Chinese student, like so many othrs, adjusts to stress of living in two worlds

By Miriah Griffith

December 20, 2007 | When the teacher walked into the room, Rui Cao stood up with all the other students. In China teachers are highly esteemed, and it is not only customary, but appropriate for pupils to show formal respect. As Cao waited for permission to be seated, she silently dreamed about her education. She was a good student and she knew the Chinese government would give her a scholarship to go to college. And after that . . . maybe she could even study in the United States.

College can be a challenging adjustment for any student. For many, it's the first time living away from home. Pressure academically, socially and being responsible for day-to-day living (laundry, cleaning, cooking) is overwhelming. Throw in an ocean, a language barrier and culture shock, and an international student's transition begins.

"The stress of international students isn't unlike that of domestic students," said Fawn Groves, assistant director of the Office of International Students and Scholars at Utah State University. Registering for classes, setting up housing and meeting new roommates are common stresses to all students.

"But international students are dealing with two institutions -- and one is across the ocean," Groves said.

*****

Cao turned the letter over and back again, almost afraid to open it. After six months of applying to both the Chinese government and the U.S. Embassy, she would finally have her answer.

*****

"I really wanted to come to the United States to study," said Cao. "I had to give my research proposal to the Chinese government and then to the U.S. Embassy. The six-month wait was hard, but I just kept telling myself that if I didn't get in this time, I would get in next time."

Cao was accepted into the United States and is studying at USU for one year. She is working on the last year of her Ph.D in organic chemistry.

After all the drama of moving in and registering for classes settles, there is still much to be done. A common problem among international students is finding clothing and food they like or to which they are accustomed. American food often times makes international students sick for the first few weeks because of different spices. Digestive systems adjust pretty quickly, but clothing styles present somewhat more of a challenge.

"Imagine trying to get used to wearing a veil all the time," Groves said. "Sure, you could just conform to the cultural style, but it wouldn't feel natural to you."

Cao joked that it was easy for her to get used to clothing in the United States. "Most of it is made in China anyway," she said.

International students must also adjust to a new way of thinking. In many cultures, for example, punctuality is not stressed, Groves said. A student who shows up 30 minutes late to an appointment with his advisor has a hard time understanding why that advisor cannot meet with him now. Adjusting to different values and lifestyles can be challenging.

*****

Cao had never seen so many students with cars in her entire life. In China, students all ride bicycles and on occasion drive their parents' car. Students here drive their own cars to school, parties and work. Working as a student in China just doesn't happen. If you are a student, you are a student. If you keep good grades the government will give you a monthly allowance, and your parents fill in the gaps.

*****

"I think American students have an advantage by being able to have jobs before they graduate," Cao said. "That way you know what it's like to work before you start your career. In China, you don't have any idea what a job is like until you are in your career."

Understanding and growing accustomed to such differences becomes even more difficult with language barriers.

"Some students are fluent in English, but they don't understand our accent," said Groves. "And theirs isn't understood."

*****

Cao liked Lee's Marketplace. It had come highly recommended by other Chinese students, and the bus ride there didn't take too long. But when she started shopping, she soon realized her English wasn't what she thought it was. Despite the fact that she'd studied English since she was 10, she couldn't understand what people here were saying. If only she had some sort of context, some clue as to the subject they were talking about, then maybe she could pick up on some key words.

*****

"For the first month I was in this country, I had a really hard time understanding the American accent," Cao said. "And people were always asking me to repeat myself. My accent is much better now."

With so many adjustments, international students have become professional jugglers, somehow finding a balance among all the chaos.

"The flip side of it all is that American students are interested in their culture," said Groves. "International students feed off that energy."

"I've really enjoyed studying in the United States," Cao said. "I think the more you can learn of other people's cultures, the better. I spend most of my time in the lab, but it's been a great opportunity."

*****

Three months had flown by. Cao had grown from the quiet, scared girl who no one in the chemistry lab could understand to . . . well, to someone else. Something inside her had blossomed. Courage, maybe. Or adventure. Whatever had happened from this experience, she knew she would never be the same. She would take this little piece of the world with her when she returned to China. For now, she would learn much more than chemistry. She would learn what it meant to be American, what it meant to be Chinese, and how the two fit together.

MS
MS