<p>The article is contains tons of quotes from International students about their lives at Penn and in the US. The comments are interesting. You might be able to take a depper dive on some of the more common problems facing Internationals, as outlined within.</p>
<p>Marite, if you observed our culture by observing TV you would think awful things about it and think Americans are anti-intellectual shallow materialistic sex-obsessed (but often Puritanical) folks who-- </p>
<p>TheDad…not really LOL because it is too true, too sad, and I still believe it is part of our current problem vis a vis the rest of the world…</p>
<p>Bowtoserenity, The part of the country you will be going to school in would probably affect our suggestions to some extent. I believe, and I think others do too, that there are some very significant differences between, say, urban northeast versus rural anywhere versus West Coast…and not just our color on a map (but that is part of it)–in terms of religion, accent, dress, manners, ways of relating to strangers, etc. etc. I think teen cultural preferences are less regional but there are a lot of things that are dependent on where you are.</p>
<p>Bow, make sure you hang on to the things that are most important to you in your own culture. It’s important to fit in enough to feel comfortable, but don’t think you have to prove anything to anyone. Just know that people here will have much to learn from you as well, even if they don’t know it, or seem that interested.</p>
<p>I studied in another country for an extended period of time. Once I had the language down, I still worked terribly hard to blend in. Finally I realized it was just too much work, and people would rather relate to me just as I was anyway. The diction practice is extremely important, but it’s also important to just be yourself.</p>
<p>NorthStarMom and others
That’s OK - a lot of us Asians have/had difficulty understanding English when it was spoken with an American accent . </p>
<p>Joking aside, there is a significant difference between English spoken in the UK (which is the role model in a lot of the ex-Commonwealth countries) and American.</p>
<p>Optimizerdad,
I have difficulty understanding English that’s spoken with a Scottish accent and with a strong, non TV-type British accent. </p>
<p>OP – yes, there are very strong regional differences in the US! I have lived in several different regions in the US: Northeast, New England, Midwest, Southeast, and each time took quite an adjustment! There’s also a big difference between big city and small town life here. </p>
<p>And, The Dad and others are right. Don’t assume that everything you see on TV is exactly the way US culture is. There are lots of differences.</p>
<p>Whoops, BTS, you posted at the same time! But we are on the same track.</p>
<p>However, there is one area of Chinese conversation that Americans find too forward. Bodily functions! When I worked in Asia, the stnadard “How are you doing?” brought forth WAY too much detail. </p>
<p>Likewise, we taught our 66 year old Chinese nanny to refrain from saying “You’re so FAT!” when she greeted our family members! Quite the protracted explanation…</p>
<p>Norhtstarmom; you should hit the international students thread and get restaurant recommendations…I recommend you lose ten pounds before you go because the food in Hong Kong is out of this world! And be careful of Chinese dinner parties–the courses go on and on and on–each one more delicious than the previous course. If you don’t pace yourself, you’ll feel like a stuffed turkey.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are lots of hills to climb for a bit of exercise.</p>
<p>You could always subscribe to a US newspaper, newsweekly magazine, or similar to have your finger on the pulse of US news, culture, events, politics, etc…</p>
<p>I spent a few years in a foreign country and I knew I was finally mastering the local language & culture when I began to “get” jokes and also when I could eavesdrop on people sitting by me on public transportation and follow whole sagas of bad boyfriends, great movies, boring parties, nasty bosses, etc…</p>
<p>For the location part, I am going to suburb Philadelphia. How is the city and the culture around there?</p>
<p>cheers- strongly agree about the quality of food in Hong kong :p</p>
<p>AND…I found reading on CC actually helps me understand American culture quite a bit. People generally are nice and willing to help each other. :D</p>
<p>“I say this because many Americans do not understand English spoken with a Chinese accent.”</p>
<p>My mother’s driver in south India, where English is the lingua franca, says he understands the English spoken by my mother’s Italian friends much better than he understands mine.</p>
<p>BowToSerenity, you are going to have a hard time initially understanding American English when you come here. But Swat has it’s beginning of orientation for foreign kids a whole week earlier (if I’m not mistaken), or at least 1/2 a week earlier. You will get your bearings when you are ready for classes.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I’d listen to tapes of spoken American English, if you can get them. Didn’t you have to take TOEFL? If so, you might already be familiar.</p>
<p>Philly is a wonderful city, lots of culture, good food and a great museum. Lots of smaller museums as well. South Street is wonderful. With the recent fare hikes, the trip to center city is $12 round trip if I’m not mistaken…</p>
<p>BTS, congratulations on Swat. I bow to you. Still haven’t had 10 minutes peace to think about literature/film…maybe over lunch with a friend. From what I understand of the Philly area, you definitely need to catch up on the nuances of “hoagie” and “cheese steak.” I know the nuances are there but I don’t know the nuances themselves.</p>
<p>Mini, 'tis true that when you talk I need to set my ear on the “New York” channel.</p>
. </p>