Language is not the only problem faced by students

According to Coughlan (2011), in 2009, there were approximately a whopping 3.43 million foreign students studying at International Universities worldwide, and most of them are in a situation where they encounter an array of obstacles. Apart from the problem of language being a communication barrier, international students also suffer from hindrances such as integrating into another culture, adapting to climate changes, and even the unfortunate case of racial discrimination. This essay will explore the financial difficulties experienced by some students, culture shock, and lastly, the sense of alienation of the students. The first problem for many international students is to understand the spoken language of the people they need to deal with every day. They might need it even on minor things such as purchasing something from the local store, or communicating on public transports and also, more importantly in their academic studies. Many of them find it hard to accustom to the speed of speech, the different accents and in many cases the words and phrases used. They may also be unfamiliar with cultural conventions such as ways of greeting, requesting and apologizing. Because of the language constraints, it is arduous for international students to wholly understand the requirements of the tutors or even what the tutor expects of them, like being more engaged in class discussions. The tutors may find it hard to perceive the needs of international students if they are not able to speak out for themselves. Similarly, when it comes to learning effectively, a key ingredient to allow for this is the friendly interaction, within a classroom, between international students. (Bamford, 2008) The workload burden of the international students could also be affected because of the language limitations. Despite the fact that language is a major problem, it however is definitely not the sole problem. It is also the case with financial difficulties. Financial pressure can be onerous for some international, especially for those who do not receive financial aids and have to suffer the hardships of bearing tuitions and living costs all by themselves. According to research conducted by the University of Manchester (2013), the essential living costs of an average undergraduate is roughly £8885 for an academic year. Moreover, exchange rates are likely to work against the favour of international students, especially if they hail from countries whose currencies are weaker than that of the students’ host countries. When it comes to financial aid, a meager amount of money for an inborn could be a significant amount for international students. Also, It is an undeniable fact that a quality education from an international university does come at a tremendously weighty price, especially, for students from developing countries. Because of this, the students would try seeking part-time employment in hopes of easing the financial burden on their families and increasing their monthly allowances. Naturally, this would lead to lesser time focusing on their academics and increased levels of stress. In addition to the financial problems, complying to a brand new culture also poses as a major problem for many foreign students. According to research conducted by the University of Warwick (2013), despite beforehand preparations, the experience of a person in a new country can be staggering. There are a lineup of things that could cause culture shock, the prime reason being the partition from families and loved ones. There is also the case of not being used to a new range of food. For example, food in China is very contrasting to food in the UK, so this might be an issue for some. Unsurprisingly, minor things such as climate changes can contribute to the list of issues too. People from cold and arid places such as Korea, may not acclimate to the hot, humid land of Malaysia. Occasionally, students feel a sense of homesickness. According to a research conducted by the Ohio State University (2010), homesickness can bring about feelings of anxiety, irritability, loneliness, a negative outlook and even social withdrawal. All of these elements can naturally affect international students academically in the long run. Lastly, the dilemma of alienation. Making new friends can be a headache for many. It is imperative for international students to have a sufficiently adequate ability to endure any psychological perils. If this is not achieved, they can suffer psychological ordeals such solidarity. Similar to the other problems mentioned above, it can too further affect academic productivity. These international students would naturally look for friendship with people from a similar background and culture. In conclusion, this essay has stated the problems faced by international students apart from the language barrier. One must be mindful about the problems they would possibly encounter studying abroad. For some, it might be a hefty burden of finance, while for others a minor problem like accustoming to climate change. Despite knowing the first language of one’s host country, other problems might still arise, no matter how prepared the international students might be.

References
Bamford, J.K (2008). Improving International Students’ experience of studying in the UK. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from hhtp://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/showcase/bamford_international Coughlan, S. (2011). Record numbers of international students. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12671198

Ohio State University. (2010). College and homesickness. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://shs.osu,edu/articles/college-and-homesickness/

The University of Warwick. (2013). Culture shock for international students. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/tutors/counselling/informationpages/culture_shock/ University of Manchester. (2013). Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.manchester.ac.uk/international/finance/costofliving/

References: Bamford, J.K (2008). Improving International Students’ experience of studying in the UK. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from hhtp://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/showcase/bamford_international Coughlan, S. (2011). Record numbers of international students. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12671198 Ohio State University. (2010). College and homesickness. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://shs.osu,edu/articles/college-and-homesickness/ The University of Warwick. (2013). Culture shock for international students. Retrieved February 24, 2014, from http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/tutors/counselling/informationpages/culture_shock/ University of Manchester. (2013). Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.manchester.ac.uk/international/finance/costofliving/