The Learning Experience Of Chinese Students In American Universities: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

College Student Journal, March, 2001 by Guofang Wan

   "At first, I remained silent in class even if I know the answers. Now, if
   it is simple, I will raise my hand and talk. For example, if the teacher
   wrote: 0: 2 = 2, I will tell him 0: 2 = 0. However, I still do not say
   things require complicated English in class. When I cannot understand the
   lectures, I will go back home and read my books. My reading always helps
   me."

Daily Life

In daily life, Y and F were doing fine by using their knowledge of written English to help with their spoken English. They resorted to their dictionaries, newspapers and books. F said in the interview,

   "I was coughing the second day when I got off the airplane. I went to see a
   doctor. I found my knowledge of book English helped a lot. I checked my
   dictionary for the vocabularies I thought I would need before I went to the
   doctor's. I communicated with the doctor well then. What still frustrates
   me is that I want to understand TV programs very much, but no matter what I
   do I cannot understand it. I would watch it several times, still do not
   understand it. I love to watch news on TV. Now I read newspapers first and
   then watch the TV version of the news. And I found I can understand a bit
   more."

Y added that he used the same method when he needed to take his car to a garage. He would get himself familiar with the terms of the different parts he would need and the terms for the problems he had with his car before getting his car fixed.

When asked about doing grocery shopping, F said,

   "I am OK with shopping, because I do not have to speak. But I do have
   problems with the labels of goods. I never know how to match the prices
   with the stuff I want. I sometimes buy things I do not want for not knowing
   the names. My English classes in China never taught me the names of the
   goods. That is OK because I learn from my mistakes."

Finding 5. Learning Changes Life

Both Y and F believe that studying and living in the United States would make a difference for them in their career and life. They would be able to gain new perspectives from their studies to contribute to China. Studying in the United States would give them advantages over other people in getting research grants from the government and to get things they could not get before, such as a house to live in.

Gaining New Perspectives

Y had received a Master's degree in China in the same area he was working on in the United States. But still he felt that he could learn a lot of new things everyday. This was because "coal mining is different here from China due to the different geographic conditions of mining."

They both believed that they would learn a lot of different ideas, concepts and cultures. Y said, "I predict whatever major you take in U.S. schools, you can contribute a lot to China. It is the way you think and look at things that has changed. We can change China."

Credential Opens Doors

Y believed that his studying in the States would bring him advantages over those who did not have this experience. He said,