专家就帮助国际学生和美国学生交友提供建议

    This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
    这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。

    Last week, we told how some international students have few friends in their host country when they study overseas. One study in the United States found that thirty-eight percent of foreign students said they had no close American friends. Communications specialist Elisabeth Gareis studied more than four hundred fifty foreign students.
    上周我们谈到了国际学生在国外留学期间交到的东道国朋友不多的问题。美国的一项研究发现,38%的国际学生表示自己没有亲密的美国朋友。社交专家伊丽莎白·加赖斯(Elisabeth Gareis)对超过450名国际学生进行了调查。

    VOA Student Union blogger Jessica Stahl also investigated the issue. Her survey showed that seventy-five percent of foreign students said they have more than two American friends. But ten percent reported having no American friends.
    美国之音学生联盟博主杰西卡·斯塔尔(Jessica Stahl)也调查了这一问题。她的调查显示,75%的国际学生表示他们有两个以上的美国朋友,但10%的人表示他们没有美国朋友。

    Elisabeth Gareis teaches in the Department of Communication Studies at Baruch College in New York. She says efforts on how to improve relationships between the two groups of students have yet to be studied in detail. But she says these efforts should begin with the college or university, and that these institutions have been working harder.
    加赖斯在纽约巴鲁克学院传播学系任教。她表示,尚未对如何改善这两个群体学生之间关系的措施进行详细调查。但她说,这些措施应当从大学院校开始,而这些院校也一直在为此努力。

    ELISABETH GARIES: "Institutions should build an infrastructure that promotes contact. And they can do that by, for example, bonding activities at the beginning of the academic year."
    加赖斯:“这些院校应该为促进交流建立基本条件,而且他们可以做到这一点,例如学年开始时的联谊活动。”

    She suggests taking walks, going on bicycle, field or camping trips, and attending parties, sporting events or film festivals. She says such activities should be held repeatedly to bring students together throughout the school term. Ms. Gareis also suggests that foreign students share housing with American students.
    她建议散步、骑车、野外露营,以及参加聚会、体育活动或电影节。她说应该多次举办这些活动,让学生们整个学期都能聚在一起。加赖斯女士还建议国际学生与美国学生合住。

    Michigan State University is known for its programs for international students. Last year, about five thousand nine hundred students from one hundred thirty three countries attended Michigan State. They made up perhaps twelve percent of the total university population. Peter Briggs directs the Office for International Students and Scholars at Michigan State. He says more foreign students are expected to register this week.
    密歇根州立大学因其国际学生课程而闻名。去年,来自133个国家的约5900名学生进入了该大学。他们可能占到了全校总人数的12%。彼得·布里格斯(Peter Briggs)负责密歇根州立大学国际学生和学者办公室。他表示,预计本周会有更多国际学生注册。

    Many students and community members are trained and prepared to help foreign students. The volunteers assist new students as they complete government requirements and find their academic advisors. Mr. Briggs says the volunteers also help answer the traditional questions of new people anywhere.
    许多学生和社会人士接受了培训准备帮助国际学生。这些志愿者们会协助新生完成政府的要求,并找到他们的学术顾问。布里格斯先生表示,志愿者还会帮助回答新生遇到的各类传统问题。

    PETER BRIGGS: "Where do I get an ID (identification card)? Which is the best bank...What is my cell phone plan? How do I get a Social Security number or driver's license? That kind of information is shared both formally and informally as students advise other students. We're really supporting that network."
    布里格斯:“我去哪拿到身份证?哪家银行最好?我选什么手机套餐?如何获得社会安全号码或驾照?当学生建议其他学生时,这类信息会被正式和非正式的共享。我们的确支持这种(沟通)网络。”

    He says that if the new students make friends as they begin school, they will come to feel part of the life and traditions of the university.
    他说,如果新生们一进校就交朋友,他们会觉得自己是大学生活和传统的一部分。

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