International Students Should Retain Their Nationality while Adapting to the U.S. Culture

The exhilaration about dwelling and studying abroad in new surroundings and culture as well as getting new acquaintances and friends but simultaneously feeling homesick are quite common sensations among new international students. This proposal paper dwells on the argument that each international student should adapt to the U.S. culture at the same time remaining his/her own nationality in order to survive during their educational path overseas. The paper will focus on cultural differences, transnational friendship, which can affect the international students’ time in the U.S., and practical tips on how to adapt to the U.S. culture and save personal nationality. One of the most typical challenges which each international student faces is coping with so-called ‘culture shock.’ The term stands for a sensation of disorientation many students experience when leading a totally novel lifestyle. Numerous international students believe that it is complicated to accommodate to the culture of the host country. Nevertheless, the majority of international students are able to overcome the problem with time. At the same time, they confront new and equally important challenge of not forgetting their national identity while adapting to a new one. Marcus Garvey said, “people without the knowledge of their history, origin and culture are like a tree without roots.” A person who forgets about their own country and culture demonstrates disrespect to their own nationality. Thus, it is doubtful that a person will achieve academic success and respect if they disrespect their roots.

Numerous researches have been dedicated to the international students’ adaption to the U.S. culture, including the works of Lee & Rice (2007) “Welcome to America? International Student Perceptions of Discrimination”; Olivas & Li (2006) “Understanding Stressors of International Students in Higher Education”; Poyrazli & Lopez (2007) “An Exploratory Study of Perceived Discrimination and Homesickness: A Comparison of International Students and American Students”; Wang (2009) “A Study of Resiliency Characteristics in the Adjustment of International Graduate Students at American Universities”; and Yuan (2010) “Investigating International Student Perceptions of Adjustment through Q Methodology.” They will be utilized as secondary sources.

On the other hand, the importance of international students’ ability to remain their own nationality while studying overseas is typically omitted in the researches. Therefore, this research proposal supposes conducting interviews with international students. They will be used as primary sources as they reflect genuine process of adaptation to new circumstances together with the actual desire of international students to retain their nationality. The exiting researches demonstrate that culture apparently repulses national values, thus, international students frequently absorb the national values of their American colleagues. In fact, Americans are believed to be objective- and action-oriented, while preserving individualist characteristics. At the same time, international students have a tendency to be process- and group-oriented. In addition, for a great number of Americans, being amicable stands for an objective or act of a person. A number of researches demonstrate that the major cultural shock starts with classroom differences. An education in the U.S., especially at the graduate level, may be more practical, conversational, and interactive than what the international student has perceived and undergone in the home country. It may become a serious shock to new international students. Therefore, they should get used to the communication with lecturers and the overall dynamics in the classroom. The classroom activities and the classroom culture can be quite different from the typical activities practiced at home, depending on whether it is undergraduate or graduate level, huge lecture or small dispute classes. According to the existing researches, typical cultural academic differences incorporate such unusual for the international students issues as the addressing the lecturer utilizing his/her first name, wearing informal and casual clothes during the class, zero tolerance to plagiarism occasions together with the overall expectancy of independent work from students. Moreover, a number of researches demonstrate that students may not be used to the direct critique and compliments from the professor or lecturer during the class. All of these issues can be viewed as discrepancies in intercourse styles and values, expectancies of lecturers and students, teaching and studying processes, or merely cultural aspects. Numerous publications and articles on the topic under consideration offer practical tips, which can help international students to adapt to the U.S culture. They all suggest that international students should prepare for possible ‘homesickness.’ It is recommendable to buy international phone cards as communication with loved ones can greatly strengthen the person who studies in the U.S. and adapts to new culture. In addition, it is vise to take so-called ‘memorabilia’ including photos, posters, CDs, or artworks from the native country, which will help to make the overpass as easy and unruffled as possible. This advice can be particularly important in the process of preserving personal nationality while adapting to the new culture. However, none of the researchers analyzed the life of international students from a viewpoint of preserving personal national identity.

This research paper will analyze secondary sources in order to examine culture differences and ways of dealing with them in a process of international students’ studies, Moreover, it will provide profound data regarding the importance and methods of saving personal nationality while adapting to U.S. culture. The major objective of this paper is to demonstrate the significance of retaining personal nationality while studying in the U.S. The first days and weeks of being abroad are the most complicated, and people undertake different actions in order to connect themselves with homeland. In fact, international student might feel comfortable communicating with friends on his/her native language and spending time with friends from the home country. These actions will actually help him/her retain nationality as the research demonstrates that they are essential to achieve success in the academic path overseas.

On the other hand, the overall participation in the international student organizations is also considerably important. It can help international students to obtain transnational friends, who will make the process of adapting to the new culture much easier. International students should understand that they have to be proud of becoming his/her country cultural ambassadors. As a matter of fact, Americans are anxious for learning from international students about their culture. If the person preserves his/her nationality, it allows sustaining a positive attitude in the process of adjusting and adapting to a new culture, especially in the U.S.  

Numerous interviews with international students from different countries and educational institutions combined with the analysis of the existing data and researches support the idea that it is highly crucial to preserve ones’ nationality while adapting to the U.S. culture, and this can help to gain academic success overseas. Thus, the research paper will include interviews with international students from different countries studying in the U.S., as primary sources of analysis. These interviews will define actual importance of nationality preservation, preparation for adaptation to the U.S. culture, significance of transnational friendship and its influence on the overall adaptation. The research paper will include literature review of primary and secondary sources, which will be subdivided into ‘Learning,’ ‘Cross-cultural learning,’ and ‘Methods of adaptation.’ The paper will also incorporate interviews, findings, and analysis of participants’ ability to adapt to the U.S. culture while preserving their nationality. Secondary sources will help to interpret and analyze primary sources. Moreover, the usage of secondary sources will demonstrate how factual reality of international students’ homesickness depicted in the interviews differs from the existing debate of the secondary sources concerning their desire to migrate to the U.S.

The research paper will analyze the importance of maintaining one’s national identity in the process of adjusting to the U.S. culture. The major objective of the paper is to demonstrate that international students should not forget about their homelands as national pride and identity can greatly enhance their academic achievements overseas. The research paper will analyze numerous interviews of the international students from different learning institutions and countries, who study in the U.S. and try to adapt and adjust to American culture. The original idea of the research coincides with illative idea and objective of the research proposal. The process of adaptation to the foreign culture should not destroy international student’s love and respect for the home country. International students can become so-called ‘cultural ambassadors’ of their native countries and present them from the best sides on their academic path to success.