by Cherryl F. Cercado
Staff Writer
Like any typical University 100 class, the students who meet Tuesdays and Fridays in Room 112 in Miller Hall discuss topics that range from time management to homesickness to finding a niche in the ULV community. But unlike other University 100 classes, these students are all international students who not only have to adjust to college life, but to college life in a new country and a new culture.
The University 100 class for international students is in its first year and is a requirement for international students. The class was conceived to help students adjust to University life, as well as to familiarize them with the basic necessities of living in the United States and living in a new environment.
“This is the first year of a University 100 class [for international students] because last year all the international students were scattered. This class should help them understand about culture shock and deal with homesickness,” said Kim Maruyama, the class’ student facilitator and a second year international student.
“The University 100 class is aimed specifically for international students,” said Janice Johnson, director of international student services and English as a Second Language, as well as facilitator of the class. “In class, we can help orient them, just like we do all the freshmen and transfer students, but we do it from an international viewpoint. International students experience culture shock and only international students have that sort of cultural adjustment to make.
“All the freshmen have a period of adjustments to go through and some of them may come from a small town but they still aren’t operating in another language,” said Johnson. “These students only spoke English in classes that were designed to teach them how to speak English.”
The international students are similar to other freshmen trying to adjust to life away from home and who are trying to adapt to a new academic lifestyle.
“This class gives me an opportunity to present material to them that is not necessary to present to a freshman from an American school,” said Johnson.
Many of the international students come from an academic culture that emphasizes students listening attentively to the professor and not questioning or sharing their opinions. The international University 100 class offers the students a chance to practice and voice their thoughts.
“The class itself is interesting. Since we’re all international students, I don’t feel embarrassed about my English,” said Tokashi “Guchi” Sakaguchi, a sophomore from Tokyo, Japan. “It’s different from my ESL class because it doesn’t focus on writing or grammar but on speaking.”
“The international University 100 class addresses study skills different from an American University 100 class,” said Johnson. “We address study skills for international students such as how to gather information from their reading and be able to use it and break it down, reform it for the teacher and the fact that study skills also means participating in the class discussions and speaking up, because in some classes, participation is a big part of their grade.”
The biggest problem of the class, according to Maruyama, is that the students are shy and they are not talkative compared to other students. This, she said, can be attributed to their cultural background and how the education system is run in their homeland.
“There are a few people that speak out but most of the people are quiet. We question individuals by asking them how they feel about certain things,” said Maruyama. “They seem to like the ice breakers.”
Nabeel Chiya, a sophomore from Madras, India, and a transfer from ULV’s Athens campus, goes to the class even though he is not receiving credit for the sessions.
“I’m going to the class because I just wanted to know about the things that they were going to talk about,” said Chiya. “I like the way we discuss things about how we fit in the [American] culture because most of us have the same problems.”
The class has helped destroy stereotypes about the U.S. to a few of the international students.
“Before I came here, the only thing I knew about Americans was what I saw in American movies,” said Guchi. “The class has helped me learn about college students, classes, dating and studying.”
“I hope that after they finish the session, that they’ll be comfortable at the University and in the country,” said Maruyama. “They’ve given me the opportunity to help international students and because I went through the same thing, they’re what I was a year ago. I understand what they’re going through and I want to try to help them.”
Cherryl F. Cercado
