Whether in the United Kingdom, the United States, or other countries, Chinese students seem difficult to integrate into the "circle of local people."
UK, for example, whether in the classroom, on campus, or on the street, you often see Chinese students flock together. Willing and Chinese people exchanges, which makes study abroad lost a large part of the meaning. The phenomenon of love for the Chinese students "get together", the Professor of Media UK University of East Anglia Johnston believes that the reason there are both internal and external aspects. From internal reasons, the Chinese students are not confident of their English skills and can not cause them to exchange students from other countries, so instinctively choose and Chinese people sit together, or will discuss in the classroom.
From external causes, the curriculum and professional settings also led to this 'get together' phenomenon. Especially in professional welcome by the Chinese people, such as the media, business, automotive engineering, 80 to 90 percent of the students are Chinese people, which in itself makes very few Chinese students and students from other countries the opportunity to communicate.
In many Chinese students view, make friends with the locals is a very difficult thing. Many Chinese students, said: In the UK, China and foreigners living habits are different, at first trying to interact with the locals, but because the ideas and habits of different, difficult to go further, but finally spend the most time with China students live on.
Despite these difficulties, there are some cases of successful foreign establish their own circle of friends in the UK. The successful integration into the social circle of Chinese students in the United Kingdom, on how to avoid "get together" phenomenon presents its own unique insights.
Proactive attitude is the first step
Some Chinese students to reflect, and sometimes is not what you want to "get together", but Mabu Kai face, embarrassed to refuse to invite other Chinese students.
Chinese students Emily had faced such a choice: "Once, while Chinese friends and foreign friends invited me out to dinner when I expressed to two people respectively this situation, I hope everyone can eat together, foreign friends readily agreed. but Chinese friend says a rain check. "
For Emily, it is not difficult to make friends with foreigners, her foreign friends from all over the world. When the British first came to an undergraduate, she was dating this thing bother, because surrounded by foreigners. In 2010, only 18 years old the first time she come alone to a foreign country, the difficulties of life that she had to turn to foreign students. In the process of interaction with them, she did not feel all first thought was that hard.
She recalls:... "I was surrounded by foreigners do not understand the question, can only ask them they are dedicated to help me, it makes me very moved slowly, we became no words said the friend. "according to their own experience, Emily concluded that the initiative to communicate with foreigners is their first step into the circle.
Media professional British University of East Anglia Professor Johnston also believes that attitude is to decide whether to break the key Chinese students "get together" situation. "Many Chinese students are not do not want to integrate into British society, but they demonstrated the attitude of people feel alienated." Johnston said.
In his view, although the number of Chinese students and foreign students in the school dormitory living, but always stay in his room, does not communicate with foreign roommates, not even introduce themselves to the roommate. This attitude has led to the closure of Chinese students in a single circle.
Therefore, he suggested that the best students to study in the UK take the initiative in dealing with foreign students living in the dormitory students, a friendly hello to foreign roommate, introduce yourself; others may take advantage of the class time, the initiative to communicate with foreign students discuss.
More attention to local social and cultural
Many Chinese students will find in the course of dealings with foreigners, and do not know what to talk to each other, or the other side of the chat topic, they were not familiar; but other Chinese people and there is endless talk about the topic, which also caused Chinese students "get together" phenomenon.
Of course, this is directly related to different cultural backgrounds. Therefore, attention to British culture, is one of the compulsory Chinese students. Grace from Beijing have personal experience in this regard. She believes that, to make friends and foreign students must first understand their culture and way of life.
"In the minds of many Chinese students want to integrate foreigners circles, you must go to all kinds of party, drinking, dancing." Grace said, the bar is really a good place to make friends, but not the only way to integrate into foreign circle.
UK university campus life is very rich, the school will organize music festivals, film festivals, art exhibitions and a variety of Oktoberfest. Grace often involved, and foreign students to participate in the festival together, to go to the flea market and so on.
But her most recommended or watching the local British television program. "TV is not only enriched the extracurricular activities to improve the English language skills, but also for foreign students and chat adds a lot of talk. For example, when other foreign students mentioned BBC presenter Jeremy Clarkson, I no longer innocently do not know it the words. "
In addition, some have been integrated into foreign circle of Chinese students also pointed out that work is one of understanding of the local socio-cultural approach.
Joan Chinese students in the UK to apply online after entering the local Starbucks when hourly workers. "Here, I inevitably and co-workers, customers have frequent exchanges, and they naturally have the opportunity to become friends."
Joan stressed, however, that not all workers have the opportunity to help integrate foreigners living area. For example, Chinese take on no chance to contact with foreigners. Of course, this is not absolute. Chinese student Sabrina playing Chinese take man-hours, and then the British driver Colin room became friends.
Confidently express their ideas
Many foreign students said that Chinese students do not want to communicate with them their ideas. Becky from the United States, said: "Sometimes, I want to make friends with Chinese students, but they look and do not want me to say."
Becky said that when she met Chinese roommate in the communal kitchen, they seem when Becky does not exist, did not say hello, not even eye contact, which makes Becky feel at a loss.
But when Cassie exchanges and Chinese friends, Becky does not seem to worry in this regard. Cassie has a very good group of foreign friends. "Foreigners and Chinese people and make friends like friends, like, sometimes I want too much, do not want to be afraid of each other and exchange their own, or do not know how to speak."
She believes that Chinese students were generally shy and afraid to Xianxiang the other an olive branch. In fact, foreigners are willing to make friends, do not worry about my English is not good. "Language is not a problem, foreigners do not care about that." Cassie expressed over the identity of the person, the focus is to communicate with foreigners confidently express their ideas.
Another successful integration into foreign circle of Chinese students Vicky had the same view: "foreign friends do not care about my English level, to express their basic ideas on it, they are very smart and can understand what you want to say."
Professor Johnston have also put forward their own ideas: "In the panel discussion, Chinese students in relative silence, not confident of a problem, they tend to produce resentment, for example, why we should discuss this issue to explore this issue.? What meaning is? not from thinking itself. "
He believes that Chinese students very "content", but entangled in or not to express or how to express. This spirit needs to break through the circle is the same, "Chinese students to learn to be more confident to express their own ideas, which is more important than how to use flowery language to modify their ideas."
Reproduced in: https: //www.jianshu.com/p/667fdfe08b41