Programs

This study explored the aspect of international student culture. To understand how international students perceived their experience as foreign students and how they make efforts to break down language and culture boundaries while they are studying abroad, five international graduate students in the college of education in a large mid-Atlantic University were interviewed. The research questions focused on: the kind of experience the students were having; whether the students perceived their experience in similar ways; and the kinds of coping mechanisms these international students were using to deal with problems. Four significant themes emerged from the analysis of in-depth interview transcriptions and field notes of participant observation: insider and outsider, language handicap, lonely island, and reflective learner. This study produced three main findings. First, supportive instructors an