"Culture Shocked" Podcast: A Guide for International Students at the University of Arizona
With the start of the new semester near, University of Arizona International Student Services proudly reintroduces "Culture Shocked," a podcast designed to help international students navigate the challenges and rewards of living in a multicultural society. Hosted by former Senior Program Coordinator for International Student Engagement Fiona Grugan and Document Processor for International Student Services Josh Little, the podcast features interviews with international students who share their personal experiences and offer valuable insights for incoming students.
"Culture Shocked" is a must-listen for all incoming international students at the University of Arizona. It provides real-life stories, practical advice, and a sense of community, helping students adjust to their new environment.
Episode Highlights
Episode 1: Nitika - Culture Shock
Nitika, a master's student in educational psychology at the University of Arizona, shared her journey as an international student from India. Reflecting on her two years in the U.S., she highlighted both challenges and triumphs. One of the biggest hurdles she faced was the mental adjustment to currency differences while shopping, often converting prices from U.S. dollars to Indian rupees. She candidly shared, "I had to teach myself not to do that so that I can live here as a resident instead of just as a tourist." She discusses how she navigated cultural differences and imposter syndrome, ultimately finding strength in asking for help and embracing her new community.
Episode 2: Souhayla – On & Off-Campus Housing
Souhayla, an architecture student from Egypt, talks about her experiences living on and off campus. She discusses her off-campus living experience and how it compared to her time in the dorms. Souhayla appreciates the independence and freedom off-campus living offers but also acknowledges the added responsibilities. Her advice: "I think on-campus is way simpler and it's really easy to navigate. However, it is a lot more limiting than being off-campus where it's a lot more complicated, but you just are more independent."
Dennis, a film student from China, shares his advice for making friends as an international student.
Episode 3: Dennis – Making Friends
Dennis, a senior film student from China, opens up about the difficulties he faced when he first arrived in the U.S., including language barriers and cultural differences. He emphasizes the importance of making good friends and staying consistent in building those relationships. Dennis shares, "One thing I want to share is not just to make friends but you want to make good friends who have a good influence on you. So the friendship can last long throughout the whole college life, not just one semester or two semesters."
Episode 4: Professor Anil Agarwal – Classroom Culture
Professor Anil Agarwal from the Eller College of Management shares his journey from India to becoming a respected faculty member at the University of Arizona. He offers invaluable advice for international students on succeeding in the U.S. classroom. Professor Agarwal emphasizes the interactive nature of American classrooms: "The U.S. classroom is a very interactive classroom. It's a classroom where students are expected to participate very actively." He also advises students to stay true to their identities while building relationships: "Don't lose your identity. Don't try to be like the domestic students. Keep your identity and share your culture."
Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam and International Student Services Global Ambassador, shares his initial impressions and experiences of the University of Arizona.
Episode 5: Nguyen – Initial Arrival & Culture Shock
Nguyen, a junior majoring in food safety with a minor in microbiology from Vietnam, talks about his initial culture shock and how he adapted to life in Arizona. He recalls, "When I first came to America, I did not expect to see a desert area with cactus and mesquite. It was a big shock for me." Nguyen advises new students to do thorough research and not be afraid to ask for help: "Being an international student, I understand it's very hard. It's not just the language barrier... just ask questions and people will be happy to help you."
Episode 6: Shifat – Office Hours & Academic Advising
Shifat, a student from Bangladesh, is studying chemistry, bioinformatics, molecular and cellular biology. She discusses the social adaptation process and how participating in campus activities helped her feel more connected. Shifat recommends taking advantage of office hours to build a connection with your professors that will help you in your career. “I did take full advantage of office hours for every internship I applied for, every job I applied for - I needed recommendation letters, I needed references,” she said. “And the best way to get those was a good connection with the professors and your supervisors.”
Episode 7: Amy - Learning English
Amy, an international student from China studying neuroscience and psychology, discusses her journey of learning English. Having moved between the U.S. and China multiple times, Amy shares how using audiobooks and media helped her improve her language skills. "At first, it was hard to understand everything. So I just tried to guess according to the context and all that,” she says. “But I slowly started to understand the words and then put everything together.” Amy also emphasizes the importance of finding methods that work best for individual learning styles.
Episode 8: Eugenie – Studying Remotely During the Pandemic
Eugenie, a University of Arizona nursing graduate from France, shares her experience with online learning during the pandemic and transitioning to the flex hybrid classes offered today. She highlights the challenges of transitioning to online classes and the strategies she used to stay motivated. "You really have to put in a lot of effort to push yourself to try to do good in those classes and like to actually try to learn the material,” Eugenie explains. She also stresses the importance of being flexible and open to changes and encourages students to actively engage in their online learning environment.
Episode 9: Tala - Making Friends
Tala, a junior from Saudi Arabia studying aerospace engineering, shares her experience of making friends in the U.S. She discusses the challenges of communicating with people from different cultures and the importance of stepping out of her comfort zone. "When I came to Arizona, I was like I need to change. I need to get to know more people. I felt like I didn’t want to just meet international students," Tala explains. She highlights the benefits of joining clubs and organizations. She joined a STEM sorority and the fencing club that helped her meet people with similar interests and make lifelong friends.
For the full list of "Culture Shocked" episodes and more information about the hosts, please visit the Culture Shocked webpage.
Special thanks to all the contributions of the international students interviewed. This podcast would not have been possible without their stories, experiences, and insights.