Blog #5

I think one challenge faced by international students is getting out and exploring Ann Arbor. I remember being a freshman and being nervous to venture out into downtown, and this was without an added language barrier. A lot of the people in my Chat Café groups know about common hangouts for the international student community, such as Sweeting and a Chinese (I think) karaoke bar near North Campus. However, a lot of them have been very excited to explore coffee shops, museums, and other parts of Ann Arbor, and said they may not have tried a lot of the places one their own. Holding Chat Café in different places is one way to address this challenge. The university could also address this by creating a sort of handbook/ guide to Ann Arbor, using input from current students. I think this would be useful to all new students at the university, not just international students. However, to make it particularly useful to the international students, it would be helpful if this guidebook included things like menus, why people go to that place, (studying, casual dinner, fancy dinner, shopping, etc...),  and insider tips from other students. Even things like CVS and Walgreens could be included - some of my students didn't know what was sold at these stores! Something we take for granted was a huge revelation for many of them. This would also be different from a guide aimed at tourists in Ann Arbor. It would be targeted to include popular and/ or essential places for students, and while it's cool to go to the "touristy" attractions, the guide I have in mind would be more comprehensive and functional for the day to day life of a student.

Things I didn't always think about before...

In the bustle of school and work and everyday life, it is easy to forget that some people have to juggle the same responsibilities - with the added challenge of doing it all in a language they didn't initially learn growing up. Being a chat cafe leader has opened my eyes to struggles that international students potentially face in their daily lives. When a group member told me that he misread an exam question and made a silly mistake as a result, I marveled at the obstacles the student had had to overcome: math is hard enough, word problems easy enough to misinterpret for a native speaker, but throw in the additional difficulty of being unfamiliar with the language the question is posed, and you have an exponentially more challenging problem on hand. I asked if he had received extra time from his professor, and he said he did not nor did he ask. I was impressed by how hardworking and determined the students are to challenge themselves even further and not ask for special accommodations.

Additionally, they expressed confusion over how to order coffee initially, which I understood as I also did not really understand what half caf soy nonfat really meant before I started drinking coffee. But these shortened, colloquialisms make it extra difficult for people who did not grow up speaking the language to pick up and utilize.

I think as chat cafe leaders, we can make session an open and welcoming space to voice concerns, problem solve as a group, and make sure each individual feels as though they've been heard. If a problem surpasses the jurisdiction or reach of the facilitator, it is important to recommend point people that the student can contact. For instance, if a student needs more time for a test, they can speak to their professor and fill out a form to potentially gain this extended time to complete an exam.

I think solutions can be worked out in these cases to ease the transition for international students.