The Asian people are well-known for their cleverness and quick way of thinking. They are really smart, and thus, many of them study abroad. Of course, they come to the United States of America because this country offers outstanding advantages and capabilities to learn and develop. However, the smart brain may not help a student when he or she tries to adapt to this country and its people.
There exist certain difficulties. It’s important to recognize them. This will be the first step to overcome them. They interfere with the normal process of learning. These are:
- Language barrier. It goes beyond all doubts that the problem with language is the typical barrier for all nations. Though the Chinese folk has enough capabilities to practice English, these people experience huge troubles when they come to the U.S.A. Their pronunciation is very poor, and it happens that natives cannot understand them. It’s, likewise, difficult to understand Americans’ slang and colloquialisms.
- Cultural stress. The second troublesome and typical issue is cultural assimilation. The American and Chinese nations are absolutely different. The differences can be seen in every sphere of life from education to religious views and general attitude towards life’s values. This creates a huge tension for the Asians. They feel uncomfortable in the strange environment, and this negatively affects their academic progress.
- Academic assimilation. The previous obstacle leads to the next issue. Chinese students may not fit into the American classroom. The major reason is the huge difference between the educational systems of China and the United States of America. The American system is based on assignment writing and discussions. In the meanwhile, the Chinese educational approach is focused on lectures and, afterward, writing on a specific question. This forces the foreigners to spend the most time in libraries and at home. They study the new approaches. This rids them of making friends with the locals and, consequently, they cannot feel the American lifestyle in full.
- Most students from China lack motivation, which is supposed to be the engine of progress. They cannot obtain the necessary level of motivation because they are in a foreign land, far from home and parents. This folk is too dependent on its origin.
These problems are important because they occur everywhere. They are pretty common for many other nations. Therefore, one should pay some closer attention to each point to recognize them. Afterward, it’ll be easier to develop the problem-solving strategy.
Possible Solutions for the Adaptive Problems
After we realize the common difficulties, it’s needed to identify solutions for them. Here are the possible keys:
- Improve language skills. If you have problems with language, you have to resolve them as quickly as possible. Of course, one should spend more time learning all the aspects. However, it’s also important to interact with the natives. The practice shows that Chinese students master foreign languages extremely well. A year of such a practice will make out of them ideal interlocutors.
- Gain motivation. In order to enhance the motivational aspect, students should struggle with themselves. It’s necessary to remove the parental influence and focus on the personal dynamic desires. Education overseas opens multiple perspectives. This is the main factor in your motivation. Besides, there is always a chance to return back home.
- Familiarize with the local culture. It’s important to withstand the factor of globalization. The foreigners should participate in the cultural life of the country they currently live in. This is a key to success. If you know the traditions and customs of another folk, you may avoid lots of misunderstandings and potential conflicts. It’s quite easy to abuse people with a different mentality even if your actions are quite acceptable to you. The moral code and ethics are essential. Know which things are allowed and which are forbidden. Read the newspapers, follow media, listen to music, go to the theaters and cinemas, take part in festivals and other cultural events. This provides you with needed experience.
- Time management for everything. Learn how to plan your time reasonably and effectively. Many outlanders don’t understand the new society and its traditions because they spend too much time learning. You should avoid this mistake. Schedule your time in a universal way. There should be time to learn and to have fun with your peers. When you interact with the natives, you learn more about their mentality and habits. In addition, this is a nice language practice to improve your skills and enrich knowledge.
You should memorize these recommendations for good. Improve each of them. Even if you’re a bit shy or don’t know English very well, force yourself for some conversations. You’ll steadily improve your language level in time. Simply do not give up that easily. The Americans are pretty friendly and will understand your difficulties. Don’t miss a great opportunity to know more about a new country and a completely different civilization.
Most problems of humanity derive from the lack of knowledge about people and things we cannot understand. Therefore, share your own stories, gain experience of your friends, and develop yourself. Of course, your adaptation should not go too far. Do not fully integrate into the host country. You should keep your own identity with your native folk.
Be kind and friendly with the natives. Ask more about their traditions and cultural peculiarities. They will definitely like such a behavior. Thus, you’ll gain social support, which will help overcome cultural stress and language barrier. Enjoy the new experiences in the right way.
