Final week

By Min Jiao
2 May 2013
This is week is final week that means we have one week will start summer break. Almost Chinese students choose come back to China includes me because we really miss my family and friend.

Here is a link http://youtu.be/qEGIA-ACpKQ, it is a slideshow I make share different between China and The U.S.

Picnic

By Min Jiao
April 27 2013

Tomorrow is International Club last activity in this semester. The event is Sunday, April 28^th at 4 p.m.  It will be over in time for all of you to go to the SGA Block Party.  It is in the end of the year Host Family picnic and it also last time international students see their host families this semester.  

Chinese Ya 'an earthquake

By Min Jiao
21 April 2013

In 20 April 2013, Beijing time 8.02 a.m., Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, Lushan County 7.0 earthquake occurred.

At 8:00 on the April 22nd, earthquake death toll rose to 188 people, 25 people missing and 11,460 people were injured, the cumulative result of more than 150 million people were affected. Earthquake zone of aftershocks 2044.

This is big earthquake. Too many people pay attention to this earthquake and pray to Suffering of the people.

The disaster is terrible, is relentless, but our people are warm, sincere, let the people at heart of the earthquake zone, do their utmost force, or modest, as long as we are determined, as long as we sentient beings, as long as we pay in good faith, Phantom of the disaster will be gone, the world will become warmer.

International Cuisine dinner is this Sunday

By Min Jiao
14 April 3012

Don't forget the International Cuisine dinner is this Sunday(April 14). We will bring the food to the cafeteria and start at 5 p.m. Most of the host families will be come. That will be funny activity, I hope everyone join this activity and taste different food.

 

SC International

By Min Jiao
April 7 2013

2013 Indoor Soccer Adult Division game in the Winfield Recreation Center. International Club join this soccer game. I share some pictures I take it.

international Cuisine Dinner

By Min Jiao
March 31 2013

The international Cuisine Dinner will start at April 14 at 5 p.m. It is a big event host by International club. The international Cuisine Dinner is traditional event at Southwestern College. Most international students are going to make international delicious food.  It will be funny event and we are going to invited host families and whole campus students taste international food.

Spring Break

By Min Jiao
24 March 2013

Spring break is good time to trip for students especially international students. It is good time go other places. We live in Winfield right now, it is small town. Almost international students like to trip to big city, like New York City.

This spring break has enough time to go to other place. Almost Chinese students choose go to Washington D.C because they think Washington is a captain of the United States. To Chinese students, they think captain must be important city. If they trip to other place also like to go to captain.

American is different than Chinese, because Chinese population more than American people. Chinese people almost do not drive to other place. However, driving trip is good in The United States. They like driving trip.    

Before this spring break, Rena took international students trip to Kansas City and Oklahoma City. It is significative thing and help new international students understand here.

Chinese class gives understanding of culture

By Min Jiao
15 March 2013

Here is a line about Chinese Language and Culture class.

http://scupdate.org/?p=18125

Chinese students struggle with communication control

By Min Jiao
5 March 2013

Here is an article about Chinese students’ communication problem. I write last year print in The Collegian.

I’m a Chinese girl and I have lived in China my whole life. When I came here in August 2010, I was worried about how to communicate with Americans. I’m still worried. Other Chinese students have the same worries.

Chinese students who are studying in America face problems communicating with American students around. This is because of cultural differences and language skills. Very few Chinese students become good friends with American students. Chinese students stay in their own circle with one another. Learning to communicate with Americans will begin to solve the problem.

Chinese students learn English, but don’t learn about American culture. When they arrive they form their own circle with other Chinese students. When Chinese students first come to the United States, they are concerned about the language and stay in their dorm room to use the internet, eliminating contact with potential friends. This solitude prevents Chinese students from developing foreign language proficiency.

When I spoke with my host family during my first year here, my host parents asked me some questions, but I could only understand a little. I answered, but my host parents almost could not understand what I said. I struggled to communicate. Gradually, I lost confidence, although my host family and my teachers always encouraged me. Other Chinese students experienced the same situation.

To study in the United States in a totally unfamiliar environment, to learn to adapt and to integrate, each Chinese student faces this problem. To solve it will require the help of other Chinese students. However, in this process, the inherent circle has been slowly formed.

At first, I only had language class with other Chinese students. My roommate is also Chinese. I always spoke Chinese with others every day. So the Chinese circle was slowly formed.

The vast majority of Chinese students learn the language through textbooks before they come to the United States. Textbook content and real-life vocabulary is different. Understanding requires international students to experience more interaction with American. This is part of the completion of the transition between the written language and life terms. Only by understanding local culture can we increase our own self-confidence in language. This makes it possible to be more willing to develop friendships with Americans.

Chinese students are unwilling to participate in the activities of non-Chinese organizations and they don’t like to integrate into the social circle of the non-Chinese.

When I participate with Americans, I’m uncomfortable because I always face the same situation the Americans talk about funny things, but I don’t understand or I don’t think it is very funny. Chinese students experience same puzzle. We don’t understand Americans’ interests, so we don’t what to say.

This attitude is wrong. In order to avoid this happening, we need to think about topics of conversation before meeting with Americans. Then practice.

When Chinese students are getting used to living here, we should try to walk outside the inherent circle and make some American friends. Talk with Americans. Play together to increase understanding of the U.S. and improve spoken skills. 

Chinese students need to go outside if they have free time. Walking in the streets to see colorful buildings and shops is a way to understand culture. At the same time, store signs, menus and displays are convenient learning tools.

I remembered when I first went to Wal-Mart with an American and I didn’t have any experience buying things in the U.S. In China, if we use a credit card, we need to input the password. However, in the U.S. you just sign your name. At that time, I could not communicate with Americans. Luckily, the staff understood what I meant and helped me.

Similarly, when Chinese students buy something and don’t understand the conversation, we can watch other people buy and then, imitate the dialogue. We can learn the local people's speech habits and soon, our skills will improve.

The confused period in the U.S. is the most painful for Chinese students. If we leave our out inherent circle of Chinese students, we will be able to adapt to American life and friendship with American students. However, if we can’t leave the inherent circle of Chinese students, we are less able to accept the concept of American.

Min Jiao is a junior majoring in communication. You may e-mail her min.jiao@sckans.edu.

International students need to adapt foreign education

By Min Jiao
26 February 2013
some questions around international students especially Chinese students because the long-term cannot adapt to living abroad, living, learning, and psychological aspects of a range of issues, the final repatriation of the other schools, to terminate the study. This is not only a waste of a lot of money for the parents and students who delay their studies more important are consumed valuable time. Also sounded the alarm to the parents and students to study abroad is not simply children sent abroad.
Currently, most of the foreign teaching focuses on personality development, basic skills training, focusing on the culture of innovation and practical ability. Chinese children long accustomed to the examination-oriented education, study abroad, to face this kind of learning, the large differences in life, and no doubt will be no small challenge.
Some students arrived foreign blindly change the plan to study, in the case of do not understand the course alone personal imagination replacement already apply good professional courses after found myself to keep up with the course, changed back to the original professional, a waste of money and time.
Students in choosing a professional to be extra cautious combined with individual learning based on individual career planning expertise, hobbies and listen to the professional study consultant or foreign institutions, the academic guidance of the consultant's recommendations, a comprehensive and integrated consideration of choice of profession.

Donations for Chinese student from Emporia State University

By Min Jiao

19 February 2013

 

Here is some information about other University international students need helps.

Rena Rodriguez, Director of international student services. Email all international students.

Email content:

“Below is the link about a Chinese student from Emporia State University (Emporia, KS) that was seriously injured in November.  Her family is asking for donations.  If any of you’d like to donate any money (even just $1 or $2)-you can drop the money off at my office. I’ll be taking donations until March 1. 

Just a reminder that you need to make sure your health insurance is up-to-date if I did not purchase the insurance for you.  If you need help renewing her insurance, please let me know.”

Here is link: http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/Family-Of-Emporia-State-Student-Hit-By-Car-Issues-Call-For-Help-190303701.html?llsms=79691&c=y

International students are not easy to lives in the U.S. especially Chinese students. Almost Chinese people don’t have healthy body. When they come here always feel uncomfortable because the weather is very different, food different, and so on easy to led some illness.

Happy Chinese New Year!

By Min Jiao
10 February 2013

Today is Chinese New Year. Happy Chinese New Year!

Tradition event-Make dumplings.

And another big event-New Year's Eve dinner.

 

 

Chinese traditional, the New Year's Eve dinner is family together. However, we study at here now, we can't come back China with family celebrate Chinese New Year. I think my roommates like my families, we celebrate together and give blessing each other.

 

 

Other Chinese traditional habit is New Year need wear new clothes that means next year you have new start. Do you wear new clothes today?

 

Tomorrow have Chinese New Year Event in the Deets  library, we will celebrate with host family. Here is a story I write about tomorrow event and host family. http://scupdate.org/?p=17614

Cuisine

By Min Jiao
5 February 2013

Food is most important thing for all people's lives. Chinese have one common saying “food is the paramount necessity of people, taste is the priority of eating."

Chinese New Year event will come next Monday at Deet library and also have some Chinese food at there. The important one is dumplings.

Dumplings are tradition Chinese food for Chinese New Year

There are many schools of the country cuisine cooking. One of the most influential and representative also recognized by the society: Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jinagsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Anhui Cuisine, it often said that the Chinese eight cuisines.

Typical Shandong cuisine

 

 

Typical Sichuan cuisine

 

 

Typical Jingsu cuisine

 

 





Typical Zhejiang cuisine

 

Typical Guangdong cuisine

 

Typical Hunan cuisine

 

Typical Fujian cuisine

 

 Typical Anhui cuisine

 

 

Here is all different Chinese cuisine. Please expect international cuisine this semester host by International Club. We will make delicious food from Asian, Africa, and so on.

 

Host family is important to international students

By Min Jiao
January 29, 2013

Each international student has a host family in Southwestern College. Host family is all American people who live in Winfield and volunteer become an international student’s host family.

We come from different countries, so host parents like international students’ parents in the United States.

Our campus has some international students, like Chinese, Singaporean, Malaysian, and so on. We come from different countries and our families, friends live in other countries. We want to learn more knowledge and skills so we come here.

However, we usually feel get alone particularly Chinese students. Because of English is second language to Chinese students. We learn Chinese when we were young and didn’t speak English in daily life.

We always miss our families and friends. The host family is like our family. International Club like hold some activities, they invited international students and their host family. This is good way to communication.

Sometimes, host family invited us join their activities, like eat at their house, barbecue, shopping, and so on. Like generic family activities. This is good thing for international students because they lived in other country before and they didn’t have car when they just come here.

I remembered first time my host family invited me and my roommate went to Wichita zoo in my first semester. That is my first time leave school went to other place. Also it is my first time went to American zoo. I’m very happy went to there. This is my memorable experience.

Of course, my host family like invited join their activities, I feel so happy about it. I believe other international students are same to me.

For now, I’m very busy because I have a lot of classes and homework. I don’t have enough time to join their activities. However, they also important to me like my family.

Every semester have new international students study at our school. They also get their host family. I hope they will enjoy it.

Spring Festival

By Min Jiao
January 15, 2012

The first meeting is from International Club in Sutton Hall, Southwestern College at 7pm Jan.15 this semester. We discuss about how to celebrate Spring Festival in here.

Spring Festival also called Chinese New Year. It is the most important of the traditional Chines holiday like American celebrate Christmas Day.

Almost tradition Chinese festival is according to the traditional Chinese calendar include Spring Festival. Spring Festival is January 1 according to the traditional Chinese calendar. So we celebrated different time in every year almost mid-February. This year's Spring Festival on February 10.

During Spring Festival all Chinese Store will closed 7 days because all Chinese people need to celebrate this festival with their families. Eve Spring Festival, all Chinese family need to eat together. In that day, every family will make big meal at night.

Before family start big meals they need to paste antithetical couplet on the door that means the antithetical couplet bring luck next years. People must need to eat dumplings during the big meal because the dumplings is like ancient Chinese money is called gold ingots that means you will make more money next years. After dinner, families always watch the Spring Festival television show until 12pm. Then people like to shoot off fireworks, it looks so beautiful.

Actually, Children really like to celebrate Spring Festival because elder need to give money to children. It is traditional Chinese custom. And from Jan.2 to Jan.7 people always pay a visit to relatives and present gifts to them.

Chinese students and I didn’t celebrate Spring Festival with family when we come here because don’t have break for Spring Festival so we need go to classes. All students like to celebrate together on that day like family.

International Club makes plan to celebrate Spring Festival with campus’ students this semester. We will make some Chinese food and invite host family this year.