Parth is a graduate student at Cal Poly from Mumbai, India. He is currently finishing up a double Master’s in Engineering Management and Business Administration. Parth is a big fan of San Luis Obispo’s beautiful weather and outdoor activities.
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Reflection
As an international graduate student, Parth says he has had a relatively easy time acculturating to Cal Poly. He has found many friends and enjoys his time in San Luis Obispo.
Getting used to the slang unique to this part of the world took some effort at first, but that has not stopped him from finding a home at Cal Poly. Andenoro et al. (2012) claim, “Instead of simply imitating the speaker, it is important to establish and maintain relationships to be able to clearly identify cultural similarities and differences” (p. 104). Parth’s ability to use slang has increased in his two years here, but his sense of belonging is not only due to his language abilities.
Rather, his relationships are what have made him feel that he has a place here. He has found that in both his personal and professional relationships, people really value his opinion. Parth has had many opportunities to share his story because the people he has relationships with genuinely want to know where he has come from and what his experiences were back in India. These conversations are what allow for cultural awareness and empathy on both ends (Andenoro et al., 2012; Chung, 2002).
Lawson (2018) asserts that home offers “safety and containment” through “loving and caring relationships that build self-esteem and self-experience” (413). Parth’s relationships have made Cal Poly feel like home because they value him and his experiences, with enough safety to foster his construction of self-esteem.
Getting used to the slang unique to this part of the world took some effort at first, but that has not stopped him from finding a home at Cal Poly. Andenoro et al. (2012) claim, “Instead of simply imitating the speaker, it is important to establish and maintain relationships to be able to clearly identify cultural similarities and differences” (p. 104). Parth’s ability to use slang has increased in his two years here, but his sense of belonging is not only due to his language abilities.
Rather, his relationships are what have made him feel that he has a place here. He has found that in both his personal and professional relationships, people really value his opinion. Parth has had many opportunities to share his story because the people he has relationships with genuinely want to know where he has come from and what his experiences were back in India. These conversations are what allow for cultural awareness and empathy on both ends (Andenoro et al., 2012; Chung, 2002).
Lawson (2018) asserts that home offers “safety and containment” through “loving and caring relationships that build self-esteem and self-experience” (413). Parth’s relationships have made Cal Poly feel like home because they value him and his experiences, with enough safety to foster his construction of self-esteem.