Cross Examination of South Korean and Indian International Students

This Capstone Project aims to identify the cultural challenges experienced by South Korean and Indian international students studying abroad and how they adapt to outside cultures. The analysis is based on the cultural differences showcased by the Hofstede model.

Running head: CAPSTONE PROJECT
Cross examination of both cultures of South Korea and Indian international students and how
they adapt to outside cultures
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
There is no gain in highlighting that significant portion of students from Asia move
overseas in order to pursue their higher education. According to the reports published by the
International Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the number of
international students throughout the world has increased from 0.8 million in 1975 to 3.7
million in 2009. In addition to this, the statistics published by UNESCO stated that each year
the number of international students is increased with an average percentage of 12% (Sood).
The United States is the main destination for the international students. As per the report
published by the Institute of International Education, at least 69,000 students went to study in
the U.S during the tenure of 2009 to 2010 per year. Among the students who opt from
studying in U.S, the majority of them prefer to go to California, New York and Texas
respectively. After United States, the second destination for the international students is the
U.K. After the U.S and the U.K, there comes China. As per the China’s Ministry of
Education (2010), 265,000 students visit China for perusing higher education. China also
send their students abroad for studying than any other countries in the world and this I
followed by India and South Korea respectively. For the South Korean students, the preferred
subject for studying abroad includes engineering followed by business management. In India,
the main subject or the degree of choice for studying abroad is biology or biotechnology
students, who are interested in doing their doctorate degree abroad. This is followed by
management students and engineering students. Studying aboard helps the in improving the
economic condition of the country (Sood).
When a student arrive in the United States, he or she mainly gets mesmerized by its
extravagant structures, jaw dropping shopping malls, sky touching building, clean roads and
expensive cars over the roads. Apart from its metropolitan look, the cultural trend of America
is complete different than other order countries (Borcher). Joshanloo are of the opinion that

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the cultural of the United States follow a westernized principle that is different from Eastern
culture. Thus, Asian students who visit America under the quota of the international students
for completing their higher studies, a certain point of time pass through a cultural shock. The
cultural shock creates an intense feeing of homesickness and irritability that feeling
extremely overwhelming at first. If overwhelmed feeling is not recovered soon, it can lead to
the generation of complex mental health issues along with social exclusion, hampering the
academic grades (Sullivan and Susan Kashubeck-Wes). The following is a Capstone Project
that is aimed towards identifying the cultural challenges experienced by the students from
two different countries in Asia, South Korea and India that spend highest number to students
to American for higher studies. The analysis of the cultural barriers experienced by the South
Korean and the Indian students will be done based on the cultural difference showcased by
the Hofstede model. This will be followed by the cross-cultural examination of the South
Korea and India and initiatives taken by the South Korean and the Indian students in order to
overcome these challenges.
International students in America
Over the past few years, few Korean students have moved abroad, in the United
States. During 2012, for the first time within eight years total number of South Korean
students studying abroad decreased by almost 9% as reported by Jai Ok Shim, the then
executive director of the Fullbright Commission in the Seoul. During 2013, the majority of
the Korean students visiting the U.S mainly headed for the diploma degrees and not for full
time course. The cost of studying is the main barrier towards the decrease in the percentage
of the South Korean students studying abroad. The drowning statistics might not seem
significant. However, for years the colleges in the U.S are counting on large number of
Korean students. South Korea is regarded as the third largest source of the international

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students in the United States just after China and India however, increase in the valuation of
the U.S in the stock markets is the main reason behind the steep downfall of the Korean
students abroad (Rubin).
As per the U.S Embassy & Consulates in India, the number of international students
in the Unites states has increased by three percent during a period of one year as per the last
reported data in 2017. Whereas, the number of American students who are going abroad for
their higher studies have increased by four percent during the last one year. The report also
highlighted that the Indian students in the U.S have increased at a record level in fourth time
in row with the number amounting to 186,000 in the year 2017 and thus visualizing a double-
digit growth. The unparallel access to the instructors and wide-variety of internship along
with research opportunities given by the American universities, are the main drive that
attracts the Indian students in America.
Cultural difference between the South Korean and Indian students
Hofstede comparison between Indian and United States
As per the Hofstede model, the main difference between the culture of India and the
United States lie in the domain of power-distance, individualism, long-term orientation and
indulgence (Hofested).

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Figure: Hosftede comparison between the India and the United States
(Source: Hofstede Insight)
The dimension of power-distance in Hofstede model highlights that fact that not all
the individuals in the societies are equal. It mainly expresses the attitude of the culture
towards the inequalities prevalent in the societies. India scores high in power distance (77) in
comparison to the United States (40) (Hofested). This difference in the power dimension in
the Indian and American culture generates a tendency among the Indian students to develop
an attitude to being dominated or directed by others. The Indian students are more likely to
expect to be directed by the teachers or the seniors than taking their own decisions unlike the
native students of America. This creates a barrier in their academic success, as they believe
that it is the duty of the teachers to make the determining decisions for them. In the academic
field for higher studies in America, encouragement is given for independent thinking like
writing a new research proposal or designing a new project in an independent manner. Since
the Indian students loves to be directed by the professors’ they lack in the ground of
independent thinking and problem solving skills and thereby creating a gap in quality

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academic performance. Moreover, in India due to the presence of strong power difference,
communication occurs in top down manner and is directive in style (Wu, Hsiao-ping, Esther,
and Norma). Coelho are of the opinion that due to strong power difference, the Indian
students feel that they are inferior to American students thus that communicate with their
American mates like a subordinates. This sense of communication style makes the Indian
students more vulnerable towards social bullying or social exclusion leading to the generation
of depression and thereby hampering their overall academic performance. Telbis et al. stated
that the Indian students or the parents have a preconceived notion in mind that the American
students and the entire educational set-up are far more superior to Indian set-up. While the
academic setup of American is far more superior to India however, questionable issues still
persists in the domain of intellectual superiority of the American students in comparison to
the Indian student. However, the apparent assumptions of the Indian students that they are
inferior to the American students create a sense of cultural exclusion. Under the cultural
exclusion, the Indian students are less likely to take part in the sporting or culturally activity
for the fear of encountering miserable failure. This cultural exclusion hampers their strength
to take competitive challenges and thereby hampering their academic progress (Wu, Hsiao-
ping, Esther, and Norma).
Individualism is measured by the degree of interdependence of a society. In India
(score 48) has a culture that has both collectivistic and individualistic traits in comparison to
the Unites States (91) (Hofested). The high score of Individualism in the United States
signifies that the students of US are more self-independent and upfront. This is because in
America, the children stays alone after they attain adulthood (18 years of age) this helps to
become independent, take their won decision and handle the moment of crisis in life alone.
However, in India, the children mainly stays with their parents even after marriages thus there
develops a stage of dependence over the parents. In moving aboard to study in America, the

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Indian students feel felt out or become home sick and this promote the development of
depression, hampering the overall academic performance (Embree).
In the domain of indulgence, India scores 26 and that of the United States scores 96.
Indulgence signifies that the degree or the extent at which a race of a particular culture try of
control their impulses or desires (Hofested). The Indian Society believes in restrain and life
after death such that they do not put emphasis on leisure time and have a tendency to control
gratification of their desires. Among the American students, there is a prevalence of prom
nights or partying during the weekends. According to Haq taking a break from the hectic
schedules of work or study during the weekends act as a source of mental refreshment and
this in turn helps the students to perform better in academic. However, students from India
are not comfortable in taking active part in prom night because of their restraint behavior.
This creates a barrier in developing new friends within the college or university premises and
at the same time increases their level of academic stress.
Hofstede comparison between South Korea and United States
As per the Hofstede model, the difference between the culture of South Korea and
United States is reflected in all parameters of power-distance, individualism, masculinity,
long-term orientation and indulgence (Hofested).

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Figure: Hosftede comparison between the South Korea and the United States
(Source: Hofstede Insight)
In the criteria of power distance, it can be said that South Korea follows a strict
hierarchical pattern in the society leading to the generation of inequalities, centralization of
power and controlling the subordinates through benevolent autocrat. This is similar with that
of the Indian culture. Such that the students from South Korea nurture a tendency of being
dominated or being guided by the teachers of the supervisors blindly. This hampers their
creative thinking skills and ability to work independently creating a barrier in their academic
progress. A quasi-experimental study highlighted that the south Korean nursing students in
American prefers traditional medium of learning in comparison to the problem-based
learning and thereby creating a barrier through achieving critical thinking skills and self-
directed learning opportunities (Choi, Ruth and Yeoungsuk). Just like India, South Korea is a
collectivistic society and mainly promotes close long-term commitment. Loyalty is a
paramount of the collectivist culture and mainly over-rides the majority of the societal rules
and other regulations. This is something completely different from the American culture as

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they prefer individualistic attitude. The students from South Korea experience problems with
the socio-cultural adjustment. The severity is high in comparison to the Indian students as in
India there is a diversity of culture. This problematic socio-cultural adjustment in relation to
fast-paced life in the US and homesickness create a cultural isolation among the South
Korean students. This cultural isolation increase the severity of the psychological turmoil and
thereby hampering their health-related quality of life and academic performance (Kraeh).
South Korean scores 39 in the domain of masculinity and this signifies that South
Korean culture is a feminine culture that give importance to the overall quality of life and not
standing out from crowd. South Korean culture values equality, quality and solidarity that is
focused on mental and physical well-being. The cultural isolation experienced by the South
Korean students due to difference in the masculinity, leads to the generation of depression
along with social isolation hampering the academic performance. The high dropouts of the
South Korean students among are mainly due to this cultural isolation (Koo).
In the uncertainty avoidance, South Korea scores 85. It I regarded as one of the rigid
countries in the world that has rigid codes of belief, behavior and is intolerant towards
unorthodox ideas and behaviors. It is due their rigid codes of practice, the students of south
Korea fails to assimilate freely with the bohemian culture of the US that is guided by parties
and celebrations at the end of each semesters (Kim and Eun-Ok Im). This gap in cultural
thoughts and beliefs create barrier for the Korean students to mingle freely with the US
students and thus creating cultural isolation. Increase in the cultural isolation leads to gradual
increase in the prevalence of depression among the South Korean students studying in
America (Koo).
Just like India, South Korea being an Asian country prefers pessimism and has a
tendency towards cynicism that did not give preference of leisure toe and tend to control

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gratification on their desires. This controlling creates a gap in their effective participation of
the South Korean students with other international American students and thereby creating a
gap in academic performance (Kim and Eun-Ok Im).
Cross cultural analysis of South Korea and India
Cultural barriers and Communication Gap
In ancient times, Buddhism is regarded as the bedrock of the relationship between the
two Asian countries, India and South Korea. Moreover, both Indian and south Korean culture
follows lunar calendar is followed. In the domain of the family structure, both South Korea
and India give importance to the family while giving huge respect to the elders. In Western
culture, where irrespective of the relation both father brother and mothers’ brother is are
greeted as uncle. However, in Asian culture, both in South Korea and in India, family
relationship are well defined with separate name given to each and every relationships. Thus
it can be said that there is strong similarity between the cultural context of both India and
South Korea. Thus, it can be said that the cultural challenges experienced by the international
students of India and South Korea while in America can also be defined under a single
umbrella (Wang et al).
Hsin and Yu stated that international students coming from Asia experience a gap in
communication. This gap in communication leads to the generation of barriers in having
American friends. However, Asian students express that they would like to have meaningful
interaction with their American mates. In India, the main language for the higher education is
English and it is also established as an official language in Indian. Thus, the students coming
from India is more well versed in English in comparison to the South Korean students. In
South Korea, the main official language used is Korean and thus the limitations experienced
by the South Korean students are higher in comparison to the Indian students (Ngai and

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Sandra). Rowntree et al are of the opinion that India is a land of diversity where people from
different religions reside in unison. In India, there are Christian, Parsi, Hindu, Jains and
Muslims. The people hailing from Christian and Prasi origin mainly speak in English. This
amalgamation of different cultures helps the Indian students to cope with the new cultural
environment easily in comparison to the students from South Korea (Masani). The students
coming from Asia report of having low level of confidence in their spoken English and low
willingness to communicate with their American mates and this is due to their negative
evaluations like leaving a negative impressions on others or feelings of being judged
unfavorably by the other mates. Smokowski et al conducted a study in order to elucidate the
level of self-esteem among the Indian students who are going to study aboard. The analysis of
the results highlighted that the young Indian adults who are visiting America in order to
conduct their higher students suffers from poor self-esteem. This might be due to their poor
financial conditions in comparison to the American students or gap in having proper
American ascent. This poor self-esteem hampers the process of effective communication with
the batch mates and the professors and thereby decreasing the chance of active
communication. Smokowski et al further highlighted that the generation of the poor self-
esteem is guided by the ethnic identity and externalizing behavior. The students who are
hailing from American has a pre-conceived notion that Americans are more intelligent or
superior to them and this sense of inferiority lead to the generation of poor self-esteem and
lack of confidence. The Indian culture also does not favor an extrovert behavior and mainly
prefers an internalizing behavior. Being dominated by the internalizing behavior, the India
students become scared or feel shamed in discussing or sharing their concerns with others.
Thus, their fear or gap in understanding remains unanswered. This gap in knowledge,
decreases the level of confidence leading to the generation of poor self-esteem and thereby
hampering the path of effective exchange of words with the American pals. Under the

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cultural perspective of South Korea, it can be said that recent survey conducted in South
Korea highlighted that the majority of the young adults with a special mention to the job
seekers, suffer from poor self-esteem. The main reason behind this poor self-esteem of the
South Korean young adults as there is economic hardship in the family and having high
expectations of the family members (Heo et al). This high expectation from the family is
further guided by the prevailing poverty among majority of the elderly population in South
Korea. The growing poverty among elderly also results in the generation or crime among the
South Korena population hampering the overall perspective of the country in-front of the
entire world. This family pressure or high expectations and feeling of ashamed about the
increased criminal activity in the motherland generate a sense of poor self-esteem that
hampers the effective communication of the Korean students with the American peers.
A common difficulty experienced by the Asian students is how to interact with other
international of the American students and the teachers. A large proportion of the Asian
students even those who have graduated from the English medium schools in metropolitican
cities struggles in order to converse with the American students. The majority of the Asian
students are not well exposed to Latin English and literary English or the colloquial English
used in America (Wang et al). This is because in Asian culture, the main preference is given
for the official English like in India (while expectations are there in case of the students of
English literature) and thus students who are visiting to American for higher studies are not
well versed in common idioms prevalent in America. Moreover, the American ascent or
pronunciation also confuses the Asian students crating a difficulty in understanding. The
difficulty in understanding creates confusion among the Asian students and takes away their
self-confidence and their ability to talk and to mingle with their international mates. This gap
in communication restricts the number of friends in their life., casting a negative impression
in their social lives (Wang et al).. This robs them an important opportunity to enjoy the

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diversity on the campus and thereby bringing down the overall quality of the academic
expense. Apart from the verbal communication skills, there is a strong difference in the non-
verbal communication skills (body language) among the Asian and the American students.
The subtle differences in the overall body language of the Americans and the Asian students
are often regarded as a reason for awkwardness. For example, while meeting someone for the
first time, the students who are from Indian origin mainly offer a “cold fish” handshake or a
“crusher”. On the other hand, Americans mainly expect firm handshake. On the other hand,
the students who are from South Korea mainly bows down in order to show respect while
meeting or greeting people for the first time and this complete opposite of the American
culture. This frequent bow-down behavior often make the South Korean students a potent
victims of social bullying that hampers their space of mind (Wang et al). Pereira and Malik
are of the opinion that Asian culture mainly greets their guests as gods and nurture a culture
of empathy, compassion and care and this is being symbolized through postures like bowing
down or cold handshake. However, the American culture symbolized display of power and
this is being symbolized by firm handshake. The difference in the non-verbal communication
skills between the two cultures creates a gap in communication and thereby rendering the
development of proper friendship.
Another aspect of difference between the Asian and American student is, Asian
students mainly indulge in loud conversation while in restaurants and also prefers to
communicate by exchange of friendly touch. However, Americans mainly enjoys their
personal space, like to communicate by maintaining one arm distance, and mainly prefers to
talk extremely softly in public places. These gaps between the nature communications further
create a barrier in effective exchange of information (Chuo and Yen-Hui).
The reluctance of Asian students to communicate with their American friends not
only impedes the overall learning process of the Asian students and disrupts their smooth

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transition in the U.S universities. The limited interactions of the Asian students lead to the
generation of anxiety when they encounter situations where they are asked to speak in
English in order to communication with the Americans. This vulnerability of developing
anxiety in the name of interaction with is associated with impaired cognitive performance and
thereby helping in the generation of dissatisfactory or unproductive interaction (Wang et al).
Culture and Lifestyle Problems
Pae has stated that new friends are as important as fresh air in order to survive.
However, in order to have good friends, one needs to dine together. The students from the
Asian origin mainly prefers spicy food where as in the Australian culture there is less use of
spices and they mainly thrive on oregano and black pepper. This is because, in American due
to extreme climatic condition there is less provision for cultivation of species and herbs. This
difference in food habits between the American and the Asian students force Asian students
to search for food away from the hostel canteen either sooner or later of their visit of
America. Natadecha-Sponsel stated that in order to develop effective relationship it is
important to communicate with the friends like causal communication over a cup of coffee or
snacks or lunch. The gap in communication during a course of meal creates a gradual
difference between the Asian and the American students and thereby creating a gap in the
friendship development. A qualitative research inquiry was done in order to elucidate the
factors that influence the dietary habits of the international Asian students in the US. The
results showed that international students in US experience numerous dietary challenges
while adapting to the American culture. The main dietary-related challenge includes differing
food environment, campus environment, religion and individual preferences. As
consequences of these changes in the dietary habits, undesirable health outcomes occur
among the Asian students in the US like massive gain in weight, increase level of blood
glucose, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure levels along with associated mental

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health complications like depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia. This further hampers the
overall academic performance (Alakaam et al.). Natadecha-Sponsel stated that American
culture is eclectic and at the same time is individualistic and direct in nature. It pays to
appreciate every single person for who he or she is. Simple friendly gestures like saying
Hello and acknowledging the personality and presence of others do others do not cost a buck
but helps to make a diverse yet wide circle of friends and thereby helping to improve the
overall experience of academic life in the campus.
Difference in the Education system of Asia and America
The culture of the education system in Asia and America also holds substantial
difference. The US or UK culture encourage students to express their opinion in the domain
of a particular subject matter. The students are also encouraged to discuss academic topics
with their friends and teaches and to perform group projects. Working in groups or indulging
in group discussion helps to overcome queries and thus increase the depth in knowledge
(Carney). However, the education system in Asia is mainly lecture based and overall process
of learning does not occur through group discussion or through group projects but is
memorization-based. The important pillar of Asian educational system is discipline and
creativity comes second. While one cannot ignore the importance of discipline for succeed in
academic but creativity also plays an indispensible role. A creative person is nimble enough
to come up with new research ideas and thus unlocking unexplored domain of research. In
India, the teachers present a particular matter to class through lectures while the students sit
and take rigorous notes. Though few teachers encourage query sessions after the end of the
class, the lack of friendly gestures coming from the teachers, prevent the students from
raising queries and that confusion remains unresolved (Varghese and Michaela). This is
something unlike UK and US education system where study or lectures are given through
interactive session where opinions and queries coming from students are highly encouraged

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(Carney). In South Korea, the education system is more rigid and strict in comparison to
India. Recent reports published highlight that there are increases cases of suicide among the
South Korean students due to academic pressure. There is 14-hour of classroom hours in
South Korea. This never ending hours in class is not about finding the right path for research
or self-enlightment but it is about competing with others mates for scores. This constant
pressure of scoring higher of better than others reduce time for the creative thinking skills of
the students of South Korea and thereby creating a gap creative thinking skills (Adams, Don,
and Esther).
The Asian students are thus regarded as excellent test-takers when they enter in the
US campuses but they lack the skills to become good researchers that is important to achieve
success in the U.S academic field or globally. Making the transformation from good test-
takers to creative thinker is not easy for the Asian students arriving in the US for study. The
requirement to learn new concepts and to express this understanding is regarded as the main
barrier for the Asian students who are mainly used to spoon-feeding and prefers learning “by
heart”. Asian students’, lack understanding that the campus is a place to acquire knowledge
and not just only the stepping-stone towards a great-paying career and that the teachers and
libraries are important resources for learning. Many students however, realize this late and at
this time, damage is being made to their career (Varghese and Michaela). Kim, Kyung and
Eun Hee Seo stated that Asian students who visit abroad for management studies have a
tendency of procrastinating their gap in knowledge as they fail to take steps to come forward
and clear their query and this negatively hampers their academic performance.

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Coping skills in order to adapt with a new culture
Initiatives taken by the international students
There are different ways in which the international students cope with stress, anxiety
and social isolation (Smith and Khawaja). Few of the important measures used by the
international students in order to cope with cultural shock is seeking help from others,
indulging in extracurricular activities and taking help of humor. However, coping with
homesickness and cultural shock mainly depends on the reaction of the individual towards
the situation ((Smith and Khawaja).
Figure: Hosftede comparison between the India and South Korea
(Source: Hofstede Insight)
Seeking Help from others
The international students of Asia use a variety of self-help and coping strategies in
order to manage the level of depression and homesickness. The most effective yet widely
used coping strategies of the international students in Asia are the use f the self-help strategy.

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The main approach used under the self-help strategy is discussing their problems and
concerns with others who are not passing through homesickness and depression. In seeking
help from the others, Indian students mainly show pro-active attitudes in comparison to the
South Korean students. This is because, the Indian students have better effective
communication skills than the South Korean students as the official language in India is
English. Moreover, in India, the children grew up in a diverse cultural environment. This
experience helps them develop less xenophobia than students of South Korean (Saravanan,
Mardiana and Alizi Alias). As per the Hofstede diagram, the Individualism score of Australia
is 48 and that of South Korea is 18. This India has an intermediate score on individualism and
thus is found to possess both collectivistic and individualistic traits. The collectivistic side
highlights that the Indians are more likely to give preference for belonging to a larger social
network in which every individuals are expected to act in accordance to a greater good. Thus
for the greater good of their career and in order to overcome the negative effects of
homesickness and cultural isolation, the India students are more likely to seek help from
other international and national students in comparison to the South Korean students.
Getting busy with other extracurricular activities
The second important coping skills used by the international students in America are
getting busy in other activities. Indian students are likely to take part in extracurricular
activities during their academic life in U.S in order to cope up with the increased sense of
cultural isolation and depression (Saravanan, Mardiana and Alizi Alias). A survey helped in
the identification that the Indian students are more likely to engage in the extra classes and
other co-curricular activities in comparison to the other internationals students. Getting
engaged in additional academic and extracurricular activities keep the mind pre-occupied. A
pre-occupied or busy mind is less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Moreover, a
busy schedule of study or other fun-loving extracurricular activities create less provision for

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cultural shock to be registered in the nerves of the international students (DiFiori et al). At
least 72% of the Indian students studying the US are more likely to take active part in college
of university level sports like cricket, basketball, football and volleyball. Taking active part in
sports acts as an important moderator. It helps in overcoming the sense of depression, anxiety
and stress. At the same time, taking active part in sports helps to increase the tendency of
taking challenges and making new friends in college. This helps to cope with cultural
symptoms like cultural isolation. The study conducted by American Medical Society for
Sports Medicine has conducted a study in order to reveal the goodness of sports. The study
highlighted that taking active part in sports or group sports both indoor and outdoor helps in
overcoming the burnout and stress among the students and thereby helping them to
concentrate more in studies and experiencing overwhelming academic outcome (DiFiori et
al). The participation in inter-college sports is higher among the South Korean students in
comparison to the Indian students. In South Korea, immense importance is given to sports.
This is evident from the sports statistics of South Korea. In the winter Olympics, organized
by South Korea, 5 gold, 8 silver and 4 bronze is fetch by the host country only. Thus there is
no gain in stating that South Korean students are more likely to take part in college level
sports and this active participation in sports help them to cope with stress, cultural and social
isolation (Bridges).
University approach for managing cultural shock among international students
Communication approach
The main reason why the students from India and South Korea experience cultural
shock or cultural exclusion is gap in effective communication. Communication is an
important part of life and it is an important way of passing information from one person to
other. Several universities in the U.S have special counseling sessions for their international
students in order to help them recover from communication gap, stress, depression and

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cultural shock. Communicating with other person from same country helps the international
students to overcome cultural phobia or cultural shock they experience upon their first time
visit in the U.S. The senior international students head the counseling programs, held in the
U.S universities. These sessions are popularly known as intercultural communication. Getting
an opportunity to interact with students from same country origin and knowing their stories of
coping up with the new cultural environment help the fresher international students to fetch
the required willpower to recover from stress, anxiety, depression and cultural shock.
Communication with the senior international students in the college or university premises
also helps in the cross-culture relationship development and at the same time helps to refine
the English pronunciation and verbal communication skills (Lombard).
Environmental approach
The depressed international students have a tendency to avoid class in a fear of getting
exposed to an environment in which they are not familiar with. This in turn lead to the
generation of anxiety, confusion and this in turn make them feel threatened and thus
increasing the level of depression. In order to make the environment friendly for the students,
the professors indulge in interactive sessions with the international students so that they
might known their concerns and act accordingly. Special introductory sessions are conducted
with the international students where international students are asked to introduce themselves
to the class and then they are assigned with a buddy with who they are freely discuss their
concerns and queries regarding studies and other norms prevailing in the universities. This
kind of interactive approach helps the international students to easily amalgamate with the
national students and at the same time recover from social isolation. The friendly and open
teaching methods encourage effective conversation with the teachers and the students and this
helps the international students to get easily accustomed with the new cultural environment
(Bai).

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Additional measures
The South Korean nursing students who visit the US for completing their higher
studies in nursing mainly adopts mindfulness based non-pharmacological intervention in
order to cope with the stress, anxiety and cultural shock. One study conducted over the South
Korean nursing students showed that mindfulness based therapy when given by registered
nursing professionals under the healthcare sector in helpful for the international nursing
studies to recover from their depressed state of mind and thereby helping to prosper in their
overall academic performance (Khoury et al). The Indian students however, are no exposed
to the mindfulness-based therapy, as the students of India coming from affluent families
mainly do not have faith on non-pharmacological interventions. This can be regarded as one
of the cultural gap between South Korea and India. In South Korea, China and Japan
significant importance is given to traditional medicine and psychotherapy unlike in India
(Sharma and Sarah). Many universities arrange fulfilled physical exercise training sessions in
order to train keep their students physically fit. Some international students are of the opinion
that taking part in these fun filled physical activity sessions within the institutional premises
help them to develop new friends and thus helping to recover slowly from stress. Moreover,
taking active part in the physical activity sessions is also helpful in improving health related
quality of life (Stults-Kolehmainen and Sinha). Taking part in the physical activity sessions
also helps to avoid the feelings of constant loneliness and to combat the feeling of
homesickness. Moreover, daily practice of physical activity sessions helps to stay physical fit.
Physical activity when done in groups also helps to promote social engagement. This increase
in the level of social engagement helps to increase the performance of the group based
academic activities of the international students and thereby helping to improve their
academic performance. Both the students from India and South Korea have a friendly attitude
as the Asian culture preach helping other for fetching good deeds. This helpful and friendly

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attitude helps the Asian students to easily mingle with the other social groups and thereby
helping to increase the social engagement.
Conclusion
Every year Indian and South Korea their studies to pursue their higher studies abroad.
Though the number have decreased in the South Korean context, the Indian students studying
in the US ex exceeding every year. The diverse research opportunities, skilled professors and
advanced setup in the US universities are the main reason behind the increased infiltration of
the international students in the US. As the international students, like the students from Asia,
adjust to their new social and educational environment, they pass through a unique stress. The
cultural values of the majority of the international students from also affect few dimensions
of their career development. Culture can be regarded as a complex tool that every individual
must learn in order to adapt to the society. In other words, it can be said that culture is an
integral part of every society and every society has different culture where individuals behave
different, with different sets of beliefs, languages and tradition. The international students of
the US, visiting from Asia like in India and in South Korea have separate sets of cultural
beliefs in comparison to the US. The difference mainly occurs in the domain of
individualism, power distance, long-term orientation and masculinity. Entering into a
completely different culture of the US makes the overall academic experience stressful for
both the Indian and the South Korean students, generating depression and cultural shock.
Cultural shock is detrimental for the students as it hampers the state of mental and physical
well-being, and this is indirectly reflected in the means of negative academic outcome. Study
in the foreign country also generates a considerable level of stress causing anxiety and
depression. One of the importance reasons behind the development of the cultural shock and
cultural exclusion among the international students in the US is difference in the language

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used. Language plays a significant role in interaction and generation of closeness with other
mates. Nevertheless, the ascent and the pronunciation used by the American students is
something different from the Asian students, creating a barrier in effective communication
and thus leading to social isolation. South Korean students experience major communication
barrier in as they are not well-versed in English unlike Indians where the main official
language Is English. Other factors include difference in the food habits difference in the
academic system of US. For example the Asian students mainly prefers spicy foods and this
provoke them to pay a visit to food centers rather than consuming hostel or university
canteens’ food and thus reducing the chances of friendly talk over a cup of tea. The Asian
academic system is autocratic where the professors’ take the charge of giving lectures and
less provision is given for interactive sessions in resolving the queries. The US academic
system mainly prefers interactive sessions where the students’ creative thinking skills are
given preference. Since the Asian students also crave for good marks, the provision for the
creating thinking skill is hampered.
The strategies used by the Asian and the south Korean students in order to cope with
the cultural shock in self help and taking active participation in sports. South Korean students
are more likely to take active participation in sports in comparison to the Indian students.
Where in the domain of self-help, the Indian students take proactive approach as their
collectivist cultural background helps them to live in unison with other. Indian students try to
discuss their concerns with others international students have not gone through similar trauma
in the past in order to fetch livid experience for the management of the cultural shock and
stress. The university professionals also come forward in order to help the international
students for coping up with cultural shock, trauma and stress. The main approaches used by
the university professionals include communication approach and environmental approach.

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Mindfulness-based interventions also gain prime importance in increasing the coping skills of
the international students from Asia.
Overall it can be said that visit of the international students is economically beneficial
for both the host country and the visiting country. Thus it is the duty of the host country to
come up with active initiatives in order help the international students to cope with cultural
shock and concentrate on their academic performance.
Recommendation
The presence of international student is a value source for the cultural diversity. The
international students help the domestic students to get exposed to different cultures and this
effective interactions between the domestic and the international students help in the
development of the social networks that is mutually beneficial for the effective exchange of
ideas and information. So in order to increase the enrollment of the international students the
universities of the US must act in accordance to the challenges experienced by the
international students. The main challenges experienced by the international students like the
students from Asia are differing culture, climate and academic study pattern. Giving a
friendly culture, climate and creating a provision for increasing language training and
efficient services at the university or institutional level will be helpful in reducing the cultural
shock among the international students (Mahmud et al.). Furthermore, the college and the
university administrative authority must come up with international offices, multicultural-
trained students in order to improve the overall experience of the international students and at
the same time reducing the vulnerability of the international students from getting affected
with depression. Moreover, it is the duty of university professionals to have special language
training center for the international students in order to develop good language skills
(Mahmud et al.).

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