International students discuss their experiences at WSSU

The Office of International Programs collaborated with the Links of Winston-Salem to host "Tea Time with the Links," in the Thompson Center, Nov. 17.

The event featured an international student panel with a Q&A session and light refreshments. Students from Brazil, Mexico and Germany served on the panel.

Joab Odera, president of the Winston-Salem State Association of International Student Status, served as the moderator of the panel.

Odera is a junior molecular biology major from Nairobi, Kenya.

The international student panel spoke of their expectations, initial impressions and experiences while studying abroad, specifically at a Historically Black College and University.

All of the students on the panel said that most of their impressions and the stereotypes of Americans, especially about African Americans came from the media, mainly from rappers.

Collectively, they [panelists] spoke on the importance of studying abroad and the impact it can make on their lives.

"It will help me to get a job because it will show employers that I am able to adapt," said Inge Zetzsche, a junior business economics major from Bonn, Germany.

Zetzsche will continue her studies at WSSU until the end of the spring 2012 semester.

"When you have experience abroad, you can translate there, and it adds to the resume very much," said Julio Lima, senior translation major from Recife, Brazil.

Lima will return to Brazil at the end of the fall semester.

"When I'm back home, I'll have to write about my experience here, especially about the African-American reality, which is the topic of our exchange course," Lima said.

"I intend to publish some translations I did of Paul Lawrence Dunbar's poetry."

The panelists also provided the Links with feedback on how to assist the next group of exchange students.

"A buddy program to help assist with the transition would be helpful," Zetzsche said.

Students in the audience expressed their interest in studying abroad during the Q&A session.

"I really want to study abroad in France during the summer before I graduate," said Maya Hardin.

Hardin is a junior health care management major from Gastonia, N.C.

The panelists also shared advice to those in the audience interested in studying abroad in their countries.

"Be careful. It is dangerous right now," a panelist from Mexico said.

"You can't be chilling; you have to get in your books you can't say ‘Oh, I'll do it later'," Odera said.

"Study time is study time, we don't play jokes."