“How do you pronounce your name again? Sorry, I can’t quite grasp the first half, particularly the R.”
This is a question I’ve heard far too often when I first came to university; clearly well-intentioned yet baffling to me nonetheless, as it has challenged my long-held assumption of my name’s simplicity. Only later had it dawned upon me that neither alveolar trill nor vowel-lengths exist in English; I’d come to accept the fact that most people won’t be able to pronounce my name properly. This was my first ‘culture shock,’ and arguably the most minute of a series of cultural walls I’d scale over the coming years. While my story isn’t atypical for anyone with an unconventional name, it draws on the varying levels of cultural differences international students have to navigate.
Having the opportunity to study abroad, and experience the novelty in itself, is an inexplicably eye-opening privilege for a young adult raised in a culturally homogenous environment. Edinburgh’s status as a cosmopolitan city has exposed me to diverse ideas and worldviews, I’d previously never have considered otherwise. I’ve befriended people from all walks of life, broadening my horizons to a degree that no amount of Wikipedia deep-dives can compete with.
Yet to reach the point where my paradigms were shifted, I had to overcome a lot of inertia, namely social. Spending 18 years of life under static social constructs leaves the average person somewhat unaware of how to behave outside their bubble. From expressing gratitude, to what’s considered appropriate, these societal norms vastly vary for some students. I’ve lost count of the numerous instances where I had to calm myself over sentiments or situations which would be considered deeply offensive in my home country, but are free of ill intent here. On the other hand, I’ve missed the mark when trying to convey myself purely out of operating under the guise of the social constructs which exist elsewhere. I’m not expecting anyone to pick up on these nuances; I’m fully aware I’d be equally oblivious were the roles reversed. Clearly articulating that you’ve caused a misunderstanding due to a difference in cultural context is a convoluted path to tread.
Then there’s the matter of meeting others in the middle: a craft honed through awkward misunderstandings, self-reflection and heightened self-awareness. But trying to meet others in the middle is a fruitless task if those around you aren’t willing to reciprocate (I’ve heard the ‘rich and spoiled international kid’ stereotypes floating about). The joke that lands 30 seconds too late, the nonsensical sentence jumbled out of my mental Google Translate, and the personality that remains obscured behind a language barrier— no sheer force will ever accurately get my point across.
Some moments leave me with a heavy sense of alienation, whereas others remind me how naive I am regarding a lifestyle foreign to myself. Such is being stuck in between two crossroads as an international student. From time to time, remember to give grace to the international students around you— they’re trying to reap the harvest of their university experience as well.
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash.
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The international student experience: At the crossroads between two worlds
“How do you pronounce your name again? Sorry, I can’t quite grasp the first half, particularly the R.”
This is a question I’ve heard far too often when I first came to university; clearly well-intentioned yet baffling to me nonetheless, as it has challenged my long-held assumption of my name’s simplicity. Only later had it dawned upon me that neither alveolar trill nor vowel-lengths exist in English; I’d come to accept the fact that most people won’t be able to pronounce my name properly. This was my first ‘culture shock,’ and arguably the most minute of a series of cultural walls I’d scale over the coming years. While my story isn’t atypical for anyone with an unconventional name, it draws on the varying levels of cultural differences international students have to navigate.
Having the opportunity to study abroad, and experience the novelty in itself, is an inexplicably eye-opening privilege for a young adult raised in a culturally homogenous environment. Edinburgh’s status as a cosmopolitan city has exposed me to diverse ideas and worldviews, I’d previously never have considered otherwise. I’ve befriended people from all walks of life, broadening my horizons to a degree that no amount of Wikipedia deep-dives can compete with.
Yet to reach the point where my paradigms were shifted, I had to overcome a lot of inertia, namely social. Spending 18 years of life under static social constructs leaves the average person somewhat unaware of how to behave outside their bubble. From expressing gratitude, to what’s considered appropriate, these societal norms vastly vary for some students. I’ve lost count of the numerous instances where I had to calm myself over sentiments or situations which would be considered deeply offensive in my home country, but are free of ill intent here. On the other hand, I’ve missed the mark when trying to convey myself purely out of operating under the guise of the social constructs which exist elsewhere. I’m not expecting anyone to pick up on these nuances; I’m fully aware I’d be equally oblivious were the roles reversed. Clearly articulating that you’ve caused a misunderstanding due to a difference in cultural context is a convoluted path to tread.
Then there’s the matter of meeting others in the middle: a craft honed through awkward misunderstandings, self-reflection and heightened self-awareness. But trying to meet others in the middle is a fruitless task if those around you aren’t willing to reciprocate (I’ve heard the ‘rich and spoiled international kid’ stereotypes floating about). The joke that lands 30 seconds too late, the nonsensical sentence jumbled out of my mental Google Translate, and the personality that remains obscured behind a language barrier— no sheer force will ever accurately get my point across.
Some moments leave me with a heavy sense of alienation, whereas others remind me how naive I am regarding a lifestyle foreign to myself. Such is being stuck in between two crossroads as an international student. From time to time, remember to give grace to the international students around you— they’re trying to reap the harvest of their university experience as well.
Political symbols have become a spectacle
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash.
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