Culture Classes Explain Yankeedom

By Ryan Furlong on November 10, 2009 7:29 AM

The day’s topic was “History, Values and Religion.” On the chalkboard a professor wrote: “Please describe one major difference you have noticed between Americans and people from your home country.”

One student opined, “They say ‘hi’ to strangers on the street. We never do that in China.”

Another student asserted that religion is different. “We don’t have such a huge population of Christians,” she said.

Other students chimed in.

“People walking across the street: Here people walk first. In China, cars don’t stop for people.”

“In China, you always bargain for prices. In America, you don’t.”

And then one student said something that garnered unanimous agreement.

“Americans really love beer,” the student said. “They drink beer all the time, everywhere. It’s like water to them.”

These are some of the cultural differences the nearly 6,000 international students at USC address every day.

That’s why in fall 2008, the Office of Orientation Programs teamed up with the Office of International Services to offer The United States: An American Culture Series, a 13-week class about American culture and life in Los Angeles.

“This class really gives international students the tools they need to learn about America,” said Chrissy Roth, program manager at Orientation Programs, who has overseen and organized the course since it began.

The free course has no units and is taught by American graduate students and USC staff members. Now in its third semester, the class has expanded to five sections, a dramatic increase from the single section offered the previous two semesters.

The increase in sections comes on the heels of a 13.7 percent increase in international graduate student enrollment at USC, according to the USC International Student Enrollment Report for 2008-09, and an increase in the number of students who attend international orientation. International graduate students make up more than a quarter of all graduate students at USC.

While undergraduate international students living on campus have a built-in support system to help them understand some of these cultural differences, it is often a different story for international graduate students who live off-campus and may not be as closely connected with American students.

All students who attend international orientation are asked if they would like to fill out a survey and join the class. This year the program was able to accept all 125 students — representing 13 countries — who filled out the survey. Twenty-five people are invited to each class, Roth said, and about 12 to 15 students show up each week.

The first class is always an introductory lesson to determine where the students are from and why they are in the class.

As the course evolves over the semester, it tackles subjects international students need to understand to live in the U.S. and create or maintain relationships with Americans. These topics include cultural norms, American slang, campus resources, safety, football and baseball, American holidays, relationships, religion, and politics and government.

The last topic discussed is always American diversity, which expanded to two classes last semester.

“We try to discuss the stereotypes, break it down and give [the international students] the reality of the U.S. that we live in,” Roth said.

During the semester, the class also takes two field trips, which has the added benefit of teaching international students how to use L.A.’s public transportation system, since many don't have access to a car.

Roth said the two struggles she hears about most often from international students are the frustration and embarrassment resulting from language differences and difficulties making close American friends.

“Everyone has needs to be recognized, to be seen as competent,” said Rebecca Peterson, an international student adviser who has overseen the program with Roth since it began. “When you come into another culture and you don’t have that skill set and all of a sudden the behaviors that you’ve done before don’t work or they backfire or they’re a non-event — it really affects you emotionally.”

Peterson said she helps run the program not only for the international students, but also for USC’s American students.

“In their classrooms are amazing individuals from around the world who are going to be leaders in their own countries,” she said. “They have direct access to get to know them and experience their countries.”

TAGS: globalization

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