Essay About International Orientation

1390 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benefits of being a college student

The day most international student board the plane to come study in America is probably one of the best days in life. Thereby getting very nervous, overwhelmed and excited for the challenging yet interesting journey ahead. Despite the jet lag that is very bothersome upon arrival, the excitement to sightsee and get to know the new home is uncontrollable. After settling in and meeting other students from all over the world, the idea of being in a completely different place settles in and you start wondering how to take the next step in life. Unfortunately, being in a new place, especially a place like North America brings along many obstacles to both the academic and social life. This is not the easiest place to live for a foreigner due to the …show more content…

This is when all the new coming students, whether international or domestic, get to know each other and the school in general. But before the general orientation begins, foreign students have what’s called “international orientation” where they complete all the immigration documents and solve any issues that may cause legal problems. During this time, you meet fellow students from several countries and share all your fears and expectations. While having dinner, food is the first thing that you notice being different from how it usually is back home and this is probably the most discouraging part of this journey. For instance, in international orientation, there are several activities taking place around campus and all of them have food and refreshments. As a new person in any new place, the food will of course look different and on some level taste different. On average, chicken is the most consumed food in America, and as an international student here I wasn’t surprised. Although, what surprised me was sweet …show more content…

A lot of foreign students don’t have the English lever required by the university, as a result, they must take the ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. These classes are extremely helpful because you learn how to properly communicate which is something needed to get by everyday activities. On the contrary, this delays students because while other students are advancing with their majors, you are still learning English. “I have no idea what I will be doing in chemical engineering since I am still taking English classes. It is very frustrating, but I guess I need this particular skill in my major” says Joyce, a Rwandese student at Michigan State

Show More
Related

  • Diversity in Elementary Schools: What I Learned from ESL Academy

    574 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the first day of ESL academy, I realized the inadequacy of my knowledge concerning the needs of ELL students and how woefully lacking my instruction had been for former students whose first language was not English. Partici...

    Read More

  • Public Schools Need Successful ESL Programs

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    Because America is such a diverse country, public schools are faced with the challenge of providing students from all over the world with a quality education. As Chen points out “public schools have embraced the linguistic challenge presented by immigrant students” (¶1). Then, No Child Left Behind law was approved, and it required every public school should have an English Secondary Language (ESL) program that will provide the “academic support” for English Language Learners (ELLs). ELL parents are happy that their children are getting education help from the school, but it has raised the question of how successful are the ESL programs? Do ESL programs provide enough “academic support” to all ELL students? Do ESL programs have enough tools to help students learn English? Some ELL parents complain that ESL programs do not help their child learn English. A successful ESL program is not based solely on the test scores, but also the ability to connect parents, teachers, and students together to strengthen tools that will help ELL students to learn a new language in reading, writing, and speaking.

    Read More

  • The History Of Transitional Bilingual Education

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    This was the major driving force of TBE. If put in place properly students would leave just as proficient in their first language as in English, but with this idea some critiqued whether there was enough resources to accomplish that outcome and whether or not it was able to undertake it within a timely fashion to actually teach the students

    Read More

  • Ebonics is Not a Seperate Language but Improper Form of English

    2951 Words  | 6 Pages

    The United States is filled with many different ethnicities, cultures, customs, languages, etc. Supposedly, our public schools are equipped with classes, teachers, curriculums and materials in order to educate that part of the student population whose first language is something other than the English language. Bilingual classes, transitional classes, ESL classes are just a few of the programs that have been developed to instruct non-English speaking students in order for them to acquire the English language.

    Read More

  • International Students Essay

    1400 Words  | 3 Pages

    Being an international student is exciting. It offers a lot of exposure and scope for improvement. Canada has a lot of institutions that accept foreign students, but before that, the practical difficulties an international student might face in the country should be noted.

    Read More

  • Benefits of ESL and Bilingual Education

    1482 Words  | 3 Pages

    In order to help those non-native people to be successful in the United Sates, there should have some kind of programs to help them to learn English effectively, but also to maintain their native language. Bilingual Education and ESL programs are systems that developed since the mid 1900s in the United States to reach the goal of helping non-native people with the language. There has been the argument of whether these programs are effective and necessary to maintain to help the non-native speakers. Therefore, it is important to find a way to secure the Bilingual Education and ESL programs are helpful to non-native people to learn English and maintain their native language. According to the overall practice of these programs in the past experiences and my experiences as a bilingual student, the combination of Bilingual Education and ESL programs is the best way to go about.

    Read More

  • International Students' Experience

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Going to study in a new country can be a stressful experience, from learning the culture norms to new foods. Culture shock is common with international students. Culture shock can include, meeting new people, language barriers, social behaviors, and a sense of community. A students comfortability with the culture of their new home can determine their learning experience. It can be an emotional rollercoaster, being so far away from family and friends. American culture is difficult to understand. International students find Americans to be confusing. Social norms vary depending on the part of the country a person is in.

    Read More

  • Challenges Of Studying Abroad Essay

    720 Words  | 2 Pages

    The cuisine in my country differs a lot from the cuisine found in the US. The food differs in many aspects such as the portion size, spices used and protein used. In my country we usually have dishes with lamb as the main source of protein, it is not as common in the US. Also the importance of spices in cuisine differs, in the US they do not focus that much on using spices, they use very simple spices such as salt and black pepper, meanwhile in my country they use a wide range of spices such cumin, turmeric and star anise. So I found it hard to be able to accustom myself to the cuisine of the US. Also since I am a Muslim, I follow strict rules for food, I have to eat halal food, and there aren’t many choices for halal restaurants in the US. However as times went on by and found a few halal and Middle Eastern restaurants that fit my palate. I also found a halal butcher so that I could cook for myself. I simply call my mother and ask her for recipes. That way I wont miss cuisine from my home

    Read More

  • International System Essay

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    Despite the international system being anarchical, it is not in a state of total chaos due to a number of significant factors such as those above. It is obvious that the current international system is highly influenced by many significant factors and some are more prominent than others. With the continued existence of international anarchy it is up to the States and the International Organisations to continue to make the decisions that are in their own best interest and to maintain order and an ever-improving way of life.

    Read More

  • English As A Second Language Essay

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    International students may be sent to America to study, speak, write and read in English but the chance of encountering difficulties and struggles is high. According to researchers, learning English in America especially for foreign students is a difficult decision because one may not be able to become accustomed to the environment, behavior of difference culture and the acts of other around. English learners will also encounter reading disability because one cannot read English in a short time; additionally, international students usually struggle with reading English even though one may have the knowledge of the English language. No matter how many disadvantage the English language has, the world most common language will not be extinct because jobs, education and many other parts of the world use English as a primary

    Read More

  • Unforgettable Experiences in the U.S.

    657 Words  | 2 Pages

    Problems faced by international students who come to the U.S. for the first time are not always easy to overcome. As one of them, I've found it very difficult to handle most of the problems I've encountered. I've experienced a very terrible culture shock that still makes me upset. As a student, I've found that the personal and cultural problems I experience may gravely affect my grades. The three major problems I've encountered deal with independence, homesickness, and loneliness, which really shocked me.

    Read More

  • Globalization Essay

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    Globalization, the acceleration and strengthening of worldwide interactions among people, companies and governments, has taken a huge toll on the world, both culturally and economically. It’s generating a fast-paced, increasingly tied world and also praising individualism. It has been a massive subject of matter amongst scientists, politicians, government bureaucrats and the normal, average human population. Globalization promoted the independence of nations and people, relying on organizations such as the World Bank and also regional organizations such as the BRICs that encourage “a world free of poverty” (World Bank). Despite the fact that critics can argue that globalization is an overall positive trend, globalization has had a rather negative cultural and economic effect such as the gigantic wealth gaps and the widespread of American culture, “Americanization”; globalization had good intentions but bad results.

    Read More

  • Bilingual Education in China

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, during the last 20 years language learning trends have noticeably changed in favour of the study of English as a foreign language, ...

    Read More

  • Autobiography Essay for International College Application

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    I always want to be an international student because I believe that learning in different surroundings will offer me a chance to explore the world. In order to become one, I have been preparing myself for this upcoming challenge. Long years of studying and paying most of my attention to school work made me wonder whether it is worthwhile to spend so much time on textbooks and became curious about what it is like to study in another country. In 2011, I seized the opportunity provided by my senior high school and became an exchange student in the U.S. . I didn’t fit in perfectly in the beginning, but throughout my exchange year, I had learned to adapt m...

    Read More

  • Foreign Language Essay

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s schooling system most high school students are required to take at least 2 to 4 years of a foreign language in order to graduate. However, some people do not understand the importance of taking a different language, until it is time to get a job or while they are in their current job. It is significant that we take at least 2 years of a foreign language in both high school and college and try to learn as much as possible because learning a new language can open up so many doors.

    Read More

More about Essay About International Orientation

Open Document