By Alice Su
For The Daily Bruin
The greatest shock Japanese students Aska Takahashi and Hiromi
Murayama experienced in the United States was something most
Americans take for granted: cars stopping for pedestrians.
In Taiwan, where both students attend school during the year,
cars have the right-of-way in all situations.
Traffic regulations, however, are just one difference for
international students attending UCLA Summer Sessions.
Playing host to a majority of these students during the summer,
Rieber Hall boasts occupants from more then 30 different countries,
as well as students from the United States.
Among the numerous students attending the sessions, many have
globe-trotted around the world.
Like a number of other students, Mehdi Benfaida’s father
works for the Moroccan Embassy, which has allowed him to experience
a variety of cultures and countries. He attends an American-run
school in Paris during the academic year.
Benfaida listed the academic rigor of a six-week summer session
as one of the reasons he decided to come to UCLA, saying he
believed the accelerated work-pace would prove more
challenging.
According to Benfaida, living in residence halls offer mostly
positive experiences, although the small size of the bedrooms
fostered an atmosphere lacking in privacy.
On the other hand, he said the food served in residence halls
rectified much of the living discomfort.
Now that Benfaida has experienced Westwood life, he said he can
compare American life to that in France. Overall, Benfaida said
things in the states are less expensive to buy and easier to
obtain.
“A simple meal in France would have cost around
$100,” he said. “Whereas in the United States, $20
dollars would have been more than sufficient.
Because he attended an American school in Paris, Benfaida said
he received advice and heard stereotypes about Los Angeles from
friends who had visited the area.
Some of the words of wisdom Benfaida’s friends gave him
warned him about false attitudes people here apparently
exerted.
Like Benfaida, Takahashi and Murayama have traveled all over the
world with their families. Having visited such countries as New
Zealand, Australia and Singapore in addition to the United States,
both Takahashi and Murayama have experienced a variety of different
cultures.
The two, who also attended UCLA Summer Sessions last year, came
to the campus this summer to prepare for college, similar to many
American high-schoolers taking classes here.
Murayama said although their parents sent the two friends to the
United States because they believed living here would have a better
influence over their daughters, they expect the young women to shed
their newly-adopted lifestyles once they return home. For example,
smoking among teenagers is a lot more prevalent in Taiwan.
Takahasi said one difference between American and Asian cultures
includes eye contact, which in Japan and China is considered
rude.
“In American culture, lack of eye contact can mean guilt
or unfriendliness,” she said.
While both Takahashi and Murayama came to UCLA to have fun and
experience Los Angeles culture last year, this year they said they
are focusing on academics.
Because they want to attend college in California, Takahashi and
Murayama said they devote several hours during the day to academics
and SAT preparation in addition to their summer sessions
classes.
Additionally, this year the two have friends from Taiwan living
nearby.
Although both said they missed their families back home,
Takahashi and Murayama did not miss the often littered and dirty
environment in their home towns.
These days, the two remarked that they enjoy the seemingly
incessant sunshine and warm weather of southern California, another
difference from Taiwan.
While a majority of the students living in Rieber Hall during
the summer are international students, some American students from
various parts of the county are also part of the scene.
Marcello Robinson, an incoming freshman, originally came from
Chicago but he decided to attend UCLA because of its proximity to
Hollywood.
As an aspiring actor who had parts in the TV drama ER and
television commercials, Robinson said the progression of his career
depended on a move to California.
“If I really wanted to make it, I had to come to
L.A.,” he said.
Robinson said during the past week, he met various international
students, but language barriers kept him from befriending many of
them.
Robinson said they understandably socialized with students from
their own background.
“You’re going to stick with whomever you’re
going to understand better,” Robinson said.
On the other hand, he said that others, like his roommate from
Korea, try to learn English from interacting with American
students.
“Every day, he teaches me a new Korean word,”
Robinson said.
Despite the initial lack of communication among different groups
of students, Robinson said he remains hopeful of future
interaction.
“Not only am I hoping to learn something from them,”
he said. “But I hope they learn something from us
too.”