Keeping in touch; University Expat Teens Series FIVE

Everyone knows how to use facebook, email, skype and all other forms of online communication to keep in touch with one another. Right?

It’s a tendency associated with youth; we all know how to use them, or quickly pick up the skills along the way, just to update statuses or show a friend the new tie you bought. International students have developed a technological ‘knack’ for these programs, perhaps more so than others, and use them frequently to catch up with family and friends around the world.

This is, however, not necessarily the case for our local friends- a hall mate recently announced she had to ‘download Skype and figure out how to use it’ so she could see the new couch her parents had bought.

Unfortunately, as any international student knows, time difference can be a real hindrance to these communications, especially when you want to see that new couch. Some of us may have a simple 12 hours difference, allowing for easy ‘skype dates’, whilst others have more complex schedules causing conflict on either end, making it that much harder to remain close whilst so far away

And yet International students use these means as the cheapest form of communication and homesickness remedies- something we all experience, especially over holiday times.

So in the recent times of Thanks for Thanksgiving, I’d like to thank technology for letting me be able to keep in touch with my family and friends all over the world. It isn’t always easy but these means are a good comfort, decreasing the feeling of constantly missing out and actually increasing my enjoyment of being here at university- I was pretty happy I missed out on monsoon rains for the first time in years when I saw the flooding over Skype!

features of the foreign world; University Expat teens Series FOUR

Journal Article: features of the foreign world

There are so many new and different things international students experience when they move away from their home country. Evident changes such as language, accents, climate come as no surprise but nobody warned us about less obvious things, like road rules and plug sockets.

All students are used to a variety of transportation means; some walk, some cycle, some drive and some get driven. This is no different at a university; however imagine the international students’ frustration when vehicles drive on the wrong side of the road.

Crossing the road becomes a backwards process- needing to look right then left as opposed to the ingrained habit we are used to back home. It is an everyday affair that all students must do to travel to George Square or Kings buildings, but, is a fear one must overcome.

Moving abroad, one also realizes how electrical items, and the plugs and sockets to charge them, have been taken for granted. Nobody told me that three pronged plugs were used here, and nobody warned me of the small fortune needed to buy adaptors or new chargers.

These differences vary from country to country and their reasoning mainly rooted in their colonial history, but there are other differences that, I as an international student, have noticed on, supposedly, less regionally specific items. Take for example the laptop and phone keyboards; on some European keyboards the ‘z’ and ‘y’ keys are swapped around, some have a distinctly smaller ‘enter’ key and others have more key options to produce the foreign accentuation and intonation on words.

On one hand these novelties take us by surprise, or even scare us, but, eventually, when we’re back home these differences will make us miss Edinburgh, our new home. And the laptop keyboards, well they’re just a small token of home that we can take with us around the world, reminding ourselves to keep in touch.

The Phenomenon of Fog - from the University Expat Teen contribution series

The Phenomenon of Fog

Everybody warned us of the cold, grey, rainy weather in Scotland, yet somehow nobody warned me of the fog that cloaks our city of late.

Week six into university has exposed me to a diverse range of weather conditions, many of which contradict each other and would never occur in my hometown a few continents away. Whoever would have thought the sun could shine, and yet two sweaters, a scarf and coat are not enough to protect from the incessant cold? Or likewise that the light drizzle, here called rain, really does soak through every coat and bag, no matter how ‘waterproof’ the fabric? However, the most novel weather condition that has both pleasantly surprised, and slightly scares me, would have to be that of fog.

Fellow international students originating from ‘season-less’ countries may argue that the potential snowfall is most exciting, but the cloudy fog is what fascinates me most, especially around this time of Halloween.

In a gothic sense it magically transforms Edinburgh into the Scottish setting of Macbeth, causing one to imagine the possibility of prophesying witches around every corner. In a less Shakespearian sense, it also causes the buildings in their baronial and gothic architecture to come to life and realize the settings of historic events, which is a very unique feature of the city.

In spite of my captivation by the fog, it is perfectly understandable that some of us foreigners are scared by its presence, causing us to really believe the end of the world is near thanks to the cloudy warning of the Apocalypse through ‘a thick cloud of water droplets suspended in the atmosphere that restricts visibility’.

Nevertheless, all foreign students may as well get used to the ever-changing weather now; practice layering clothes, buy thermal underwear, always carry an umbrella…. Or just stay inside- we’re only here for four years!

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fog?q=fog

'Food' from the University Expat Teen Contribution series

FOOD

Everybody told me how much I would miss home when I moved ‘up North’. At the time, home was a daily routine that, in retrospect was deeply undervalued. Home is not only the geographical region where ones family lives, but also includes the area's culture, weather, traditions and food. No doubt after living away from home for just over a month international students are now craving the Char Kway Teows, Wiener Schnitzels, Biryanis, Croquettes and Tacos typically served at mealtimes. These are a far cry from the dishes served at the universities catered facilities and unimaginable to the self- catered student now accustomed to microwave and instant meals.

So, what is an international student to do in order to satisfy their cravings for home made dishes, and overcome constant salivation when thinking ‘what would I be eating if I were at home right now’?

Finding the best substitution in the form of a restaurant is a good start. That noodle, meat or rice based meal will abate the hunger once or twice, but be warned: this is only a good temporary fix. The cravings will return once you begin to notice the curries have been sweetened, the seasonings altered and the meats changed due to local availability- or lack thereof- and the Scottish palate.

Self- catered students at least have the essential kitchen facilities to attempt a proper home cooked meal. Perhaps lacking in a mortar and pestle, rice cooker, raclette machine, bamboo steamer and crepe pan, the basic oven and stove should suffice. But which first year student would splurge on filet mignon and remember to marinate it for 24 hours according to mother’s recipe? And who would bother with complicated baking when papers must be written, books must be read and social lives must be led? Not to mention home made meals also require a lot of cleaning up… possibly not worth the high risk of failure when attempting naan and butter chicken.

The quality of food typified by roadside stalls, hawker centres and mum's kitchen can only be achieved whenever the international student returns home and, in that case, indulges excessively until the inevitable return to university life.

Introductions/First Impressions; University Expat Teen Contributions Article ONE

One thing many Expat Teens are very good at is taking initiative. We have discovered one Expat Teen who has moved from Singapore to Edinburgh, Scotland, to attend University. This Expat Teen took the initiative to secure a newspaper column in the University newspaper, 'The Journal'. The writer has agreed to share some of her articles with us in a new series we will call 'Expat Teens transitioning to change in their first year of University'. While the articles are representative of the author's experiences and perspectives, the content is certainly full of experiences and change that nearly all Expat Teens can relate to.

INTRODUCTIONS/ FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Social groups are crucial for youth existence: they assure company, support and loyalty in all walks of life.  So how do social groups form at a new accommodation in a new university in a new country some 15’590 kilometres away from ‘home’? First impressions are key.

The basis of first impressions is personal introductions, and during the first few weeks of university there is a multitude of opportunities for one to introduce themselves. “Hello my name is…” to roommates, hall mates and classmates is a start, but once sports teams and societies are underway, ones exposure to new people fourfold. As a result names fade out of memory and instead you, initially, associate ‘that blond girl’ as the girl who has the pantry cupboard next to yours, and ‘that tall guy over there’ as an avid basketball player. It is exactly this extra background information that becomes the identifier between all the Hannah’s and the Harry’s.

One of the most important questions to distinguish one from the other, especially to the international mind, is ‘where are you from?’. In this patriotic department there is a much wider range of answers available, resulting in the generalised ‘three categories of nationalities’:-

1.     Single nationality: the introduction from the student who is from one country or city and has lived there their whole life

2.     Dual nationality: the student who has two passports from separate countries and most likely lives in one of them, or the student who lives in a country they call home separate to their one passport nationality

3.     ‘Third Culture’ nationality: the individual who holds two passports but lives in a third country and whose longer-than-expected answer to the simple question tends to bewilder the questioner.

Not only does this cause the international student comic relief but it creates an international camaraderie and a first impression that could bond you together for longer than you first assumed.

Guest Post: 20 Rules Teens Want their Parents to Follow...

Greetings! We have the opportunity to present another guest post to you, written by Paul Taylor, who contributes to another blog, entitled "Babysitting Jobs". While we do not usually do this, we decided to go ahead and present to you a recent article that was posted to Paul's blog, as it has relevance to our topic of Expat Teens. So, we invite you to check out the link below, keeping in mind that the views reflected within the article may not necessarily reflect the views of the authors of Expat Teens Talk.

“20 Rules Teens Want Their Parents to Follow But Know They Won’t” (http://www.babysittingjobs.com/blog/20-rules-teens-want-their-parents-to-follow-but-know-they-won%E2%80%99t/)

The Loneliness of an Expat Teen...

Those who have grown up in an environment where they are able to experience four seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall) tend to appreciate them more then they move out of those environments. However, one of the seasons that tends to have the most complaints is winter. The shorter days of sunlight, cold temperatures, and general blah-ness that accompany that season tend to result in people being less active, less energetic, and, at times, lonely.

One of the entries in our book, Expat Teens Talk, speaks to loneliness and the difficulties that teens face, regardless of where they are living or what season they are experiencing. In this entry, the writer says:

"I went from an expat international life to a local life. I like where I live; however I wish that other Expat Teens lived where I do. My biggest issue in this local environment is loneliness. I feel very isolated from the people around me...I miss having friends who are more like me, other expat friends who can relate to my expat experience..."

When an individual is experiencing loneliness due to feelings of being constricted or restricted by cold temperatures and dangerous weather conditions, the loneliness can sometimes be alleviated by recognizing that, eventually, the days will get longer and the weather will warm up. However, for Expat Teens and others who may not know where or when they will next move, alleviating these feelings could be more difficult. Regardless of the circumstances, loneliness can be very uncomfortable, and finding ways to combat loneliness can be a challenge. Here are some ideas of appropriate, healthy ways to combat loneliness:

*Find ways to adapt to your environment, including finding new hobbies to get into that could initially distract you from feeling like you are alone, and ultimately add to your repertoire of personal activities to do, regardless of the time of year or how you are feeling.

*Use this time to spend more quality time with your family. Consider establishing new family routines and rituals that will help you maximize your family experiences and create lasting memories.

*Explore your neighborhood and others in your immediate surroundings. For example,  winter time is one of the best times to explore new restaurants, so set a goal for yourself in terms of how many or which types of restaurants you want to check out.

*Keep in touch with your friends! One of the best ways to combat loneliness is to remind yourself of your family and friend support network. In this day and age, social media has made it extremely easy to do so, so be sure to take advantage.

*Remind yourself that this, too, shall end!

As we go into Spring time in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, we hope that these suggestions will help you combat loneliness and enhance your overall personal experiences!