In comparison to my excursion in Tangiers, most Moroccans are very welcoming people. Here in the town of Meknes, at the university the students give you their phone numbers and Facebook pages so you can call them for help with Arabic or French homework or if you just want to hang out. It is a great contrast in comparison with Tangiers and the con men on the streets. When the students give you their numbers they genuinely mean it, and when you see them on the way to class they are sincerely happy to see you. They invite you home to have couscous with their families.
The shoe definitely must be put on the other foot. I used to consider myself welcoming to international students. I join the Lincoln International Networking Community (LINC) every fall to help, but I fell short of the mark, not meeting enough with my mentees and then feeling guilty about it. My eyes were opened wider when I helped out with the International Teaching Assistant (ITA) institute on campus. The graduate students that come from all over the world to study and teach here at UNL are some of the bravest students. Not only do they study in their field in a foreign language, but they also serve as teaching assistants and must teach their classes in English.
Here in Morocco, studying Arabic and French languages and trying to use them is scary enough. Teaching in another language would scare me to death at this point. Yet the students here are willing to help you in any way they can.
What kind of welcome do we give our international students? We tell them we are glad they are here, give them our Facebook address and send them on their way (with a few exceptions). If they call on us for help, how often do we actually help them as a whole student body?
Some Americans hold the belief that if immigrants, students, etc., come to this country they should automatically know English. Why not applaud the students and immigrants who come to learn or who know some English and want to improve? We should encourage those who try and do what we can to help them. As students, we all say we are too “busy.” Yes, there are varying levels of “busy,” but how much could 10 minutes to an hour of helping international students with their English or inviting them out with other Americans really hurt?
Who knows? You might actually meet some awesome people!
Last fall, I took my friend Qasim, who is from Saudi Arabia, to a Renaissance faire with a bunch of friends. I don’t think he really knew what to expect and probably will take this crazy story home to his parents, but at least he has another story from America. For some students, it is their first time out of their home country, others the first long stay away from their families. Give them a great experience abroad.
My challenge to the UNL student body for this summer and fall and every semester following is when you know there is a study abroad student in your class or in your dorm, introduce yourself. Welcome them to the university, learn something about them or offer to take them out on the town. It is possible you won’t be the best of friends, but open that door. Show students from around the world that Nebraska is that friendly Midwestern state we strive to be and that there are things to do in this state. Most of all, return the favor to these students.
Make them feel as welcome as they have welcomed our students all over the world.