Participating in the Virginia Tech Language and Cultural Institute Conversation Partner plan has truly opened my eyes to how different the American civilization is from the remainder of the universe. I have discovered how proud and strong the Virginia Tech community is. The LCI is critical to the school because it genuinely helps foreign pupils to experience to the full integrated.. By holding a conversation spouse plan, the LCI is doing a immense difference in these pupils ‘ lives. I would decidedly urge this plan to everyone. I feel that it should be a demand for all pupils to hold a conversation spouse because there are many benefits. The chance to larn about a different civilization and detect new facets of your ain civilization through conversation is life altering.
In order to raise consciousness about his plan I would propose it to all of my friends and organisations I am involved in. I would besides assist LCI to market this plan to the different colleges on campus. This experience can assist all big leagues to larn more about the universe and to understand their ain experiences as a college pupil. My most valuable part to this plan was decidedly assisting my conversation spouse feel comfy within the community and the American civilization. There are so many differences between the American and Chinese civilization that my spouse was non used to. I was able to detect another pupil take parting in the same plan which helped me to understand a few things about ethical leading. I learned that you can non take every conversation or coerce your conversation spouse to speak about certain experiences/go to different topographic points with you. It must be a relationship that is wholly equal. This promotes clear communicating and greater instruction. I have learned that I can bring forth a relationship that fosters openness without doing an single feel unwelcomed or uneasy.
In the hereafter I think the supervisor of this plan should necessitate the conversation spouse every bit good as the pupil make a notebook about their experience. It would heighten the growing of both persons over the class of one semester. This would besides assist to guarantee that both persons were actively take parting in the plan. Planing some events on campus that all spouses can take part in would assist to do the plan more personal and synergistic.
9/26
Today was the first twenty-four hours that I met with my conversation spouse, Yutong. We planned on meeting at Starbucks near the LCI centre across from the Math Emporium but upon reaching I found out that she went to the other Starbucks on South Main Street. When I called Yutong to calculate where she was she seemed a spot flustered on the phone. She did n’t look to understand how to state where she was located. I ended up speaking to her friend who spoke better English. When I eventually arrived to Starbucks I was surprised to happen that Yutong was non entirely. She had brought a friend with her named Yingshi. I guess Yutong did n’t experience comfy speaking to me entirely for the really first clip. Yingshi was more outgoing and had a batch of inquiries. She besides had a conversation spouse that she met during the hebdomad. Yutong was really diffident and laughed a batch. They were both so sweet and sort. They bought me a drink before I arrived. Overall, I had a blast replying all of the inquiries they asked me. I besides learned a batch about both of them. By replying all of their inquiries I felt that I was doing a difference because I was educating them on the American civilization. They were so surprised by many of my replies about a typical college pupil and what the members of my household were similar. Yingshi loves all of the male childs on campus even though she has a fellow who is besides an exchange pupil. He is from Kuwait and she said that they fight a batch because their civilizations are so different. Her conversation spouse is a male child she has a HUGE crush on. Yingshi showed me a few images of him and she kept stating “ he is so fine-looking ” which made me giggle. I learned that both Yutong and Yingshi came from different parts of China that used different idioms but they were still able to pass on. Many times they would speak to each other in Chinese in order to calculate out how to state something in English. Both of them had iPhones that they both to a great extent relied on to interpret different words. I asked about what the disbursals were like life in Blacksburg for five old ages. They both stressed that everything was really expensive for them. Yingshi lives with a host household while Yutong lives in Foxridge with another exchange pupil. Yingshi said that she did n’t bask populating with her host household because they ignore her sometimes. They do non do her feel really welcomed. Yutong loves populating entirely because she said she enjoys the freedom of approaching and traveling. One thing that did do me experience a small uncomfortable was that at one point they both complimented me on being “ thin and beautiful ” . They said many American people were “ wider ” . I had merely met them so I was unprepared for the compliment and how to react. We plan on meeting at the same time/place next hebdomad.
10/5
Today we met at the Starbucks on South Main Street once more. This clip I told them I would purchase my ain drink so they did n’t hold to pass money! Yingshi accompanied Yutong once more. I think it makes Yutong experience more comfy when she is at that place. This meeting I asked more inquiries about their household and lives back in China. Both of them wo n’t see their households for five old ages because they do n’t be after on sing China/their households are n’t be aftering on sing them. I do n’t cognize how they are able to make that. I would lose my household so much. They made it seem that it was n’t a large trade being off for that long. I asked a batch about nutrient because I am a epicure. I was salivating when they were stating me about the repasts they make back place. They asked me if they could happen some of their typical nutrients back place in Kroger. I had a difficult clip replying those inquiries so I told them we would travel food market shopping at some point. I asked if they had eaten at any of the business district Blacksburg eating houses but they stick to campus nutrient. However, they have ne’er been to Turner Place! I was amazed so I told them we are decidedly sing at that place at some point. I can state they do non like the nutrient they eat here. Yutong said it made her experience ill because the parts are so large and the nutrient is oily. I told them that it is portion of the ground why fleshiness is a large job in the United States, haha. They asked about my household some more and I told them I would demo them images following clip we met up. They were really interested in seeing images of my brothers. I found out both of them played volleyball in high school which made me so happy! Possibly we can play a pickup game sometime following hebdomad. We talked about athleticss for a long clip. Yutong played the same place as I did in high school, libero! When they both told me they were 17 and 18 old ages old it sounded so immature but so once more I was that age when I entered college. I do n’t cognize why I feel so old. Towards the terminal of our meeting it made me laugh when I told Yutong I would name her about meeting following hebdomad because she replied that I did n’t ever hold to name her, I could direct a text. I typically shoot people a speedy text when we plan on run intoing up but for some ground this did n’t even traverse my head.
10/3
After work I went to War Memorial to play volleyball with Yutong. I arrived before she did, which I did n’t cognize, so I spent 20 proceedingss looking for her until she called. This clip she came with Yingshi and another miss who ‘s name I forget ( I am REALLY bad at retrieving names ) . We played on one of the indoor volleyball tribunals. I expected them to be truly intense when it came to playing because in high school we had pupils from Asia play volleyball on our squad and they were So Good! Alternatively I was greeted by easy base on ballss and tonss of laughter when a error was made. They were have oning normal apparels while I was have oning athletic apparels because I was anticipating to be plunging all over the tribunal. I ‘m of course a competitory individual so I had to chant down my desire to execute to the best of my ability. Alternatively I was able to fall in in the laugher and bask the clip we spent together! After playing a couple games we decided to play once more following Friday. Yingshi said she would ask for her fellow and a twosome of his friends which I was really interested in because I wanted to detect the cultural differences she had talked approximately antecedently.
10/12
Volleyball was a batch of merriment today! I had a difficult clip articulating Yingshi ‘s fellows name and his friend. Both of them are from Kuwait and really into volleyball. They were plunging all over the tribunal and got upset easy if they messed up a drama. I besides met Yingshi ‘s conversation spouse who was really nice. All of the male childs were really competitory so the misss tried to play to their criterions. I was on a squad with Yingshi and her fellow while everyone else was on the other side. Yingshi and her fellow would quibble at each other all the clip when one of them messed up a base on balls. At first I could n’t state that they were jesting about but so it became more obvious. Yutong is still really diffident and does n’t state much. When we all took a interruption to catch H2O she invited her friend Benjamin to come drama. He had a difficult clip happening the tribunal so we had to wait to play for a small spot. Benjamin is from France and was really sweet. All of his friends made remarks about how high he can leap. Yutong bought me H2O in instance I was thirsty. She is so giving! I felt bad and said she could maintain it for herself since I brought my ain H2O. Her and Yingshi ever check to see if I am holding merriment or demand to take a interruption which is so cunning. I truly appreciate their kindness and it gives me an penetration to the Chinese civilization. It is n’t every bit rigorous as I antecedently thought. I imagine a community that is rather with non much laughter. Playing volleyball with everyone makes me believe that LCI should hold group activities like this for all of the spouses in the plan. It would be really good to hold everyone get to cognize one another. I had a ton of merriment and hope that we can play once more shortly!
10/19
This hebdomad we decided to catch a speedy tiffin at Turner topographic point. I took Yutong and another friend ( I ca n’t retrieve her name ) for a little circuit around the edifice so they could see all of the topographic points to eat. They thought the Japanese Grill was really interesting. Too bad you have to book reserves hebdomads in progress in order to eat at that place. We decided to eat at Bruegger ‘s for tiffin. Neither of the two misss have of all time had a beigel! ! ! I was so aghast because I am a beigel feign. Each of them ordered one and immediately fell in love. They could n’t complete the full thing but that is apprehensible because they likely are n’t used to so much staff of life. We briefly talked about the categories I was taking and what undertakings I had at the minute. I asked more about the 5 twelvemonth plan they were in. It turns out for the first twelvemonth each exchange pupil merely takes categories that improve their reading and composing accomplishments in English. They have hebdomadal quizzes on grammar which reminds me of simple school. Yutong said that some of the instructors favor some pupils over others. She mentioned that her and Yingshi both study really hard for these quizzes but non count what the instructor gives them a bad class. I was n’t certain what to do of this statement because obviously it is non ethical for a instructor to do it obvious she favors certain pupils by giving others bad classs. I did n’t plunge into the topic of her instructor because Yutong seemed to be a small disturbance when she was speaking about it. After the first twelvemonth of larning English they get to take their major. Yutong said she was interested in Marketing so I told both of them a small spot about the classs they would hold to take. What fascinated me is that this plan does n’t necessitate all new exchange pupils to populate in the residence halls. They can populate with host households or off-campus, typically Foxridge. I feel like populating off-campus would be a batch to set about as a new pupil who does n’t cognize much about the American culture/Virginia Tech. It made me experience a small better when Yutong said some of her neighbours are other exchange pupils so she does n’t experience excessively entirely. Today ‘s meeting made me experience like I was truly assisting Yutong and her friend become more familiar with the Virginia Tech Campus. It was a nice feeling to cognize that I could demo person a new dining hall that they may hold ne’er known about and I was able to present them to a immense American basic, BAGELS! Bing a conversation spouse has showed me that pupils like Yutong need existent pupils to interact with. Teachers and supervisors are non able to supply them the true pupil experience. Having a VT pupil interact with exchange pupil is the perfect manner to rapidly larn about the local civilization and spread out their web.
10/26
This hebdomad Yutong texted me about traveling food market shopping so, that ‘s what we did today. It makes me experience better that she is able to make out to me about making different activities. It makes me confident that she is going more comfy with our relationship. I met her and two of her friends at the truly nice Kroger on south chief. I had to pick up one of the misss at the Math Emporium in order to take her to Kroger. I was on the phone with Yutong and she had to depict to me what her friend looked like and what way she would be coming from. I can decidedly state Yutong practiced utilizing her English during that 20 minute conversation. We were in the shop for a long clip because I was demoing them where everything was. I besides helped them interpret different nutrients. Yutong bought a batch of veggies but non many points that would be needed for 3 repasts a twenty-four hours. I wonder what it ‘s like to eat 3 repasts a twenty-four hours with fresh ingredients, nil processed. It is likely heavenly! All of them were fascinated by the beer subdivision. I feel bad that they have to come to state where the imbibing age is 21 when they have been imbibing for some clip back in China. They have to wait at least 3 old ages in order to purchase themselves alcohol. I was asked a batch of inquiries about certain trade names of beer and spirits. They asked me if they sold “ Grayland ” here and ab initio I had no thought what they were speaking about until they showed me a image and I realized they meant “ Grey Goose ” . That was reasonably amusing. After our shopping trip I drove everyone back to their places. One of Yutong ‘s friends lives in the country across from Kroger. I ‘ve ne’er been back at that place so it was rather an escapade. Like Yingshi, she said her host household was n’t really welcoming towards her. They did n’t care when she was at place or when she was gone. It makes me truly sad to hear this because non all households in the United States are like that! Hopefully following semester or following twelvemonth all of these misss can acquire a large flat and unrecorded together. I besides was able to see where Yutong lived in Foxridge! She really lives close to one of my friends so I ‘ll hold to present them at some point. I think subsequently this month I ‘ll take Yutong out to dinner at Cabo or The Cellar!
10/31
Today Yutong and I briefly met! It is Halloween so Blacksburg is really busy. When I picked her up I drove through business district and she was able to see all of the small childs treat-o-treating. She was a spot confused by the whole thing. I tried to explicate Halloween every bit best as I could. We went to Kroger once more because she was traveling to party on Friday that involved all of her friends from the exchange plan! I helped her catch a clump of snacks/soda for the party. I would candidly love to go to this party merely to see what it ‘s like! It is likely so interesting to see people from a figure of different states interact/see what they do for merriment. I ca n’t wait to inquire her about it following hebdomad. I asked if they were traveling to dress up because it was about Halloween but she shly replied “ No ” . I wish I could take her business district so she could see all of the different costumes/to meet all of my friends!
11/9
This afternoon I went to War Memorial once more to play volleyball with Yutong and her friends once more. I was truly excited to play volleyball with them this hebdomad. I ever have a good clip and we laugh a batch. Yingshi brought her fellow and his friend for the 2nd clip. I tried to inquire him how he learned to play in Kuwait. He tried to explicate how it is really popular there but they play outside all the clip. He suggested that following clip we play together we should play outside on the sand tribunal. Unfortunately, it is stop deading outside! I asked Yutong how she enjoyed the Blacksburg conditions and she replied “ it ‘s SO cold! ” I showed them my immense windbreaker and told them they should purchase a large jacket if they do n’t already hold one because it gets reasonably cold walking across the drill field. All of them were non used to such cold conditions so hopefully they all have warm apparels to have on or else I ‘m traveling to hold to take them shopping. Today, we played a sum of 3 games to 25 points. Towards the terminal of the last game we were leting people to utilize their pess to kick the ball over the net which was reasonably amusing to watch. Following hebdomad I have a pretty tight agenda so I ‘m trusting Yutong and I can happen a clip to run into!
11/14
This hebdomad has been brainsick because I was in North Carolina for an interview and I had to lose a twosome classes plus an test. Yutong was busy excessively with school work before Thanksgiving but we decided to run into at Starbucks for a speedy drink. It was a nice interruption to the twenty-four hours. We talked about Thanksgiving and I told her about our annual household traditions. She asked some inquiries about how Thanksgiving came approximately and what people did for the vacation. It sounded like she was more aroused to hold a hebdomad off from school! I asked what she was making for the vacation but she was n’t certain yet at that clip. I hope one of her friends invites her to their host household ‘s ‘ Thanksgiving dinner! The LCI should organize a Thanksgiving for all of the pupils who would be remaining in Blacksburg for the vacation. Subsequently on we talked about questioning for a occupation I would hold after college. I told her how intense some interviewing procedures are and how nerve-racking it was to happen a occupation before you graduate. Hopefully I did n’t frighten her excessively much, haha. I wish I lived in Virginia so Yutong could observe Thanksgiving at my house. I think it would hold been a great experience for both of us! Possibly I can reenact a Thanksgiving dinner the hebdomad we get back from interruption with all of the leftovers I ‘ll hold. Let ‘s trust it happens!
Extra Items:
This extra PDF is a enchiridion that was sent to me by my supervisor to assist me go familiar with the plan.
Salaita, Diana Housein. Conversation Partner Volunteer Handbook. Blacksburg: Virginia Tech Language & A ; Culture Institute, 2011. Print.
1
Conversation Partner
Volunteer Handbook 2
Updated January 2011
i??iˆ Table of Contentss i??iˆ
Program Contact… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 3
Introduction… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 3
What is a Conversation Partner? … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 4
Understanding International Students ‘ Needs… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 4
Meeting with your Spouse… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 5
Expectations of Service-Learning Students… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 5
Helpful Hints… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 6
What Should We Talk About? … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … . 7
Activity Development… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 8
Ice-breakers… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 8
Drumhead… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .. 10
