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Interpersonal relationships between international and Local Students
Human beings are relational beings and are characterized by the type of relationships they make with others. In colleges and campuses, this aspect is not different, in fact, it is more defined by the relationships between students. However, some students limit the interpersonal relationships they engage in, based on race, social class, academic levels and age. In particular, the relationships such as dating face a lot of limitations based on these segregations. To explore this topic, this paper will establish a viewpoint that will objectively conclude on the need for these relationships. While some people encourage the interpersonal relationships between international students and local students, other people are vehemently opposed to them.
The discussion and arguments in this paper will illustrate that interpersonal relationships between international students and local students are good. Therefore, these types of relationships and should be encouraged in colleges in the United States.
For a healthy humanity, people beings should relate to each other without conditions and segregations. This is healthy because it makes human beings take the character of who they are, a species that can reason and use logic. Therefore, placing conditions such as relating to locals only or relating to foreigners only is against the basic ideals of a human being. This means that students should not chose who to relate with based with their limited perspective of locals and foreigners. Instead, students should be encouraged to relate to any person who fits the description of their ideal partners or friends. This will reduce the limitation of relating with foreigner because a person is a foreigner or with a local because a person is a local.
The best way to end racism in the world, especially in America is by encouraging interpersonal relationships between international students and local students in colleges. Through these relationships, students from different races relate to each other and appreciate the differences between races. According to Chow (1), international students are facing racial incidents targeted at them in American colleges. Chow (1) further argues that most colleges and universities are proposing the need for encouraging cross-cultural interactions between international students and local students. This shows how important the relationship between international students and local students is in ending the vicious.
The relationship between international students and local students promotes the universal values and benefits of globalization. Through such relationships, local students interact and learn new knowledge and diversity that extends their perspective to global level (Hershey 21). For instance, local students learn about universal topics, ideas and challenges experienced by other people in the world elsewhere. Similarly, international students learn new information, values and practices that influence their personality or change their ideologies. For instance, international students from third world countries learn new fashions by relating to local students. They in turn take the newly acquired knowledge to their countries, which lead to uniform global practices.
In addition, interpersonal relationships between international students and local students promote cultural exchange that shapes the behavior of either side. This is because these relationships are based on cross-cultural and intercultural interactions that force a person to learn the practices of the other one (Hershey 34). Due to these interactions, there is a healthy transfer of cultural values and modes of behavior that lead to the development of a more accommodating American population. For instance, if a Christian American local student relates to an Islamic student as a friend, the two learn the practices of each other and appreciate their beliefs. Instead of condemning each other’s religion, they learn to appreciate the differences and respect for each other.
However, there are many counterarguments that hold an opinion against the interpersonal relationships between international and local students. Many people hold that the relationship between international relationships cause a lot of problems due to the differences in their cultures. Moreover, opponents of the relationships holds that the existence different languages does not favor interpersonal relationships between the two groups due to misunderstandings.
In addition, it is argued that people from different cultural backgrounds have very few chances of relating in colleges because they are both focused on learning and advancing their academic achievements and not social discoveries. The argument behind the opponents is that international students use their own resources to establish and build relationships in the U.S colleges. These relationships are therefore not objective since they are formed between co-nationals and not cross-nationals.
However, these arguments are wrong about the relationships, cultural differences become an impediment due to the current poor relations between international and local students. In addition, international students relate among themselves because they are blocked from the local relations (Marginson and Sawir 22). Moreover, relationships between local and international students does not cause problems, instead, they are the solution to the perceived misunderstanding.
Conclusion
Interpersonal relationships between international students and local students in U.S colleges promote cohesion and intercultural exchange. This relationship is important as a way of ending racism and related segregation in the American colleges. Unlike the arguments of opponents, these relationships do not lead to problems; actually solves the problems related to social background differences. Therefore, interpersonal relationships between international and local students are good and should be encouraged in American colleges.
Works cited
Chow, Anna. Race, Racism, and International Students in the United States. Web, Accessed June 27, 2014 <http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Race–Racism–and-International-Students-in-the-United-States.aspx#sthash.Z7U7b3FB.dpuf>
Hershey, Katherine. Engaging with Diversity: Examining the Relationships Between Undergraduate Students’ Frequency of Discussions of Socio-cultural Issues and Their Understanding of Diversity and Self-awareness. Michigan: ProQeust, 2007. Print
Marginson, Simon and Sawir, Erlenawati. Ideas for Intercultural Education. Melbourne: Simon Marginson 2013. Print