Essay on Interactions Between International and Domestic Students

International education is becoming widespread as most institutions create some slots for foreign students. It is especially prevalent in American and Australian schools as they are thought to have an education of a higher quality. The essence of this kind of system is to create diverse and spread knowledge and ideas from one region to another. The objective can only be achieved if the scholars from the various countries interact positively. However, this has not been the case. Studies have shown that a majority of the foreign learners group together with others of their culture instead of networking with everyone. Similarly, the local apprentices avoid interactions with the newcomers. The avoidance hampers holistic growth. Neither the residents, nor the foreign academicians acquire new skills. The behavior is not limited to the school setting only; it extends to the interactions with the community around the learning facilities. Educators and other stakeholders of the ministries of education around the world have instigated studies to establish the reasons for such segregation and its effects on the school system and the lives of the novices. Additionally, they seek to find a solution to this problem. Notably, if the current situation is not remedied, then universal scholarships will be irrelevant.

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During a review of the higher education system in Australia, Arkoudis (2014) established that there was a divide between the foreign and domestic students. The separation was not healthy since it undermined the purpose of international education. The authors sought to establish the reasons for this isolation. After reviewing several journals regarding the affairs of international learners, the authors determined that the lack of connection between the groups was caused by the little time that some of the scholars spend on campus. Work-study programs kept them busy, thus reducing the periods available for socialization (Arkoudis, 2014). The article also highlights that the cultural difference between the two teams is to blame. The foreign students prefer to associate with their own since they understand their beliefs and values. The ethnic disparity is made worse by the fact that the schools do not make any effort to promote intercultural competence. Another factor that stood out was the difference in language. Some of the international students cannot speak English or other local tongues. As such, they are often self-conscious when interacting with the residents. More so, they prefer to relate closely with their co-national or other multinationals who understand their language. Notably, it is hard to open up to someone who does not fully comprehend one's situation.

A similar journal of Volet and Ang also summarizes the reasons for this disparity into four groups. It focusses on the interaction between Asian international students and the Australian locals (Volet & Ang, 2012,). The authors cite cultural-emotional connectedness as one of the principal causes of the divide between these students. The writers explain that a majority of people prefer to relate to individuals who share a mutual communication style and sense of humor. Additionally, given that the learners are from diverse backgrounds, there is a chance that their cultures could collide. For instance, morally acceptable behavior in Australia or the United States may be immoral in Asian countries. During the interviews, some of the students revealed that they felt a sense of identity while among their co-nationals. It felt as if they built a home away from home. Another factor that leads to this divide is the difference in language. In this article, both domestic and foreign students cited the problem. The residents felt uncomfortable since they had to speak slowly and try to stick to Basic English while the foreign scholars hated the struggle associated with speaking in the secondary tongue. A majority termed the process and cumbersome (Volex & Ang, 2012). As such, they preferred to interact with friends who understood their dialect. The article also claims that the divide can be blamed on pragmatism. Most foreign students feel that the locals are committed to family and work. In fact, they hate having them in discussions since they are always late or busy. Notably, the international students have a lot of free time since their sole responsibility is studying. Lastly, the journal blames the isolation on negative stereotypes. Foreigners assume that the locals are lazy, shallow and unfocused while the residents take the newcomers to be naive and annoying to hang around.

Most articles just show that there is a divide between foreign and local students. However, McFaul went ahead to explain how the relationships between the two affect a student's satisfaction at school. The article begins by analyzing the trend in how students make connections with co-nationals, multinationals and host nationals (McFaul, 2016). The findings correspond to those of the previous researchers. Individuals seem confident dealing with those from a similar descent. McFaul goes beyond the norm and explains that such behavior has adverse effects (McFaul, 2016). It reduces the learner's ability to experience foreign cultures and negates the objective of international studies. When subjected to a test on social connectedness, homesickness, contentment and satisfaction with life, those who interacted only with friends from their home country scored less. Therefore, it can be concluded that the seclusion leads to lack of satisfaction as they barely experienced the joys of studying abroad. McFaul also gauged the reasons for the division between these scholars. She established that the living arrangement played a great factor in the division (McFaul, 2016). In a bid to make international students comfortable, universities often give them separate and superior housing. However, the segregation reduces connectivity with the residents and promotes the creation of communities that mimic their home situations. As such, it is recommended that the housing should be structured such that the two groups live amongst each other. Other reasons that were cited include similarity in spiritual and religious beliefs.

Weronika goes ahead and extends the research to the relationship between international students and the community surrounding them. The author realized that international students participated in fewer activities and social interactions than they did in their hometowns (Kusek, 2015). The study sample was a university in Ohio. Twenty-six students from China, India, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Poland, Tanzania, and the Philippines were interviewed. Most of them stated that they led fuller lives in their hometown. Partying and shopping were familiar habits. However, when in Ohio, they barely engaged in such leisure (Kusek, 2015). When questioned, some explained that they were discouraged by what they had heard about the American people and culture. A majority of people stereotype American life to be immoral, shallow, and dangerous. As such, students are warned to avoid excessive contact with the residents. Since the system does not provide intercultural experience, these notions are never eliminated, thus reducing the interactions between the two groups. Another reason that was cited is the financial burden. The pricing of goods and services in the nation is higher than the foreigners can afford. Therefore, small budgets limit their interaction with locals. A majority prefer cheaper activities such as shopping in international markets and engaging in passive rest such as watching movies or playing board games. Lastly, the paper also cited that it is easier to relate to Co and multinationals since they understand each other's problems.

Research similar to the previous ones was conducted in New Zealand to establish the relationship between international and domestic students in international secondary schools. The problem also exists at this level of education. In fact, it is worse since the prejudice of students at this age is higher. The significant findings from this article were that older students were more likely to desire contact with American peers compared to younger ones (Ward, n.d). Similarly, female students were more successful at creating relationships with the locals compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, the research showed that there are three models of friendship among these students. To begin with, there is the primary network aimed at lending emotional support. A majority of the foreign students preferred to have co-nationals in this circle. Aside from that, there is the secondary connection. It is founded on academic matters. A majority of the scholars from abroad included host nationals in this realm (Ward, n.d). The individuals were incorporated into their group work to assist with English-related studies. Lastly, there is the third multicultural network that is mainly recreational. The survey identified that most of the learners engaged in fun activities with colleagues from all regions. As such, there was minimal segregation during leisure activities.

After scrutinizing the five articles, it is clear that there is a lack of interaction between local and foreign students. The issue seems to be common in all international schools, regardless of the level of education provided. However, it is less severe among females and older scholars. Based on the review, the division can be blamed on cultural, spiritual, and religious differences. The learners explain that they prefer to commune with individuals who share similar beliefs and values. Linguistic disparities also explain the separation. The difficulty in communication, especially among people who do not speak English, hampers any relations. The apprentices find it cumbersome to bridge the gap and prefer to associate with those who already understand their language. Alternatively, the conditions in the campuses may prevent the interaction of these students. For instance, the living conditions separate them, thus discouraging any form of networking. Lastly, it became apparent that financial abilities play a role in this problem. The life in the host nations, especially the United States, is expensive. Therefore, the newcomers cannot afford the domestic products; thus they prefer to shop in the international stores. As such, they do not get to experience the local goods and facilities.

After reviewing the literature, a research gap was identified. Most articles examine the individual characteristics that lead to this divide. However, none has focused on the role of the campus and societal setting in the reduced interaction among local and foreign studies. It is evident that the learning institutions have structured the curriculum in such a manner that it prevents intercultural associations. It is important to reveal some of these weaknesses. If the schools correct these factors, there is a chance that the integration between the two groups will increase.

References

Arkoudis, S. (2014). Crossing the interaction divide between international and domestic students in higher education. HERDASA, 1, 47-62.

Kusek, W. (2015). Evaluating the Struggles with International Students and Local Community Participation. Journal of International Students, 5 (2), 121-131.

McFaul, S. (2016). International Student's Social Network: Network Mapping to Gauge Friendship Formation and Student Engagement on Campus. Journal of International Students, 6 (1), 1-13.

Volet, S. & Ang, G. (2012). Culturally mixed groups on international campuses: an opportunity for inter-cultural learning. Higher Education Research & Development, 31 (1), 21-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.642838

Ward, C. The impact of interna...