This section aims to discover what and how international students’ attitudes are toward the local UK culture and daily life through specific examples. It asked international students to use examples to show a cultural phenomenon that differed between the UK and their home countries, and then indicate their preferences. It also attempted to determine whether and why international students were happy or satisfied with their UK socio-cultural experiences. It finally asked international students for suggestions regarding their socio-cultural experience that might be of value to other international students.
Attitudes to Local Culture
Most of the interview participants responded that they were open to accept, respect, or adapt to local UK culture and daily life. For instance, a Masters
student from the Middle East mentioned: “I adjust to the local UK culture and try
not to offend anyone … I would like to visit more places around Devon. The UK drinking culture is okay for me because I also drink and think it is the social activity for people here” (0025). An Asian Masters student commented: “I accept and adjust my way to the local UK culture and my daily life because culture means something different from what I was used to do … I still have to make myself get involved because it is necessary to try different cultures although I really do not like parties very much” (0007). An African Masters
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I think if one cannot adapt to the culture or people, it is better for one not to leave one’s home country. For example, I do not need to book tickets or schedule an appointment in my home country. However, I need to adapt to this different UK culture and need to fit into the system here. (0023)
However, some interviewees had less positive, or an openly negative, attitude
toward the local culture. For example, an Asian Masters student commented: “I
am not open. I also do not have any enthusiasm toward the local UK culture or to try different things; because I am also very busy for my own things, such as studying and job hunting” (0011). A PhD student from the Middle East
mentioned: “My attitude to the local UK culture is like some sort of selection. I
select the things suitable for me to do. I take the best and positive things from the local UK culture but stay away from the negative British things that do not fit my Muslim culture” (0002). A married Asian Masters student mentioned that
they did not want their children exposed to British TV and media, although they also tried to imitate and teach their children to adopt the good things in the UK:
“We do not want our children to expose to Western TV content, such as dressing and drinking alcohol. We are not allowed to drink alcohol in my religion. For parties, it is okay to gather but not parties with music and dancing because we are not allowed to do that” (0022). An Asian Masters student
commented: “Sometimes one interact with people or learn things from other
countries. This does not mean that one should give up all what one should know or have about his or her home country. Therefore, I do not give up my own culture because it is also very good” (0017).
Because of cultural similarities, European participants tended to reply that nothing was special or different between the UK and their home countries. For
instance, a European Masters participant stated: “I am about the same with the
knowledge or learning of the British culture. Nothing is special here; or it is not that different from my home country. Here is the European culture” (0020). A
European Masters student also admitted: “I think I like UK culture. It is quite
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and the typical English meal on Sunday. We ate together. I also try to learn the recipes here although I also like my home food” (0015).
Differences from Home and Student Preferences
Interview participants used various examples to illustrate differences between the UK and their home countries. Sometimes the participants liked UK cultural practices, but sometimes they preferred the practices of their home country. International students admired British people’s manners, behaviors and
attitudes towards problem solving, whereas the behavior sanctioned by drinking in the UK was disapproved of. Some international students hoped that the British political situation and people’s freedom in political debates would happen in their home countries. Many international students missed the more
convenient shopping hours of stores in their home countries.
More than half of the examples mentioned by the interview participants were about preferred practices in their home countries. For example, an African Masters student mentioned that he did not like the need to schedule
appointments in the UK: “For the bus timing and schedule, I prefer the home
ways because scheduling an appointment does not make any sense to me. I cannot realize that I have to book an appointment for everything” (0023). An
Asian Masters student from the Business School claimed: “I prefer the socio-
cultural life in my home country because most of the shops or stores are closed at midnight. However, shops or stores in South West are closed at 5 pm … South West is more peaceful and quieter but I prefer the more convenient big city life” (0026). An Asian Masters student (0018) indicated that he preferred
his country’s practice of buying or booking a ticket because the UK practice favored making plans earlier. An Asian Masters student mentioned that he liked the pace of life in his home country:
I think the biggest difference is the slow pace of life in the UK – British people live in a more casual and slower way; however, people in my home country are more hurried and rush to somewhere else and things should be efficient … if you really ask me to choose one, I still prefer the more efficient life in my home country. (0007)
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Less than half of the examples cited indicated that the student preferred some aspects of life in the UK. For instance, an African PhD interviewee described
his preference for the UK banking with cards: “The use of money is one
example: people in my home country usually still carry money around but people in the UK do not do so and use cards. I prefer the UK style in this example because it is simple and safer. The money issue is still a serious problem in my home country” (0001). A Masters student from the Middle East
mentioned: “Things, such as the public social order things or services, in the UK
are organized. But the social order things in my home country are not good. For this, I like South West more because it is more organized and better. I think this difference is caused by the civil wars in my country” (0025). Another Asian
Masters student also indicated that he preferred the quality of life in the UK:
The pace of life and quality of life here are very different from those in my home country. People here do not work on Saturday and Sunday. They clearly and distinctively separate time for work and private life; but people in my home country always keep working … I prefer the quality of life in the UK because it gives me other different perspectives, ideas, or thoughts. (0011)
Clearly these preferences varied according to the context of life in the home country and the confidence of the students, but they also indicated a range of student reactions from a willingness to appreciate new ways of doing things to a sense of discomfort with the unfamiliar. What emerged in the interviews was a tension between adjusting to a new cultural environment and holding on to familiar cultural norms and values.
Socio-cultural Satisfaction
Most of the twenty-six interviewees admitted that they were happy or satisfied with their UK socio-cultural experience after one-term of socio-cultural
adjustment. For instance, a Masters student from North America mentioned:
“Yes, I am satisfied with my UK socio-cultural experience because most of my experience has been very good. I make very good friends and have really good
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interaction and learn lots of things and cultures that I did not know before” (0012).
However, ten interview participants indicated that they were not happy or satisfied with their socio-cultural experiences in the second interview. This number is nearly 2.5 times the number expressing academic dissatisfaction: only four participants indicated they were not happy or satisfied with their
academic experience. For example, an African Masters student said: “I am not
satisfied with my UK socio-cultural experience because it is still a bit strange for me and I am not familiar with UK culture or things here” (0006). An Asian
Masters student detailed why he was unhappy with his UK socio-cultural experience:
Be honest, I am not so happy with that. The main point is that I really have no time to do that. If I have enough time, I think I will try to
experience more UK social activities here. If I have more time, I will try more; of course, if I can do that, it will make me distracted. I then cannot concentrate on my studies. Therefore, I am not so happy with that so far; because my main purpose here is to study and I do not have so much time for the UK socio-cultural experience. The main point is the time. (0007)
Socio-cultural Suggestions
All of the interviewees had various suggestions regarding socio-cultural experiences for other or future international students. Some interviewees suggested trying to interact with local people and to avoid always staying with students from the same home countries. Some of them suggested participating in students clubs or societies in order to experience life and meet people. Some participants advised international students to visit more places and experience the local culture. Some suggested being independent and to enjoy life in South West in addition to their studies. For instance, a European Masters
student admitted: “I suggest international students joining student societies
because it is good experience to meet people” (0015). An Asian Masters
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we do not intend to be rude but just do not know the right way to do things so sometimes we need someone to inform us the right ways or the rules in order to do things properly” (0017). A European PhD student mentioned: “I think
international students should adjust themselves a little bit. I like, enjoy, and suggest international students communicating and interacting more with people from different countries in order to learn more things from other cultures or countries” (0005). A European Masters student also gave suggestions for
bettering UK socio-cultural experience: “I would suggest them trying to go into
the local environment … If they can interact with local people more, they surely will interact with the local environment more. We get used to go out with a group of international students but we also try to go to where local people are” (0020). An African Masters student stated:
I think international students need to learn to be flexible and not to be rigid … International students should try to speak English often and do not be shy or feel shameful because of their bad English … Students should keep saying and asking people in English. This will help them to improve English. (0023)
The preceding findings in section 5.2 show a tendency of international students to spend more time with other international students, which is exacerbated by limited opportunities to engage with local people – a notable exception here is for those who join local faith communities. There are also concerns about some aspects of British culture, in particular, the drinking culture. Student adjustment is affected by the tension that emerges when the students’ attempts to preserve their own cultural values and norms take precedence over their adapting to the values of the host community. This raises the question of whether adjustment is always a good thing or in the interests of international students.
5.3 UNDERSTANDING THE STUDY-ABROAD EXPERIENCE