Success In and Out of Class

1. Success In and Out of Class An Orientation Seminar for Graduate Studies in America (M.B.A., M.S., M.A., Ph.D.) 好 的 開 始 就 是 成 功 的 一 半

2. Success In and Out of Class Sponsor: Reference Room for Study Abroad Taipei Municipal Library Lecturer: Stuart Bullington (柏 寧 恆) International Students Inc.

3. Success In and Out of Class More About Me: Stuart Bullington (柏 寧 恆) M.S.C.E., 1991 University of Washington Seattle, Washington Research Topic: Finite Element Modeling of Fracture in Reinforced Concrete

4. Study in America The Opportunity: • Prepare for your future career by: • Earning your graduate degree from an American school (M.B.A., M.S., M.A., Ph.D.) • Learning how to do research and publish • Gaining practical work experience • Grow and learn: • Become a more independent and mature person • Learn another language and culture

5. Study in America The Challenge: • Totally new experience • Unsure about what to expect • Concerned about speaking English • Worried about money • Worried about the challenge of graduate-level studies • Afraid of failure

6. Study in America Today’s Goals: • Help you prepare for this new experience • Share practical advice about: • what to expect in America • how to adjust quickly • how to save money • how to improve your English • how to be successful in graduate school • Fear  Confidence

7. Overview • The American Environment • Arrival and getting settled • Long-Term adjustment to America • The University Environment • Sources of help for international students • Getting off to a good start • Q&A Session

8. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance

9. 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance • Notify School of Your Flight No. and Arrival Time • Taiwan Passport and American Visa • Packing and Shipping • Airport Pickup • Temporary Housing after Arrival • Start planning 2-3 months before departure • Possible sources of help: • International Student Office • Chinese Student Association (CSA) • International Students Inc. (ISI)

10. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance b. What to take with you

11. 2. The Flight to America b. What to take with you • Entry Papers: Passport and Visa • All Documents Sent by Your University • Traveling Cash and Traveler’s Checks • Credit Cards and ATM Cards • Birth Certificate • Financial Documents • International Driver’s License • Medical and Dental Records • Professional Records • Letters of Recommendation • English Translations of All Important Documents

12. 2. The Flight to America b. What to take with you • Extra Passport Photos • Insurance Policies • Inventory of Items in Your Luggage • Household and Prescription Medications • Laptop Computer • English-Chinese Dictionaries, Other Chinese Books • Paperback Textbooks in Your Area of Study • Extra Pair of Eyeglasses • Small Cultural Gifts from Taiwan • Photos of Your Family and Home

13. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance b. What to take with you 3. Arrival at the Airport

14. 3. Arrival at the Airport • Immigration: Passport and Visa Check • You will receive Form I-94 (arrival-departure record) • Your “admission number” will be entered on Form I-20 • I-20 AB (pages 1 and 2) will be removed and sent to your school • You retain I-20 ID (pages 3 and 4 of I-20) as proof that you are legally admitted to the U.S. as an F-1 student

15. 3. Arrival at the Airport • Baggage Claim • Airport Pickup • Meet your party • Taxi or Super Shuttle • Go to Temporary Housing • Call or E-Mail Home Soon After Arrival: • International Student Orientation • Registration

16. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance b. What to take with you 3. Arrival at the Airport 4. Long-term Housing: On Campus or Off?

17. 4. Long-term Housing On Campus: Dormitory • Advantages • Close to or on campus • No need to buy food or cook meals • No need to buy furniture or appliances • Disadvantages • Potential for major conflicts with roommates • Noisy • All food served is American food • Students must move out between semesters

18. 4. Long-term Housing Off Campus: Apartment • Advantages • Live with roommates you like • Don’t have to move out between semesters • Can use the kitchen to cook your own food • Usually quieter than dorms • Disadvantages • Must sign a lease agreement • Might be far from campus • Probably will have to buy some furniture • Have to spend more time shopping, cooking, washing dishes and cleaning the apartment

19. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance b. What to take with you 3. Arrival at the Airport 4. Long-term Housing: On Campus or Off? 5. Applying for American Identity Cards

20. 5. American Identity Cards Social Security Card • Required before you can: • Apply for a driver’s license • Open a bank account • Work • Pay income tax • Apply for a credit card • Apply at a Social Security Administration office • Passport and visa • Birth certificate (certified English copy) • Memorize your Social Security number • Alternative: Taxpayer ID Number

21. 5. American Identity Cards Driver’s License • Required before you can: • Drive or buy a car • Write checks • Use a credit card • Apply at the State Department of Motor Vehicles • Apply for Learner’s Permit or use your international driver’s license • Take driving lessons from a driving school • Apply for car insurance • Alternative: Photo ID Card

22. 5. American Identity Cards Driver’s License: To Drive or Not to Drive?

23. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 1. Applying for Your American Visa 2. The Flight to America a. What to arrange in advance b. What to take with you 3. Arrival at the Airport 4. Long-term Housing: On Campus or Off? 5. Applying for American Identity Cards 6. Should You Buy a Car?

24. 6. Should You Buy a Car? Buy a Car • Advantages • Live anywhere you like • No need to depend on public transportation • Travel around America during holidays • Disadvantages • Must have a driver’s license • Need to find a parking space • Owning a car is expensive (> US$300/month) • Initial cost of buying the car • Pay for liability insurance • Pay for gasoline, oil changes and other maintenance • Pay state license fees • Have to sell it when you leave

25. 6. Should You Buy a Car? Use Public Transportation • Advantages • Saves a lot of time and money • No need to get a driver’s license • Disadvantages • Must live near bus routes or other transit lines • Makes shopping difficult • Bus schedules may not match your schedule • Not practical in most American cities Note: Use the bus. American taxis are expensive! Conclusion: Whether you need a car or not depends on your location.

26. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues

27. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues • American Money—Coins Penny 1 cent Nickel 5 cents Dime 10 cents Quarter 25 cents Dollar $1.00 1 cent = 1 ¢ = $0.01 1 dollar = $1.00 = 100 ¢ = 100 cents

28. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues • American Money—Paper Currency Commonly-Used Bills: $1, $5, $10, $20

29. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues • Estimating Expenses • Check estimates on your I-20 or IAP-66 • Use the worksheet provided COST FOR ONE YEAR (2000-2001 estimates) • Tuition and Fees $3,500 - $25,000 • Room and Board $4,000 - $12,000 • Books and Supplies $500 - $1,000 • Health Insurance $400 - $1,000 • Personal Expenses $1,200 - $3,000

30. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues Transferring Funds to the U.S. • Traveler’s checks (American Express, etc.) • ATM transfer (Cirrus, Plus, Accel, etc.) • Bank check (cashier’s check, money order) from a U.S. bank in Taiwan • Wire transfer (electronic transfer) Note: If you transfer more than $10,000 in currency, money orders, checks, or traveler's checks when you enter the U.S., file a Form 4790 with U.S. Customs. Banks are also required to report all cash transactions more than $10,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS.

31. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues Opening a Bank Account • 3 kinds of financial institutions:  Banks  Savings and Loans  Credit Unions • 2 kinds of accounts:  Checking  Savings • You will need to open a checking account • REQUIRED for paying bills • Documents you may need when you open your checking account: • Social Security Card • Driver’s License or Taiwan Passport • Bill or other evidence to show your home address • Ask about interest rate and minimum balance requirements

32. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues Opening a Bank Account • Writing Checks:

33. 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues Debit Cards A special kind of ATM card: • Open a checking account and ask for a debit card • Card usually bears the VISA symbol • Can be used at some locations (grocery stores, etc.) in place of checks • Money transfers directly from your checking account to the store

34. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues 8. Health Care and Health Insurance

35. 8. Health Care and Health Insurance Health Care in America is Expensive So… • Try to avoid seeing doctors in America • Don’t go to an American hospital • Get medical care before you leave Taiwan • Take extra eyeglasses with you • Take medicines with you • Exercise and take care of your health Buy Health Insurance • Health insurance is available from your university • Compare policies: low cost = high deductible = high risk

36. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues 8. Health Care and Health Insurance 9. Crime: How to Protect Yourself

37. 9. Crime: How to Protect Yourself Crime Prevention • Avoid walking alone on the streets and in parking lots at night • Ask local people where the high-crime neighborhoods are • Don’t open your apartment door to strangers • Keep car and apartment doors locked at all times • Stay alert while waiting at bus stops

38. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues 8. Health Care and Health Insurance 9. Crime: How to Protect Yourself 10. Communicating: Telephones, Post Office, E-Mail

39. 10. Communicating Telephone • See “How to Get Phone Service” on new2usa web site Post Office • You cannot pay bills at American post offices—they are just for sending mail only E-Mail • Most universities provide e-mail accounts to students after they register • Use web-based e-mail providers (Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.) while you are waiting for the university to provide e-mail • Remember that most American computers cannot read Chinese e-mails and do not have Chinese keyboards

40. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues 8. Health Care and Health Insurance 9. Crime: How to Protect Yourself 10. Communicating: Telephones, Post Office, E-Mail 11. How to Improve Your English Quickly

41. 11. How to Improve Your English Quickly Helpful Tips: • People learn language from other people • You will learn English only if you make friends with native English speakers • You will not learn English if you spend all of your time with Chinese-speaking people • It’s easier to learn in a cross-cultural group • Apply to ISI for an English Conversation Partner • Ask your Foreign Student Advisor about other opportunities to practice English with Americans

42. The American Environment • Arrival and Getting Settled 7. Money, Banking and Financial Issues 8. Health Care and Health Insurance 9. Crime: How to Protect Yourself 10. Communicating: Telephones, Post Office, E-Mail 11. How to Improve Your English Quickly 12. Tipping 13. Shopping on a Budget 14. American Weights and Measures 15. Weather and Climate

43. 15. Weather and Climate

44. The American Environment • Long-term Adjustment to America 1. American Culture—It’s Not Taiwan!

45. 1. American Culture It’s Not Taiwan! • Independence, self-reliance and individualism • Privacy • Extreme diversity • Unconcern about other people’s opinions • Grown children live separately from parents • Intense competition in all parts of society • High value placed on work and achievement • Direct communication and honesty valued over harmony • Preference for talking over non-verbal communication • Respect for science and numbers, “facts” • Interest in sports

46. The American Environment • Long-term Adjustment to America 1. American Culture—It’s Not Taiwan! 2. Culture Shock

47. 2. Culture Shock The 5 Stages of Culture Shock: • The Honeymoon • Confusion, Frustration and Anger • Learning and Understanding • Finding Your Own Identity • Re-entry Shock

48. The American Environment • Long-term Adjustment to America 1. American Culture—It’s Not Taiwan! 2. Culture Shock 3. Making Friends with Americans

49. 3. Making Friends with Americans Adjust to the Culture: • Imitate how Americans greet each other: • “How’s it going?” “Pretty good.” • Don’t ask personal questions when you first meet someone: • Avoid: age, money, marriage, health, politics • Safe topics: work, school, sports, weather, hobbies • Try to avoid direct “Why do you…” questions. • Be careful about touching people when talking to them. • When you want people to move, say “excuse me” instead of touching. • Be on time for appointments. Don’t be more than 10 minutes late. • Don’t call after 9:30 pm. • Ask permission before smoking. Expect to smoke outdoors.

50. 3. Making Friends with Americans Adjust to the Culture: • Wear shoes indoors when you visit homes. • Go dutch at restaurants. • Don’t give Americans hot water to drink. • Use one hand to pass out business cards, money, etc. • Don’t shout loudly near other people indoors.