 3. Does the sudden change in culture result to a psychological shock among learners? 4. How fast do the international students blend to life in the classroom? 5. Do cultural elements like language prove a challenge to the new students? 6. How fast do non-English speakers adapt to the national language in United States? 7. What is the relationship between language command and performance in the classroom? 8. Are their support programs for international students in the United States curriculum? 9. Are their cultural events and activities that create room for international students to show and practice their cultural values? 10. Have the foreign learners devised and mastered survival tips in the new learning environment? 11. What are the overall implications of challenges experienced by the international students in terms of performance, life in United States and there after? 12. Is the US government doing enough to address the challenges faced by international students? What are some of the measures implemented? Literature Review The research topic has been addressed in a great deal of literature with the aim of establishing the nature of interaction between international students and the United States culture. Many scholars and researchers agree that the conflicting cultural values between the foreigners and Americans are a key element in addressing the issue (Altbach, 2004). International learners from Asia would express different attitudes towards some of cultural behaviors among Americans (Major, 2005). Those from the Arab world would show a different regard for some of the cultural practices in United States (Cole & Ahmadi, 2003). Benefits of International Students to American institutions Lee and Rice agree that International learners have direct benefits to American institutions (Lee & Rice, 2007). The foreign learners tend to provide diversity in form of population in the classroom. The fact that they hail from different parts of the world tend to provide a pool of new perspectives during interactions and the learning process in the classroom. The host students have an opportunity to learn and be aware of cultural diversities among different nations (Harrison, 2002). Some international students are well versed with knowledge and skills from their mother countries. Some from such nations as South Korea and China are specialists in such areas as technology and other sciences. As such, they add intellectual capital to United States and better the country in the long run (Lee & Rice, 2007). Experiences underwent by international students Essentially, Wei, Heppner and others consider some of the challenges that are experienced by international students in United States (Wei, 2007). Life in the classroom for foreign learners comes with what they term as stress, perfectionism, depression and alienation (Wei, 2007). Having a chance to study in United States does not happen right away. One has to go through various procedures while obtaining permission and travel documents. Lee and Rice, just like Wei and others underscore the stress that comes while going through immigration offices (Lee & Rice, 2007). The learners go through lengthy interviews that come with a great deal of financial commitments. Such events as 9/11 have led to entrance obstacles targeting potential learners from such places as Arab countries. Those who manage to get such positions in United States have reported cases of rejection as attributed to their religion and origin. For instance, those who wear veil have not been socially accepted in some institutions in United States. A few biased individuals have associated them terrorism (Cole & Ahmadi, 2003). In a practical sense, Wei, Heppner and others considered a cohort of 160 Chines students in their research study in an attempt to establish the connection between acculturative stresses, maladaptive perfectionism and depression, in the time of staying in the United States, and their implications on the mood of these international students in the classroom (Wei, 2007). Wei and his peers establish that there is a connection between conflicting cultural values and depression or stress among international learners. Although they don’t provide clearer statistics on the nature of the situation, their research method s reliable and the size of the cohort under study is reasonable enough to provide reliable information. Yeh and Inose are keen to consider the factors that would signify acculturative stress (Yeh & Inose, 2003). They consider three variables in the form of English fluency, social connectedness, and social support satisfaction. They establish that international students that have mastery in English are happier than those who struggle with the language. They cannot communicate as much as they want and thus feel alienated. Some are structured differently and would cope with the language barrier in a different manner. Extraverts would be likely stressed when their social attributes are hampered by language barrier. Language in a broad sense affects social connectedness and connection. Those from societies that value social interactions would be keen to identify those of their kind to meet their social needs (Yeh & Inose, 2003). Yeh and Inose are keen to involve reasonable size of cohort that offers first hand insight on the connection between the earlier mentioned three variables and acculturative stress. Their research targets practical variables that affect man as a social being. Reid on the other hand considers some variables that affect performance in the classroom (Reid, 1987). He considers a set of variables in the form of language, sex, age, TOEFL score, field of study, time spent in United States and the amount of time spent while learning English. His aim was to establish the factors the teachers and learners should consider when choosing a teaching or a learning style. Reid does well to engage big cohort of 1400 students and uses them to establish how suitable styles suits or affects a learner as a result of their cultural background. The styles involved are kinesthetic, auditory, visual, tactile, group learning and individual learning as a style. Reid would establish that the styles chosen by learners are conditioned by their respective cultures. The teachers should focus on meeting the specific needs of international students. Methodology Participants and Variables The research study conducted interviews from 30 international student currently in the United States. The students have different cultural background from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan among other countries in Europe and Africa that are studying in United States for studies. Their firsthand experience with conflicting cultural values was considered a plus in providing the required information. The independent variable was US culture while the dependent variable was the international students. Research Design The collection of data would be based on qualitative research design. This was meant to provide firsthand information, and provide room for seeking clarification and other details regarding the research topic. Credibility and reliability of the data were key areas of concern. The research study settled on interviews as a technique for gathering this information. The participants were questioned as based on the research questions and the information they shared was documented for interpretation and analysis. Data analysis and interpretation The collected data was organized, processed and analyzed for interpretation. The interviews offered some in depth information whose validity and reliability was established through close comparison with related literature and previous research studies. Analysis would find consistency in the subjective data an element that would be established through Miles and Hubermann approach of qualitative data analysis. Findings The research study offered a great deal of information regarding the foreign learners interviewed. International learners were found to have a high regard for education system in United States. Both interviews cite this factor while justifying their presence in United States. The research revealed that as a matter of fact, learners hail from different cultural backgrounds and thus the obvious conflicting values. One of the interviewees had his origins in Hong Kong. Hong Kong has elements that include Chinese and British influence. The cultural values in Hong Kong differ from those in United States. The findings suggest that people in Hong Kong are less social than those in US and would prefer to keep everything formal. To the contrary, US people are more open minded and are keen to share greetings with strangers. They are ready to help strangers in case they need help. Those in Hong Kong prefer minding their business and have trust issues with strangers that offer to help. The interviews revealed that Americans are more open to other cultures and have a place for other languages in their environment. The international students can interact in their native languages without feeling out of place. One would disagree with such a view as Lee and Rice found a few individuals who had no place for the Muslims who would be easily identified in veils (Lee & Rice, 2007). Moreover, the interview revealed that some international students struggle with racial discrimination. Some Americans would poke fun at some students leaving them offended. Additionally, the learner admits that language has a big role in defining one’s culture. Those who are not fluent in English find it hard to blend with natives. While Macau and Hong Kong are different culturally, the interviewee from Macau has some similar views as the student from Hong Kong. Both Learners share a common notion that Americans have a place for strangers and are ever willing to help them. The learner from Macau cites culture as different in United States and admits difficulty in blending with it a 100%. This sheds some insight on how cultural background is conditioned in an individual. It affects some outcomes in and outside the classroom. As much as other parts of the world are westernized, living in the west is a different thing. The two interviews are a mirror of the work and research done by other scholars and different individuals. Such elements as language and blending surface and reveal how contented international learners feel in United States. Moreover, the interviews do not offer an insight on how international learners may feel stressed in a foreign land. Though racial discrimination may result to stress, the work done by Wei and his peers would suggest otherwise (Wei, 2007). The interviewed learners in this study are not affected by such elements as language hence not stressed. Discussion The interviews offer a great insight on the factors that prompt international students to choose United States as a suitable place for pursuing education despite the obvious aspect of conflicting cultural values. While some trust and regard the US education system highly, their experiences present challenges that are attributed to differing cultures. Language command is an area that affects interaction with others and many are eager to learn. While the US people are found to be tolerant to others in terms of language, international students would be keen to blend fully and embrace the US culture. The findings also reveal that international students are more comfortable in United States than in their homes. US culture has embraced freedom of expression an attribute that lacks in many countries. Some of the learners have found it easy to live in US as they can freely express their opinions. Another element identified in the study is that racial discrimination is a common element among learners. International students are affected by such issues resulting to stress and alienation. They experience a sense of rejection in a foreign land. This would of course affect their performance in the classroom. Some stereotypes held by some people in the society have negative effects on the victims. These findings are relevant in the society today, as the US government would consider addressing the challenges experienced by International students. Cases of discrimination should be addressed. Having support programs for international students would ease their stress and depression. Protecting the most vulnerable to societal stereotypes should be considered. This study also fits in the field of sociology in the sense that, it would provide citable findings for further research that would prove resourceful in solving related social issues. The research study had some limitation in some areas. The cohort chosen for study was not big enough to provide a large source of information that would provide space for comparison. Additionally, the method of data collection was limited to one technique. Incorporation of quantitative methods would provide statistics that would prove valuable to the research. Some methods like observation would reveal more as suggested by the behavior of international students. Future research on the same topic would call for improved methodology in data collection and analysis. The research question would be based on the current trends as far as US culture and international students are concerned. A vast view of related literature would also be incorporated. References Altbach, P. (2004). Higher education crosses borders. Change, 36(2), 18–25. Cole, D., & Ahmadi, S. (2003). ‘Perspectives and experiences of Muslim women who. Journal of College Student Development 44(1), 47–66., 44(1), 47–66. Harrison, P. (2002). Educational exchange for international understanding. International Educator, 11(4), 2–4. Lee, J. J., & Rice, C. (2007). Welcome to America? International student perceptions of discrimination. Higher Education, 381-409. Major, E. (2005). Co-national support, cultural therapy, and the adjustment of Asian students to an English-speaking university culture. International Eduction Journal, 6(1); 84-95. Reid, J. (1987). The Learning Style Preferences of ESL Students. TESOL Quarterly, 21(1), 87-11. Wei, M. H. (2007). Acculturative Stress, Perfectionism, Years In The United States, And Depression Among Chinese International Students. Journal of counselling psychology, 54(4); 385-394. Yeh, C., & Inose, M. (2003). International students’ reported English fluency, social support satisfaction, and social connectedness as predictors of acculturative stress. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 16(1) 15-28. Read More