Her name is Wei-Yung Chu-but call
her Alice.
Alice is a 19-year-old Chinese
student from the mid-levels district of
Hong Kong.
While in Hong Kong she attended a
Catholic high school where Italian
nuns taught English to Chinese
students.
After college, she spent one
semester at the University of Ghana, in
Africa, before deciding to come to the
United States. Her reason for choosing
UNL-her brother was already enrolled
here.
Arriving in Lincoln, she was
surprised by the flatness, because her
first two glimpses of the U.S. were of
New York and Chicago.
"I didn't realize we were at the
airport because it was so small." Alice
said.
Grw found most of her friends at
first were the Chinese students she met
through her brother, but after a time
she began to mingle with American
The cheapest rent for $75 and,
according to Boykin, can best be
described as a hovel. Another one near
the Capitol is a tiny two room, cockroach
infested, third floor walk-up. Another
house is completely occupied by foreign
students. On the top floor, five students
each pay full rent and share one
bathroom.
If willing to endure a long waiting
period, married students can live in
University housing. The rent is
inexpensive and the utilities are paid, but
the physical conditions are hardly any
better than those of the apartments on
the general market.
Again discrimination can not be
proven, but foreign students say they
sometimes feel they have been denied
housing because of their nationality or
skin color, according to Boykin.
Several years ago a foreign student was
told an apartment had already been
rented. The student had an American
friend return to the landlord and enquire
about the apartment. The American was
told it was still available.
Boykin said she urges foreign students
to call and enquire about an apartment
before they go to look at it.
Buying a car is another problem for a
foreign student. Many do not realize how
expensive it can be to drive a car, or they
do not have the know-how to avoid bad
deals on used cars or when they need
repairs.
Since insurance is so expensive, many
don't bother to buy any.
Then there is the safe driving problem.
"There are a heck of a lot of
accidents," Boykin said. "I wish I could
get them (the foreign students) all to take
the safe driving course offered by the
state patrol."
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Boykin said the Foreign Student
Office will supply any student with
pamphlets discussing the costs and
dangers of buying a car. The office is also
distributing a tenants' rights folder.
UNL Ombudsman Jim Sutter said
foreign students have disadvantages as
consumers because they are not aware of
their legal rights. As such they are more
vulnerable to being taken.
Boykin said foreign students hesitate
to file complaints with the housing
authorities because they do not know
they have the same legal rights as
Americans.
students. Now she spends most of her
time with them.
She said at first s e found it strange
to hear everyone speaking English, but
soon became used to it
Alice said she likes the dress styles
here because they are casual. In Long
Kong dress codes are stricter.
She said she likes the United States,
but there are a couple things that do
bother her. She had a hard time
learning to like the food, but doesn't
mind it now. Also some people treat
her differently.
"Some people still think you're a
martian or something-like; you're e
different human being." Alice says.
She had heard about UNL's football
team before coming here, buthe has
not turned into a Cornhusker fan and
gets tired of "Big Red" promotions.
Alice doesn't know what she'll do
after graduation, but if she has to leave
the states she'll have had a good
impression.
"I like it here." she says.
Sutter suggested that the new student
legal rights commission sponsored by
ASUN could be a source of information
and help.
But there is a more fundamental
source of problems. Beginning at home
and continuing until they gift back, the
foreign student has to cope with the
United States government
Before he ever sets foot on U.S. soil,
the U.S. emmigration offme has begun to
impose its regulations on the foreign
student. After he is accepted by the
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