Give international students more chance to communicate

 TTU ICC should hold coffee hour for international students

          I am an international student studying at Texas Tech University (TTU), which is a big university with different students from different countries and different cultures. However, the truth is, for the most time, I am surrounded by American classmates and American culture. And among them, not all of them want to make friends with international people. I want to meet more international students with different cultures or American students with interest in making friends with international students. But I do not find any good environment here for us international students to know each other. TTU International Culture Center (ICC), which defines itself as an organization to promote international culture communication, should take the responsibility to provide international students or Americans interested in foreign culture a place to really sit down and chat with each other; coffee hour, for example, is a good excuse.

             Firstly, it enhances cultural communication. Different international students have different cultural backgrounds. Coffee hour will give us opportunity to chat with other foreigners; for example, I could ask an Arabic girl why she always wears a facecloth; I could ask an Indian student about their religious belief; or I could ask South Americans how they celebrate New Year. It will be so awesome to know others’ cultures and traditions. Also, I will talk with them about Chinese culture, like how Chinese celebrate festivals, and the fairy tales behind them, Chinese history and some best places to go in China. Each of us will be a window to let other people see into us.

          Secondly, it provides us a chance to make new friends. Florida State University has coffee hour, and I always went there when I did my master’s there. We usually sat around a table and introduced ourselves. We shared funny stories from our own countries or stories that had happened to us in the US. Actually we all had similar problems of culture shock in the US. This communication let me know I am not the only one not feeling adaptable in the beginning of my life here. In the end, we usually left our contact information or became friends on Facebook. Some of the friends, we hang out even after coffee hour. After I left Florida, we still kept contact.

            Thirdly, it is a really good way to relax. For us international students, we do not really have many ways to relax ourselves. Coffee hours could be held on Friday afternoon when everyone is ready to loosen up after working hard for a week. For me, I was a research assistant in the lab and did not really have a chance to talk with people. People in coffee hour are very affable. I enjoy taking a cup of coffee and sitting beside a table with everyone with smiles on their faces. 
            In summary, international coffee hour is really worthy to be held based on the three reasons I gave above. It also helps new international students adapt to their new life in the US and probably feel a sense of belonging.

(Rui Liu)