 Liaise between Dept. of Homeland Security and the University  Manage international enrollment standards for university based on SC Illegal Immigration Act of 2008  Serving international students on campus with advising services and programming…

 Advising includes: › Immigration › Cultural › Personal  Programming includes: › New student orientation › CGC › Int’l Ed Week › Workshops

India China South Korea France Colombia Germany Oman Angola Saudi Arabia Turkey Brazil Geo Game 155 students 350 students

Fall ‘09 All campuses: 1347 students Fall ‘09 Columbia: 1186

 First and foremost: › RESPECT › SINCERITY  Know basic cultural tenets when possible  Speak clearly and slowly as needed  Do NOT shout. Volume is not an issue  Avoid slang, idioms and heavy accent  Writing may be better than speaking

IDIOMS Clearly expressed  Come up with  Deal with  For good  Go ahead  Go on  In fact  On the other hand  Point out  Produce/create/find  To be concerned about  Permanently  Begin  Continue  Basically  Looking at the opposite side of …  Explain, show

IDIOMS Clearly expressed  Did you figure it out?  Do you get it?  Make up (work)  Can you make it to your appointment?  Did you solve it?  Do you understand?  Re-do or repeat (work)  Will you be able to arrive on time?

“Hot Climate” Cultures “Cold Climate” Cultures  Japanese  Chinese  Arabic  Mexican  Greek  Latin American  U.S. (American)  Canadian  Western/Northern European

 Knowledge is situational, relational  Less verbally explicit, written or formally expressed  More internalized understandings of what is communicated (ex: "in-jokes")  Stable, long term, well-established relationships are common  Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face communication  Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs. "outsiders"  Authority is very important  EXAMPLE: Family reunions

 Verbal message is often indirect  Communication is an art of engagement  Voice tone, eye contact, gestures are important  Relationships are built over time, are long-lasting and center on trust  Disagreement is personal  Group problem-solving is preferred  Learning occurs by watching model first, then practice  Accuracy is valued  Identity rooted in group (work, family, religion)

 Rules oriented : there’s a procedure for everything  Most knowledge is codified, public, external, and accessible.  Sequencing, separation--of time, of space, of activities, of relationships  More interpersonal connections of shorter duration  Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done, division of responsibilities.  Example: Airports

 Words are most important tool  Knowledge is transferable  Verbal message is direct  Learning is by following directions, focus on detail. Speed is valued  Individual work is preferred  Disagreement is rational, not personal  Identity rooted in self and accomplishments

 Influenced by: › Personality › Culture › Family › Values › Perception › Situation  Do All Americans communicate the same way? › Consider regional differences › Family/value differences Avoid Stereotyping!

Our similarities far outweigh our differences!

 Saphiere, D.F., Mikk, B.K., & DeVries, B.I. (2005) Communication Highwire: leveraging the power of diverse communication styles. Yarmouth, ME, USA: Intercultural Press.  Context-Communication Context-Communication  Agar, M. (1994). Language Shock/Understanding the Culture of Conversation. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. Lanier, Sarah A. (2000) Foreign to Familiar: A guide for understanding hot- and cold-climate cultures. Hagerstown, MD: Macdougall Publishing.

International Student Services University of South Carolina 901 Sumter St, #123 Byrnes Columbia, SC T: (803) F: (803)