Global Experience Project Presentation

GEP - C

Remember – the student is required to interact with their GEP partner during an off campus event and an on campus event to gain this information (total of two events for this assignment). Some questions to get you started on your interview. Not all questions may be appropriate. Choose at your own discretion and add your own. Feel free to substitute U.S for the applicable country:

How did you choose to come to the U.S.?

My partner: I had cleared my first degree in my home country so I need to further my studies as well as I work. So I applied for a green card and I was lucky enough to be among the

Applicants who got the slot to the US.

Me: hearing from friends

How long have you been in the U.S.?

I have been in the US for one year and six months.

What do you like the most/the least about the U.S?

My partner: I like the way the US government is concerned with the welfare of its citizens when it comes to better housing, water and other social amenities but what I like least is the rate of drug abuse among the teenagers in such states in the US.

I like how the people live every one by his self, I hate the weather here in Tiffin

University

What do you miss the most about your home country?

My partner: I miss my relatives and friends, I miss talking my native language and eating my local foods in my home country

Me: I miss the nice and worm weather and my mom cock

What has been the most academically challenging portion of your immersion experience in the U.S.?

My partner: Since my home country had a different learning system with the US learning system it has been a challenge for me to adjust to this new learning system in US.

Me: as my partner the learning system is challenging me.

What are the biggest differences you see between the university experiences here and in your home country?

My partner: Most of the students and lecturers are from foreign countries so when you are in campus in the US you might find it challenging to interact among different cultural groups which are much different with my home country where most of the students are just admitted in the campuses next to their homes and nearest town hence they easily interact.

Me: I never been to University in my country but I like the school environment here

What other facets of this experience have been challenging?

My partner: The campus in the US are fully equipped with resource materials so it calls for much when it comes to reading, as much as they have books they also have online resource materials and this is a challenge, because in my home country our campuses had limited amount of resource materials hence I had a poor reading habits but shifting in US forces me to go extra mile and improve the reading habits.

Me: I don’t feel any challenge here except the homework and projects is too much not like my country>

Can you describe a situation in which you felt it necessary to be an ambassador for your country? For example, has there been a situation in which you needed to clarify erroneous stereotypes or assumptions about your home culture? How did you handle that situation?

My partner: When I was heading to the library for my evening research, I spotted some American students fighting one student from my home country. I rush to separate them as there was busying referring to him as an illegal immigrant. But I stopped them and told them just like me, he has the valid credentials to be in the campus.

Me: I always try to ignore races people by putting my headphone always when I’m out.

What is the general perception of the U. S. in your home country? Are those perceptions correct? In your opinion, what are U.S.’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?

My partner: Most people in my home country perceive there are much of job opportunities in the US and when you just reach in the US you are sure of job opportunity. But upon reaching to the US I found the mere reality that even some of the Americans don’t have jobs. The greatest strength I was in a position to observe in the US is the form of governance where there is democracy and people living in America enjoy their democratic rights, but the weakness is that US being one of the developed countries have security threats both outside and inside their boundaries. As much as there is high security, some cases of violence are reported in some States.

Has your experience here helped you gain an appreciation for how the world is interconnected on all levels (environmental, socio-cultural, and geopolitical)? If so, can you cite specific examples?

My partner: Having my friend James from UK and Romney from US in the campus I was in a position to understand their cultures which made us to interconnect effectively. In addition being in the US I was in a position to learn some elements of governance that are much different from governance in my home country, how politics are carried out in the US was much different with my home country.

Has your experience here helped you gain an ability to communicate effectively within and among diverse cultural groups? If so, can you cite specific examples?

My partner: Being the class representative in our class which consist students from diverse cultural groups I was forced to learn some basics in diverse culture and communication which helped me in the long run. Being mandated with dealing with the students made me efficient with communication among diverse cultural groups.

Me: I’m not outgoing person I like stay home and I feel shy to meet people

Has your experience here helped you learn to respect cultural differences? If so, can you cite specific examples?

My partner: In the US I interacted with different cultures which were much different with our own culture, so my friends and classmates taught me about their cultures as I did the same to them. After sometime I was in a position to understand our diversities and I end up respecting our differences which makes as unique from each other.

Share which one campus event you attended and which off campus event you attended.

Me: Yes I always respect other Cultures because if you want other people respect you and your culture you must respect how they are and respect their ideas and I’m an open minded person.

How did attending the events assist in your ability to gain information? Was it help? Why or why not? Which event was favored and why?

My partner: Being one of the students who were selected to present a talk on the impact of culture on communication in the US universities forum, I was mandated to prepare and during my representation I benefited much from the audience which consisted students from different cultural groups. In the whole process assisted me in gaining information. Off the campus we also had a number of after semester bashes of which we mingled with my classmates and friends and which exchanged information on our differences which at the end improved my ability to gain information through holding of talks. Acquiring information when attending the two events was helpful because with the information shared it helped me to understand our diversities that makes as who we are.

Out of the two event, the campus event was favored because it was more official and covered different make up of audience, because the event consisted students and lecturers for almost all universities in the US, so the information gathered there was updated and relevant to our studies in campus.

Retrieved from: http://www.uncw.edu/international/documents/suggestedinterviewquestions.pdf