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Breaking barriers

For international students, adjustment is a daily part of life

September 16, 2014

When you're a student at MSU, it does not matter where you come from, you automatically become a member of the Spartan Nation.

The city of East Lansing annually receives thousands of students from different towns, states, countries and continents. Every year the Spartan Nation becomes bigger. This year 49,700 students will wear green and white.

Here, many international students pursue degrees and careers, forcing them out of their comfort zones. It isn’t easy. But both MSU and East Lansing are taking steps to ease the transition.

East Lansing as a welcoming city

The East Lansing city council passed a resolution on Sept. 2 that made the city part of the “Welcoming Cities and Counties” — a program that encourages cities to create an inclusive environment for immigrants.

According to the Office for International Students and Scholars 2013 statistical report, 7,161 international students were enrolled at MSU last year.

South East Communities Coordinator at Welcoming Michigan Christine Sauve said the initiative started as a need for immigrants to integrate with U.S. citizens.

Cities part of the program are committed to bridging the gap between immigrants and Americans.

“The city of East Lansing is committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere for immigrants and refugees,” Sauve said. “Becoming an official welcoming city shows that you are (dedicated) to creatively (gathering) other folks in the community to become more welcoming.”

National Welcoming Week will be celebrated in different cities around the country, including East Lansing, from Sept. 13-21. Events featured a Dragon Boat Race and a Ramadan unity dinner. 

Having an international community in East Lansing helps the city in different ways, said East Lansing mayor Nathan Triplett.

“I think our diversity makes us a stronger community and a better community,” Triplett said.

Being inclusive is one of the top priorities of the city government, he added.

“As the home of MSU we want to be welcoming to all students including international students,” Triplett said. 

As part of that accessibility to the municipal government, Triplett said the city offers translators at every point of contact in City Hall. Other city resources have been translated to various languages benefit the international community.

A not-so-smooth adjustment

Chinese Students and Scholars Association president Huiqing Zheng knows how difficult is to adapt to a different culture.

“It was very difficult,” Zheng, a graduate student, said. “Especially when I came from China right away from junior high.”

After leaving China with his father, Zheng settled in New York. His mother and brother would later meet them at the east coast.

Zheng did his undergraduate studies in New York, where he experienced the hardships of being away from home.

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“My English was terrible in the beginning. I missed home, my hometown, my food,” Zheng said. “I was suffering.”

Zheng said the language barrier was one of his biggest obstacles.

“I could not communicate with the American students,” Zheng said. “How can I evolve in their circle? It is very difficult to adapt because of the language barrier or the cultural barrier.”

Yira Feliciano graduated from MSU in 2013 with a master’s degree in chemical engineering. With a four-month baby, Feliciano’s routine has been complicated.

“It’s been very difficult because you don’t have a family, you don’t have anybody to help you,” Feliciano said in Spanish.

Feliciano noted the difference in culture since the beginning.

“Americans are cold,” Feliciano said, referring to the differences between her Caribbean culture and the American.

Feliciano found commonalities in a student group called La Comunidad Latinoamericana. More than 200 Latino and Hispanic students participate in the activities the organization hosts.

“Through this organization, I had the opportunity to meet others,” Feliciano said.

This group of people make up her support system in East Lansing.

Easy integration

But the transition is not difficult for all students.

Taiwanese Graduate Student Association President Fang-Yu Chen felt at home as soon as he arrived at MSU.

“I’m Chinese and I speak Chinese and there are so many Chinese students in East Lansing,” Chen said. “There are so many Chinese restaurants and two Chinese markets.”

Chen has taken advantage of some of the resources that the city of East Lansing offers for international students. He had the chance to improve his English by attending a local church for free English classes.

“I think overall (the East Lansing city government) is extremely helpful for international students,” Chen said.

Michigan State University Turkish Student Association President Ahmed Menevseoglu feels comfortable walking along Grand River Avenue and studying at its coffee shops.

Menevseoglu recognizes that other international students might have difficulties. However, he did not encounter any difficulties while adapting to a new culture.

“I like it here, I like the environment,” Menevseoglu said.

By celebrating Turkish holidays and traditions on a regular basis, members of the Turkish community at MSU can ease the feeling of homesickness, Menevseoglu said.

Campus resources for international students

Students not only have the city support but help is offered on campus through the Office for International Students and Scholars.

“The OISS helps international students and scholars come to our campus,” Assistant Director for OISS Elizabeth Matthews said. “We advise on immigration regulation, employment, career development and experiential learning.”

Matthews said that OISS works with international student organizations on campus to foster the relationship between them and U.S. students on campus.

On Sunday, the Japan Club, the Taiwanese Students Association and the Korean Students Association joined forces to host a barbecue for international students and to have fun while learning about other cultures.

Physics junior Austin Mayer said that events like the barbecue helped others to mesh in the community while still having fun.

“I think it’s really important to have such an event like this where people not with the same interests, not the same countries or same background get together and talk about our different stories,” Mayer said.

Mayer studies Japanese, and for him, the best way to improve in the language is by participating in events where the international community comes together to have fun.

“I actually started learning Japanese seven months ago,” Mayer said. “I joined the Japan club and they helped me with my Japanese and its like you open an entirely new door to an entirely new world.”

Japanese student Takahiro Yuasa said she recognizes the difficulties in exploring a new language but acknowledges that participating in other activities can help with the learning process.

“It is hard for me to communicate with American people, so (through) experiences like this event, I hope my English gets better,” Yuasa said.

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