IT International:

International and study abroad students share their experiences

How is the Internet age impacting UO study abroad and international students? Is information technology making life easier? Relieving homesickness? Helping ease the transition to a new culture? Are there any academic benefits?

We asked five UO students--two Americans who studied abroad last year, and three current international students--to answer these questions, and responses were mixed. All agreed that email, text messaging, podcasting, chats, and blogs provide a great way to keep in touch with family, friends, and academic contacts in their home country. But not all e-communications went smoothly, and unexpected keyboard differences initially caused problems for some.

Despite slight inconveniences here and there, however, no one would want to go back to relying on snail mail and expensive long-distance phone calls as their primary mode of contact. High-speed Internet communication, with its capability to transmit digital photos and videos, is making it increasingly possible for students to study abroad without feeling entirely cut off from their homeland, family, or academic mentors.

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