Liaise between Dept. of Homeland
Security and the University
 Manage international enrollment
standards for university based on SC
Illegal Immigration Act of 2008
 Serving international students on campus
with advising services and
programming…
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Advising includes:
› Immigration
› Cultural
› Personal
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Programming includes:
› New student orientation
› CGC
› Int’l Ed Week
› Workshops
France
Colombia
South
Korea
Germany
Brazil
India
Angola
Turkey
China
Saudi Arabia
Oman
Geo Game
•Fall
‘09 All campuses: 1347 students
Central America
•Fall ‘09 Columbia: 1186
and the
Caribbean 9
(1%)
Australia/Pacific
4 (<1%)
South
America
Africa 51 50 (4%)
(4%)
North
America 72
(6%)
China 350 (30%)
Middle East 110
(9%)
India 155 (13%)
South/East Asia
221 (19%)
Europe 164 (14%)
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First and foremost:
› RESPECT
› SINCERITY
Know basic cultural tenets when possible
 Speak clearly and slowly as needed
 Do NOT shout. Volume is not an issue
 Avoid slang, idioms and heavy accent
 Writing may be better than speaking
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Clearly expressed
IDIOMS
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Come up with
Deal with
For good
Go ahead
Go on
In fact
On the other
hand
Point out
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Produce/create/find
To be concerned about
Permanently
Begin
Continue
Basically
Looking at the opposite
side of …
Explain, show
Clearly expressed
IDIOMS
Did you figure
it out?
 Do you get it?
 Make up
(work)
 Can you make
it to your
appointment?
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Did you solve it?
Do you understand?
Re-do or repeat
(work)
Will you be able to
arrive on time?
“Cold Climate” Cultures
“Hot Climate” Cultures
Japanese
 Chinese
 Arabic
 Mexican
 Greek
 Latin American
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U.S. (American)
Canadian
Western/Northern
European
Knowledge is situational, relational
 Less verbally explicit, written or formally expressed
 More internalized understandings of what is
communicated (ex: "in-jokes")
 Stable, long term, well-established relationships are
common
 Decisions and activities focus around personal
face-to-face communication
 Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs.
"outsiders"
 Authority is very important
 EXAMPLE: Family reunions
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Verbal message is often indirect
Communication is an art of engagement
Voice tone, eye contact, gestures are important
Relationships are built over time, are long-lasting
and center on trust
Disagreement is personal
Group problem-solving is preferred
Learning occurs by watching model first, then
practice
Accuracy is valued
Identity rooted in group (work, family, religion)
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Rules oriented: there’s a procedure for everything
Most knowledge is codified, public, external, and
accessible.
Sequencing, separation--of time, of space, of
activities, of relationships
More interpersonal connections of shorter duration
Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus
around what needs to be done, division of
responsibilities.
Example: Airports
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Words are most important tool
Knowledge is transferable
Verbal message is direct
Learning is by following directions, focus on
detail. Speed is valued
Individual work is preferred
Disagreement is rational, not personal
Identity rooted in self and accomplishments
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Influenced by:
› Personality
› Culture
Do All Americans
communicate the
same way?
› Consider regional
› Family
› Values
› Perception
› Situation

differences
› Family/value
differences
Avoid Stereotyping!
Our similarities far outweigh our differences!
Saphiere, D.F., Mikk, B.K., & DeVries, B.I. (2005)
Communication Highwire: leveraging the power of
diverse communication styles. Yarmouth, ME, USA:
Intercultural Press.
 http://hubpages.com/hub/High-Context-vs-LowContext-Communication
 Agar, M. (1994). Language Shock/Understanding
the Culture of Conversation. New York: William
Morrow and Company, Inc.
Lanier, Sarah A. (2000) Foreign to Familiar: A guide for
understanding hot- and cold-climate cultures.
Hagerstown, MD: Macdougall Publishing.

International Student Services
University of South Carolina
901 Sumter St, #123 Byrnes
Columbia, SC 29208
T: (803) 777-7461
F: (803) 777-0462
www.sa.sc.edu/iss