Although I am Australian-born and a local student, I am ethnically both Vietnamese and Chinese. I personally know of many people from overseas, some whom are relatives, who have travelled to Australia for better opportunities, especially in education that are not offered in their home country. Even if I have no personal experience myself, I have witnessed international students trying to adapt to a new country with great cultural differences from what they grew up with.
However, everyone may not understand life beyond Australia and the idea of studying abroad and international education. As I’ve experienced in University, most international students tend to befriend each other. Thus, there is a misconception that they do not want to interact with local students. However Marginson (2012) reveals that it is quite the opposite; international students want closer interaction with local students and are willing to take risks to achieve this, or friendship, but it is local students who are disinterested. He believes that:
“International education is not the rich intercultural experience it could be.”
(Marginson, 2012)
Most research has found that the pathway to improvement lies in creating interaction between international students and locals, especially students (Marginson, 2012). Consequentially, educational and welfare benefits follow. Intercultural encounters improve language proficiency in English, their communicative competence, and strengthen their confidence, their agency. Through studies of international students conducted by Kell and Vogl (2007), they further support Marginson’s argument. They reveal that despite international students learn English in their respective home countries, they have difficulty with communication in Australia because there was a strong focus on grammar, writing and reading, rather than spoken word. International students struggle with Australian-English due to our heavy use of colloquialism/slang and unfamiliarity with the social norms and conventions of Australian life. It is further exemplified through the quote:
“…language could not be understood without close attention to the cultural context in which it was situated in.”
(Bourdieu from Jenkins, 1992: 152 cited in Kell and Vogl, 2007)
In conclusion, it is important for both international and local students to have social interaction because it will help improve international students’ English proficiency, while increasing their confidence with approaching local students, while utilising colloquial and non-formal English. These factors are important in reducing and preventing alienation, loneliness and homesickness that international students may feel living and studying abroad. Thus, we must be considerate and make sure international students feel as welcome and accepted as possible because imagine the hardships international students live through conversing and learning in a language that you aren’t proficient in while adapting to a country where it is TOTALLY different from your own (culture-wise). In any case, it is important that we avoid tragic events in the future such as the attack on Indian students in Australia earlier this year.
- Kell, P and Vogl, G, 2007, “International Students: Negotiating life and study in Australia through Australian Englishes”, University of Wollongong, p.1- 10
- Marginson, S, 2012, “International Education as Self-Formation”, University of Wollongong. p.51-61
KRISTYHN27 