Students come to Otterbein for numerous reasons: the liberal arts education, the trees in the springtime, the small classes, the homey feeling.
While international student JooHee An chose to attend the school for various reasons, she had one particular reason to attend that some domestic students might not have considered.
“I liked Otterbein, yes,” An said while laughing. “But really, I just liked the name. Otterbein.”
An, a 20-year-old political science major from Incheon, South Korea, said she believes that by coming to the United States, she will expand her prospects in the professional world. An said that her English has improved with regular practice in American situations since coming to Otterbein, although she studied it in Korea.
“I came to America to learn English so I could communicate with people all over the world,” An said.
An is in the second semester of her education in America. While in Korea, she studied at the Duksung Women’s University in Seoul.
She will be returning to Korea to continue her studies at Duksung after this semester.
Domestic and international students often interact in varying facets of campus life, such as residence life.
Lisa Tung, a junior business marketing major, is An’s roommate and is an Ohio native.
Having had experience with international students in high school and here at Otterbein, she indicated on a housing form that she would be interested in living with an international student.
She was eventually placed with An, who she lives with in Dunlap-King Hall.
“I definitely think that this has been an experience that everyone should be open to,” Tung said. “It’s an experience to learn different cultures and get a broader view of what life can be.”
According to Tung, finding commonalities between domestic and international students helps to strengthen relationships. Tung, who is a first-generation child of Chinese immigrants to America, said that since both she and An come from Asian backgrounds, they share many cultural similarities.
“Knowing about her family and knowing my family, they are pretty similar,” Tung said. “I guess finding that similarity helped us to understand each other. Sometimes I feel like it’s hard to explain my family, and how I was raised to an American, but talking to JooHee about it, she just understands.”
Tung also indicated that by developing international relationships, she could use her experience to career network in the future.
An and Tung both said they believe that getting involved on campus is a great way to start and maintain international-to-domestic relationships. Both are involved in music ensembles in Otterbein’s Department of Music. An plays flute in the Wind Ensemble, and Tung plays violin in the String Orchestra.
Their music playing goes beyond the classroom, though. An has studied piano since she was seven and has begun to teach Tung as well.
“Music is another way that we have found to bond, I guess,” Tung said. “It’s an international language, you know?”
Because she studies in America, An has not had the chance to see her family. Instead of traveling back to Korea during winter break, An stayed with another friend at her home in Ohio and had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. She and Tung are planning another trip, this time to Chicago, over spring break.
An and Tung both said that while they get along well, their friendship is similar to any other.
“Of course we have problems, like any other roommates,” Tung said. “But we’re friends. We just always work it out.”
An said that her experience in America thus far has led her to want to return after she graduates in Korea.
“I want to come back to America, of course,” An said. “Otterbein has really treated me well. They make sure to ask if I need anything. They’re good to me here.”
When considering if An would come back to visit the States after leaving, Tung looked at her roommate and responded, “She better.”
Students like An are recognized as part of the 16th Annual International Week, which began Monday, hosted by the International Student Association.
ISA supports the roughly 50 international students on campus, around 15 of which are full-time students seeking a degree from the university. These students come to Otterbein from 14 different countries in five continents. Represented countries include: Sweden, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Brazil.
According to Lisa Phillips, director of the Office of Diversity, ISA provides support for international students and a chance for international and domestic students to interact.
According to president Sneha Fernando, a senior economics and international business double major from Sri Lanka, ISA aims to provide a community and education for both international and domestic students.
“We are successful in providing a cohesive community, especially with these events,” Fernando said.
Tomorrow, the ISA will be hosting the Global Dinner and Show.
Although the tickets to attend the dinner are sold out, it’s an annual dinner and there’s always next year.
