A New Environment (Video 6)

Presenter:
How do you find out about the Australian culture? Students do many different things to understand their new environment; perhaps you can do these things too.

Language and Learning Skills Advisor (International Student Services, QUT):
They need to make opportunities, as many opportunities as they can during lectures, during breaks from lectures, in tutorials to get to know some local students. This is a very powerful strategy that will help them feel more welcome and give them some insights into local Australian culture

Nursing Student (China):
I guess for new student, you don’t have any knowledge about the healthcare system in Australia I think it is better if you ask questions, always ask questions before you do anything, and make sure it’s the way they do it, not the way they did it in the other place.

Language and Learning Skills Advisor (International Student Services, QUT):
When international students are asked to do a group task, or to work in pairs I would recommend very strongly that they seek out a local student to work with. It may be a little bit daunting the first couple of times but after they make some friends it becomes much easier.

Nursing Student (Nigeria):
Well, they should be ready for a cultural shock, so it’s not the same as what it is, where they are coming from. You know they should know there is a difference, it’s a different country and they have different norms and different values to what they have, where they are coming from. They should open their minds to accept to what they see, and to an extent be ready to learn, to adapt to the culture, you know, because all countries have their own semantics, you know, they have a lot of their own cultural values, so what works over there where they are coming from may not work here.