I --Ipmr- I I- - 11-
Students View American
Undergraduates
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individual. I do not mean to criticize the
American people, but I just think that
friendship means something different in
out countries than it does in the United
States.
ADALEMO: I would like to enlarge on
that point. The ideas of friendship are
quite different. When I first came to this
country, whenever I met someone I knew
on the street, I'd stop and say "Hello."
But most of the time you get a cold
shoulder, which disappoints you very
bitterly. I think the reason for this is
that Americans make superficial friend-
ships and you usually should not expect
real friendships as such. Once we become
friendly with a person we expect that
this is a friend with whom we can discuss
things and rely upon. This is not the case
with the American student. You can meet
the American student, you can talk to-
gether and have coffee together today,
and tomorrow he may not care whether
you are around or not. This may present
some difficulty to the foreign student
who is trying to befriend the .American
student.
I lived in the residence halls my first
year and found it very easy to get along
with the American students. I think the
reason for this was that I did not care
much about what was happening. At one
point I did care and as a result I almost
severed my relations with many of them.
Sometimes they do things to find out
whether or not this boy will take it. I
came to think of them as being naive.
A recent newsletter of the International
Center has something about its policy in
a disguised way.
TRIGGS: The article by Dr. Davis?
ADALEMO: Yes, he wrote this in a
way I personally like. He states that the
international center is prepared to help
the foreign student start and then the
student can go on from there. The for-
eign students are invited to do certain
things but are also given the opportunity
to refuse to do them if they so desire.
So despite the feeling that the inter-
national center should do very much
more, right now with their present capa-
city and the amount of support they get
from the University, they are doing quite
a lot. One of the things we do need, and
it was mentioned before, is a full fledged
international house. Right now I do
not feel the international center is a
place where a foreign student could go
and enjoy' himself. It is an office and
nothing more. At an international house
we would really feel that we had a place.
NORDINE: Going back to the subject
of friendship, it is true that we have
the opportunity to go to clubs and dis-
cuss things with the American students,
but we do not get what we expect from
them. Everything seems to be too formal.
TRIGGS: I think I may be able to
explain this situation. If it were not
for the tremendous energy of the Ameri-
can people in the last fifty years, the
United States would not be what it is
today. I think that the present type of
relationship you set up with American
students is indeed a reflection of the
tremendous independence of each Ameri-
can and the friendship system which has
been developed through time in business
and working situations. We must make
allowance for this.
MATSUMOTO: I think that the Japan-
ese students have problems making
friends with American students because
of the language difficulties. A language
is a tool by which we understand each
other. Although the Japanese student
might have the same classes and they
say "hello" to the American students,
they do not have a deeper understanding
at all. This is very regretable but I think
that as we stay here our English improves
and the problem tends to disappear.
In Japan we have so many American
people and every Japanese student is
veryimuch interested in America. But
America is a very big country and the
people do not pay much attention to
other countries. That is why they are
satisfied to be among themselves.
NORDINE: I would like to go back to
something discussed earlier. I do not
mind answering questions about my coun-
try to the American who .comes and
talks with me. I do not want it, however,
to be as formal as to be invited to a
special dinner. Here you have an Al-
gerian coming to dinner and everyone is
waiting for you. You eat and anticipate
the eventual questions arising. I do not
mind talking over a cup of coffee at the
Union, but I dislike the formal atmos-
phere of a dinner.
ADALEMO: This is not always the case.
OCTOBER 28,
VOL. IX, NO. 3
MAGAZ I I
International Center: An Office
Last year I was invited to a dinner at
a sorority. After dinner we sat and
talked about African affairs and prob-
lems. We also had the opportunity to
ask them about America. We really en-
joyed the evening, and the reason we
did was that it was very casual. We were
very relaxed and even cracked some jokes.
We did not hear the usual stereotype
questions-How do you like it here? Are
you going back to your country? When
you ask a foreign student 'Are you going
back?' you give him the impression that
America s better than his own country
and why not stay in the United States.
NORDINE: Well, of course, I found the
American people very friendly. When you
go to a dinner they really take care of
you. But it seems that all the neighbors
knew of your arrival. Everyone is expect-
ing you and these questions are asked.
Then, before you leave, you write your
name and the country you are from in
a special book. You get the impression
that these people expect to meet every
foreign student from every foreign coun-
try.
TRIGGS: Dating in America is certainly
different from Australia. It is not
quite so much of a game as it is here
It is almost like a game of chess. But
of course it is good fun and quite harm-
less.
One thing which has impressed me is
the courage and confidence of girls who
are seventeen and eighteen. They can
come in and challenge a full professor
of many years with complete charm and
complete confidence. It amazes me. This
carries through in all parts of their be-
havior and as a result they have grown
up a lot faster than the girls in Australia.
NORDINE: I myself cannot really
comment on this because the conditions
and the way we treat girls in our country
is completely different.
ADALEMO: We do not have anything
which really corresponds to dating. It is
really a new experience.
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Page Eight THE MICHIGAN DAILY MAGAZINE
The
International Scei
Foreign Students Speak Out
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