Obvious social gap between the international and local students in UTP By Aaron Tang

Obvious social gap between the international and local students in UTP

By Aaron Tang

  The student intake in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS is increasing every year.  Thus, we are exposed to various cultures of both local and international students.  However, there is always a social gap between the local and international students mainly because of the inability of both groups to mingle with each other.  Nonetheless, initiative has been taken by conducting fun and enjoyable activities to encourage interaction and foster better ties between these two groups.  

The students need to find one common interest to strengthen the bond among them. It can be sports, music, celebrities and many more. Food can be a good example as we always wish to have a stomach filled with amazing, delicious nourishment. At this point, the locals should introduce their local delicacies to the internationals and in return they can share some interesting information about their traditional cuisines to the locals. Nevertheless, both sides must respect each other’s opinions to avoid any unnecessary arguments.

The willingness to know will give a very good start to form a close relationship between the locals and the internationals. Get curious and always have the intention to know others. Hence, questions such as ‘why are you here?’ or   ‘where do you come from?’ can be used to break the ice between two strangers. It is the eagerness in us to know our friend   and share about ourselves   with them which creates a perception about how comfortable we feel around them. Besides, do not be shy when you are introducing your origins or background. If you cannot accept yourself, how do you expect others to accept you?

Once in a while, have a good laugh with your friends which also help to strengthen the ties.  It does not have to be a heavy joke.  Sometimes, a small, unintentional act can make the group go wild and crazy. The feeling of seeing someone smile or laugh because of you and you are not embarrassed by it, is totally priceless. You should feel proud as you are the one who brought joy in their day. This precious moment will definitely lead to a special bonding with your friends.

Whether it’s food, music, talk or movies, it all comes down to the people themselves. An open mind is like a fortress with its gate unguarded or unbarred. An open minded person can easily get attached and adapted to someone. In time, people will grow fond of them. So, set aside your preferences and start to mix around. You never know, you might find your true love of a different background.