During my interviews with Eleonora Olsmats (Senior and Engineering Physics major from Stockholm, Sweden) and Arzum Sepici (Junior and Psychology major from Antalya, Turkey), we discussed the topic of friendliness and developing friendships in the United States as international students. Interestingly, Eleonora and Arzum have two very contrasting views on the friendliness of Americans, perhaps due to their different cultural upbringings.
Eleonora Olsmats
鈥淥ne of the main things {about culture shock} was that everyone here is very open and friendly. Most people aren鈥檛 shy, they鈥檙e very social people. ...When I first came here, like the first time when I鈥檇 meet with someone, the person would be like, 鈥榦h, what鈥檚 your Instagram, what鈥檚 your Snapchat?鈥 whereas back at home I would only share that to my friends, not the first time I met the person.
鈥.Back at home, people are more reserved and kind of like into themselves. So, one example is when you pass someone on the street, people usually say 鈥榟i, how are you?鈥...and they鈥檙e like 鈥榞ood how are you?鈥 Then the conversation is done. But back at home, people just look straight and pass by someone or if you really knew the person, you stop and say 鈥榦h I haven鈥檛 seen you in a week, how are you?鈥欌
Arzum Sepici
鈥 ...People are not as friendly as I thought they were, not everybody, but some. In my culture, being welcoming and open to everyone is very important, even if we don鈥檛 know you. But here, it鈥檚 kind of still difficult unless you鈥檙e an international student that understands what I'm going through. Domestic students are still in their own little bubbles that just don鈥檛 want to be friends {with you}.鈥
About the Project and Creator
鈥淭he Voices of International Students Project鈥 features 91制片厂 students from various countries and academic backgrounds. This is a fall 2021 weekly storytelling project that centers on the voices of international students and their experiences at 91制片厂. This project is intended to not only celebrate and highlight the diversity we have on campus but also to give international students the opportunity to share their unique stories and what they have learned from being international students on campus.鈥
Jennifer Rose is an intern in the 91制片厂 Global Education and created 鈥淭he Voices of International Students Project.鈥 She is currently a Liberal Studies major with a self-designed concentration in Intercultural Studies at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She will be finished with her bachelor's degree in December 2021. Studying abroad in London and Berlin during college exposed her to various cultures and inspired her to do this project.
