Rooming with an international student

Chances are, you might get an international student as a roommate. If you know nothing else about Michigan State, know that there are a TON of international students. Especially in Hubbard hall/East Neighborhood, where I live. My specific experience is with Chinese international students (who probably make up the greatest majority of international students).

Okay! So, my roommate is an international student from China. One thing that I have to say is that I went into this KNOWING what I was getting into, and with an open mind. I willingly changed rooms so that I could have an international student as my roommate, and it is such an amazing experience.

Something I should mention is that I'm an American-born Chinese, born and raised in America, but I've always been super interested in my culture and background. Since I've been here, I've made a few international friends and they're always really surprised that I know a lot about China and listen to Chinese music, because generally the attitude of so called "ABC" students is that of apathy (which is definitely the attitude that I've experienced first hand with a lot of my Chinese American friends).

Anyways! My roommate and my dorm experience has been FABULOUS. But like I said, I knew that I would be rooming with a foreign student. I know that when the roommate assignments came out (in the beginning of August), tons of people were really bummed and downright nasty that they would be "stuck" living with a foreign student. For different reasons! Here's some that I heard:

1. They won't speak English. (Actually, they HAVE to know English to come. It is obviously not perfect. But just imagine taking Spanish/Chinese/French/whatever language you learned in high school, then going to study abroad in a country that only spoke that. Plus, why else would they come here?)

2. They don't have a Facebook/twitter/instagram. (Okay, if they're Chinese international, there's a reason for that. Facebook and possibly Twitter are blocked in China. Just e-mail them and wait for a response. I actually use QQ, which is a popular Chinese instant messaging system, and so when I e-mailed my roommate for the first time I included my number for her to chat with me on there, since I figured that she wouldn't check e-mail a lot. It worked! Plus QQ has added features like a "facebook-esque" page, where users upload pictures of themselves.)

3. They'll be weird/different/strange. (There's a word for people like you: xenophobic. SUCK IT UP. College is a great time to get exposed to new cultures. Maybe your high school was completely small like mine (I was the only Asian, remember?), but now you're going off to college and then off to the real world. We already have enough racist people in the world, be a part of the change.) 

Some other rumors about international student (and this is dealing with them in general, not just living with them).

1. I knew a Chinese exchange student in high school and she was not talkative/prissy/spoiled. (I have heard these and definitely thought that before I went to college. Not talkative? She's probably unsure about her English. I'm studying Chinese and I try my hardest not to speak it to my roommate. Prissy/spoiled? This is one that maybe not a lot of domestic students have heard, but my ABC friends say it a lot. China has a one-child policy and so yes, some of the students can come from very rich, high-class families. Just be friendly.) 

2. I smiled and tried to be friendly but they just glared at me! (Okay uh, I don't know if other people say this. This is my own, though. In America, super common to smile at people. I grew up working in food service where smiling = tips, so I smile way too much. One day, I smiled at this girl because we made eye contact and she glared at me and turned the other way. I talked to both my mom (who moved here 10 years ago) and my roommate about this. They're a little colder in China, and usually don't smile as much. Even my mom was taken aback by the smiling when she came here. Plus, if you smile at them, then they might think that you want to correct them or that they said/did something wrong, which makes them shy. Don't take it personally (although sometimes I still do. Now I have a horrible problem of covering my mouth when I smile so they don't notice). 

3. They laugh/giggle when I talk to them! (Don't take it personally, they're probably just shy/unsure of their English again. Don't be judgmental and correct them on every other word.) 

Anything else? If you have questions, feel free to ask. But MSU has this fabulous program from the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions office (OCAT), where there are Intercultural Aides in each building. I think it might be one every couple of floors? To be honest, I have never met the one who lives on my floor (her door is never open and she's never there...), but I have a few friends who are Intercultural Aides and they are super nice and ready and willing to help you if you're having any problems culturally.

Don't try to outcast or ignore international students, just because they're foreign. Their culture is just different than America's. Yes, they'll make mistakes when they write/speak, and maybe they'll do things that are acceptable in their culture but not here. Correct them gently, but only if you're in a position where you CAN (random person walking past is NOT acceptable). Get to know them! They're here to improve their English and to get an education.

So yes, this is something I feel strongly about. I love my roommate, and I'll be living with another international student next year (more on that another time...). I have met so many people who need attitude adjustments. It's college! If you have a closed mind, complement it with a closed mouth.