Anchor Intro: Today, going to an American college may need some improvement. International students could feel segregated from the rest of a University’s residents and community. TV2’s Lauren Stebelton interviewed students from around the world to catch a glimpse of their experience.

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“Exotic.”

“Amazing.”

“Interesting.”

These are words describing a few international students’ perceptions of Kent State.

They shared what they liked best and least about living in America.

“The people here are so nice and friendly, unlike in the cities,” Jasmine Yin, from Hong Kong, said.

“There are lots of fun activites at Kent State, such as concerts and sporting events,” Hiu Lee, a friend of Yin, said. The two currently live next door to each other in Koonce Hall, never realizing they attended the same University almost 13,000 miles away.

From learning new sports to meeting new people, international students seem to have opportunities to fit into American culture, but Brazilian native Ana Clara Ferreire feels a bit different.

“I have more international friends than American friends,” she said.

At Kent State, there are only a little over 2,000 international students per semester compared with the entire University.

Ana Clara believes the Office of Global Education, which advises and connects international students on campus, should work with domestic and international students to promote a better community between the two.

“Sometimes Americans don’t have patience with our accent or our language,” she said. “We are learning. We don’t know everything about the language, and they can be more open-minded.”

There were many international events the Office of Global Education held this semester, including Celebration of Nations, ACIREMA training, and the Cultural Cafes. These events are geared towards improving interaction between international and American students.

“To have to integrate international students with domestic students is one of our biggest challenges,” International Student and Scholar Advisor Gyorgyi Mihalyi-Jewell said. “You just have to have an open mind, be out, communicate, and get involved with events and other students. It will be your advantage.”

This advantage could help bridge the gap between American and international relations.