Western Oregon Journal

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Headlines

It is possible that students mainly travel abroad in order to take advantage of courses and special fields of studies which are not available in their own countries. Globalization has transformed the traditional boundaries of the world's educational shadow.

The adaptation process does not occur simply by being on foreign soil. In order to develop more than a superficial understanding of the culture, the individual must interact with the host population. Studies have found that positive results occur when looking at the adaptability of foreign students according to the level of contact and interaction with native language speakers.

Living in a new country can create unexpected problems for overseas students; requiring adjustments to the culture and environment. Students need to adjust to a new educational system and learning methods that differ considerably from the methods of study in their native country. Drastic differences in values and communication styles can cause a lot of stress. The person you pass may smile and say "Hello, how are you?" and when you turn to respond, they keep walking past you. Public transportation practices and policies are different. You can't tell where a person is from just by looking at them.

The media offers sparse international news; most of its coverage is centered around local crime and corruption. The twenty-first century calls for a diversified education. As societies develop, college students and the urban populace have come to realize the necessity of re-evaluating their methodology, and the need for the traditional student who is well-rounded.

The academic adjustments required of international students to achieve success in their first year of study abroad are significant. However, generally speaking, international undergraduate students at Western Oregon University appear to be satisfied with their academic experience. Socially speaking, most seem to be well adjusted and feel more or less accepted by their American peers.

The number of international students studying at colleges and universities in the United States has risen dramatically in the past 50 years, from less than 40,000 students in the 1950s to more than 580, 000 students in 2001, according to the Institute of International Education. Although the tragedy of 9/11 slowed this growth rate to less than one percent in 2002, heightened security measures implemented by the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System contributed to a 2.4 percent decline in international students studying in the United States in 2003.

However, International Exchange undergraduate student enrollment seems to be in a small recovery process. This can be seen with the slight increase in international student enrollment on the Western campus.•

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