Can You Imagine Yourself in My Shoes?

The BBC estimates that about 7,000 languages exist around the world. When we walk around campus, we can hear a mixture of languages besides English, but not limited to; Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, and Korean.

According to administrators, international students occupy about 10 percent of the general student population in California State University East Bay; our campus reflects the “melting pot” of America.

Many international students from different cultural backgrounds struggle with adjusting to vastly different educational environments in America because their hardships are not very relatable to local people.

Some professors strongly encourage students to conform to the American education system. “When in Rome, do as Romans do.” As the saying goes, it is important to learn a new culture and live the way Americans do.  It is a great opportunity for international students to challenge themselves and develop their social skills and personality.

Easier said than done; adjusting to a completely new culture is not an easy process to undergo at all.

In some Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan, students tend to be passive in class, rather than being interactive with their teachers. From elementary school to high school, they usually do not have a chance to expand their thoughts through discussions and presentations.

Teachers are considered to be “more knowledgeable,” and students, as learners, are encouraged to listen to the teachers’ professional lectures carefully, rather than being critical about what they learn.

The majority of the international students at CSUEB came to America after graduating from high school, which highlights the fact that they have been exposed to a passive education system for a long time, one of the main reasons they feel exceptionally unfamiliar with an American education. A far more interactive atmosphere in class is one of the culture shocks that a large number of international students experience in America.

Along with cultural disparity, a language barrier limits the students’ chances of being dynamic in learning.  Since their English speaking skills are not very strong, they fear speaking in front of an audience. Sometimes, they cannot annunciate English words and do not know how to say sentences clearly, which rarely happens when speaking in their native languages.

Many students end up feeling self-conscious about their accents and semi-fluent language skills.

American students’ disrespectful attitudes such as teasing and laughing cause international students to lose self-esteem and motivation, which deters academic accomplishment.

As an international student, I had an exceptionally painful experience. While taking a quiz, I asked a professor to clarify the meaning of a word in one of the questions. She seemed to be very shocked about me not knowing the meaning and revealed a negative expression.

The classmates sitting behind me started to laugh at me, saying “stupid” and giggling. I was too embarrassed and startled by the reaction of the professor and fellow students.

After that experience during the quiz, I could not read a book, and even worse, I was afraid to go to the class. I found myself insignificant in the classroom and could not focus in class. Even though the class is already over, it still remains a hurtful memory.

Ever since I came to America, I have read a book for at least an hour each day to improve my language skills. I always finish assignments one week prior to the due dates and bring them to my professors during his/her office hours to improve my work.

Shockingly, many international students have experienced  similar instances. After that horrible experience, I shared my story with a friend, and she told me that she and her friends also had such similar experiences.

In order to minimize such tragic situations, professors and local students should acknowledge international students’ difficulties as language learners. More support from faculty members will inspire them to work harder and help them to gain confidence.

College education is not only about gaining knowledge, but also growing into a mature being by accepting and embracing the differences of one another.