International student counselors to gives inside perspective

Students interested in studying abroad this summer will have access to an inside perspective from international student counselors from the country they plan to visit.

More than 30 international students hailing from 27 different countries are currently training to run the Dashew Center’s new International Student Ambassador program, said Andreas Liu, president of the International Student Association.

The program will provide counseling services to students through international student ambassadors from nearly every country, said Liu, a fourth-year physics and business economics student and international student from Germany.

The group uses its own network and the Dashew Center to find suitable candidates to work as student ambassadors who will work out of the International Education Office, Liu said.

“Where should I buy groceries? What can I do over there? How do people react to foreigners? Those are all pressing questions that are sometimes best answered by a local,” Liu said.

Student ambassadors will deliver presentations at study abroad fairs conducted by the International Education Office and answer questions about their home countries during pre-trip departure meetings and orientations for different office programs, said Danilo Bonilla, a counselor at the International Education Office office.

“I think it’s important to have a program like this. Without it, students face accidentally offending their peers and the people in their host country,” said Isabella Gabrovsky, a fourth-year political science student who took a UCLA study abroad trip to the United Kingdom during fall quarter.

Gabrovsky, who is familiar with some of the cultural mannerisms of the country, said she noticed several other Education Abroad Program students holding up a gesture similar to the peace sign as they prepared to take a picture in front of a famous museum. But, in Britain holding up two fingers is considered rude.

Students will be able to reach the ambassadors for questions about cultural mannerism and other topics through emails set up for them on the International Education Office’s website, Bonilla said.

Jennie Weingarten, the assistant director of programs for the Dashew Center, said she first proposed the idea for the program to the International Education Office and International Student Association early last quarter because of her interest in bringing together the domestic and international student populations.

“It’s already surpassed what we expected for the program,” Weingarten said. “We have ambassadors for almost all of the countries the study abroad program offers trips too.”

Weingarten, who worked closely with Liu to found the International Student Association last winter, said she approached him to ask for help developing the program with the support of the International Student Association.

Axel Pittier, a third-year business economics student from France and an ambassador in the program, said he loves to talk to interested students about his home country of France.

“Americans, when they think of France, it’s a bit scary. They may think we are rude or might be worried about us not speaking English,” Pittier said. “I feel like I can bring useful information that you wouldn’t normally find doing the usual research.”

He said he looks forward to meeting students who have an interest in visiting France and telling them about what sorts of activities they can expect to enjoy there.

The program begins next quarter, at which point the student ambassadors’ emails will be posted on the International Education Office’s website.