Spring Break
Students help internationals adjust to UA
D.R. Bartlette
Issue date: 8/20/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
During the last two weeks, UA students with the Study Abroad Volunteers Program have met dozens of international students at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.
These UA students helped the internationals get settled into their new residences and took them shopping at Wal-Mart to make sure they had what they needed for a few days.
Laura Moix, exchange and UA faculty-led program coordinator, has organized the volunteer program.
"Because of their limited time here, I thought it very important that they get as much contact as they could with Americans in the beginning, so that they could have a solid social foundation to work from," Moix said.
The students are from countries as diverse as Moldova, Spain, South Korea and Japan.
"It was just like the best thing that they could have thought about. After hours of travel it's so good to be welcomed by someone who will drive you to your new home and make sure that you don't need anything," said Xavier Emery, a senior international business major from Le Mans, France.
"It's fun meeting new people and watching them experience our culture," said Bronwen Dassing, a volunteer from Lowell. Dassing said she has met three women from Korea at the airport.
When she took them shopping at Wal-Mart, "we were there for three hours finding things they needed. It was fun to watch them smell all the different scents of shampoo and conditioner," Dassing said.
"I participated because I love learning and experiencing new cultures and foreign people," said Senior Adam Bridges.
The rewards, Bridges said, are that "I get a new friend first off, as well as some new knowledge of a foreign culture and way of life."
The Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) also organizes several structured activities to help new international students acclimate themselves to their new environment.
During the two-week orientation, the volunteers gave the new students all the advice they needed to start the year well and to be well adapted to the U.S. academic system, Emery said. They were given a campus tour, a trip to a state park, parties, outside cinema, dinner with American families and more, Emery said.
The volunteers also try to meet and hang out with their new international friends as much as they can during the semester "so that the international students get to experience real life as an American college student," Moix said.
Emery said he likes living on campus in Fayetteville. "The campus is like a dream for me. I love it, and its football stadium is just so attractive. I'm so impatient to attend the football games there," Emery said.
There are always opportunities for students to get involved, Moix said. "I can never have enough volunteers. I have 51 exchange and visiting students this semester and am always looking for other students to help them make the most of their experience here."
In addition to the airport pick-up and orientation services, the ISS offers immigration advising, employment authorization, international student and scholar support groups and non-resident tax filing assistance.
These UA students helped the internationals get settled into their new residences and took them shopping at Wal-Mart to make sure they had what they needed for a few days.
Laura Moix, exchange and UA faculty-led program coordinator, has organized the volunteer program.
"Because of their limited time here, I thought it very important that they get as much contact as they could with Americans in the beginning, so that they could have a solid social foundation to work from," Moix said.
The students are from countries as diverse as Moldova, Spain, South Korea and Japan.
"It was just like the best thing that they could have thought about. After hours of travel it's so good to be welcomed by someone who will drive you to your new home and make sure that you don't need anything," said Xavier Emery, a senior international business major from Le Mans, France.
"It's fun meeting new people and watching them experience our culture," said Bronwen Dassing, a volunteer from Lowell. Dassing said she has met three women from Korea at the airport.
When she took them shopping at Wal-Mart, "we were there for three hours finding things they needed. It was fun to watch them smell all the different scents of shampoo and conditioner," Dassing said.
"I participated because I love learning and experiencing new cultures and foreign people," said Senior Adam Bridges.
The rewards, Bridges said, are that "I get a new friend first off, as well as some new knowledge of a foreign culture and way of life."
The Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) also organizes several structured activities to help new international students acclimate themselves to their new environment.
During the two-week orientation, the volunteers gave the new students all the advice they needed to start the year well and to be well adapted to the U.S. academic system, Emery said. They were given a campus tour, a trip to a state park, parties, outside cinema, dinner with American families and more, Emery said.
The volunteers also try to meet and hang out with their new international friends as much as they can during the semester "so that the international students get to experience real life as an American college student," Moix said.
Emery said he likes living on campus in Fayetteville. "The campus is like a dream for me. I love it, and its football stadium is just so attractive. I'm so impatient to attend the football games there," Emery said.
There are always opportunities for students to get involved, Moix said. "I can never have enough volunteers. I have 51 exchange and visiting students this semester and am always looking for other students to help them make the most of their experience here."
In addition to the airport pick-up and orientation services, the ISS offers immigration advising, employment authorization, international student and scholar support groups and non-resident tax filing assistance.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Xavier Emery
posted 8/20/07 @ 11:41 PM EST
Hey, did i say all of that??? All right great article! Thank you to all the volunteers who helped the international students office organizing this great orientation week!
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