Imagine going back to school, but starting a semester in an entirely new country.
To help exchange students feel welcome, the International Programs Office creates a starter kit with essentials so incoming students don’t have to worry about buying them when they arrive, Yuriko Miller, the Study Abroad Coordinator at Fort Lewis, said.
The language barrier and different class styles can be difficult for exchange students, Miller said. Many students arrive without having studied in America before, so they face challenges and adjustments, she said.
Exchange students often come from larger cities and colleges, so many appreciate the nature and outdoor activities that Durango offers, Miller said.
Experiencing culture shock is common, and Miller recommends exchange students come to the International Programs Office to talk through the challenges and join extra-curricular activities to build community, she said.
Siera Koga focuses on staying healthy, even in a new environment, so he has a thermal shirt to keep warm, and facial products that he uses from Japan.
Seira Koga is an exchange student from Fukuoka, Japan, and is a senior who started his exchange program at the beginning of this school year.
In Japan, his major focused on linguistics, specifically the second language acquisition, but he has taken primarily business courses at Fort Lewis to broaden his perspective, Koga said.
“The biggest takeaway is how American people interact with people, that is really respectable for me,” Koga said.
One phrase his roommate told him about was the idea of treating others as you want to be treated.
“Because in Japan, there’s a huge power distance, which means we cannot say anything towards older people, like a professor, or a parent,” Koga said.
Here, there is not a large power distance, Koga said.
“So you can interact with people honestly,” he said.
Fort Lewis is a welcoming environment, and many people are kind compared to big cities, Koga said.
Language and living in a rural area were concerns for Koga when coming to Fort Lewis, he said.
Durango is relaxing, even though it can be different from a big city, where there are more activities, Koga said.
Rice is a food he misses because rice from Japan is sweeter and has more moisture, Koga said.
Manami Yagi shares different features of Okinawa in the Intro to Business Japanese class.
Manami Yagi is a senior from Okinawa, Japan, where she studies tourism. At Fort Lewis, she mostly takes business classes.
Okinawa is a southern island of Japan, and its climate is tropical with beaches, it is very different from Durango’s cold and mountainous climate, Yagi said.
The education system in America and different ways of thinking is something new that she learned, Yagi said.
Small talk was a shock for Yagi when starting her first semester in the fall, particularly with staff, she said.
Classes in English were difficult, especially during the first semester, and understanding the professor or expressing her opinion in discussion groups proved challenging, she said.
Despite adjusting to classes, meeting new people and getting to know their perspectives and ways of thinking was encouraging, Yagi said.
Even though Fort Lewis is smaller than her home university, there are many events to attend here, Yagi said.
Moving into an apartment on campus was a worry for Yagi, but she enjoys her roommates and finds it comfortable, she said.
Okinawan food, especially Okinawa-style noodles, is something that she misses, even though the campus food is good, Yagi said.
Aurora Sancassani shows two items she keeps with her, she likes to be precise, so her agenda is important for her.
Aurora Sancassani is from Verona, Italy, but has lived in Milan since she was 19, and will be studying at Fort Lewis for the spring semester.
“The entire academic system was a shock,” Sancassani said.
In Italy, classwork is more conceptual and lectures usually last for about 4 hours, Sancassani said.
There is a large exam at the end of the semester that counts for a majority of the class grade, but there aren’t many assignments or projects, she said.
The major and minor systems are different as well, in Italy, there is a three-year undergraduate program and a two-year master’s program, but the concept of majors and minors aren’t used, Sancassani said.
Moving from a fast-paced big city to Durango was challenging, but she appreciates the nature and mountains here, Sancassani said.
Through Outdoor Pursuits, she is trying to get out of her comfort zone by trying cross-country skiing and ice skating, Sancassani said.
Another new activity Sancassani tried at Fort Lewis was attending the Social Dance Class, where she learned country-style dance, she said.
The language felt difficult when she first arrived, especially in daily conversations when people would speak quickly, Sancassani said.
She misses espresso and pasta from Italy, she said.
Noel Fockstedt is a sophomore from Örebro, Sweden, and is studying Computer Information Science.
There is a more unique culture in smaller cities and events such as Snowdown, so he likes Durango, Fockstedt said.
One shock for Fockstedt was the recycling systems in the US because the enforcement and use of recycling in Sweden is much stronger, he said.
Beyond those different systems, people here are more talkative, and Swedish people tend to be more introverted, Fockstedt said.
The process of getting a student visa was one challenge when coming to study at Fort Lewis, he said. There were mishaps and delays during the flights here, Fockstedt said.
The community, events and clubs have been enjoyable, which was a nice surprise, Fockstedt said.
“I’ve been trying to get out of that comfort zone, being more open to new stuff, which has been fun,” Fockstedt said.
Outdoor Pursuits and line dancing are some fun activities he tried, Fockstedt said.
There are many vegetarian options in Sweden, and he misses this option for food, Fockstedt said.