The Chronicle

Megan Schroeder
Staff Writer


      Surrounded by strangers in a whirlwind of languages, confusion and overwhelmed by culture clash. This is how international students feel when they first arrive in a new country.


      Lais Gruman Castello, a 21-year-old CLC student and native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, had the same reaction when she arrived in America. She came here as an au pair to learn English and, like most college students, took a break to find direction in life.


      Her new direction lead her to Illinois, where she lives with a host family as an au pair- a person who works for the cost of staying she said which was the cheapest and easiest way to learn English.


       After the excitement wore off, her transition to America was fluid.


      “Everything was new and different, and it was just a surprise every day,” Castello said of her first impressions of America.


      The Brazilian, who had only seen snow in movies, had her first experience when the Chicago winter hit.


      “I was glad I got here when I did,” said Castello, who arrived before winter in 2009.


      Though CLC offers International study programs in places such as Costa Rica, China, and Jamaica, students cannot understand the experience of first coming to America, so we rely on feedback from foreign students to tell us what it’s like.


      Many people in foreign countries disapprove of America based on the stereotypes in their media. However, Castello was pleased to say that she saw this country, “not like what other people say.”


      “The things I was told about America were wrong.” Castello said. She thought that everyone was rich, snobby, slutty, and too proud to get their hands dirty. She learned over the months that these stereotypes were biased portrayals from television and comments about the War on Terror.


      Among her new experiences, the Brazilian native found that Americans were addicted to “tech gadgets,” and although they seemed to improve people’s lives, especially in emergencies, it also made them lazier.


      “It’s not just technology,” Castello said, “Even the grocery stores are packed full of pre-baked or ‘ready to go’ kinds of food.”


      In a fast paced society, it isn’t unusual for the public to expect so much from each other. But, to expect so much from foreigners is pushing the limit. Americans often expect foreigners to have a basic understanding of the English language when they arrive in the country, but that can take years of studying, just like any other language. Castello said she studied 5 years of English in school back in Brazil.


      Castello extended her stay to a year and a half to continue her education at CLC.


      To say that her experience has been good would be too simple. She has learned about another culture and opened her mind to different seasons, languages, religions, and schooling.


      She chose CLC for the same reason most students do it offers a good education at an affordable price. She has the chance to take classes she always wanted to, but didn’t have time or money before to do it she said.


      Although she thinks the winters last too long, that Americans eat too much junk food, have an odd gadget addiction, and live in a hurried atmosphere, she generally likes America. But even the greatest of places cannot compare with home.