Chapter 1

Social Adjustment

21

1.Write a letter to your parents explaining your feelings and plans and asking for their permission to remain in the States for another year or two.

2.Telephone your parents and explain to them that you have decided to stay in the States for another year or two in order to get a job or a master's degree.

3.Buy a round-trip airplane ticket to your country (returning to the United States in three weeks) so you can talk to your parents face-to-face about what you plan to do.

4.Return to your native country and start looking for a job there, with the hope that you can return to the States in a year or two.

5.Find a job immediately, even if it isn't exactly what you want, so you can tell your parents that you are staying in the States because you already have a job.

6.Other:

Suggested Films

The films listed here are related to the topic in this chapter. After you view one of these suggested films, you should fill out the Film Analysis Form in Appendix D (p. 224). (See p. 225 for an example of a completed form.)

America, America (1963)

The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

College (1927 silent film)

Coming to America (1988)

"Crocodile" Dundee (1986 Australia)

Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1984)

El Norte (The North ) (1983)

Foreign Student {1994)

The Gods Must Be Crazy (1981 Botswana)

The Joy Luck Club (1993)

Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)

Knowing Her Place (Women Make Movies: 1990)

Mi Familia (My Family) (1995) The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)

Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

Someone Else's America (1996)

Walkabout (1971 Australia)

22 Cultures in Contrast

Additional Readings

These readings will expand your knowledge of the topic in this chapter. They include articles from newspapers and magazines and a book. After you complete your reading, fill out the Reading Report Form in Appendix E (p. 226). (See p. 227 for an example of a completed report.)

Dembner, Alice. "Help Exists for Foreign Students." Boston Globe, May 31, 1995, 24. Dodge, Susan. "Culture Shock and Alienation Remain Problems for Many Foreign Students on U.S. Campuses." Chronicle ofHigher Education 36 (March 7, 1990): A33. "Freshman Survival Tips." USA Today: The Magazine of the American Scene 125, No-

vember 1996, 7.

Gose, Ben. "A New Approach to Ease the Way for Freshmen. "Chronicle ofHigher Education 42 (September 8, 1995): A57-58.

Hanson, Jennifer, and Wanda Fox. "Communicating across Cultures." Training & Development 49 (January 1995): 56-58.

LeWme, Sarah. "Is It Romantic?" Boston Globe, February 8, 1996, CAL 8.

Melton, R. H. "George Mason's Ethnic Diversity Runs into a Cafeteria Wall." Washington Post, November 7, 1995, Bl, B5.

Newman, Richard. The Complete Guide to College Success: What Every Student Needs to Know. New York: New York University Press, 1995.

Ning, Qian. "Almost Made in America." Newsweek 130 (October 27, 1997): 38. Rubin, Amy Margaro. "Under One Roof." Chronicle of Higher Education 42 (Febru-

ary 2, 1996): A35-36.

Smolowe, Jill. "The Pursuit of Excellence." Time 139 (April 13, 1992): 59-60. "Students from Afar." U.S. News & World Report 119 (November 20, 1995): 38.