Parker Martin Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 We? There's no "we." Including international students is perfectly normal in the community where I live. Sorry to read that it might not be that way everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 These students are fortunate to have experienced your version of American hospitality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Not all Americans are ugly and not all people from other places are pretty. Really, people are people. :iagree::iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I really dislike the title of this thread. I love our exchange student. He is a sweet boy that I have had to parent way more than I thought I would. Not all exchange students want to learn about America, some are made to come here by their family. I am hugely involved in our exchange program here. A lot of the kids I am dealing with are privileged and wealthy. Would my visiting son lie about me to someone just to get extra attention? Yes, he would. :( Don't believe everything you hear, and that is all I will say. Good point. I attended a private liberal arts college (700 students) and we had a large international exchange program with a dedicated dorm hall for them and programs/tours/activities for them. It was nicely done. I was a Resident Counselor of a freshman dorm nearby and was surprised to meet (in class) one Korean exchange student who was not the least bit interested in participating in any social mixers with the group of international students on campus. His parents sent him to our school. He was determined to study and get the (beep) out of there for back home where he had a fiancee waiting. He was the exception. But it sure did surprise me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 (edited) "We" are not ugly Americans. Speak for yourself, please. I am proud of my family, my friends, and my country. I am proud that Americans give a higher percentage of our income to charities and foreign aid than any other country in the world. That's not ugly, that's beautiful. I am proud of every American who has fought and died to help foreign nations that "ugly Americans" supposedly loathe. Of course I am ashamed of anyone who represents our nation poorly, but their behavior does not make me ugly. I'm with Daisy. All the self-loathing is making me ill. Umm... the bolded is not accurate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/11-most-generous-countrie_n_709950.html#undefined Not saying 5th place makes Americans ugly, but hyperbole doesn't help an argument either. FWIW, we've got an active exchange program here. I wonder why some people bother to be hosts because they are never around and never seem to interact with the student much. Others are taking their students on all kinds of outings and are very good hosts. Edited November 27, 2011 by Audrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Originally Posted by Tibbie Dunbar "We" are not ugly Americans. Speak for yourself, please. I am proud of my family, my friends, and my country. I am proud that Americans give a higher percentage of our income to charities and foreign aid than any other country in the world. That's not ugly, that's beautiful. I am proud of every American who has fought and died to help foreign nations that "ugly Americans" supposedly loathe. Of course I am ashamed of anyone who represents our nation poorly, but their behavior does not make me ugly. I'm with Daisy. All the self-loathing is making me ill. Umm... the bolded is not accurate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/08/11-most-generous-countrie_n_709950.html#undefined Not saying 5th place makes Americans ugly, but hyperbole doesn't help an argument either. FWIW, we've got an active exchange program here. I wonder why some people bother to be hosts because they are never around and never seem to interact with the student much. Others are taking their students on all kinds of outings and are very good hosts. I have a huge problem with this kind of research. 1000 people in most countries were surveyed? In urban centers? Because it was more convenient for the 'researchers' or because most charity happens in big cities?:lol: According to the HuffPo article, "The overall rankings were a composite of three categories - the percentage of people who donated money, donated time and helped a stranger in the month prior to being surveyed." There is no way to confirm whether a person has helped a stranger in the last month. And how is that more important than volunteering or donating money? What if I gave money to a stranger this month? How did that come across on the survey and report? IMO, bad report based on insufficient information.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Just opened this thread after reading an email from a young woman who is back in Germany after spending two years at a nearby university. I happened to meet the student at LaGuardia where we were both on the same delayed outgoing flight. This led to conversation. I learned that S. was in the US for the first time. As a Mom, I felt compelled to pass along my phone number just in case she hit any snags. Over the next two years, I was probably more of her adopted aunt than anything else. I took her out to lunch, drove her to some stores carrying imported items that she missed, simple things really. I let her vent about fellow students, profs and projects. She is back in Germany but I still receive updates on her life. I think that all college students in places that are not their home can use an adopted aunt, grandmother or family. I am grateful to the parents of one of my son's college friends who traveled to campus to cook a meal for a group of students who were not going home this weekend. That included my son. What goes around, comes around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 I've been on the other side. The cute pet foreigner. That's not always so great. It kinda made me feel stupid sometimes. Yep, welcome to my life. Add in our mix of children and we are pretty much "on display" everywhere we go. People stare, point, nudge each other, or just ask us outright rude questions. But then some people are really warm and friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted November 27, 2011 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Huh. When I was in college, I needed to spend some holidays on campus for sports. We shared those meals with exchange students. On the (usually longer) holidays that I was able to go home, I can't remember any students I asked who hadn't already been invited somewhere else or weren't going home for the break. It was a very large school, and there were a lot of students who formed their own mini-community based on their country of origin. Some students didn't step outside those groups. It was possible to stay within the group if you wanted to. I don't believe all of my friends on Facebook who post in other languages think Americans are ugly. Some exchange students wanted to join study groups and occasionally go to the club or come by your house if you lived within a few hours of campus. Some didn't. A friendly reminder that there might be students in your community who would enjoy sharing the holidays with you is a nice idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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