Chinese Students in the U.S: Lost in the Masses

The number of Chinese students studying in American high schools has grown exponentially in the past few years, due to a perfect storm of factors – China’s rising middle class, changes in U.S. student visa policies, a growing emphasis on global education here in the U.S, and some schools’ struggles with decreasing enrollment. According to the Department of Homeland Security, in 2005-2006 there were just 65 Chinese students studying at American high schools; during the 2010-2011 school year this number increased more than 100 times to 6,725 students.[1]

As the Chinese market has opened up and the popularity of international student programs has grown, some schools have become so focused on the financial benefits of enrolling more Chinese students that they’ve lost sight of the human elements of cultural exchange. At some high schools, such as the Knox School in NY, over half of the student body hails from China.[2] When a particular nationality is disproportionately represented in this way, it is likely that international students will be seen by local students, teachers, and administrators as an indistinct mob rather than individual children with fears, hopes, and very different personalities and needs. As a result, resentment may build; there may be a perception that Chinese students are “taking over,” or “taking opportunities away” from local students. An important opportunity for cross-cultural communication, friendships, and understanding is then lost.

It is also nearly impossible for international students to experience American culture in a meaningful way when their school is saturated with students from their home country. One Chinese student, who I’ll call Jack, applied to Quest’s program last spring with the explicit goal of transferring to a school with fewer Chinese students; his first American school had upwards of 80 students from China. Jack told me that he had absolutely no idea his American school would have so many Chinese students prior to his departure for the U.S. When he arrived he was severely disappointed to find that his dorm roommates were Chinese, as were the majority of his classmates. He rarely had the opportunity to “touch” American life, he told me. He was diligently studying English but had few chances to use the language in “real life” situations with Americans his own age.

I believe that high schools should embrace the opportunity to bring Chinese and other international students on campus, but that they should do so thoughtfully and with a measure of caution. Below are some factors high schools may want to keep in mind while developing an international student program:

• Consider setting a nationality cap. Is there a maximum number of students of a given nationality that you could accept before it will become difficult for them to integrate into American life? If so, what is that number? Consider starting small and increasing your maximum number slowly, based on your school’s experiences and observations.

• Examine your international student support services. Whether you have staff dedicated solely to serving international students, work with an organization such as Quest, or employ a combination of these methods, think seriously about the support infrastructure you have in place and whether it is adequate to provide robust care to the number of students you decide to accept to your school.

• Re-evaluate goals. Reflect on why you want to bring international students to your school in the first place. Is your goal to give local students more global exposure, complement foreign language curriculum, or increase diversity? Is it to build enrollment and bring in more revenue? All or none of the above? Seek to continually define your international student program’s raison d’être as it grows and changes. There’s nothing wrong with being driven by goals that benefit your immediate community, as long as you don’t forget the importance of serving your international students and giving them a real chance to feel a part of your community, too.

Chinese families are choosing to send their children to American high schools because they hold our system of education, and the flexibility, creativity, and encouragement of individual expression it offers, in high regard. We need to honor the trust these families have placed in us by nurturing their children’s individuality and making a commitment to providing them with personal care and support. With more Chinese students flocking to U.S. schools every year, our handling of this issue will not only shape the lives of many individual students, but may also influence China’s perception of the U.S. at a time when strong Sino-U.S. relations are crucial.

-- Rebecca Troeger

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[1]Gao, Helen. “How China’s New Love Affair with U.S. Private Schools is Changing Them Both.” TheAtlantic. 28 March 2012. Web. 7 Nov 2012.

[2] Golden, Daniel. “Chinese Students Lose as U.S. Schools Exploit Need.” Bloomberg News. 19 Oct 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2012.

Beyond All Expectations

Students who come to the US have a lot of different expectations of how everything is going to be, but mostly they think it will be like in the movies, because that is what they know about the US. There are movies like American Pie or Mean Girls that show the head cheerleader dating the quarterback, students bullying each other, and also students forming cliques who sit together at lunch. Everything is expected to be really big and people eat hamburgers all the time.

Once they arrive in the US they will soon realize that their stay will be nothing like those expectations. Sure, there will be cliques of friends, and some of these might be on the football team together, and some groups will simply not let you join them, because they are simply not interested in different cultures or meeting new people. In general a lot of American students are very open to different cultures, but some are just too shy to talk to you or may wait for you to make the first move. This is why it is important to be open-minded and to start talking to fellow students on your own, maybe even starting with the person sitting next to you before class starts.

Exchange students do not only have expectations regarding school life, but also towards their new home. Some might expect a rich family with a big, beautiful house, others maybe a family with a father, mother and two children. A lot of different kinds of homestays are possible, and each of them could be a very good experience and the perfect fit. One should not expect their host family to be like their family back at home, because they come from a different culture and background.

When students apply for a year abroad, they are all excited and can’t wait to get on the plane. A few weeks before they leave their home, they get nervous, because no matter what they assume, they actually do not know what to really expect. They are traveling to a country without knowing anyone and they will spend a long time there, with people who speak a different language. This can be scary!

Expectations are good, but they should be realistic. Most often expecting less, and thereby being open to the possibilities, is better and will make your stay even more exciting!

-- Sarah Wondratschek

Despite Decrease, Germany Still No. 1 Country Sending High School Exchange Students to US

During the last few years, the ratio of German exchange students going to the US has slightly decreased. Compared to the 2003-2004 school year when the ratio of attending students was 8.483, it was “only” 6.746 this year. This is most likely do to the fact that the German school system has changed and is one year shorter now. For this reason it is harder for the students to miss one year of school in Germany.

Most students spent their year abroad in 11^th grade, whereas most of the current students do their exchange during 10^th grade, because they cannot miss 11^th grade anymore. Some might feel too young to stay away for such a long time now and others may just be afraid to miss one year of school, because the subjects being taught are still the same as in the old system and the students simply have to learn everything in a shorter period.

Despite this decrease, Germany is still by far the number one country sending high school students to the US, leaving China in second place with a ratio of 2.253 exchange students this year. But why is this?

In Germany, the USA is very popular. Everyone listens to American music, watches American movies and English is taught beginning in 4^th grade. Also, German TV shows show German students going abroad and experiencing their own “High School Spirit”. The food is different, everything is bigger than in Germany and there is just so much to see! Schools offer much more, like a big variety of extracurricular clubs, sports and performing arts opportunities, which do not really exist in Germany. The girls are excited for all the dances like Homecoming and Prom, but the students in general are just excited to take different subjects than back in Germany, like sewing, a different foreign language or cooking.

Former exchange students come home and tell their friends about their stay and everything they have experienced, which will make their friends want to go too.

It is a great opportunity to improve one’s English skills and also to experience a different culture and lifestyle. Additionally, it has academic and professional benefits - former exchange students will have more opportunities in university to expand on their experiences, as well as in their future careers. 

-- Sarah Wondratschek

Welcome Sarah!

Hi, my name is Sarah and I am 22. I am from Germany and study at the University of Mannheim in my 5^th semester right now. My majors are English literature and German.

Back in Germany I work for an exchange student organization called “HiCo Education”. At HiCo I mostly write high school profiles, translate the application forms for the parents, send and explain the student’s report cards to their parents and work on all the preparations for the student’s prep meeting, which is about a month before the students leave for their exchange program.

I am doing my internship at “Quest International”, because I am very interested in seeing the whole process from the other side, how host families are found and picked, but also how the whole application process is done here. I hope I will learn a lot new and gain experiences.

I used to be an exchange student in 2007 in Ottawa, IL. It was an unforgettable experience and I wouldn’t have done it any different. I met a lot of great people and even do have a second family now, who I visit as often as possible.

Traveling is something that I love and I have been to different countries and experienced different cultures. I am always open to anything new and love going to concerts and festivals. Shopping is something I really love, but not as much as sushi!

I am very excited about spending my summer in San Francisco and working at Quest International!

Key Suggestions for Developing a Successful Homestay Program at Your School

With an influx in the number of exchange students entering the US on an F-1 visa, schools are increasingly realizing the need to develop homestay programs.  Hosting an exchange student can bring a lifetime of benefits for an American family seeking an international experience in their own home.  Below are a few key suggestions on how to find and attract host families – both in your schools and in your communities – who are best suited for the nuanced experience of hosting an international student.

1.Exchange students are teenagers.There is no way around this.

  

Shayna Ferullo
F-1 Program Director
Quest International

Make sure the family has realistic expectations about the hosting experience.  We often receive applications where the family thinks they will receive a fairy from Spain who will teach them how to speak Spanish and how to cook paella.  While intercultural exchange is certainly part of the experience, host families need to know that they are hosting a teenager.  That means: rolling eyes, sighs of annoyance, forgetfulness and disobedience (especially related to chores), and disrespect at times. Families that have lived through the teenage years with their own children will know what to expect, while other families may need a reminder.




2. A stipend should never be treated as income.

We appreciate that, for F-1 students, we can offer a stipend to offset the sometimes large costs of hosting.  That said, families that are motivated to host by the idea of earning a few bucks are not suitable to host. During the screening process, it should be stated, and then restated – 200 times – that the stipend is a gesture of gratitude and cannot be counted on as income.  Stipends should be high enough to be considered a true gesture of gratitude, but low enough so that it does not entice money-motivated host family applicants.

3. School families often times make the best families.  But not always.

We love when our students are placed in families that either have children attending the school or are affiliated with the school. This arrangement is often preferred because our exchange students will be connected to school events. However, this is not always the best arrangement for the international student.  We have seen such placements go sour – and be awkward, at best. Don’t discount prospective host parents that may apply from outside of the school community, especially if they share similar interests as the exchange student or have another (albeit loose) connection to your school.

Do you have a successful homestay population in your school? Interested in starting one at your school or in your greater community?  Share your ideas, thoughts, and comments here.

International Youth Exchange 2010-2011

Becoming an exchange student opens up your eyes

I think that becoming an exchange student is a wonderful opportunity to explore a new culture, language, and people. I am from Tunisia and have had the chance to study in France and the United-States. These experiences have really made a difference in my life. 
Living in France was a wonderful experience in terms of exploring the country's history, art, gastronomy and architecture. Paris is one of the most amazing cities I have ever lived in. It is just a fascinating and vibrating city with so many people from different cultures. An amazing feeling I had there was when I would walk these thousands years old Parisian streets, where you could feel that history has really shaped everything surrounding you. All the people I met there enriched my social experience and made me more tolerant.
Living in the United States has also been a great experience, I have lived in San Francisco, California for 4 years now. This city has similarities with Paris in terms of cultural diversity. Its hippy culture is one of the most interesting things I have discovered and the people are so open-minded, even more than in Paris.
Living abroad can be difficult but it can really open your eyes. For instance, leaving my parents made me realize how much I love and care about them. It has also made me stronger and more mature.
Overall, no matter where you choose to study abroad, you will always learn many things about the other's culture in which you live. You will become more independent, tolerant, and more appreciative of what you have and what life gave you.


Written by: Taysir El Abed