Top five cultural changes international students experience in Australia
CULTURAL changes are inevitable when studying overseas. Trinity College Foundation Studies students, Leona Goh, Skylar Xu and Fiona Ji interview fellow peers on the top five cultural changes they have been through.
For the majority of international students arriving in Australia, adjusting to the local culture is something that they should fully expect.
From major changes such as their command of the English language to smaller changes that they might not have given much thought about, we take a look at five things that some students experience as part of their adjustment to Australian education.
1. Learning styles
Photo: yohey1028
Arguably, the most significant cultural change is the different approach to learning. Koko, an international student from Japanese, admits that she is expected to voice her opinion more in Australian class than in back home with the Japanese education system.
2. Food
Photos: Sarah Lim
Australia also offers a lot of cultural differences around food. For example, there are many more variants of fried food in Melbourne than in Asian countries, where most food is either steamed or stewed. Additionally, Chinese student Skylar said the food in Melbourne is too sweet compared to food back in his hometown.
3. Language
Many international students speak English as their second language, and thus some of them might face difficulties with language fluency. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that language is another massive cultural change for these students.
4. Service hours
In Melbourne, usually during weekdays, shops and cafés tend to close quite early compared to those in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and China. Students might not be used to these shorter service hours, especially when the urge for a midnight snack kicks in.
5. Informality
Many international students are not used to calling their teachers by the first name. This is because in their home countries, there can be a very high level of authority displayed by teachers to students, whereas in Trinity, students are treated as equal to their teachers. Malaysian student Hui Min said calling a teacher by their first name is seen as a form of disrespect back home.
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To deal with such changes, students should welcome differences with an open mind and learn from their experiences. This way, they will learn to develop a form of sensitivity and respect for other cultures, in turn making their time away from home more enjoyable and meaningful.
What are some significant cultural changes you have been through? Share with us in the comments below!
This story was produced by Media and Communication students at Trinity College Foundation Studies as part of Meld’s community newsroom collaboration. Education institutions, student clubs/societies and community groups interested in being involved can get in touch us via meld@meldmagazine.com.au.