Recognizing International Education Week

Happy International Education Week! 

International Education week is kicking off here at the University of Northern Iowa and has many events in store. This entire week ( November 15th-19th, 2021) is dedicated to exploring various diverse cultures and promoting the benefits of the international exchange program. Some of these events include: a movie night in Rod Library showing Howl's Moving Castle, two learn how to cook nights, teaching the dishes Badrijani Nigvzit and Butter Chicken, student-led informational panels, taste testings of foods from 15 different countries, and more. 

To further recognize International Education Week, we interviewed a few international students on campus to get a glimpse into their experiences here in Cedar Falls. 

Our first interview was with Vicky Zhou. She is originally from China and came here to study accounting in hopes to do auditing for a company in the future. Vicky has been at the University of Northern Iowa for four years and is currently in her last semester. 

Haines: How did you find/come across The University of Northern Iowa for a transfer program?

Vicky: I came here when I was a freshman from China. 

Haines: How do you like it so far? 

Vicky: I like it here and it is very different from home. I find that it's a good place to study and I love the people. It's not too busy but there are also still things going on too for when you want to do them. 

Haines: What were your major struggles in your transition to UNI? Language barrier? Culture shock? Any others? 

Vicky: At first, the language barrier was really hard to adjust to. I was also not used to group work in classes because we never had anything like that. I was afraid to speak up my ideas in classes but I am getting better at that. 

Haines: What specific differences in education have you found between UNI and your home? 

Vicky: As I said before, having to speak up in class and group work but the relationships between instructors and students was very surprising to me. In China, out of respect we never call our professors by their first name but here I can use their first name to address them in a less formal way. 

Haines: What is something that you found out about yourself while enduring the transfer program? Positive or negative?

Vicky: In my home town I was outgoing, but here I was shy. A big part of that was the language barrier but now that I have made more friends, I feel more comfortable. The student organizations I am a part of have made me feel a lot more comfortable too! They enabled me to gain more confidence in my ability to speak english in a social setting. 

Haines: Do you have a piece of advice for future individuals who may join the UNI International Program? 

Vicky: Try to step out of your comfort zone earlier. I was very shy my first year and a half and made only a few friends. Be able to reach out earlier rather than later to feel more comfortable on campus and in classes.


The next student we interviewed is Joel Yip Ye Liang. He is from Malaysia and is studying Computer Science. He is hoping to work at a gaming company or working on algorithms for a car company in the future. Joel has been at the University of Northern Iowa for two and a half years now.

Haines: How did you find/come across The University of Northern Iowa for a transfer program?

Joel: In Malaysia, my college has a 2 + 2 program and after 2 years they have an option to choose a university in the states and I choose UNI. 

Haines: How do you like it so far?

Joel: I like it a lot. There's lots of new culture stuff that I had not experienced back home and the four seasons were also very new to me. 

Haines: What were your major struggles in your transition to UNI? Language barrier? Culture shock? Any others? 

Joel: The culture shock and being away from home for the first time was hard to adapt to. Also having to be very independent for the first time was difficult. Especially because the time zone difference is 14 hours behind so I have to wait to call my family and friends until their day starts. Same with waiting for a reply on text. 

Haines: What surprised you the most about being away from home/being in a totally new environment? 

Joel: Back home, I didn't cook a lot and didn't really know how. Being away from home pushed me to learn how to cook, clean, and be more disciplined in general. 

Haines: What specific differences in education have you found between UNI and your home? 

Joel: At home, classes are more exam based and performance on those exams only. There are a few assignments here and there that don't affect the tests. Those assignments are more like extra credit. The tests are way more important than the assignments. 
Here, the classes are more assignment based for my major classes. I prefer the assignments to the tests because my major is more creativity based and gives me room to ask questions when needed. It also gets me used to doing the work and prepares me for my future. 

Haines: What is something that you found out about yourself while enduring the transfer program? Positive or negative?

Joel: I had to be more outgoing when coming here because it was hard to find a new group of friends, especially when you are still learning about the culture. I also had to find people who were comfortable with who I was. Some people won’t approach me because they are intimidated by our cultural differences.

Haines: Do you have a piece of advice for future individuals who may join the UNI International Program? 

Joel: Try to meet more people in the states or who have been in the states for school before you come so you can have connections and be prepared to come to the states. The culture is much different and it's good to be prepared. 


The last student we interviewed was Umas Nangavulan. Umas is from Taiwan and is currently studying social work. He is hoping to work as a school counselor in Taiwan to help students find the resources they need to be successful and healthy. Umas is in his first semester here at the University of Northern Iowa after transferring from the state of Washington. 

Haines: How did you find/come across The University of Northern Iowa for a transfer program?

Umas: I transferred from Washington to UNI. I was going to transfer to Washington State but the tuition was too much money so I found that a cheaper option was coming here to UNI. 
Haines: How do you like it so far? 

Umas: I’m having a really good time! I love that UNI provides a lot of opportunities to explore what you want to focus on and what you like. I also like the frequent events on campus. Everyone is really nice and close to each other. People were very mean after Covid-19 in Washington because my culture was targeted. Some people would try to push me and say mean things to me on the streets but that doesn’t happen here. The campus is very walkable and quiet which makes it easy to study and focus on class work. 

Haines: What were your major struggles in your transition to UNI? Language barrier? Culture shock? Any others? 

Umas: The language barrier was huge because you want to express a feeling but you can't because you don't know the language very well or how to express it through the right words. One time I tried to help my friend through emotional issues but didn’t know the right words to say. It was frustrating at first but I think I am getting better. Slang words are also hard to understand and pick up in conversations.

Haines: What surprised you the most about being away from home/ being in a totally new environment? 

Umas: I did not think it would be as windy as it is here. It took me by surprise because back in Washington it was just cold without all the extra stuff. 

Haines: What specific differences in education have you found between UNI and your home? 

Umas: Studying here for social work, there is more focus on the practice instead of just memorizing theories and concepts. I get to volunteer in a lot of places and listen to guest speakers who work in the field I want to work in. The experience here is much better because it is hands-on and you get real experience. In Taiwan, they only talk about the theory and listen to professor talk and never go in the field. 

Haines: What is something that you found out about yourself while enduring the transfer program? Positive or negative?

Umas: I have previous college experience and I knew what to do and who to talk to if I needed help. It was easy to adapt because I knew how to talk to Americans too. Sometimes people will randomly talk to you here and say “Hi” but some of my other international friends were not prepared for that. I am also taking 17 credits and I am a part of 4 or 5 student organizations as well as work. I found that I can manage my time very well. 

Haines: What have you gained from this experience? 

Umas: Compared to Washington, there are a lot of white people and not a ton of international students. I discovered more about American culture while being surrounded by a lot of Iowa people. I also noticed a lot of faith around campus and that is very new to me too. 

Haines: Do you have a piece of advice for future individuals who may join the UNI International Program? 

Umas: Be open minded and challenge yourself. Set out from your zone and don't stick with the people from your culture forever. Immerse yourself in the culture and try new things. Especially for people who want to learn English!