The International Spirit magazine

STUDENT TRAVEL IN AMERICA

From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam - America has it all, from its lowest point in Death Valley, California at 200 feet below sea level, to 20,000 feet of Mount McKinley in Alaska. It is a vast country spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean - almost three thousand miles across, the 50 united states contained within the borders of a single country more diverse in language, landscape and culture than some continents containing many countries. America is a true "melting pot" of cultures and peoples. Eskimos, Native American Indians, Irish, Italian, Asian, Mexican, Indian, African, British, Greek, Scandinavian. Every race is represented, all religions practiced in our land.

The United States is a young nation, just two hundred and ten years old, yet the influences of cultures thousands of years old are evident in the architecture and faces of those who represent them. One can see the towering structures of New York and other great cities and literally hours later find themselves in a deserted landscape containing the ruins of years ago. For example, historic Williamsburg, Virginia containing the rich evidence of history from the first settlers in America around 1607. It remains a beautiful, mostly rural area just a short distance from the nation's capital Washington D.C. where you can witness the governing of the nation on Capitol Hill, discover the American history at the Smithsonian Institute and check out the White House memorials and monuments. Las Vegas, a glitter and so-called "entertainment capital of the world", is located in the middle of the desert, hours from the nearest town, yet it receives millions of visitors a year, boasts over two hundred places to gamble, topless showgirls, glitzy hotels, fancy entertainers, dozens of wedding chapels and millions of dollars a day won and lost in casinos.

The beaches of California are legendary. The Rocky Mountains cut through the west offering clean air, jagged peaks, hiking, wildlife and some of the best skiing in the world. Hawaii is also part of the US, a garden paradise in the heart of the Pacific Ocean with its own history of kings and volcanoes and language more like Japanese than English.

One could go on for hours about the treasures America contains and at first it can be overwhelming to consider it all, daunting in its possibilities for the traveler. Most Americans do not ever see many of their homeland's wonders and attractions. Places like the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota are just two of the most popular sites that draw visitors each year and many smaller places remain largely ignored by even seasoned travelers. For instance, did you know there's a place where you can stand in one spot and be in four different states at the same time? (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah) or that the northern-most point in the U.S. is actually within the Arctic Circle? (Barrow, Alaska).

Do not be discouraged! Rather then thinking, "I'll never see it all! Why bother?" realize that even a lifetime of travel will not reveal all of nation's treasures. Instead, think of those places you've always wanted to see and start with them.

As a student in America, it is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the freedom and time to explore all the places you've ever longed to see or just wondered about. Just think of the magic of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you can join in the fun drinking and dancing on Bourbon Street while Dixie-land jazz fills the air! Or of Shakespeare under the stars in the Central Park in New York City - you can see it for free! Or white water rafting on the Colorado River - it's all yours to do. What do you dream about doing? What stories do you long to tell your friends at home of the exciting things you've experienced in America? Our classrooms do not stop at the walls on our campuses. The entire country is yours to discover and learn from. Francis Bacon said, "Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education... He that traveled into a country...go to school, and not to travel."

There are many ways in which to go about travel in America. These are all based on a number of factors including how much available time one has, how much ground one wishes to cover, where you want to go, and, of course, how much money is available for your travel plans. It is ridiculous to think that in several weeks with a limited budget you would be able to realize your dreams of, say, visiting all fifty states. In all likelihood you would just remember nothing but a blur of landscape and an ineligible impression of the inside of a bus or train. If faced with a limited budget or time to travel, it is a good idea to try staying in a certain area (i.e. the Pacific Northwest), and see everything in that area with a more leisurely agenda that would allow you to absorb it more thoroughly and subsequently enjoy and retain it that much more. Another alternative is to travel to a small number of "pockets" (or specific areas), for example, exploring the Northwest by traveling south and then exploring these regions. This allows more coverage without too much time in trains and assures greater enjoyment of these places you wish to experience. It is also a good idea to research your intended places of travel beforehand. This will avoid confusion and help with your agenda (You wouldn't want to arrive in New Orleans two day after Mardi Grass has ended because you were on the beach in Miami when you could have easily reversed your plans and gone to Miami afterwards to recuperate!). It is also important to plan ahead, especially if visiting an area during peak season when accommodations may be difficult to obtain or, if traveling by air, when no flights may be available. The following are things to think about and compare as to methods of travel you may consider:

AIR: This is the most expensive method of travel and will most likely place you in an urban setting where ground transportation will be your next concern as well as lodging. Unless well funded, air travel should be used only to reach otherwise inaccessible areas (i.e. Hawaii, Alaska, a different coast). Air travel costs vary significantly from day to day and even depending on what time of day you travel, if you fly one-way or round trip (round trip often costs less), or which airline you use. Many airlines offer special fares (with restrictions) and promotions. Student fares are often available from agencies on or near your campus. Students should check all possibilities for the best rates. Ask your airline too, if they offer special promotions or incentives, such as Visit USA coupons (VUSA).

RAIL: Train travel is a good way to cover considerable distances in relative comfort and for a decent price. Although air travel is, of course, faster, traveling by rail offers the opportunity to actually see the terrain you are traveling through. Multiple stops also offer the choice to see even more. Amtrak is the nation's leader in train travel and connects locally with other train service, buses and ground transportation in over 500 different cities. Call 1-800-872-7245 or 1-800-523-8720 toll free for more information.

BUS: A closer, if more uncomfortable way to see the landscape pass. Definitely cheaper and more accessible - one can catch a network of connecting buses right down to an exact street or destination. Buses go almost anywhere so you can actually do all your traveling by bus. It is a slower way to go and expect numerous stops on long trips. On a crowded bus it can be very uncomfortable. Check for cost and time tables with Greyhound and Trail Ways for long distance at 800-231-2222, or local companies for shorter distances. CAR: Traveling by car is one of the best ways to get around. It allows the freedom to come and go as you please, to travel as near or as far as you please, and to go where and when you want. Costs add up with gas, tolls and maintenance, but options exist. Rental Car: Compact cars range from a couple hundred per week and up, not including gas, and in many cases rental companies charge by the mile. Be careful as this could make the rental too costly. Some companies offer unlimited mileage at no extra cost. This should be checked.
Buy a Cheap Car: Buying a used car can actually cost less than some long-term rentals! Classified ads offer numerous bargains, and so do notices of police auction (Check the Sunday New York Times Metro Section). In both you may find a fairly used car at a reasonable price. Then, the country is yours! Make sure all the vehicle registration, insurance and driver's licenses are in order before you drive!
Auto Driveway: Is a good company with dozens of offices across the U.S. and Canada. For a small refundable deposit they will connect you with automobiles people need driven from one point to another (i.e. New York to Los Angeles). They pay for the first tank of gas and you drive the car for free while returning it to the owner at the end of your trip! Unfortunately, this process does not allow for too many side trips along the way, but is an ideal way to explore. Their office in New York is 212-967-2344 and they can direct you to offices in 34 other states and Canada.

Hitchhiking: While often dangerous, illegal and not generally recommended, especially for women, hitchhiking can be the cheapest and most exciting way to really see the country, meet people and wander where your heart dictates. Hitchhiking should never be done alone and if attempted is best done in pairs (i.e. two men, or one man and one woman), for safety. Also couples are more apt to be offered a ride than a lone male. Lone females or a couple of women together will often have no trouble finding rides, but dangers are high for women and should be anticipated. One or two women should not even attempt hitchhiking, but if done – special care should be taken. Do not hitch rides in dark places or with someone who makes you uncomfortable for any reason. Truck stops and rest stops are good areas to "talk" your way into a ride where you can look over someone instead of just climbing into an unknown car. Truckers often welcome the company and are quite good at long hauls. Having a clear sign painted with your destination is a must and it is generally a good idea to stay off major highways but to try to catch rides on entrance ramps or at rest stops. Remember we don't recommend this form o travel in America, but if you decide to be adventurous be also very careful and vigilant.
Fodors offers numerous tour/travel guides to almost every part of America and can be found at any bookstore along with many other helpful maps and guide books. The "Bible of the Budget Traveler" and, in our opinion, the most comprehensive guide book available are the "Let's Go!" editions published by Harvard Press. There are "Let's Go: U.S.A.", "Let's Go: Pacific Northwest" etc. Covering in amazing detail everything we have lightly touched in this article.

The International Spirit magazine- Vol. 4 No.1

FINANCIAL AID FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS - MARK KANTROWITZ

1. Financial Aid for Foreign Students<
   
2. Home Return Group
   
3. Buying a Stereo
   
4. Immigration Questions
   
5. Student Travel in America
   

Financial Aid for Foreign Students

Many international students want to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university located in the United States of America. A common concern of these students is how to pay for their education.

Unfortunately, there is very little financial aid available for foreign nationals to study in the US, with the possible exception of citizens of Canada and Mexico. Most grant, scholarships, and loans from public and private sources are restricted to US citizens. Some countries provide financial aid for their citizens to study in the US. And there may be some aid available from the US government for students from specific countries. US government student loans, however, are not available to foreign students. To find out if there is aby financial aid for students from your country, contact your embassy, the US department of State, and the US Information Agency.

Some US schools have direct exchange programs with their counterparts in foreign countries. Such exchange programs often include financial aid for the foreign student. To find out about these programs, ask your local university.

Foreign students who are already enrolled in a US university should start by visiting the International Student Advisor, Financial Aid Office, and career Planning & Placement Office.  For information about financial aid for foreign students. The campus library may also have some relevant books.

A publication you may find helpful is Funding for US Study - A Guide for foreign Nationals, published by the Institute for International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York,

NY 10017, telephone 212-883-8200. This publication lists more than 600 sources of funding for international students. Most of these programs, however, are for graduate and postdoctoral students. Octameron Associates publishes Scholarships for International Students. The most recent edition I’ve seen has a copyright date of 1988, which is somewhat old. There may be a more recent version. Other potentially useful publications include: College Board, College Handbook: Foreign Students Supplement; Gregory A. Barnes, The International Student’s Guide to the American University, National Textbook Company, Lincolnwood, IL, 1993, 208 pages. Includes a chapter on financial aid; A Selected List of Fellowship Oppurtunities and Aids to Advanced Education for U.S. Citizens and Foreign Nationals, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC, 1994; W. Wickremasinghe, Scholarships and Grants for Study or Research in the USA, American Collegiate Service, PO Box 442008, Houston, TX 77244, 1987.

An organization that may be able to provide some information is the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) located in Washington, DC. Call 202-462-4811 and ask for the "Recording on Financial Aid". This recording provides information for foreign students interested on studying in the US and US students who are interested in studying abroad. NAFSA does not provide any grants to foreign students, with the exception of a small grant program for students from East Central Europe (202-462-4811), the Baltic States (202-462-4811), or the former states of the Soviet Union (202-462-4811). Your school’s international student advisor should have information about these programs.

For graduate education, most support for international students is provided by the universities in the form of teaching assistantships and research assistantships. These assistantships are based on academic merit, not financial need. Write or call the university to get details.

The bottom line is that there is very little financial aid available, and many foreign students do not study in the US because they cannot afford the expense.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mark Kantrowitz is the editor of "Frequently Asked Questions about Student Financial Aid", a collection of answers to common questions about financial aid. He also maintains the Financial Aid Information Page on the World - Wide.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/mkant/Public/FinAid/finaid.html

Copyright © 1995 by Mark Kantrowitz. All rights reserved.

Home Return Group

Every year the International Student Organization (ISO) puts together the HOME RETURN GROUP.  This is a group of all international students and scholars who have concluded their course of study and are planning to return to their home country. 

Returning home is not a simple task.  You should "wrap" together 3-4 years of your student life and move back to your home country.  The graduating international student has many books, as well as tee-shirts, jeans and sneakers, after all you are returning from America.  Most of you will intend to purchase electric appliances and electronic devices that are usually cheaper in the USA than in most countries in the world.

This task is becoming more complicated.  As a returning student you need to contact so many dealers and service providers, such as appliances dealers, shipping companies, marine insurance agents, etc.  You should also check the customs regulations in your home country, and plan the "project" of returning home in details.

We, at ISO, can make this "project" simpler and easier!  Every year we organizes students who concluded their course of study and decide to return to their homes.  We announce a proposal for three contracts for the group: Marine shipment, marine insurance and 110/220 V electric & electronic appliances.  The organization reviews the different companies who compete for the contract and assesses their reliability and availability for such a student population from around the globe.

Most important, the group appoints a trustee, usually a distinguished professor or a professional accountant, who functions as the liaison between the group and the chosen service providers.  This is to assure that the student will not be left alone in front of the provider.  In case a problem arises, you have the strong back-up of the whole group, the trustee and the ISO.

IF YOU PLAN TO RETURN HOME SOON, and are interested in one or all of these services, please contact us at the ISO offices.  

THE SERVICE IS FREE FOR ISO MEMBERS.

BUYING A STEREO SYSTEM, MISSION POSSIBLE

Stereo, also known as High -Fidelity (Hi-Fi for short), what does it mean ?

Looking for the Words Stereophonic and Fidelity in my Franklin dictionary (electronic, of course), I found:

of, or relating to sound reproduction designed to create the effect of   listening to  the original.

Fi.del.i.ty :
1) The quality or state of being faithful.
2) Accuracy.

Music, the subject of high accuracy reproduction for over 40 years,Stereo systems the vehicle of reproduction.

Sitting in a Hi-Fi specialty shop in Manhattan, I could not bring my laboratory equipment to measure the accuracy of the system I was listening too. therefore I had to develop and use more practical tools to measure the system’s accuracy , High-fidelity .

I decided to use my ears asking the same questions I would ask if sitting in a live concert.

Do I like what I am hearing?

Is the music moving as it is when listening to a live performance?

Is the saxophone soothing my soul?

Does my favorite singer sound at his best tonight?

Am I enchanted by the music?

Here are a few questions that are totally irrelevant:

Do I have enough Treble?

Can I hear the drummer striking the Hyatt Cymbal?

These are questions I would never ask in a live concert, therefore why are they relevant at home?

In fact they are not! What’s relevant is, am I having Fun? Do I feel the music? Is it "alive"?

Buying a system suitable to your needs and budget is the key to a successful purchase.

So first let’s see what else is being offered under the category of Stereo Systems.

The fun and Joy of Home Theater

The latest addition to the Hi Fi world is the Home theater or as some call it: "Surround Sound".

Surround in itself means, using four speakers, or more, to achieve an affect of sound coming at you from all directions. Such an effect can be achieved by hooking an additional pair of speakers to your existing system (to the "speaker B "terminal) , yet it is not what is commonly referred to as Surround. "Real" Surround, also known as Dolby Pro Logic is the most basic surround available.

Dolby Pro Logic is an encoding and decoding system for movies. Listening to a system in Dolby Pro Logic (DPL) you must have the following factors:

The movie you are viewing must be recorded in D.P.L 

The transmission must be a minimum of Stereo (Stereo VCR or Stereo broadcast). In Israel, for example the broadcast is mono, and the Video tapes in the rental shops are mono, too, meaning you can not utilize D.P.L.

You must also have a receiver or preamp with the D.P.L decoding chip, known as a Dolby pro logic receiver.

Last but not least, you must use a pair of : front speakers on both sides of the TV ; a speaker called Center on top or below the TV; a pair of rear speakers on both sides of the listening seat and a Subwoofer to replicate low frequency noise.

Dolby Pro Logic systems are more complex in nature; they require many more components, making them much more expensive relatively to the quality aimed at.

Remember, 99% of all record material in D.P.L is for movies, not Music.

It is safe to say that D.P.L extends the movie experience while distorting the Music experience, as a result of more complex electric circuits distorting the Music from it’s original recording.

All the above translates to lower Fidelity with Music.

After the introduction of D.P.L to the market, a new chip which claims to be even more joy-enhancing with Movies named AC-3, or Dolby Digital is becoming the new fashion trend in the home theater world. The main difference between the two Dolbys are that the latest is recorded in 5 channels (verses 2 channels with DPL) , meaning a better separation and resolution with material recorded in AC-3.

AC-3 only works with Laser disc movies or DVD movies recorded in AC-3 , and of course requires an AC-3 receiver or processor. Having an AC-3 ready Receiver will not give you AC-3 results.

  Music lovers around the world are not happy with this "mostly made for movie "systems; so yet a newer chip is due out this winter. This chip aimed at serving as "Surround for Music" is known as DTS.

DTS is similar to AC-3 only it does not equalize the sound as much, it merely separates the sound into four channels very much like Quadraphonic recordings did in the 70’s .As with all Surrounds recordings, listening  to DTS requires material recorded in DTS.( very few labels are available)

A Surprising fact to most consumers is to learn that True Music lovers still do it the "old fashion way", Music lovers listen through conventional stereo systems.

A few good reasons to buy a straight forward two channel stereo system are:

1) A better quality system can be purchased with your money, being that there is no need for as many components to put a good system together.

2) Keeping it simple to operate is an old time favorite of many people who are not looking for one more gadget to complicate their life even more.

3) Higher Fidelity meaning the system is more faithful to all Music.

4) It is easier to convert a Stereo system in to a surround system than it is to reverse a surround system into a good music system.

5) Movies are not as important to some, as Music is, of those; some simply prefer to see full scale movies in a full scale Cinema.

To use Raffiky’s words to Simba , in The Lion King :"but, who are you ?"... What are your needs?

Are you Mr. Technology freak? ; A Movie enthusiast? ; A Music lover? ; Or perhaps you are a technophobe?

Buy the system for yourself, not for the neighbor, not for the party you will never have!

Questions that are relevant in determining Stereo needs:

What is my budget?

How loud do I listen?

Into what size of a room is the system going?

What music do I like?

What functions do I really use or need?

The above questions will be helpful in collaborating with an experienced expert/sales person to determine what system to listen to.

There are more than 50,000 products on the market today. You can’t ,and believe me, you do not want to, listen to them all ; Therefore narrowing your options based on the guidelines and knowledge above is essential for making a good decision and will not turn the purchasing process into a nightmare.

Following are quotes and ideas I chose and edited from what must be the most comprehensive guide to Stereo in the business today: "Good Sound" written by Laura Dearborn

Fidelity, Equity and the Hassle Factor .

Ed Woodard, a leading figure in the Hi Fi world has described the three following points to be the most relevant when buying a system:

Fidelity: The first element, , is self-explanatory.

Equity: Make sure you choose components of lasting value, not gimmick of fashion value.

Hassle Factor : Simply means that most listeners don’t want to spend their time constantly fussing and fiddling with their equipment, or waiting for it to come back from  the "latest" in a never-ending series of upgrades - they want to be listening to it.

Keep these three words in mind as you shop and they may help keep you out of trouble.

Choosing the Compromises

The reality is that not only do components reproduce imperfectly, but they also each reproduce differently (And even if the components were perfect, the room would add coloration that was not part of the original recording).

The basics include a natural midrange, tonal accuracy, the range of dynamic contrast from loud to soft (dynamic range), and resolution of low-level detail, which helps put the performance in a three-dimensional space within the air of the performing room. The absence of glare, brightness, hardness and similar irritations is also a basic.

If you are a chamber music or jazz listener, your compromises are likely to be quite different from those of someone who listens primarily to orchestral works or to rock.

Budget considerations and room realities also enter in.

Component Matching

Interactions between components often affect the sound as critically as the components themselves. The parts of a system must be assembled holistically. All components err; you want to be sure you don’t combine ones that all err in the same direction.

The same system, set up in two different rooms, can actually sound like two different systems.

When the sum is greater than the individual parts, this is known as a complimentary nonlinearly.

The manufacturer is trying to offer an attractive package and offer a lot of  "bang for the buck". High fidelity doesn’t have "bang" - it gives you music rather than fireworks. The manufacturer is very unlikely to be a great turntable designer and also great at speakers and amplifiers. So generally the components are assembled from a number of different manufacturers.

There are a few exceptions - notably some English and American companies.

However, this is very much the exception rather than the rule.

Therefore, you must use your judgment to select components that are well suited to your room, and that are successful at reproducing the kind of music you listen to the most.

This is especially likely with women, who tend to be more sensitive than men to such higher-frequency distortions.

All audio systems have their own characteristic sound, just as all water has some kind of taste. The particular taste of the water will flavor your tea or coffee, just as the "sound" of your sound system will flavor your music. The goal of high-end audio is to minimize the system’s "flavor", and then to make the residual flavor as euphonic and musical as possible, so as to interfere the least with the music.

Preparing to buy

Whatever you buy, however much you spend, there will always be something better.

Most people don’t know how to identify quality and so cannot readily see it. You can spend just as much or more on a mass-fi system and end up with far less quality and satisfaction. High-end equipment is so minimal that people may think they’re being taken for a ride with the high price.

System set up

You may be surprised how much better a system sounds just through the correct setup and placement.

The role of specs (Watts, OHM, Hz etc...)

The inexperience will laboriously compare and judge components by studying the specs sheets, happily ignorant of the half-truths and limitations of this approach.

Spec measurements are not taken using music but instead using a sine wave - a far simpler wave than music. It therefore cannot really effectively test how the component will behave with music.

Sometimes, the one that sounds better actually "specs out" worse.

Your ears change also in the sense that as you learn more about listening, you hear more details.

Dealing with dealers

You wouldn’t expect to be able to buy a fine musical instrument at a Woolworth’s or K-mart. You shouldn’t expect to find fine playback equipment there either. You should go to a place that specializes in audio equipment round and owned by Audio experts not just sales people selling Audio today and shoes tomorrow.

Travel around to half dozen different dealers, and chances are that you will hear as many different recommendations about what to get. Each will scorn the others’ advice.

A barrage of terminology is a potent weapon for the subjugation of gullible customers.

A retailer may try to switch you away from a new component in short supply.

Many dealers are more interested in selling you equipment than in selling you good sound.

High end stores are generally tiny businesses, often run by people who do it because they love audio.

To sum this quick guide to buying a Stereo System I will summarize and throw in a few more tips:

1)  Less is some times more , More lights buttons and features, Like in a typical Yamaha or Denon Receiver ,does not mean higher quality it only means  more gimmicks, and probably means more money spend , by the manufacture, on unnecessary features leaving less money to be spend on Fidelity. Some of the absolute best sounding equipment on earth is the most simple to use such as the American  amplifier company AMC, the Canadian company Sonic Frontiers, or British companies such as Arcam and Linn ;these products are practically  featureless , but sound terrific with Music & Movies, and are easy to use.

2) Don’t buy a tape deck if you can’t remember the last time you listened to one .If you need a tape get any descent Japanese Brand (Sony , JVC , Onkio..), this is one thing the Japanese do fairly well .

3) Equalizers are "out" , don’t buy one . with today’s fidelity results, good systems do not need an equalizer.

4) CD players do sound different, again the Japanese do a fair job with CD players, but then again to get superior results the Americans and British do a superior job with such companies as Alchemist, CAL, Theta, AMC, Anthem and many more.

5)When buying  Speakers under $1,000 don’t be concerned with how many drivers the speaker has or how many "ways" the speaker is ; neither bother with how many watts a speaker is rated at .Do Listen , Listen Loud ,if you wish, listen long, listen as you would listen in your own  investment ;           remember some of the better speakers on the planet do not necessarily spec-out  the best and are only of a "2-way" configuration such as the British Companies Castle, B&W, or American companies such as Al’on , Genesis, Meadowlark and many more . Here is the place to do the unspoken of and recommend against, the three giants in the speaker world: JBL, Bose and Infinity have some of what I would describe as the lowest Fidelity I ever heard. Not many mass-market speaker companies are left that actually produce a Hi Fidelity speaker. On this subject, one last point. Some see the products above other products used in live shows by professional musicians, don’t be confused, the equipment they use is of a totally different production line , costs much more then the home line and does not reflect the residential product line’s quality.

6) All Amplifiers, CD payers or Receivers do not sound the same, and are not comparable on specs evaluation alone. Once again some of the better sounding equipment will not necessarily spec well.

7) Specs are merely a marketing tool, you can not hear specs, listen to the music.

8) Chances are that some of the better manufactories of Hi Fi in the world you have never heard of, simply since those companies are not mass-marketed, such as the Japanese products.

In fact, some of the better Hi Fi systems in the world are American or British

9) There is no way to get accurate Music reproduction from a speaker the size of a dry-good-can, even when supported by a subwoofer .Try and listen to a decent size book shelf speaker (12x14x10) as a minimum in term of what size speaker to buy . Avoid Japanese speaker all together.

10) Remember, Surround is not a better stereo; stereo’s main goal is reproducing music in a way that is faithful to he source. Surround is a format "living" in parallel to Hi Fi and is mainly targeted at movies, where undistorted reproduction of the movie is priority, not Music reproduction.  

11) Bring your own CDs of well recorded acoustical Music to test the systems. Acoustical instruments are easy to relate to in reference term, in other words an electric guitar by design has different sounds and equalization levels, were a Grand piano, for example, has a coherent sound you can relate to and identify with.

12)  If you listen very loud or to extremely demanding Music such as ‘Trance" make it clear to the sales person for loudness and bass extenuation are  major "penalty points"  when buying a   Higher Music Quality  system under a budget.

13) Last but not least, find a sales person whom expertise you trust, listen to what advice given, and then as always listen to the MUSIC or MOVIE.

Immigration Questions answered by an Immigration Attorney

Mike Meier received his Masters Degree in Politics from the University of Berlin (Germany), and his J.D. and LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C.  He is one of the editors of a monthly law report, "International Law Update."  Mr. Meier practices immigration with AIS, Inc., a company that assists in obtaining green cards through investment.  If you have questions that you would like to have answered in this column, please fax them to (301) 513-5217, or call (301) 513-1705.

Currently, I do not have a valid U.S. visa.  I would like to apply for a green card, but have heard that there are legal changes under way that may affect my ability to obtain a legal status.

That is true.  The crucial provision is the so-called section 245(I) which permits people who are currently in the U.S. without a valid visa to adjust and become permanent residents.  To become legal under this provision, you must (1) have a legal basis for obtaining a U.S. green card (such as close relatives or the investor visa EB-5), and (2) pay a fine of $1,000.

As of November 7, 1997, the situation is uncertain.  Section 245(I) initially expired in September, and was provisionally extended.  It has been reported that the U.S. Congress will (1) terminate Section 245(I), (2) allow people who have filed their petition for permanent residency by a certain date (probably the date of the enactment of the law) to continue and file a Section 245(I) petition, and (3) allow people who wish to obtain a green card based on their employment to become permanent residents if they have been here illegally for a total of less than 180 days.

This is probably all pretty hard for your to understand.  What it means is that, if you don’t have a valid visa, and you are in the U.S. and would like to stay here, and have a basis for obtaining a green card (such as close relatives or investments), you should act quickly and file for adjustment of status to permanent resident.  Once Section 245(I) is gone, and you have not obtained legal status, you must leave the U.S. and will be barred from re-reentry for up to 10 years.

Since the situation is uncertain at this point, before taking any action, consult with immigration professional

What do you do if you don’t have a basis for becoming a U.S. resident?  Some companies help foreign individuals to obtain a U.S. green card through investment.  According to the Immigration Act of 1990, if someone invests $500,000 in a rural or high unemployment area, preserves or creates 10 jobs, puts the capital at risk, etc. may obtain a green card within a few months.  There are investment programs out there that can do it with an initial investment as low as $100,000.

Generally, for medical treatment your sister can obtain a B-2 visa (visitor for pleasure).  "Pleasure" in this case includes medical treatment.  It may be extended one time.  The visitor must be in the United States only temporarily and have a residence abroad.  The visitor must show a legitimate purpose (here: medical treatment), and a clear intention to depart prior to the end of the authorized stay.  Also, a B-2 visitor must show that adequate financial arrangements have been made to carry out the purpose of the visit. I seems to me, however, that a mental disease requires a long-term treatment, certainly a treatment of more than one year.  Some consular officer who receives your sister's visa application might turn it down on the above-mentioned grounds.  Therefore, I would advise you to consider other options, such as enrolling her in an academic program to obtain an F-1 visa.  Also, please be aware that physical or mental disorders that threaten the safety of others may be a reason for the INS to deny a visa.  At its discretion, the INS may grant a waiver and permit entry under special conditions.

STUDENT TRAVEL IN AMERICA / by Kevin Gallagher

From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam — America has it all, from its

lowest point in Death Valley, California at 200 feet below sea level, to 20,000 feet of Mount

McKinley in Alaska.  It is a vast country spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean – almost three thousand miles across, the 50 united states contained within the borders of a single country more diverse in language, landscape and culture than some continents containing many countries.  America is a true "melting pot" of cultures and peoples.  Eskimos, Native American

Indians, Irish, Italian, Asian, Mexican, Indian, African, British, Greek, Scandinavian...every race is represented, all religions practiced in our land.

The United States is a young nation, just two hundred and ten years old, yet the influences of cultures thousands of years old are evident in the architecture and faces of those who represent them.  One can see the towering structures of New York and other great cities and literally hours later find themselves in a deserted landscape containing the ruins of years ago.  For example, historic Williamsburg, Virginia containing the rich evidence of history from the first settlers in America around 1607.  It remains a beautiful, mostly rural area just a short distance from the nation's capital Washington D.C. where you can witness the governing of the nation on Capitol

Hill, discover the American history at the Smithsonian Institute and check out the White House memorials and monuments.

Las Vegas, a glitter and so–called "entertainment capital of the world", is located in the middle of the desert, hours from the nearest town, yet it receives millions of visitors a year, boasts over two hundred places to gamble, topless showgirls, glitzy hotels, fancy entertainers, dozens of wedding chapels and millions of dollars a day won and lost in casinos.

The beaches of California are legendary.  The Rocky Mountains cut through the west offering clean air, jagged peaks, hiking, wildlife and some of the best skiing in the world.  Hawaii is also part of the US, a garden paradise in the heart of the Pacific Ocean with its own history of kings and volcanoes and language more like Japanese than English.

 

One could go on for hours about the treasures America contains and at first it can be

overwhelming to consider it all, daunting in its possibilities for the traveler.  Most Americans do

not ever see many of their homeland's wonders and attractions.  Places like the Grand Canyon in

Arizona and Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota are just two of the most popular sites that draw

visitors each year and many smaller places remain largely ignored by even seasoned travelers.  For instance, did you know there's a place where you can stand in one spot and be in four different states at the same time? (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah) or that the northern–most point in the U.S. is actually within the Arctic Circle? (Barrow, Alaska).

Do not be discouraged! Rather then thinking, "I'll never see it all! Why bother?" realize that even a lifetime of travel will not reveal all of this nation's treasures.  Instead, think of those places you've always wanted to see and start with them.

As a student in America, it is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the freedom and time to explore all the places you've ever longed to see or just wondered about.  Just think of the magic of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you can join in the fun drinking and dancing on Bourbon Street while Dixie–land jazz fills the air!  Or of Shakespeare under the stars in the Central Park in New

York City––you can see it for free!  Or white water rafting on the Colorado River––it's all yours to do.  What do you dream about doing?  What stories do you long to tell your friends at home of the exciting things you've experienced in America?  Our classrooms do not stop at the walls on our campuses.  The entire country is yours to discover and learn from.  Francis Bacon said,

"Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education...  He that traveleth into a country...goeth to school, and not to travel."

There are many ways in which to go about travel in America.  These are all based on a number of factors including how much available time one has, how much ground one wishes to cover, where you want to go, and, of course, how much money is available for your travel plans.  It is ridiculous to think that in several weeks with a limited budget you would be able to realize your dreams of, say, visiting all fifty states.  In all likelihood you would just remember nothing but a blur of landscape and an ineligible impression of the inside of a bus or train.  If faced with a limited budget or time to travel, it is a good idea to try staying in a certain area (i.e. the Pacific Northwest), and see everything in that area with a more leisurely agenda that would allow you to absorb it more thoroughly and subsequently enjoy and retain it that much more.  Another alternative is to travel to a small number of "pockets" (or specific areas), for example, exploring the Northwest by traveling south and then exploring these regions.  This allows more coverage without too much time in trains and assures greater enjoyment of these places you wish to experience.  It is also a good idea to research your intended places of travel beforehand.  This will avoid confusion and help with your agenda (You wouldn't want to arrive in New Orleans two day after Mardi Grass has ended because you were on the beach in Miami when you could have easily reversed your plans and gone to Miami afterwards to recuperate!).  It is also important to plan ahead, especially if visiting an area during peak season when accommodations may be difficult to obtain or, if traveling by air, when no flights may be available.  The following are things to think about and compare as to methods of travel you may consider.

AIR:  This is the most expensive method of travel and will most likely place you in an urban setting where ground transportation will be your next concern as well as lodging.  Unless well funded, air travel should be used only to reach otherwise inaccessible areas (i.e. Hawaii, Alaska, a different coast).  Air travel costs vary significantly from day to day and even depending on what time of day you travel, if you fly one–way or round trip (round trip often costs less), or which airline you use.  Many airlines offer special fares (with restrictions) and promotions.  Student fares are often available from agencies on or near your campus.  Students should check all possibilities for the best rates.  Ask your airline too, if they offer special promotions or incentives, such as Visit USA coupons (VUSA).

RAIL:  Train travel is a good way to cover considerable distances in relative comfort and for a decent price.  Although air travel is, of course, faster, traveling by rail offers the opportunity to actually see the terrain you are traveling through.  Multiple stops also offer the choice to see even more.  Amtrak is the nation's leader in train travel and connects locally with other train service, buses and ground transportation in over 500 different cities.  Call 1–800–872–7245 or 1–800–523–8720 toll free for more information.

BUS:  A closer, if more uncomfortable way to see the landscape pass.  Definitely cheaper and more accessible––one can catch a network of connecting buses right down to an exact street or destination.  Buses go almost anywhere so you can actually do all your traveling by bus.  It is a slower way to go and expect numerous stops on long trips.  On a crowded bus it can be very uncomfortable.  Check for cost and time tables with Greyhound and Trail Ways for long distance at 800–231–2222, or local companies for shorter distances.

CAR:  Traveling by car is one of the best ways to get around.  It allows the freedom to come and go as you please, to travel as near or as far as you please, and to go where and when you want.

Costs add up with gas, tolls and maintenance, but options exist.

Rental Car:  Compact cars range from a couple hundred per week and up, not including gas, and in many cases rental companies charge by the mile.  Be careful as this could make the rental too costly.  Some companies offer unlimited mileage at no extra cost.  This should be checked.

Buy a Cheap Car:  Buying a used car can actually cost less than some long–term rentals!

Classified ads offer numerous bargains, and so do notices of police auction (Check the Sunday New York Times Metro Section).  In both you may find a fairly used car at a reasonable price.  Then, the country is yours!  Make sure all the vehicle registration, insurance and driver's licenses are in order before you drive!

Auto Driveway:  Is a good company with dozens of offices across the U.S. and Canada.  For a small refundable deposit they will connect you with automobiles people need driven from one point to another (i.e. New York to Los Angeles).  They pay for the first tank of gas and you drive the car for free while returning it to the owner at the end of your trip!  Unfortunately, this process does not allow for too many side trips along the way, but is an ideal way to explore.  Their office in New York is 212–967–2344 and they can direct you to offices in 34 other states and Canada.

Hitchhiking:  While often dangerous, illegal and not generally recommended, especially for women, hitchhiking can be the cheapest and most exciting way to really see the country, meet people and wander where your heart dictates.  Hitchhiking should never be done alone and if attempted is best done in pairs (i.e. two men, or one man and one woman), for safety.  Also couples are more apt to be offered a ride than a lone male.  Lone females or a couple of women together will often have no trouble finding rides, but dangers are high for women and should be anticipated.  One or two women should not even attempt hitchhiking, but if done – special care should be taken.  Do not hitch rides in dark places or with someone who makes you uncomfortable for any reason.  Truck stops and rest stops are good areas to "talk" your way into a ride where you can look over someone instead of just climbing into an unknown car.  Truckers often welcome the company and are quite good at long hauls.  Having a clear sign painted with your destination is a must and it is generally a good idea to stay off major highways but to try to catch rides on entrance ramps or at rest stops.  Remember we don't recommend this form of travel in America, but if you decide to be adventurous be also very careful and vigilant.

Fodors offers numerous tour/travel guides to almost every part of America and can be found at any bookstore along with many other helpful maps and guide books.  The "Bible of the Budget

Traveler" and, in our opinion, the most comprehensive guide book available are the "Let's Go!" editions published by Harvard Press.  There are "Let's Go: U.S.A.", "Let's Go: Pacific Northwest" etc.  Covering in amazing detail everything we have lightly touched in this article.

So, for anyone even considering augmenting you education with travel in the United States, we say "Go for it, and the time is now."  There is no better time than when you are a young student to take advantage of the opportunity to see things for yourself, to marvel at the history of Alamo, or surf the North Shore in Hawaii, or catch lobster in Maine.

Life is rich in experiences just waiting to be lived and we are sure you will not be disappointed if you take the time to explore and discover this great country––in fact, we are sure you find it full of memories and experiences you will never forget.

Remember – Do not forget to consult the "INTERNET" before you travel.  There are numerous sites, full of information and useful tips, on almost every place in the USA.

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine-Vol. 4 No.2

Immigration Questions answered by an Immigration Attorney

Mike Meier received his Masters Degree in Politics from the University of Berlin (Germany), and his J.D. and LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C.  He is one of the editors of a monthly law report, "International Law Update."  Mr. Meier practices immigration with AIS, Inc., a company that assists foreign individuals in obtaining green cards through investment.  If you have questions that you would like to have answered in this column, please fax them to (301) 513-5217, or call (301) 513-1705.

The information provided herein is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal advice, please consult a qualified immigration attorney.

Immigration law is becoming increasingly complicated and confusing. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRAIRA) has added restrictions and requirements that have not yet been explored in practice.   Here is an overview of several important immigration issues that may affect you as you are continuing or completing your studies in the United States:

If you are pursuing advanced studies in the U.S. and wish to obtain professional employment:  After you complete your studies and receive an offer of employment, you may be able to obtain an H1-B visa.  The current problem is that only 65,000 such visas are available every year.  That number (“cap”) is usually reached in the Spring. The INS announced in May that it would stop accepting H1-B visa applications for the fiscal year 1998. Therefore, if you apply for an H1-B visa in the late Spring, you would have to wait until October 1 (when the H1-B visas for the fiscal year 1999 become available) to start working.  Please note that you cannot work before the effective date of the visa. On May 18, however, the U.S. Senate passed an increase of the H1-B “cap” (Senate Bill S. 1723). If the House of Representatives eventually agrees, then it might soon become easier to obtain an H1-B visa. Also, it might become possible to obtain such a visa with an effective date before October 1.

- If you have a J Visa: The J Visa usually comes with a 2-year “home-stay requirement.”  It requires you to return to your home country for at least 2 years after you have completed your academic program in the U.S. It is very difficult to obtain a “waiver” and be able to stay in the U.S. when that requirement applies, even when your spouse and children are American.  On February 17 of this year, the INS issued a memorandum, stating that it will accept “adjustment of status” applications from such individuals, provided that the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) has recommended a waiver. The memorandum explains that a waiver may be based on (1) a request by an interested U.S. Government Agency; (2) a request by a State Department of Public Health on behalf of a foreign medical graduate who will practice in a medically underserved area for 3 years; (3) a statement from the government of the country of the applicant’s nationality or legal foreign residence that it has no objection to a waiver; (4) the claim that it would impose an exceptional hardship on the applicant’s U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse or child, or subject the applicant to persecution.

- If you would like to obtain a Green Card through investment: For those who have substantial assets at their disposal, there is a shortcut to becoming a “permanent resident” (Green Card) in the U.S.   Under Section 203(b)(5) of the 1990 Immigration Act, you and your immediate family may obtain permanent residence (Green Card) by investing $500,000 under certain conditions in an economically distressed area.  Usually, part of the legally required investment can be financed by way of bank loans.  Because there are less applicants every year than there are Green Cards available for this program, it is the quickest and easiest way of obtaining a Green Card.  Since the Fall of 1997, the INS has issued memoranda, describing the requirements for this program in more detail.  Many provisions have become more strict.  For example, the investment must be commercially “at risk” – there cannot be any guaranteed returns on the investment.  The INS had put all such applications for permanent residence on “hold” for some time, but has also permitted attorneys to amend applications and adapt them to the new INS interpretations.  The processing of such applications should go back to normal very soon.  The INS has established a special team to make up for the backlog within a few weeks.

- If you currently in the U.S. but do not have a valid visa:   Because of IIRAIRA, foreign nationals without valid visas are in a difficult situation.  It is no longer possible to remedy the situation by paying a fine (as was possible under the so-called Section 245(i)).  Moreover, foreign individuals who have been “unlawfully present” for more than 180 days are inadmissible for 3 years.  Those who have been “unlawfully present” for 1 year or more are inadmissible for 10 years.  If that is the case for you, you should definitely consult a qualified immigration attorney to determine your alternatives.

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine-Vol. 5 No.1

1. From the Editor’s Desk
   
2. Demystifying herbal medicine: what works, what doesn’t…
   
3. How to turn on your relaxation power
   
4. Purchase 101
   

From the Editor’s Desk

Dear International Student,

Welcome to the 1999 Spring semester – the last Spring in this millennium!!!

We would like to wish you a happy new year. May this year be full of excitement, fun and mind-broadening experiences.

We are proud to present you with the Spring 1999 issue of International Spirit magazine – the newsletter of ISO International Student Organization. ISO was established by international students to serve international students. The organization represents the needs of its members and provides them with services they need, information they seek (Yes, also about scholarships and grants), and assistance they may require. The goal of our organization is to serve and inform the large body of international students in the United States. The list of ISO members services (below) speak for itself. Most information and services are available to you at this time on our new web-site – www.isoa.org. You are invited to visit our site today!

We would like to thank the thousands of international students who joined ISO and enjoy our services. Special thanks to the international student advisors in your colleges and universities. It is their continuous support that brings ISO to you.

Lastly, we in ISO hope this magazine will assist you in your educational endeavor in the USA. We would like to hear your opinion about this magazine, and about ISO services. Please do not hesitate to contact us if there are any other services you would like ISO to provide you with. If you are not a member yet, we will be delighted to see you among our satisfied members very soon.

Jack Mount
Editor

It often comes as a shock to people that a vast majority of most commonly prescribed drugs are derived from plans, roots, herbs and flowers. Other natural agents have been synthetically copied in the laboratory. For example, the active ingredient is salicina, which is derived from willow bark… and doxin, the most widely prescribed heart medicine, comes from foxglove plant. But not all herbal medications are effective… nor do they have equivalent effects on every person. Just as most drugs must be taken with caution, so should herbs. The word ‘natural’ does not automatically mean safe or potent. Herbal preparations come in a number of different formulations, varieties and dosages. It is most important for your health to educate yourself about what herbs can and cannot do… and use them as carefully as you would any medicine.

ECHINACEA
Echinacea is a herb that grows on grassland, in open woods and infields. It is used to bolster the immune system – and, on skin, to promote wound healing. One of its primary uses has been in treating recurrent viral infections – colds, and flu. In Europe, Echinacea has been studied extensively and its beneficial effects have been documents in scientific studies.

Dosage: Echinacea comes in tablet, lead and tincture forms. I prefer the tincture – 15 to 20 drops added to water and taken every four hours.

Because some studies suggest that Echinacea should not be used for longer than two weeks (this is controversial), I advise my patients not to continue it beyond that time. Please note that the Echinacea should be avoided by anyone with an autoimmune disorder such as lupus or multiple sclerosis.

FEVERFEW
Feverfew is a member of the chrysanthemum family and a plant native to Europe. It is widely used to prevent migraine headaches and has been helpful to sufferers of arthritis, menstrual cramps and depression. The Canadian government recently authorized the sale of feverfew for migraine prevention as a traditional herbal remedy.

Dosage: Feverfew is available in fresh lead and tablet form. I recommended that my patients take three tablets daily (up to a total of 100 mg) for several months to as long as two to three years. Side effects are rare, although mouth ulcers have been reported. It is important that you read the label to ensure that each tablet contains one whole leaf extract and at least 0.2% parthenolide, the active ingredient in feverfew.

GINKGO BILOBA
Ginkgo Biloba – from the leaves of the ginkgo tree – is used to relax the walls of blood vessels and promote blood flow to the brain, heart and legs. Studies have linked it to an improvement in blood flow as much as 70%, as well as to improved memory and cognitive function.

Dosage: The optimal daily does and formulation vary, but I recommend the tablets – 160 mg to 240 mg daily, taken in two doses.

Warning: Like anticoagulant medications and aspirin, ginkgo Biloba thins the blood and prevents it from clotting. So, ginkgo Biloba should never be taken if you are taking these medicines unless you speak to your doctor first.

GINSENG
Ginseng roots have been used for thousands of years to improve wellbeing, energy and athletic ability and to increase, one’s sexual drive. The active ingredient in ginseng is ginsenosides, which contain steroid – like substances. Ginseng preparations vary greatly in potency. In fact, a recent study found that among several brands, 60% were worthless and 25% contained no active ingredients.

I do not need to recommend ginseng because data supporting its effectiveness are lacking… and there have been reports linking ginseng to insomnia, diarrhea, vagina bleeding and painful breasts.

ST. JOHN’S WORT
St. John’s Wort is a weed that has been used for centuries to counter anxiety and mild depression. Its recent popularity is due to evidence from more than 20 published studies showing its effectiveness in mild-to-moderate depression.

Dosage: One 300 mg capsule (containing 0.3% hypericin, its active ingredient) daily, or 15 to 20 drops of tincture. St. John’s Wort should not be used without first seeing a doctor. It also should be avoided by pregnant women… and should never be used in combination with any other antidepressant. Side effects include mild stomach discomfort, fatigue and dizziness.

SAW PALMETTO
Saw Palmetto is a plan whose berries appear to help men with a condition called benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate). Recent studies confirm that its effects are as good as any non surgical treatment currently available.

Dosage: I recommend to my patients two 160 mg capsules, twice daily. Look for the words fatty acid or lipophilic extract on the label. These are the herb’s active ingredients.

BEFORE YOU BUY Unfortunately, there’s no way to be absolutely certain about any herbal product – since they are classified as foods rather than drugs in this country, and they aren’t regulated. However, several reputable companies use high standards and quality control in their manufacturing process. Use these simple guidelines before you buy…

1. *Look for the word standardized on the label. This means that the company followed some quality guidelines in the manufacturing process.
   
2. *Read ingredients. Many preparations contain additional chemicals – such as caffeine, laxatives and even steroids – that can interact with other medications you may be taking and render them toxic or ineffective.
   
3. *Use the tablet or tincture formulations. Drinks, energy bars and teas typically contain less than optimal doses and tend to be less potent.
   
4. *Always talk to your physician before taking any herbal medicine, even if the herbal medicine seems innocuous. It is also important to learn if it can interact with other medicines (or other herbs) you are taking.
   

Despite all the talk about stress and the damage it can do to our health, we still equate skill and success with speed and hard driving, forceful behavior. Many people avoid relaxation techniques for fear that if they relax, they lose their competitive edge. In reality, you will feel better when you are mentally and physically relaxed–and you will also perform much, much better. The key is to learn to relax the right way, so that relaxation does not make you lethargic, lazy or apathetic but instead happier, more efficient and much more effective.

THE POWER OF RELAXATION

Relaxation puts less strain on your body and allows your mind to think clearly. When your body and mind are relaxed, you are better able to realize your potential at work, in sports and even in personal relationships. And the people with whom you come in contact will be more relaxed, too.

In sports, tense muscles are easily strained and torn… relaxed muscles are less vulnerable to injury. Athletes stretch and warm up before going into action for good reason. Tension interferes with concentration–and throws off coordination. Experienced golfers and tennis players prize the state of alert and relaxation that gives them pinpoint control over each movement. And relaxation enhances endurance.

Relaxation brings similar advantages when mental effort is involved. Tension is the enemy of clear thinking. The anxious mind is constantly distracted, having to manage a wide range of worries and preoccupations rather than focusing on what is truly important. You cannot see the big picture while obsessively trying to focus on what has to be done.

The quality of your decision is always better when you are not tense. The relaxed mind makes you more open to input from others, so you are less likely to act out of persona biases and blind spots. The furrowed brow, fast breathing and rapid movements of people who are tense generate tension and anxiety in the people around them. The tension is reflected back and fort among these people, creating a feedback loop of anxiety that often leads to hostility.

Relaxation is very contagious. It helps others to be much more accepting of you and your ideas. Confrontation can be turned into a harmonious and productive situation through a clearly relaxed demeanor. Relaxed people perform better in teams. For example, imagine a senior executive comes roaring into a manager’s office, upset about a failure in communication. By consciously remaining clam, the manager can gather information, consider options and suggest a rational solution. Little by little, the senior executive’s agitation ebbs and the relaxed atmosphere makes him/her realize that the problem is not as bad as he though.

CREATING A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE
The difference between tension and relaxation is control. If you want to relax, you must limit the number of surprises in your life. Use preparation and anticipation to take control of your life. Arrange your life so you will be in control. It has been shown that about 5% of most people’s relationships cause 80% of the tension in their lives. Some "high-maintenance" friendships can be dropped. Think of the conditions under which you enjoy spending time with the colleague or family member, and arrange to interact with him/her on these levels. If tensions arise after several hours of being with relatives, arrange shorter get-togethers. Going out to eat, rather than having your family to your house, may give you more control over the dynamics and the amount of time you spend together.

Lighten your load at school or work. Like runners who pace themselves, you will go father if you do not push yourself to the edge all the time. When too many tasks crowd in one another, you cannot concentrate in a relaxed way. There is too much unfinished business in the back of your mind constantly crying, "Don’t forget about me!" Study weeks before your final exams; do not leave it all to the very last week before the exam. Before the exam you should review the materials not study it for the first time.

It may be very helpful to list your daily and weekly tasks at school or work and note which ones cause you a disproportionate amount of stress. Are there task that can be shared with your friends? Make space in your schedule. By creating time for yourself or specific tasks, you will be able to devote much more of your energy to what is truly important. You will also find you are able to perform in a relaxed state of mind. Most important thing to consider would be to always plan ahead!

When you are relaxed, you improve your relationships with those who are closest to you. For example, in a two-career family, one spouse often comes home before the other. If she/he prepares a relaxed environment, the other partner is likely to ease into the loosened-up mode, even if he walks in feeling anxious, fatigued and bedraggled. Then both of you can stay relaxed.

LEARNING TO RELAX
Even when you feel anxious, it is often possible to slow down your agitation and become calm by implementing effective self-regulation strategies. Just a little success in this area pays great dividends.

• Notice where tension lives in your body. Some people feel tight muscles in their neck and shoulders. Others clench their fists. Still others furrow their brows or "knot up" their stomachs. Become aware when your personal "tension alarm" goes off. Turn your attention to those areas. Just thinking about them will cause you to lighten up a little.
  
• Breathe deeply – like a relaxed person. When your tension alarm goes off, consciously slow down your breathing. Inhale slower… and deeper. Feel the air moving in and out of your body in a clam, regular way, and you will literally feel yourself relax.
  
  
• Imagine your breath going right into your area of tension – your tightened neck or knotted-up stomach or back as you inhale. As you exhale, think of the tension going out with your breath.
  
  
• Slow down your walk and talk. Many people talk too quickly when they are trying to explain a complex issue or when they are nervous. They are trying to get all the details out and show that they have smart strategies for solving problems. They think that talking fast will keep them from appearing to be nervous or suffering an anxiety attach. During study take a break; drink something cold, allow yourself to relax in from of the TV. During an exam take a candy or go to the bathroom and wash your face with cold water.
  
  ,
• Think of images that cause you to relax. Choose favorite scenes that you equate with relaxation – a beach at sunrise, a forest deep in the mountains or a tranquil blaze in a fireplace. Project these images in your mind when you are tense. Mobilize the relaxing power of these images. Keep an object on your desk that symbolizes relaxation for you… a shell that you found during an island vacation, for example. Or hang a picture of a relaxing scene.
  
  
• Playing soothing music in the background when you work helps your mind – and your body – to relax at once. Music drifts into our subconscious and has great hidden powers to make us unwind.
  
  
• Combine music and deep breathing before an exam… before a big meeting… before a confrontation… or being any other tension-producing situation. The more relaxed and measured your behavior is, the less stress you will put on your body and mind.
  
  

Purchase 101

1. Watch out for Sale or Sales – it is the most overused word in the English language when it comes to advertising. Over 80% of so-called sales are just bait to get you into the store where high pressure salespersons can go to work.
2. A store that has more than six sales per year has their markup too high in the first place.
3. Time-payment stores, as a general rule, carry low-end merchandise with high interest or carrying charges. Some stores are really finance companies selling goods as a means to get your credit and charge you 24% interest or whatever your state allows.
4. "90 days free interest" – a year’s free interest without any payments for one year are all tip-offs to very high markup on the item. There is no such thing as free lunch. Ask for the best "cash and carry" price and you will what the real cost is.
5. Snob-nose stores are usually located in the best sections of town with high rental charges, they have the best displays and usually a decorator or two on the payroll. They sell overpriced, so-called "name brands", with markups at 100-150% over cost. They offer free gifts and send you a Christmas card and give you the VIP treatment like – and you (of course) pay for it!
6. "Bait and Switch" is a very old practice and is done by running advertising on the name brand merchandise and a good salesman can switch you to something that costs the company less so their profit will justify the cost of the ad. This is common, for example, in bedding where the store runs the ad on "name brand mattresses" and switches you to a private brand where the profit is higher. The salesman gets a much higher commission if he can shift you.
7. Beware of "OPEN BOX" or "REFURBISHED" products, especially in electronics stores. Open box and refurbished products were returned to the manufacturer either as returned items or defected. The manufacturer then repaired them and marked them as such. They are supposed to be sold to the customer at a reduced price, with the manufacturer’s warranty. However, some stores are tempted to remove the "refurbished" marks and sell you the item at a great "sale" price (which leaves the store with a greater profit). Yes, it is illegal. Yes, many such cases are reported every year. Don’t buy open box items at full price. Always ask for a sealed box. And although refurbished items may present great deals, with high saving to you, be suspicious of boxed where some labels are removed, or where the warranty is not original.

The International Spirit magazine-Vol. 5 No.2

1. America is a Foreign Country
   
2. Obtaining Lowest Travel Fairs
   
3. Welcome to America
   

ISO would like to thank Tamara L. Mckenzie for sharing her experience with us.

AMERICA IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY -

An inside account of the differences I faced while schooling in the U.S.
Tamara L. Mckenzie  

It was like being alone on a deserted island.  I remembered it all too clearly...

January 4, I boarded Delta Airlines with tears in my eyes, after saying goodbye to my family. I was leaving my home country in the Bahamas to further my education in  Georgia, but in my opinion, I was going somewhere I knew fitting in would be a problem, and everything would be different.

     I was an international student, who not by choice, but because of not offering four year bachelor degree programs back home, decided to obtain my Undergrad Degree in the United States. If only someone had forewarned me to bring a neck brace, because the culture shock I would experience would be enough to give me whip lash.

     Arriving at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro,  I knew no one besides my brother, who came with me and helped me settle in. After he left, I thought it was the beginning of the end.  I was afraid and  felt helpless. All that my  family and friends back home had told me, such as "watch your back," "study hard," "hide your wallet," and "don’t forget what you’re there for," echoed continuously through my mind.  I was restless, unable to sleep, eat, or concentrate in classes. All I wanted to do was go home, not to mention that it was around 60 degrees, and to me, this was cold.  At 60 degrees or lower in the Bahamas, it was time to break out some jackets.

     As the weeks passed, I tried to settle into classes. I made a few friends, but still found it difficult to adjust. I was not used to having people shove flyers in my face everywhere I went on campus, telling me I’m a sinner, while at the same time persuading me to join their "religious sects" and associations. I wondered if the word "new student" had been branded on my forehead, because it seemed like everyone was plaguing me. There was even one guy who said "I know you’re new," and called me a crab. I later found out this was the name they gave to new students.

     I could not believe that it was so obvious I was a new student, then again I wondered if the look of fear on my face gave it away.  My mail box was filled with information for international students... obtaining a Georgia drivers license, getting the right insurance coverage, maintaining immigration status, and overcoming culture shock.

     I constantly lied to my parents whenever they called and told them that everything was fine, when in fact, too much was going on. I felt like a brick wall ready to crack.  I was unable to handle all of the cultural differences I was facing, especially the tight workload of the quarter system; having tests, assignments, research projects, topped off with a final, all crammed into 10 weeks of classes. How was I suppose to survive? I was used to the 15-week semester system where I had time to absorb my work and remember what I learned. I prayed for a change, and thank God by August, my prayers had been answered, when most colleges in Georgia switched over to semesters.

     At times, I felt like I was the only international student feeling this pinch of culture shock, later on, I found out I was wrong. International student, Minerva Hughes, who hails from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, had differences of her own, but they were mainly economic. She mentions that "the sales tax added to the price of goods often confused me when making purchases," adding that ‘back home, the price on a product is the exact price you pay for it."  Minerva also feels that money "comes by easily" for many American college students, as many of them ride around in nice flashy cars, whereas, "back in St. Thomas, most students could not afford a car, and either had to walk to school or catch the bus."

     Minerva says that she would prefer to work in the U.S. after completing college, but "I would definitely retire back home," she says.

     Geetha Ramasuamy from South India, outlined some of the cultural differences she faced since being here in the U.S., saying that "in India, one would have to gain respect according to how they behave." "My culture is more strict than in the United States," she said, mentioning that in India, they dress more conservatively. "You would never see a girl in India wearing tank tops and mini skirts."

     Geetha says that "dating is also not casual, "we try to make on person happy and make a relationship work." she said.

       Arriving in the U.S. eight years ago without knowing how to speak a word of English, Ivette Vargas, from Panama, knows all too well about social differences and fitting in. Ivette took two years to really master the English language.  Ivette describes her friendships as "cold" and "un-lasting," mentioning that she only had friends during the quarter, but "after the quarter ended, so did the friendship." ""In Panama, friendships lasted forever," she said.

     Other experiences that Ivette faced since being here that came as a shock was the idea of gathering at the dinner table for dinner.  Ivette mentions that "in Latin America, eating daily at the dinner table is very important."  "It is seen as a way to bring family members together at the end of the day,  but in the U.S., its not practiced that often, or even at all." she said.

     I wondered what experiences a faculty member, rather than a student would have fitting in. Would it be easier, because they were more mature and older? Would they encounter fewer differences? Or would their experiences be the same?

     Art King, co-ordinator at the office of Multi-Cultural Programs at Georgia Southern University, who hails from Christ Church Barbados, describes his experiences upon arrival to Statesboro in 1992 as "awful."

    Mr. King confessed that when he arrived at Savannah airport and took the drive to Statesboro, he almost cried. "I pictured Statesboro to be a large city with skyscrapers. Whenever I visited the United States it was New York City, and I thought the entire U.S. was this way. I soon came to the realization that I would be schooling in the country, and it would take getting use to."  Mr. King says that Many months his phone bill exceeded $500, as he was always calling family and friends back home.  Everything in the United States seemed so superficial, including friends, which I always happened to lose track of at the end of the quarter."

     Mr. King also touched on differences in teaching.  He said that students in the U.S. challenged the professor and voiced their views more often.  They also have complaints, and ask a lot of questions; whereas in Barbados, "students are afraid to ask questions because they feel they are coming across as stupid.  No one complains to the professor, because whatever the professor says is the gospel." He added that, in Barbados, strict policies toward schooling are enforced, "no one is given a second chance if they mess up academically. If you fail your classes and don’t work hard, you will be kicked out." he said.

     Aside from the teaching differences, the most shocking experience he has faced was being called a nigger to his face by a 5-year-old.  He says he was not offended by this because that word in his country is used very casually, but he was still surprised to see it being used by a 5-year-old in the U.S. where he knew it was considered to be offensive.   

     I could relate all too well with certain experiences that these internationals were going through, but I still continued to have shocking encounters of my own.  

     I was homesick, and whenever I ran across people or situations that reminded me of  home, I would  tremble and sometimes cry, wishing I was home again.  Everything that was done in the United States came as a shock to me. It would tear me apart whenever I said hello to someone and they would not respond, although they looked me straight in the eyes. The few times I was greeted I found it weird that all I would get was a  "Wuss up." I stopped in my tracks at one time when I was greeted with "hey bitch," from a total stranger.  This all made me wonder whether informal greetings of  "hi" or "hello" were used anymore.  Accustomed to always greeting people back home, regardless of whether I knew them or not, I continued to say hello to people who acted as if I was invisible or crazy to actually be talking to them.

     I realized that the word "Nigger" had negative connotations in the United States, whereas back home it was common to refer to another black person as nigger.

   My accent gave everything away.  As soon as I opened my mouth to say one syllable, everyone knew I was not American; this resulted in  a slight communication barrier. At times I had, and still have to repeat myself continuously before some people understand what I’m saying. This does not really bother me, because I do not understand either what some Americans are saying, especially if they have that "Southern drawl." What really bothered me were those people who pretended to understand me, when in fact they didn’t, and were too ashamed to ask me over and over again; what did you just say?

     I was also not eating the food I was used to eating back home.  Fast food, instead of a cooked meal, and drinking sweet tea was all new to me. Even if I sampled the American "soul food," it tasted bland and un-seasoned.

     I was shocked to meet people who did not take college life seriously, and wanted to party every weekend.  Back home, college life was hitting the books, forget about a social life.

     Regardless of my experiences, I am still trying to learn more about the American way of life and culture, in order not to feel like an outcast.  Georgia Southern University  has helped me a lot with the many programs offered for international students.  Mark Tubbeh, co-ordinator of international student programs at GSU says that "helping international students adjust is our main goal, and we will do anything to help an international student fit in." They have proved this because I now have a mentor who can help me with any problems I may encounter.  I have joined the International Club and Caribbean Student Association.  Two weeks of the year are even designated for international students at GSU, as well as in the Statesboro community.  From Joining these clubs, I have met other international students who have faced and still continue to have the same problems that I did.  I am more comfortable knowing that I am not the only one, and can be around others who "really" understand how I feel and what I’m going though.

           I am slowly beginning to realize that adjusting and fitting in takes time, and things are going to be different from back home.  I would  imagine that an American would have some complaints if they were to move from the U.S. to The Bahamas. I have also realized that the experiences I have gone through have made me a stronger person. I now know what to expect in certain situations, and have come to the realization that I’m not the only international student here in the U.S. and I’m not at home, so I have to deal with various situations as best as I can.

     Its been nine months now since being in the U.S. and four weeks since I arrived in Statesboro. I learn something new everyday about the American culture, and have even found myself picking up slangs such as "for real," to express something unbelievable,  and "tight," to describe something that looks good.  I even found myself dancing to one of the so called "booty shake" songs at a popular night club. I vowed never to visit that club again, but was the first one there last week. Surprisingly, they even played reggae, and I guess things are getting better or I’m slowing fitting in.  Whatever it may be, I’ve realized that leaving home, even if it’s to another state, is not easy for anyone, and fitting in will always be difficult.  Lately, I have learned that the best way to overcome any differences is to go with the flow of things, try to understand certain situations and people before criticizing them; maybe then I will begin to realize that the American culture is not shocking; its just that I’m the one whose different and all I need is time for these differences fit in.

Obtaining Lowest Travel Fairs

Since the deregulation of the airline industry trying to determine the lowest possible fare has become a challenge. Airlines can now change any fare at any time without notice. They can modify the rates and frequently modify the rules governing that fare (without notice).

The following are a few general rules to live by when searching for the lowest possible fare:

1) Excursion fares usually apply to round–trip (travel between an origin and destination) reservation.

2) Excursion fares apply to circle trip (travel between an origin and two destination cities providing that the Saturday night stay is over at the furthest destination from the origin) reservations.

3) Reservations must be made and ticketed at least 21 days prior to departure for both domestic and international fares for most excursion fares. However, some fares require 3, 7, 14, or no advance purchase depending upon the market and airline.

4) Most excursion fares require a Saturday night stay. Travel on any day other than Friday or Sunday is usually less expensive.

5) The majority of excursion fares are non–refundable and non–transferable. If you do not use your ticket, do not throw it away. While your ticket is non–refundable, it is still reusable! You may apply the cost of the ticket less a nominal charge towards the purchase of another ticket in the same airline. Your original ticket has value for up to a year from the issue date printed on the flight coupons.

6) Airlines divide their aircraft into three different categories: First, Business, and Coach. The airline designates a certain percentage of the seats in coach for each type of discount or excursion fare. While there may be an F (First) and Y (Coach), there may also be a K, Q, L and other classes of service. Each class of service designates a different type of fares.

7) Choose the same airline and flight class for all segments of your trip. Flight class is the letter at the end of the flight number. If the class of service is Y, J, C, P, or F, you may be fairly certain the excursion fare is not available.

There are many Internet sites that allow you to gather information and plan your next trip, including finding the cheapest available airfare and purchasing tickets:

www.travelocity.com

www.expedia.com

www.orbitz.com

Have a nice trip from all of us at ISO.

Welcome To America  -  tips and information you can use.. .

Welcome to America! As an international student you are in the beginning of a long and exciting journey of acquiring academic degree in the US.  We, at ISO, believe that this magazine will assist you in the beginning of your quest, and thereafter.  Please take advantage of this useful information for new and current international students.  We believe you should also have a close look at the extensive list of scholarship and funds open to international students.  Getting financial aid will make the journey even easier.

The International Student Advisor Office

This office should be the first stop for most questions you might have.  The international student advisor office may come in different names, on different campuses. Regardless of name or size, it is usually a good source of information and assistance to international students. International student office may:

1) Offer an orientation program for new international students;

2) Help you in finding fellow students from your home country, or recommend clubs that you might want to join;

3) Coordinate a host family or friendship program to help international students learn about the community and participate in community life;

4) Act as a source of information, advice, and assistance related to your non-immigrant student status.

Nevertheless, in most colleges the international student office offers information on many other aspects of your life, such as housing, financial aid, medical insurance, cultural events, an so on.  Check the office’s bulletin board on a regular basis, and do not hesitate to ask any question you have.

Housing: On-Campus or Off?

Finding the right place to live is an important part of a successful educational experience. Some colleges and universities that are located in urban areas may not offer on–campus housing. On–campus housing is usually less expensive and more convenient (and safe) than off–campus options. Residing on-campus, there is usually easy access to libraries and computers, student center and activities, sports and recreation facilities, cafeterias, and classes.

The typical US residence hall or "dormitory" offers more than just a place to sleep, and supports students' academic objectives through academic and social activities. Be sure you understand the arrangements before committing yourself to living there.  Some universities offer special living arrangements for students who share interests or geographical backgrounds. Thus, you may choose to join a "fraternity" or "sorority" (social clubs for men and women, respectively) or live in an "international house’.

Many international students, particularly graduate students, prefer the independence of living off-campus. Sometimes this option is more affordable, because it leaves room for sharing costs. Some colleges and universities maintain a list of available apartments and provide students with names of other students who seek roommates.

Lease Agreements

If you decided to seek an off-campus housing, you will be required to sign a rent lease.  A "lease" is a binding legal contract between you and the property owner or landlord. When you sign the lease you are obligated to pay the landlord monthly rent for the duration of the lease. Most leases are for a fixed period of time, and it is usually difficult to break the lease. Therefore, before you sign you should be reasonably sure that you could live with your decision for the duration of the lease. With permission from your landlord, you may be allowed to find a tenant to take your place for the remainder of your contract. If you "sublease" your apartment to other tenants, you probably will remain responsible for their actions. Make sure all conditions are clear to both sides of the contract and get it all in writing. Sign the lease only when you fully understand all terms of the lease. Do not sign it unless you are completely satisfied with the apartment and surrounding property.

When you sign the lease, you will typically be required to pay a "security deposit". In most cases it is equivalent to one month rent, in addition to the first month rent. The security deposit will be returned to you when you move out, provided you leave the apartment in good condition. Most apartments come equipped with basic appliances such as stove and refrigerator, but you may need to purchase or "get" some of the furniture and other equipment. You will probably be responsible for paying the cost of your telephone service and utilities such as water, electricity and gas. The utility companies may require you to pay a deposit before service is activated. These deposits will be refunded to you, or credited to your account, upon termination of your service, provided you have no due payments.

Rules Regarding Employment in the United States

Employment opportunities for international students are limited by regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and United States Information Agency (USIA). You may not even be self–employed. Employment is available only to students in good academic standing, who maintain their non-immigrant status. With the exception of work on-campus, F–1 students need approval from the international student advisor or INS before accepting employment. Students in J–1 status must have written authorization from the responsible officer of their exchange visitor program before beginning employment. It is very important that you do not work without authorization. These regulations may be modified from time to time.  Check your possibilities with your international student advisor.

On–campus employment:

F–1 and J–1 students maintaining status may work part–time on-campus while classes are in session. "Part–time" means not more than 20 hours per week. Student assistantship are also considered "on–campus employment" and therefore are also limited to 20 per week. During vacation periods and academic breaks, you may work full time on-campus if you are returning to classes the following term.

Off–campus employment:

F–1 Students: off–campus employment is limited to students pursuing academic studies, excluding English language students. Working off–campus requires special authorization and is only available under certain conditions, such as a newly emerging financial hardship. Consult your international students advisor.

J–1 Students: exchange visitor students in good academic standing may obtain authorization for work off–campus as part of their academic training experience or when unforeseen economic circumstances arise after the student becomes an exchange visitor. Consult your responsible officer for procedures.

Working after completion of studies:

F–1 Students: after completion of studies, or everything except the thesis or dissertation, you may seek a full–time employment in your field of study through OPT - Optional Practical Training (employment that is not required for credit). One year of full time OPT authorization is usually granted.

J–1 Students: in general, you are limited to 18 months of academic training. Academic training must be recommended by your dean or major adviser, and authorized by the responsible officer of your exchange visitor program.

[NAFSA's International Student Handbook] 

Banking Basics

Transferring Money

In order to open a bank account, you will have to transfer some money for your expenses from your home country. Several options exist, and you should check with your institution and the bank of your choice what is the solution that best suits you. The preferred way to transfer money is a "wire / electronic transfer" from your bank at home to your US bank account. 

Choosing a Bank

Every September students are bombarded by banks wanting their business. Beware. Many of these banks have high fees for checking and savings accounts that drain dollars from your account into the bank’s profit column. You should balance convenience with cost when choosing the best bank for you.

1) Ask yourself these questions before opening an account:

How much money do I have?

How often do I need to make deposits?

How many checks will I write each month (rent, phone, books, etc.)?

How often do I need to withdraw money?

Do I balance my checkbooks carefully or bounce a lot of checks?

2) Get information on your options:

If you can keep more than $1000 in the bank each month, look into regular checking with a minimum balance but no monthly fee and unlimited checks writing. If you can meet a $1500 minimum balance look at interest-paying account (or combine it with a savings or money market account).

3) Dare to compare:

Set your priorities. If you are better at keeping your balance on a surfboard than balancing your checkbook, look for accounts with no minimum balance. If easy access is key, look at ATM services (most banks charge non-customers a withdrawal fee). If you only write a few checks per month, a basic account may be your best bet. Finally, test their service - call the bank and see how you are treated by the bank’s customer representative.

4) Be prepared when you go to open an account:

Start by asking if the bank has a special student account.  Make sure that your account is insured by the FDIC (Federal Government) up to $100,000.  You will be asked by the bank’s representative for your permanent address and Social Security number, or school ID number.  Most banks require two forms of ID and a signature verification from another bank, an employer or a college advisor or dean.  You will probably have to wait a few days to get access to your account, and deposited checks in new accounts are often held for as long as 30 days before you can the money is available for you. 

5) Don’t be afraid to switch banks:

If your bank is charging too much or otherwise treating you badly, move your money to another bank.  It is your money!

 

Other Banking Services

Banks offer a variety of services, including safety deposit boxes for storing valuable possessions, debit cards, also known as check cards that allow you to withdraw or deposit money to your account using an ATM, and to make purchases at stores.  Most banks will offer qualified customers credit cards.  The card will enable you to make purchases even when you have no money immediately available.

Credit Cards

Charge card vs. credit card

a charge card requires you to pay your entire bill each month, but does not charge interest (for example: American Express). A credit card allows you to pay your monthly bill in full or pay a portion of the bill, with interest.  Your payment should meet the minimum amount established by your card company, usually about 2%–3% of your total bill (for example: Visa, MasterCard).

Annual fees and APR

Annual fees and Annual Percentage Rates (APR) are often linked to each other. Many credit cards that have high annual fees have lower interest rates, and vice versa. If you intend to pay your bill in full every month, look for a card with no annual fee. If you expect to extend most of your payment, look for a card with low APR.

Grace period

A grace period lets you avoid interest charges for 25–30 days, so you can pay off your monthly charges without incurring interest. 

To obtain a list of low–cost credit cards write to or call: Bankcard Holders of America Low–rate list, 524 Branch Drive, Salem, VA 24153. Tel# (703) 389–5445; RAM Research, P.O. Box 1700, Frederick, MD . Tel# (800) 344–7714.

[Campus Consumer Survival Guide]

Owning and Operating an Automobile

You must have a valid driver’s license to drive a car. Each state in the US issues its own driver’s license. Not every state will recognize your home country driver’s license or the international driver’s license.  Most states will limit the number of days it may be used.

As a car owner you are expected to purchase and maintain automobile insurance. Even if the state in which you will live does not require it, it is wise to purchase an automobile insurance if you plan to own a vehicle.

A Note on Grades

Grades are an important factor in gaining admission to graduate school or getting a job after graduation. The grading system used by most colleges and universities to evaluate students' academic performances is based on a four–point scale.

 

Grade	Points	Undergraduate	Graduate
A	4.0	Excellent	Excellent
B	3.0	Good	Good/Average
C	2.0	Average	Passing
D	1.0	Passing	Failing
F	0.0	Failing	Failing

 

Undergraduates are expected to complete their studies with a C average or better; graduate students are expected to complete their studies with no less than a B average.

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine – Vol. 6 No.1

1. The GMAT, GRE & TOFEL
2. Law & Order
3. How Has My Life Changed as a Result of My Intercultural Experience?

The GMAT, GRE & TOFEL

GMAT, CAT, GRE, TOFEL - no, these are not medical terms. If you plan on getting your Master or Ph.D. degree you will most probably be required to take one of these tests. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are both tests that most academic institutions require you to take when you apply for graduate studies. TOFEL is a test that measures your ability to communicate successfully in an academic or professional environment.

As an undergraduate student, I realized that getting a Bachelor degree is not exactly what our mothers planed for us (at least my mother). Unless we come home with a "Dr." before our name, the whole "studying in the USA" project was not fulfilled. So, we have no choice but to be familiar with, and pass, the aforementioned tests.

GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) that measures general verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills. The student is required to take the GMAT when he applies for a business graduate school. The GMAT is taken only in English, and all instructions are also provided in English. In a Computer Adaptive Test, the computer displays one question at a time. The first question will be of medium difficulty. The selection of the questions thereafter is determined by the response of the examinee to all previous questions. GMAT includes two analytical writing topics, which you will have to key in your essay responses. You will have 30 minutes for each essay. On the quantitative section the students will have 37 questions, and 75 minutes for answering them. There are 41 verbal questions that you will have to answer within 75 minutes. Taking GMAT test costs $165. For more information visit GMAT web site at www.gmat.org  or call 1-800-GMAT-NOW.

There are three different types of GRE tests: general test, subject test and writing test. The general test consists three scored sections: 30 verbal questions and 30 minutes to answer them, 28 quantitative questions in 45 minutes, and 35 analytical questions in 60 minutes. Like GMAT, it is a CAT test. As long as you respond correctly to each question, questions with increased difficulty will be presented. The GRE subject test contains multi-choice questions, ranging over the material in your undergraduate curriculum. The subject test is given in fourteen subject areas. The test lasts for 3.5 hours. The writing test contains two parts of 45 minutes and 30 minuets. In both parts you will have to write a short essay. In the first part you will present your perspective on a broad issue, in the second you will have to respond to an argument. GRE general test costs $99 if taken in the U.S. GRE Subject test costs $130, and Writing Assessment test is $50. For more information you may visit their web site at www.gre.org or call 1-800-GRE-CALL.

TOFEL is a test of English as a second language. The purpose of TOFEL is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English. Since 1998 TOFEL is available as a computer-based test as well as a paper-based test. The computer-based test has four sections. The first two sections of the test, Listening and Structure, are computer-adaptive. Following is the Reading section, and finely the writing section. In the writing section, you will have 30 minutes to write an essay on one topic. TOFEL costs $110 if taken in the U.S. For more information you can visit their web site at www.toefl.org or call 1-800-GO-TOFEL.

You may take the above tests once in every calendar month (except for the GRE Subject test, where you have specific dates). Commercial test preparation courses are available for the GMAT, GRE and TOFEL tests. However, if you decided not to take a preparation course, you should become familiar with the different types of questions, and general directions for each section.

Law & Order

Many international students, so we hear, are facing legal problems simply because they did not maintain their F-1 status. The following overview is of vital interest for you, F-1 international students. The rules are clear and simple, and you international student advisor office is there to assist you. It is strongly advised that you will make yourself familiar with your obligations to the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS). Once you fall out of status, reinstating yourself with the INS may be extraordinary difficult, if possible.

1. F-1 Status – your visa and status are maintained as long as you:
 

1. are enrolled as a full-time student;
2. have a valid I-20 form;
3. have sufficient funds to finance your tuition and living expenses without resorting to employment.

Remember! Your school usually notifies the INS when you terminate your studies or enroll for less than a full-time program.

2. Passport – your passport must be valid always, and should be valid for at least six months into the future.

3. Employment – do not accept employment of any kind, either on or off campus, without written permission from your international student advisor.

4. Form I-20 – This form is issued by your school in order to be presented to the U.S. embassy abroad to obtain an F-1 student visa. It is also presented to the U.S. Immigration Service upon your entrance to the U.S.A. Remember to validate the form and take it with you whenever you travel out of the U.S. and intend to return. Remember to do so even if you travel to Canada or Mexico. Although you may cross the border by foot or by car, the INS will request form I-20 upon your return.

5. Form I-94 – This form is the record of your permission to stay in the United States. The form is stapled to your passport when you entered the U.S. It shows your visa classification (F-1), your immigration ID number, and the length of your permission to remain in the U.S. (it usually marked D/S, Duration of Status). This is a very important form. In case it is lost or misplaced, considerable effort, time, and money will be required to replace it.

6. Transfer to another school – Before you transfer to another school you must receive a new I-20 form from your new school. You advisor may assist in authorizing the new form with the INS.

7. Full time and Normal progress requirements – during your course of study you are required to maintain full-time enrollment and normal full-time progress toward your degree or diploma. Usually you are required to take at least 12 credits during Fall and Spring semester. If you are unable to do so, you should receive your advisor's permission or apply for a leave-of-absence. The advisor's office will also provide you with the terms of normal progress according to your field of study and degree or diploma.

8. Keep records – Your advisor usually keeps copies of your passport and forms. Make sure you inform him of any change in you status, forms and address. It is strongly advised you keep copies of all forms in a safe place.

How Has My Life Changed as a Result of My Intercultural Experience?

By RANJIT SANKAR BHASKAR

"I awake with a start. Little rivulets of sweat run down from my forehead and make their way slowly into my eyes. I blink instantly. Far away, I can hear the squeak of a stretcher as it rolls on in its endless journey. I remember now; I am in hospital. My mind remembers nothing of the accident except the anxious faces who had crowded around me on the road. I shift my head and stare blankly at the table even as I try hard to focus. Oh! The little teddy bear that Melinda brought for me yesterday; and the half closed book from which she had read me a story. Instantly I feel myself lift. I must have fallen asleep before she finished the story. My mind clearer, I marvel at all the decorations in the room. It had been my birthday yesterday. I feel tears welling into my eyes as I thought of all the trouble that they had gone to make me happy. I cuddle my teddy bear closer; it had not always been like this..."

I had always been shy but never taciturn. So my first day in college was no surprise. I found people going out of the way to greet people and make friends with them. But even their enthusiasm could not inspire me to do the same. I stuck with people from my own nationality group. I was convinced I would not be able to adjust to this alien culture. I could scarcely believe everything I saw. There were so many people from so many places on the globe. It was a giant cauldron smoldering with the passions of a dozen races. The significance of the term 'global village' hit me with the fullest impact. Yet, I could not bring myself to be part of it. I was scared of rejection. I was to know only later how much they wanted to know about me and my own distinctive culture. I used to sit in a corner with a few people from my own country and pretend that we were engrossed in an absorbing conversation when all the time my heart would be dying to meet these wonderful new cultures. And there were so many of them. The ruddy, well built Russians who clapped and slapped each other on the back at some joke, the shy little Chinese chattering incoherently among themselves, the booming voice of an African monopolizing a conversation, the handsome faces from South America gesticulating excitedly and trying to swallow something at the same time and of course the diminutive figures from Korea and Taiwan having a hard time in saying that, no, they were certainly not from China! I smiled inwardly at the sight of so many flavors of mankind discovering finally that they had so much in common.

The first week at university was really hectic. We had a dozen orientation meetings to attend. But even now I feel that orientation meetings are a must for every foreign student. It gave me so much insight into the American educational system. It gave me the confidence to step out into a new environment and adjust to it.

I had the first pangs of homesickness at the end of my first week in college. I realized something that I had initially neglected; I did not have any friends at all in my university. I remembered vaguely the faces of fellow-countrymen whom I had met at the orientation meeting. Once classes started, they all disappeared like rabbits down burrows. I tried to concentrate on my studies, but how long can you survive on that? Suddenly I started developing feelings of discontent and disappointment; I had come to the United states to have the best education in the world. I sincerely wanted to learn more than just pure academics. I had come to the most successful country in the world in the hope that I would learn from their system and their ideas. Perhaps, I could help my own country stand up on its feet one day. Was I seeing my dream crumble? Would I end up being a mental wreck instead? These questions haunted me everyday. I had lived in a safe cocoon at home. Now, I was thrust into the harsh independent life that I was so scared to face. For the first time in my life, I was desperate. I needed friends.

I will never forget how I first met Melinda. It was my first day of part-time work. I had never been inside such a big dining hall before. I had been asked to clean up the front area and throw away any leftover items. I had not eaten breakfast that day and when I finally spotted my first leftover tray, I was in no mood to throw away the full boiled egg still on it. I grabbed the tray and started making my way back to the dish-room, swallowing the egg in the process. I had not gone far when a girl started running after me. It did not take me long to figure out that I had taken the tray while she had gone to fill her glass, and I had eaten her egg as well! The girl looked at me, then at the tray and began to giggle. She would not let me apologize. She got another tray and insisted that we eat together. She was my first friend in America. And to this day, she teases me mercilessly about the full boiled egg. Her brother, Eric, proved to be an even friendlier person. His boundless energy never ceased to amaze me. His favorite passion was unfortunately cats! He would take home any stray kitten he could find. And that included both of us crawling up drainage pipes to grab a scared kitten. Eric is no longer here but I still have the scratches to prove it, and of course, his cats still strut proudly about town.

I never looked back after that. It just dawned on me one day that I was no different from the others. From then on, I used to make an effort to introduce myself to people. I learned a very important lesson after coming to the U.S. I learned that if you want something, you have to ask for it! Nobody gives it you, but if you ask, you not only get it but also get the best! It never fails to amaze me, but I have come to the point where I can now follow the seemingly unintelligible accent of the Chinese, the booming voices and physical size of the African-Americans no longer seem to intimidate me, and I have learnt to return the friendly greetings of total strangers. Back home, strangers do not even look at each other, so that was one thing that surprised me out here.

I am glad that American universities place an emphasis on having foreign students on campus. It makes it such an exciting place. I can staunchly affirm that it is the best educational experience one can hope to get in the whole world. And I mean education in more than one sense. You get to learn so much about other about people in the world. I come from a small, conservative town in the southernmost tip of India. When I mentioned this to an American friend who was born and brought up in a big city, I expected him to take a condescending attitude towards me. But he took a great fascination for the quiet life we led in our hometown. He even demanded that I show him pictures of my country. And when I finally showed him some pictures, his fascination grew. And the next time I met him, he started asking specific questions about things that only someone from my place would know. The poor fellow had gone to the library and read up everything he could find on my country! He said I was a fool to have left everything back there and come to America. But when I told him that I was equally fascinated about his country and wanted to learn more about it, he understood.

It is this kind of mutual fascination and admiration that breeds true respect for each other. Why is there so much war and carnage all over the world? It is because people do not understand each other. They know very little about each other in the first place. And that leads to misunderstandings, which is a very dangerous thing. Indians and Pakistanis are at each others throats most of the time back home in the subcontinent. And that was the reason why my classmate, Karim, a Pakistani and I were initially suspicious of each other. Fortunately, we were put in the same project group by the professor. Two months later, we were fast friends. We discovered that our values and cherished beliefs had so much in common. Karim finally asked me shyly what I thought about the fact that people just like us were killing each other back home. I could only tell him that people misunderstood each other. The people who were indulging in violence back home never had the opportunity to sit across from each other and talk heart to heart about each others lives and problems.

A majority of Asians believe that America is rich and arrogant and that it wants to impose its will on the rest of the world. But I only realized how wrong we were when I actually came to the US, I found a country of honest, hardworking people who genuinely cared about other people. America is rich, yes, but it is rich because its citizens are hardworking. There is no doubt about that. I still remember the dining hall manger who helped me mop the floor because I was feeling tired, the computer center assistant who spent 2 hours with me so I could finish a crucial assignment on time, and of course, the professors in college who would go the extra mile if you showed the interest. And that is one thing that I will definitely take back to my home country, in the hope that I can instill that in my countrymen. I saw the faces of my own father, mother, brothers and sisters in the common folk in America. How could these people be arrogant or vain? They were different impressions of my own society.

In the early days of my first semester, I would slip out of my apartment as inconspicuously as possible. I would keep my head down and rush to the university. And every time I passed the apartment next to mine, a strongly built, handsome American would shout out a friendly 'hey, there!' to me. I would mumble something and quicken my pace. One day I had come home early and was dreaming about the days back in India, when there was a knock on the door. It was the same guy who shouted out the 'hey, there' every time I passed his door! He had a little blue bag with him. He sounded almost apologetic as he said that he had noticed that I did not have a backpack to take to school and that he had plenty lying around in his house; so he thought I could use one of them if I did not mind. I was surprised and touched, but I did not forget my traditional Indian hospitality. I invited him in and we had what was the first of many discussions about life out here and back out there in India. Over the next few months we would have so many debates and discussions about almost every topic under the sun. We deliberately choose controversial, sensitive issues so that it would (as he put it) clear any misconceptions and misunderstandings about each other. Gradually we got to the point that nothing about each other seemed to surprise us anymore. All the tips he gave me about living in an American society still stand me in good stead. And nowadays whenever I hear the familiar 'hey there,' I respond with my own 'hey, hey there!'

Every time I sit alone, I reflect about the seemingly invisible common thread that bonds us all together. No matter where you come from in the world, some implicit communication channel exists between us. I remember an interesting incident at the dining hall I used to work. An especially attractive young lady had asked for help, and my unbounded enthusiasm and eagerness in responding to her request did not go unnoticed. Two African-Americans standing by the side of the dishwasher at the other end of the hall were grinning from ear to ear and giving me the thumbs-up sign. That incident somehow remained in my mind and it has never ceased to amuse me.

I remember a professor in my department whose classes were so popular that we used to look forward to it every week. He was such a humorous person, and his good nature was so infectious that we would feel better for the rest of the day. Our class consisted of two Americans, two Koreans, four Chinese, Two Bangladeshis, two Taiwanese and two Indians. It was an amazing mixture of nationalities! And the professor had a very interesting routine. He would come to class and the first thing he would do was to point to any particular person. All the rest of us in the class had to say 'good morning' in that person's mother tongue! It was such a simple little game, but I feel he did more for International amity than any book I can think of.

I am a contented person these days. I have a treasure trove of experiences to last me a lifetime. My mother back home in the village would be surprised and alarmed if she heard that I have been extended invitations to see my friend's grandfather's coffee estate in Brazil, to visit Istanbul in far away Turkey, and even to ride a pet horse in South Dakota! I also have a place to go in case I decide to visit Korea or Japan. I know that fulfilling these invitations is beyond me, even in a lifetime. But it is such a wonderful feeling to even dream about it. When a person extends an invitation to visit his place, he is doing something more than just letting you know that you are his friend. He is extending his hand in a friendly handshake that will one day form a chain that will link this world together.
I have come to love this country for what it stands for and for what it has given me. It has opened my eyes to the world around me. It has given me an educational and learning experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. But, the time has also come for me to bid farewell to this amazing land; for I must go back to my own native country. I came here with a purpose. I believe I have fulfilled that purpose. I have to go back now to keep the promises I made to my country and its millions of poor people. I am haunted day in and day out by the words of Swami Vivekananda, "So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who, having been educated at their expense, pays not the least heed to them." But I go in peace, for I know that, although I came here as an ambassador of India, I go home as a citizen of the world.

...the door opens and Melinda along with a dozen of my classmates burst into the room. Melinda is holding something behind her back and wants me to guess what she had brought for me. I grin broadly and point to the wardrobe mirror which reflects the bunch of flowers she is holding in her hand. Everyone burst out laughing and I feel so happy to have them all back again

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine – Vol. 6 No.2

1. Financial aid for foreign students by Mark Kantrowitz
2. Useful links for financial aid search
3. Protect yourself from scholoarship scams
4. Ten Tips to protect yourself
5. Scholarships list

Financial aid for foreign students - Mark Kantrowitz

Many international students want to earn an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university located in the United States of America. A common concern of these students is how to pay for their education.

Unfortunately, there is very little financial aid available for foreign nationals to study in the US, with the possible exception of citizens of Canada and Mexico. Most grants, scholarships and loans from public and private sources are restricted to US citizens. Some countries provide financial aid for their citizens to study in the US. And there may be some aid available from the US government for students from specific countries. US government student loans, however, are not available to foreign students. To find out if there is any financial aid for students from your country, contact your embassy, the US department of State, and the US Information Agency.

Some US schools have direct exchange programs with their counterparts in foreign countries. Such exchange programs often include financial aid for the foreign student. To find out about these programs, ask your local university.

Foreign students who are already enrolled in a US university should start by visiting the International Student Advisor, Financial Aid Office, and Career Planning & Placement Office. The campus library may also have some relevant books.

A publication you may find helpful is Funding for US Study - A Guide for foreign Nationals published by the Institute for International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017, telephone 212-883-8200. This publication lists more than 600 sources of funding for international students. Most of these programs, however, are for graduate and postdoctoral students. Octameron Associates publishes Scholarships for International Students,other potentially useful publications include: College Board, College Handbook: Foreign Students Supplement; Gregory A. Barnes The International Student’s Guide to the American University A Selected List of Fellowship Opportunities and Aids to Advanced Education for U.S. Citizens and Foreign Nationals, National Science Foundation, Washington, DC, 1994; W. Wickremasinghe, Scholarships and Grants for Study or Research in the USA.

An organization that may be able to provide some information is the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA) located in Washington, DC. Call 202-737-3699 and ask for the "Recording on Financial Aid". This recording provides information for foreign students interested on studying in the US and US students who are interested in studying abroad. NAFSA does not provide any grants to foreign students, with the exception of a small grant program for students from East Central Europe (202-737-3699), the Baltic States (202-737-3699), or the former states of the Soviet Union (202-737-3699). Your school’s international student advisor should have information about these programs.

For graduate education, most support for international students is provided by the universities in the form of teaching assistantships and research assistantships. These assistantships are based on academic merit, not financial need.

The bottom line is that there is very little financial aid available, and many foreign students do not study in the US because they cannot afford the expense.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Mark Kantrowitz is the editor of "Frequently Asked Questions about Student Financial Aid", a collection of answers to common questions about financial aid. He also maintains the Financial Aid Information Page on the World - Wide.  http://www.finaid.org/ Copyright © 1995 by Mark Kantrowitz.

Useful links for financial aid search

IEFA is the premier Internet resource for financial aid information for international students wishing to study in a foreign country. At this site, you will find the most comprehensive listing of grants, scholarships, loan programs, and other information to assist students in their pursuit to study abroad.

 http://www.edupass.org/
This site provides information for international students who are thinking about pursuing an undergraduate, graduate, or professional education in the United States. It also contains material of interest to international students who are already in the United States. There is also some information for international students who are interested in studying in countries other than the US, but the main focus is on higher education in the US.

 http://www.finaid.org/
Mark Kantrowitz, a noted financial aid and college-planning author created FinAid. On this site you may find useful tips for students looking for ways to finance their education.

 http://www.fastweb.com/
The site matches each student's background with eligibility requirements for scholarships from around the country, and advises them about scholarship opportunities tailored for them.

 http://www.collegeboard.org/
collegeboard.com brings together information and tools that students need to plan for the transition from high school to college.

 http://www.srnexpress.com/
Scholarship Resource Network Express is a search engine and database of private scholarships designed to assist students identifying financial sources for undergraduate through postgraduate study.

 http://www.collegenet.com/
CollegeNET lets applicants complete, file, and pay for their admissions applications entirely through the Internet. Mach25 provides you with three fast, easy to use techniques for locating the right scholarships and awards.

 http://www.embark.com/
Information and tools to research, prepare, apply, finance, and get ready for higher education.

 http://www.scholarships.com/
The site will search for scholarships by creating a personal profile that will meet your needs.

 http://www.4scholarships.4anything.com/
Offer links to other scholarship search engines.

 www.freschinfo.com/foreign.phtml
The site provides information about being an international student in the USA, as well as a list of scholarships for international students and scholars.

 http://www.scholarship-page.com/
A search engine for scholarships by major field of study, country, fellowships and more.

Protect your self from scholarship scams

Check out these warning signs (Federal Trade Commission)

1. The company guarantees a scholarship or your money back.
2. The scholarship service promises to do all the work.
3. There is a fee required for the listings the service provides.
4. The scholarship company claims to have exclusive information.
5. You become a finalist in a contest you can't even remember entering.
6. There is a request for your credit card or checking account number.

Never provide anyone with your credit card or checking account number- especially over the phone.

Many of these fraudulent scholarship companies pose as legitimate foundations or scholarship search services. They advertise in campus newspapers and on the web; they pass out flyers and send out direct mail cards featuring toll free numbers. They promise "free money for college," when all they're doing is targeting vulnerable students. Report any service you suspect is a scam. Call the Better business Bureau or visit their site at  http://www.bbb.com/

Ten Tips to protect yourself

1. A lower fee is no guarantee a program is legitimate.
   
2. Don't believe a promise of guaranteed funds you'll never have to repay. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
   
3. Beware scholarship services that charge fees.
   
4. Ignore the myth of unclaimed funds and the companies that advertise huge amounts of unclaimed money.
   
5. Don't pay an advance fee.
   
6. Check the terms closely if there's a guaranteed refund or a money back guarantee.
   
7. Don't be fooled by official sounding names and logos.
   
8. Disregard the news that you're a finalist in any contest that requires you to pay a fee for further consideration.
   
9. Do not give out your credit card, bank or checking account numbers to any solicitors who claim they need it for you to be eligible for either a contest or access to "exclusive" scholarship information.
   
10. Resist high-pressure tactics.

Find legitimate Financial Aid sources at the Public Library, at your College Counseling and financial aid offices.

For more information about whether a service is legitimate or not, you may contact: The National Fraud Information Center: 1.800.876.7060

Scholarships list

Most funds have their deadline set to the same date annually.

IREX - International Research & Exchange Board
The IREX is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting advanced field research and professional training programs between the US and the countries of central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Eurasia, China and comparable contiguous societies. For more information visit http://www.irex.org/ Application may be obtained from IREX 1616 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: (202) 628-8188 Fax: (202) 628-8189

P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund for Women
The International Peace Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for selected women from other countries for graduate study in the US and Canada. Eligibility - An applicant must be qualified for admission to full-time graduate study, working toward a graduate degree in the college or university of her choice in the US or Canada. The maximum amount awarded to a student is $6,000. Announcements of award made in late April. The deadline for returning application and all related material, except applicant's conformation of admission from university and incoming verification, is January 31. Applicants should send their requests for eligibility information to: Project Supervisor, P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Monies, IA 50312.  www.admin.cam.ac.uk/report/1998-9/special/05/105.html Tel: (515) 255-3153 Fax: (515) 255-3820

Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships
The Charlotte w. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships are designed to encourage original and significant study of ethical and social sciences. Applicants must be candidates for Ph.D. or Th.D. degrees in doctoral programs at graduate schools in the US. Winners will receive $16,000 for 12 months of full-time dissertation writing. Graduate schools will be asked to waive tuition for Newcombe fellows. All applications and proposals must be postmarked by December. Applications may be filled electronically by following the links on www.woodrow.org/newcombe, or be requested from: Newcombe Dissertation Fellowships, The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship foundation, CN 5281, Princeton, NJ 08543-5281 e-mail: charlotte@woodrow.org Tel: (609) 452-7007 Fax: (609) 452-0066

The Woodrow Wilson National fellowship Foundation
Foreign students wishing to study in the US should write to the Information Section of the Institute for International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017  www.wwics.si.edu/organiza/affil/wilson/WWICS/START.HTM Tel: (212) 984-5413

Hawk Mountain International Internship Program
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association mission is to foster the conservation of birds of prey worldwide and Appalachian environments locally. The Sanctuary offers internships in Science Education, Ecological Research, and Biological Survey and Monitoring The internship is open to undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants must speak English, have at least two years of college course work, and exhibit a willingness and ability to interact with the public. Interns receive free housing at the Sanctuary and a $500 monthly stipend. Send inquiries for application materials and a self-addressed envelope to: Keith L. Bildstein, Director of Research and education, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA 19529 www.hawkmountain.org Tel: (610) 756-6961 Fax: (610) 756-4468

SEG Foundation Scholarship Program
The Scholarship is awarded to students majoring in geophysics, who have an interest in and aptitude for physics, mathematics and geology. Applicant must be one of the following: (a) a high school student, (b) an undergraduate college student, or (c) a graduate college student whose studies are directed toward a career in exploration geophysics in operations, teaching or research. Application may be obtain from the SEG foundation, PO Box 702740, Tulsa, OK 74170-2740 or downloaded from http://www.seg.org/ Tel: (918) 497-5530 Fax: (918) 497-5557

Fondation Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation
Grants are given in the painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture fields. Each grant is $10,000. Application may be obtain from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation, 1814 Sherbrooke street West Suite #1, Montreal, Quebec Canada H3H 1E4 egreen@total.net Tel: (514) 937-9225 Fax: (514) 937-0141

AAUW Educational Foundation
The foundation supports women scholars pursuing a vast spectrum of academic research; public school teachers promoting girls in achievement in math, science, and technology; and community activists helping to improve the lives of women and girls through education. International fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research. Both graduate and postgraduate studies are supported. Fellowship award $16,860. The foundation also award several annual home country project grants, $5,000 - $7,000 each. Application may be obtain from AAUW Educational Foundation, Customer Service Center, 2201 N. Dodge Street, dept. 177, Iowa City, IA 52243-4030. http://www.aauw.org/ Tel: (319) 377-1716 ext. 177

The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
Research grants and Ph.D. dissertation fellowships for understanding and reducing violence, aggression, and dominance. The foundation welcomes proposals from natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the cause, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance. The foundation makes most grants in the range of $15,000 to $30,000 per year, usually for periods of one to two years. Fellowship for support during the writing of the Ph.D. dissertation is worth $10,000 each. Application may be obtain from The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, 527 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022-4304 http://www.hfg.org/ Tel: (212) 644-4907 Fax: (212) 644-5110

Audio Engineering Society Educational foundation, INC
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) Educational foundation, INC. offers grants to students that are in the profession of audio engineering and related fields. The AES serves its members, the industry and the public by stimulating and facilitating advances in the constantly changing field of audio. Application may be obtain from AES, 60 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10165 e-mail:HQ@aes.org,web site:http://www.aes.org/ Tel: (212) 661-8528 Fax: (212) 682-0477

The Electrochemical Society, INC. Summer fellowship
The purpose of these fellowships is to assist students in continuing graduate work during the summer months in a field of interest to The Electrochemical Society. The society has a long tradition in advancing the theory and practice of electrochemical and solid state science by distribution of information through its publications and international meetings. The fellowship is in the range of $3,000 to $16,000. Application may be obtain from The Electrochemical Society, 65 south Main Street, Pennington, NJ 08534-2839 e-mail: ecs@electrochem.org,web site:http://www.electrochem.org/ Tel: (609) 737-1902 Fax: (609) 737-2743

The Grass Foundation
The Grass Foundation is a small private foundation dedicated to the support, research and education in neuroscience. The fellowship program at the Grass Foundation is a summer fellowship to fund young researchers in neuroscience. Application may be obtain from The Grass Foundation P.O. Box 850250, Braintree, MA 02185-0250 e-mail:grassfdn@aol.com,web site:http://www.mbl.edu/ Tel: (781) 843-0219 Fax: (781) 843-0474

The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
AHRQ provides a variety of funding opportunities designed to support and enhance the education and career development of health services researchers. Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship - the agency provides support for individual students pursuing postdoctoral research training through the national research service award (NRSA) fellowship grants. Dissertation Research Grants - dissertation research funding is available for students conducting doctoral level research on some aspects of the health care system. Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Awards - these research career awards are intended to foster the career development of promising new investigators in the field. Kerr White Visiting Scholars Program - the Kerr White visiting scholars program provides an opportunity for scholars to work on projects with AHRQ researchers staff. Summer Intern Program - Summer internship for undergraduate and graduate-level students interesting in health services research and/or policy. Application may be obtain from The Agency for Health Research and Quality, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852 e-mail:training@ahrq.gov Tel: (301) 594-1449 Fax: (301) 594-0154

The International Graduate Student Fellowship Program at the American Museum of Natural History
The program is for international students that wish to study a diversified curriculum in biodiversity, conservation, systematics, and public policy. Students are able to choose among numerous offerings of four major universities to create a graduate program. The universities are: City University of New York, Columbia University, Yale University and Cornell University. Applicants should first contact the office of Grants and Fellowships to discuss their interests, background and eligibility for the program. Request application forms and further information from: Office of Grants and Fellowship, American Museum of Natural History, Central park West @ 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5495 e-mail:bynum@amnh.org Tel: (212) 769-5742 Fax: (212) 769-5495

The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
The Marcus Center's fellowship program provides recipients with month long fellowships for research and writing at the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives. Fellowships will be awarded to post-doctoral candidates, Ph.D. candidates who are completing dissertations, and senior or independent scholars. Request application forms and further information from: The Director of the Fellowship Program, The Jacob Rader Marcus, Center of the American Jewish Archives, 3101 Clifton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45220-2408 e-mail: AJA@cn.huc.edu,web site:www.huc.edu/aja Tel: (513) 221-7444 ext. 304 Fax: (513) 221-7812

The Mary Isabel Sibely Fellowship
The fellowship is offered for the study of Greek Language, Literature, history, or archaeology. Candidates must be unmarried women, between 25 and 35 years of age, who have demonstrated their ability to carry on original research. They must hold the doctorate or have fulfilled all the requirements for the doctorate except the dissertation. Application may be obtain from The Mary Isabel Sibely Fellowship Committee, The Phi Beta Kappa Society, 1785 Massachusetts Ave, N.W., Fourth Floor, Washington DC 20036 e-mail:lsurles@pbk.org Tel: (202) 265-3808 Fax: (202) 986-1601

The Explores Club
The Youth Activity Fund of The Explores Club provides grants to high school and college undergraduate students to enable them to participate in field research in the natural sciences under the supervision of a qualified scientist. The awards will be to support fieldwork or closely related activities. Application may be obtain from The Explores Club, Youth Activity Fund, 46 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021 Tel: (212) 628-8383 Fax: (212) 288-4449

The Herb Society of American, Inc.
The purpose of the Herb Society of American, Inc. research grant is to further the knowledge and use of herds. The grant is given for a specific research on herbal projects. A summery of the project will be published in the Society's annual publication. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: Research Grant, The Herb Society of American, Inc. 9019 Kirtland Chardon Road, Kirtland, OH 44094. http://www.herbsociety.org/ Tel: (440) 256-0514 Fax: (440) 256-0541

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
College scholarship awards are given to students with moderate to profound hearing loss to continue their education on undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants must be identified as having moderate to profound hearing loss since birth or before acquiring language. Applicants must be enrolled to a college or university (full-time) that primarily enrolls students with normal hearing. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: AG Bell, 3417 Volta Place, NW Washington, DC 20007-2778 e-mail: dhughes@agbell.org,web site:http://www.agbell.org/Tel: (202) 337-5220 TTY: (202) 337-5221 Fax: (202) 337-8314

American Society for Microbiology (ASM)
ASM undergraduate research fellowship - the fellowship encourage students to pursue careers or advance degrees in the microbiological sciences. The fellowship allows students to conduct research in the summer with an ASM member faculty mentor and present the results at the ASM general meeting. The undergraduate research fellowship provides: up to $2,500 for student stipend; up to $600 for supplies; a one year ASM student membership and up to $900 travel support to attend the ASM general meeting. ASM/NCID postdoctoral research associates program - the program offers a comprehensive training program, which provides opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary training on global health issues. The program provides post-doctoral scientists opportunities to conduct novel research with the overall objective of developing practical applications of microbiology, immunology and epidemiology for the diagnosis and prevention of infectious disease. Associate receives $30,800-$32,300 annual stipend. Application may be obtain from American Society for Microbiology, Office of Education and Training 1752 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 e-mail:Fellowship-CareerInformation@asmusa.org,web site:www.asmusa.org/edusrc/edu2.htm Tel: (202) 942-9295/9283 Fax: (202) 942-9329

American Foundation for Aging Research
This fellowship is open for undergraduate, graduate, or pre-doctoral students. Applicants must be actively involved in a specific biomedical or biomedical research project in the field of aging. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: American Foundation for Aging Research, North Carolina State University Biochemistry Department 128 Polk Hall Raleigh, NC 27695-7622 Tel: (919) 515-5679

The Sinfonia Foundation
The Sinfonia Foundation offers a research assistance grants in music. The subject of the research must be related to American music or to music in America. Application may be obtain from The Sinfonia Foundation 10600 Old State Road, Evansville, IN 47711.www.sinfonia.org/foundation Tel: (812) 867-2433 Fax: (812) 867-0633

Dumbarton Oaks Fellowship
Dumbarton Oaks offers residential fellowships in three areas of study: Byzantine studies, Pre-Columbian studies, and studies in Landscape Architecture.Junior Fellowships - for degree candidates who at the time of application have fulfilled all preliminary requirements for a Ph.D. and will be working on a dissertation or final project at Dumbarton Oaks.Fellowships - for scholars who hold a doctorate or have establish themselves in their field and wish to pursue their own research.Summer Fellowships - for Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, or Landscape Architecture scholars on any level of advancement. Application may be obtain from Office of the Director Dumbarton Oaks 1703 32nd Street NW Washington,
DC 20007-2961:www.ats.edu/faculty/spons/D0000083.HTM

Fight For Sight,™ Inc.
Fight For Sight Inc. was founded in 1946 for the primary purpose of encouraging and financing research in ophthalmology, vision and related sciences. The goal of the Fight For Sight program is to restore and preserve sight through research in detection, prevention, treatment and curing of visual disorders, as well as diseases leading to impaired sight and partial or total blindness. Funding priority is given to pilot projects for research relating to clinically important eye diseases. FFS will continue to support younger investigators, promoting the development of scientific skills that will lead to more substantial funding from other sources. Application may be obtain from Fight For Sight, Inc. Research Division Prevent Blindness America, 500 East Remington Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60173 e-mail:info@preventblindness.org,web site:www.preventblindness.org/about/rsrch_grants.html Tel: (800) 331-2020

Adelle and Erwin Tomash Fellowship in the History of Information Processing
The fellowship will be awarded to a graduate student for research in the history of computing. The fellowship may be held at the recipient's home academic institution, the Charles Babbage Institute, or any other location where there are appropriate research facilities. The stipend is $10,000 plus up to $2,000 for tuition, fees, travel to the Charles Babbage Institute and relevant archives. It is intended for students who have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except the research and writing of the dissertation. Application may be obtain from Charles Babbage Institute, 211 Andersen Library University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455 e-mail:cbi@tc.umn.edu,web site:http://www.cbi.umn.edu/Tel: (612) 624-5050 Fax: (612) 625-8054

Spouse Grants
This special grant purpose is to allow unsponsored spouses of international students who are funded to attend Management Training and Development Institute (MTDI) seminars to share in the opportunity for training at the same MTDI program. Application may be obtain from Robert C. Morris, Executive Director MIDI 600 Water Street, SW PO Box 23975 Washington, DC 20026 e-mail::mtdi@mtdi.com,web site:http://www.mtdi.com/Tel: (202) 646-7910 Fax: (202) 646-7911

Desk and Derrick Education Trust Scholarship
The Desk and Derrick Education Trust award is for students pursuing studies involving petroleum industry. The $1,000 awards are offered to undergraduate and graduate students.Application may be obtain from Desk and Derrick Education Trust, 4823 South Sheridan, Suite 308A Tulsa, OK 74145 www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/current/What/Awards/underoa.htm Tel: (918) 622-1675 Fax: (918) 622-1675

Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association
The purpose of the scholarship is to recognize students in the foodservice/hospitality field and provide the opportunity to network with industry professionals.Undergraduate Merit Scholarship for high school seniors - assist high school seniors who demonstrate a commitment to both post-secondary restaurant/foodservice education and an industry career.Undergraduate Merit Scholarship for college students - assist qualified undergraduate students enrolled in restaurant and foodservice postsecondary programs.Application may be obtain from Educational Foundation National Restaurant Association 253 South Wacker Dr, Suite 1400, Chicago IL 60606-5837 e-mail:scholars@foodtrain.org,web site:http://www.edfound.org/ Tel: (800) 765-2122 ext 733

Karla Scherer Foundation
The Karla Scherer Foundation offers Scholarships for women pursuing business careers.It is made available to female students majoring only in Finance or Economics with plans for a corporate business career in the private sector.A candidate must have determined the college she will be attending and must have so informed that institution.Application may be obtain from Karla Scherer Foundation 737 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2330 Chicago, IL 60611 :www.comnet.org/kschererf/

American Institute for Economic Research
Summer Fellowship Program that furthers the development of economic scientists. Applicants must be in the Business and Management field of studies, obtaining their graduate degree and able to speak and write English with native fluency. Application may be obtain from Susan Gillette, Assistant to the President, American Institute for Economic Research, P.O. Box 1000 Great Barrington, MA 01230. e-mail:::mailto:info@aier.org,web site:www.aier.org/summer.html Tel: (413) 528-1216 Fax: (413) 528-0103

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The NIH mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better health for everyone. NIH funds biomedical and behavioral research and research training and disseminating policy and administrative information. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: Grants Information, Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, Office of Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040- MSC 7710, Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 e-mail:grantsinfo@nih.gov,web site:http://www.nih.gov/ Tel: (301) 435-0714 Fax: (301) 480-0525

The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a knowledge-based, global foundation with a commitment to enrich and sustain the lives and livelihoods of the poor and excluded throughout the world. The Foundation has identified four thematic lines of work - food security, health equity, creative & culture and working communities. Among the factors considered in evaluating grant proposal are: the project’s relevance to foundation programs and strategies; the applicant’s qualification and record of achievements and, the applicant’s ability to secure additional funding from other sources. Application may be obtain from The Rockefeller Foundation 420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2702http://www.rockfound.org/ Tel: (212) 869-8500 Fax: (212) 869-3468

Resources for the Future (RFF)
Academic programs at Resources for the Future (RFF) are intended to promote research and policy analysis in RFF's fields of research. Joseph L. Fisher Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships - This fellowship is intended to be the principal source of support for graduate students in the final year of their dissertation research. Walter O. Spofford, Jr. Memorial Internship - RFF is offering a paid internship for graduate students with a special interest in Chinese environmental issues to spend time at RFF in Washington, DC. Students will earn a stipend; the amount is dependent on individual circumstances. If necessary, support for travel expenses and visa assistance can be provided. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: Coordinator for Academic Programs Resources for the Future1616 P Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 e-mail:mankin@rff.org,web site:http://www.rff.org/ Tel: (202) 328-5060 Fax: (202) 939-3460

James S. McDonnell Foundation
James S McDonnell Foundation offers Fellowships for Cognitive Studies for Educational Practice. The purpose of the fellowship is to support research leading to theoretically motivated and effective educational interventions, providing measurable outcomes of said interventions and ultimately contributing to a theory of instruction based of cognitive analysis. The applicant must have obtained Ph.D. no earlier than June 30, 3 years before application, or complete all Ph.D. requirements no later than Dec 31 of year of application. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: Susan Fitzpatrickm, Program Officer James S. McDonnell Foundation, 1034 S, Brentwood Blvd, Suite 1610 St Louis, MO 63117. http://www.jsmf.org/Tel: (314) 721-1532 Fax: (314) 721-7421

Whitehall Foundation, Inc. Research Grants
The Whitehall Foundation assists scholarly research in the life sciences. Currently, it is focused exclusively on assisting basic research (excluding clinical) in vertebrate and invertebrate neurobiology in the United States. Research should specifically concern neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior, and the overall goal should be to understand behavioral output or brain mechanisms of behavior. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: Whitehall Foundation, Inc251 Royal Palm Way, Suite 211 Palm Beach, FL 3480 http://www.fdncenter.org/ Tel: (561) 655-4474 Fax: (561) 659-4978

The Heather Joy Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is open to all students. The award is offered twice a year. The postmarked deadlines are May 1 and November 1. The award amounts vary up to $1000. It is based on a complete and well-presented 250-word essay, referrals and application. Students can now print out the application and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions at: innet.com/~dblaha/resource/main.html html By clicking on "SCHOLARSHIPS WE MANAGE AND SPONSOR" and/or "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS". If you desire a "hard copy" of the application you must mail the following: A PROPERLY POSTED Self-Addressed Stamped # 10 Envelope to the following address:The Resource Center, 16362 Wilson Blvd. Masaryktown, FL 34604-7335 ATTN: HJM Application Request

The M. Blaha Medical Grant
This scholarship is open to all students in the medical field and medical related studies (including psychology and veterinarian). The award is offered twice a year. The postmarked deadlines are January 1 and July 1. The award amounts vary up to $1000. It is based on a complete and well-presented 250-word essay, referrals and application. Students can now print out the application and find answers to Frequently Asked Questions at:innet.com/~dblaha/resource/main.html html By clicking on "SCHOLARSHIPS WE MANAGE AND SPONSOR" and/or "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS". If you desire a "hard copy" of the application you must mail the following: A PROPERLY POSTED Self-Addressed Stamped # 10 Envelope to the following address:The Resource Center, 16362 Wilson Blvd. Masaryktown, FL 34604-7335 ATTN: MBG Application Request

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund was established in 1981 to honor the late Margaret McNamara and her commitment to the well being of women and children in developing countries. The purpose of the grant is to support the education of women from developing countries who are committed to improving the lives of women and children in their home countries. Previous grant recipients were studying agriculture, architecture and urban planning, civil engineering, education, forestry, journalism, nursing, nutrition, pediatrics, public administration, public health, social sciences and social work. Eligibility: The MMMF invites women who are committed to improving the lives of women and/or children and who meet the following criteria to apply. She is enrolled at an accredited U.S. educational institution by September 2000. She will remain enrolled during the entire period covered by the grant. She is a national of a developing country and is not a U.S. Green Card holder. She plans to return to a developing country in about two years. She will be at least 25 years old by January 1, 2001. She resides in the U.S. at the time she submits the application. She can demonstrate financial need. She will use the grant to continue to study for her degree. She is not related to any World Bank Group staff member or his or her spouse. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund, 1818 H Street, NW; Room H2-200 Washington DC 20433 e-mail:MMMF@worldbank.org Tel: (202) 473-8751 Fax: (202) 676-0419

Dr. Gombojab Hangin Memorial Scholarship
The scholarship is to be given to a student of Mongolian heritage, defined as an individual of Mongolian ethnic origins, who has permanent residency in Mongolia, the People's Republic of China, or the former Soviet Union to pursue studies in the United States of America. The amount of the award may be up to US $2,500. The award does not include transportation from the recipient's country to the United States nor does it include board and lodging at the university where the recipient will study. Requests for applications or information should be addressed to: The Hangin Scholarship Committee, The Mongolia Society, 322 Goodbody Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington,Indiana 47405 www.indiana.edu/~gradgrnt/v9n2/nonuscit.html

The Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program is a world leader in international educational exchange. The goal of the Program is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through educational exchange. The Program - celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1996 - was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Arkansas Senator, J. William Fulbright. In 1961, the Fulbright/Hays Act updated and expanded the original legislation. Nearly 5,000 Fulbright grants are awarded each year for foreign national students, teachers, professors and professionals to study, teach, lecture and conduct research in the U.S., and for U.S. nationals to do likewise outside of the U.S. Outside the U.S., the Program is administered in 50 countries by a Binational Commission, and in the remaining countries by the U.S. Department of State's overseas staff. Please note: All applications must go through either their home country Commission or US embassy.

The following are a few Fulbright locations worldwide:

Argentina - Executive Director, Commission for Educational Exchange between the U.S.A and the Argentine Republic Viamonte 1653, Piso 2 1055 Buenos Aires e-mail:ng@fulb-ba.satlink.netor:gc@fulb-ba.satlink.net,,web site:www.e.usia.gov/posts/baires_embassy Tel: 54-11-4814-3561/3562 Fax: 54-11-4814-1377

Brazil - Executive Director, Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States of America and Brazil, Edificio Casa Thomas Jefferson SHIS Q109 - Conj. 17 - Lote L Lago Sul 71625 Brasilia, D.F. e-mail:fulbright@brnet.com.br,web site:www.pub2.1ncc.br/Fulbright Tel: (61) 364-0776 Fax: (61) 364-0647

Cameroon - Public Affairs Officer American Embassy Calafatas Building Rue Nachtigal (Boîte Postale 817) Yaoundé Tel: 230-416, 231-437 Fax: 226-765

China - American Center for Educational Exchange, Jinggiang Center, Suite 2801, Box 84 Hu Jia Lou, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100020 Tel: 10-6597-3242 Fax: 10-6597-3247

France - Program Officer, Franco-American Commission for Educational Exchange, 9 Rue Chardin 75016 Paris e-mail:cfa@fulbright.worldnet.fr,web site:www.fulbright-france.com Tel: (1) 4414-5360 Fax: (1) 4288-0479

Germany - German Program Unit Chief, Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany Oranienburger Str. 13/14 D-10178 Berlin Tel: (30) 284443-773 Fax: (30) 284443-42 e-mail:fulkom@fulbright.de,web site:www.fulbright.de

India - United States Educational Foundation in India, Fulbright House 12 Hailey Road, New Delhi 110001 e-mail:delhi.usefi@axcess.net.in,web site:http://www.e.usia.gov/abtusia/posts/IN1/wwwh8.htmlTel: 11-332-8944/48 Fax: 11-332-9718

Indonesia - American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF) Gedung Balai Pustaka, 6th floor Jalan Gunung Sahari Raya 4 Jakarta, Indonesia 10720 e-mail: phjkt@usia.gov,web site:http://www.usembassyjakarta.org/aminefTel: 21-345-2016 or 345-2018 Fax: 21-345-2050

Israel - The United States-Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF) 1 Ben Yehuda Street, 10th Floor P.O. Box 26160 Tel Aviv 61261 e-mail:jstavsky@fulbright.org.il,web site:http://www.fulbright.org.il/Tel: 3-517-2131 or 662-042, 3-517-2392 or 1484 Fax: 3-516-2016

Japan - Japan-United States Educational Commission (JUSEC) Sanno Grand Building, 206 14-2, 2nd Floor Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100, Japan e-mail: fulgrant@jusec.org,web site:http://www.jusec.orgTel: (03) 3580-3231 thru 3235 Fax: (03) 3580-1217

Korea - Korean-American Educational Commission Fulbright Building 168 -15 Yomni-dong, Mapo-gu Seoul 121-090 e--mail:admin@fulbright.or.kr,web site:http://www.fulbright.or.krTel: 82-3-275-4000 Fax: 82-2-275-4028

Pakistan - United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan House 2, Street 84 Ataturk Avenue G-6/4 P.O. Box 1128 Islamabad e-mail: mailto:fulbright@usefp.sdnpk.undp.org, Tel: 51-210-346 or 278-344 Fax: 51-278-040 or 271-563

Taiwan - Foundation for Scholarly Exchange, 2nd Floor, 1-A Chuan Chow Street Taipei 100, Taiwan e-mail:julie@saec.saec.edu.tw, or jjwu@arc.org.tw,web site:http://www.ait.org.tw/ait/FSE/aeis.htmTel: 2-332-8188, ext 112 Fax: 2-332-5455

Turkey - Program Officer Commission for Educational Exchange between the United States and Turkey Sehit Ersan Caddesi, #28/4, Cankaya Ankara, 06680 e-mail:fulb-ank@tr-net.net.tr,web site:http://www.usis-%20ankara.org.tr/usis/fulb.htmTel: (90-312) 4428-4824 Fax: (90-312) 468-1560

For more countries visit:http://www.iie.org/fulbright/ff/fulbapp.htm

Organization of American States (OAS)

The OAS regular training program is one of the instruments of development cooperation of the Organization of American States. Those who may apply for an OAS fellowship must be citizens or permanent residence of an OAS member states, and hold a university degree. The fellowships are awarded to carry out graduate studies or research in any field, with an exception of the medical science and related areas, and introductory language studies. A fellowship provides the following benefits: a round trip ticket, tuition fees, study materials, health insurance and subsistence allowance. For more information and application form please contact: Division of Cooperation for Development of Human Resources, Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development, 1889 F Street, NW Washington DC, 20006-4499. e-mail:mailto:Fellowship&Training@iacd.oas.org,web site:http://www.oas.org Tel: (202) 458-3792 Fax: (202) 458-3878

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine – Vol. 6 No.1

1. Your First Steps in America
2. Sitting Fit
3. My Experience as an International Student
4. Note#1: Day one fresh start in America
5. Health Insurance Plan-How to choose.

Your First Steps in America

International Student Survival Guide to America

As an international student in America you are at the beginning of a long and exciting journey of acquiring an academic degree. We hope that this magazine will assist you in getting settled, and that we can continue to be of service throughout your stay. Don’t forget to check our various services and benefits, and feel free to contact us with any question or problem you may have, now or in the future.

The International Student Office

This office will have the answers to most of your questions and worries. The International Student Office may have different names on different campuses, but regardless of its name or size this office is an important source of information and service for students studying in the United States.
The international student office may:

1. Offer an orientation program for new international students.
2. Help you find fellow students from your country or recommend clubs that you may want to join.
3. Coordinate a host family or friendship program to help international students learn about the community and participate in community life.
4. Act as a source of information, advice, and assistance related to your non-immigrant student status.

In most colleges the International Student Office will also offer information on many other aspects of your life such as housing, financial aid, medical insurance, cultural events and so on. Check the office's bulletin board on a regular basis, and do not hesitate to ask them any question that may arise during your stay in the U.S, no matter how trivial it seems - chances are that if you are having some difficulty, countless others have faced the same problem, and the International Student Office may have some helpful tips.

Housing: On Campus or Off Campus?

Finding the right place to live is an important part of a successful educational experience. Some colleges and universities located in large cities may not offer on-campus housing. On-campus housing often is less expensive and more convenient (and safe) than off-campus options. On campus there is usually easy access to the library, computer equipment, the student center, sports and recreation facilities, cafeterias and classes. The typical US residence hall or "dormitory" offers more than just a place to sleep, and supports students' academic objectives through a variety of academic and social activities. Be sure you understand the arrangements before committing yourself to a living arrangement. Some universities offer special living arrangements for students who share interests or geographical backgrounds. Thus, you may choose to join a "fraternity" or "sorority" (social clubs for men and women, respectively) or live in an "international house." Many international students, particularly graduate students, prefer the independence of living off campus. Sometimes this option is more affordable, because it leaves room for sharing costs. Some colleges and universities maintain a list of available apartments and provide students with names of other students who seek roommates.

Lease Agreements

If you decided to seek off campus housing, you will be required to sign a rent lease. A "lease" is a binding legal contract between you and the property owner or landlord. When you sign the lease you are obligated to pay the landlord monthly rent for the duration of the lease. Most leases are for a fixed period of time, and it is usually difficult to break the lease. Therefore, before you sign you should be reasonably sure that you could live with your decision for the duration of the lease. In case you decide to leave before the end of the lease, with permission from your landlord you may be allowed to find a tenant to take your place for the remainder of your contract. If you "sublease" your apartment to other tenants, you will probably remain responsible for their actions. Make sure all conditions are clear to both sides of the contract and get it all in writing. Sign the lease only when you have fully understood all terms of the lease and do not sign it unless you are completely satisfied with the apartment and surrounding property. When you sign the lease, you will typically be required to pay a "security deposit," which is usually equivalent to at least one month’s rent, in addition to the first month’s rent. The security deposit will be returned to you when you move out, provided you leave the apartment in good condition. Most apartments come equipped with basic appliances such as a stove and a refrigerator, but you may need to purchase or rent some of the furniture and other equipment. You will probably be responsible for paying the cost of your telephone service and utilities such as water, electricity and gas. The utility companies may require you to pay a deposit before service is activated. These deposits will be refunded to you or credited to your account upon termination of your service, provided you have no due payments. It is also useful to know that most buildings have a "super," a person who’s paid to make sure the building is running smoothly. If you have any problems in your apartment such as plumbing or electricity, the super should fix it free of charge.

Employment in the USA

Employment opportunities for international students are limited by regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and United States Information Agency (USIA). You may not even be self-employed as an international student. Employment is available only to students in good academic standing who maintain their non-immigrant status. With the exception of work on campus, F-1 students need approval from the international student advisor or INS, depending on the circumstances, before accepting employment. Student in J-1 status must have written authorization from the responsible officer of their exchange visitor program before beginning employment. It is very important that you do not work without authorization.

On-campus employment:F-1 and J-1 students may work part-time on campus while classes are in session. "Part-time" means not more than 20 hours per week. Student assistantship is also considered "on-campus employment" and therefore is also limited to 20 hours per week. During vacation periods and academic breaks, you may work full time on campus if you are returning to classes the following term.

Off-campus employment:F-1 Students: off-campus employment is limited to students pursuing academic studies, excluding English language students. Working off-campus requires special authorization and is only available under certain conditions, such as a newly emerging financial hardship. Consult your international student advisor. J-1 Students: exchange visitor students in good academic standing may obtain authorization for work off-campus as part of an academic training experience or when unforeseen economic circumstances arise after the student becomes an exchange visitor. Consult your responsible officer for procedures.

Working after completion of studies:F-1 Students: after completion of studies or everything except the thesis or dissertation may be employed full-time in the field of study through OPT - Optional Practical Training (employment that is not required for credit). One year of full time OPT authorization is usually available. J-1 Students: in general, these students are limited to 18 months of academic training. Academic training must be recommended by your dean or major adviser and authorized by the responsible officer of your exchange visitor program. (NAFSA's International Student Handbook)

Banking - Basics

Transferring Money In order to open a bank account, you will have to transfer some money for your expenses from your home country. Several options exist, and you should check with your university and the bank of your choice to find the solution that best suits you. The preferred way to transfer money is a "wire/electronic transfer" from your bank at home to your US bank account.

Choosing a Bank Every September students are bombarded by brochures from countless banks that want their business. Beware: many of these banks have high fees for checking and savings accounts that drain dollars from your account into the bank's profit column. You should balance convenience with cost when choosing the best bank for you.

1. Ask yourself these questions before opening an account:
   How much money do I have?
   How often do I need to make deposits?
   How many checks will I write each month (rent, phone, books, etc.)?
   How often do I need to withdraw money?
   Do I balance my checkbooks carefully or bounce a lot of checks?
   
2. Get information on your options:
   If you can keep more than $1,000 in the bank each month, look into regular checking with a minimum balance but no monthly fee and unlimited check writing. If you can meet a $1500 minimum balance, look at an interest-paying account (or combine it with a savings or money market account).
   
3. Dare to compare:
   Set your priorities. If you are better at keeping your balance on a surfboard than balancing your checkbook, look for accounts with no minimum balance. If easy access is key, look at ATM services. If you only write a few checks per month, a basic account may be your best bet. Finally, test their service - call the bank and see how the bank’s customer representative treats you.
   
4. Be prepared when you go to open an account:
   Start by asking if the bank has a special student account. Make sure that your account is insured by the FDIC (Federal Government) up to $100,000. You will be asked by the bank's representative for your permanent address and Social Security number, or school ID number. Most banks require two forms of ID and a signature verification from another bank, an employer or a college advisor or dean. You will probably have to wait a few days to get access to your account, and deposited checks in new accounts are often held for as long as 30 days before you can use the money.
   
5. Don't be afraid to switch banks:
   If your bank is charging too much or otherwise treating you badly, move your money - it's yours!
   
6. In many banks in the world it is acceptable to have an overdraft, which means that even if your account has no money in it, the bank allows you to keep withdrawing cash (with interest, of course). American banks have no such thing! If you have no money in your account it will usually be frozen, and you might even be charged an extra fee for reaching that stage.

Other Banking Services
Banks offer a variety of services including safety deposit boxes for storing valuable possessions, debit cards, also known as check cards, which allow your to withdraw or deposit money to your account using an ATM. It also allows you to make purchases at stores, just like a credit card, only the money is withdrawn immediately from your account instead of once a month. They also offer credit cards which will allow you to make purchases even when you have no money readily available.

On-Line Banking Basics
If you have already set up a bank account in the US, you may have noticed that the American banking system is unique in it’s way. When I first arrived in the US as an international student I couldn’t understand a word the bank representative was saying, even though I spoke English, and I almost gave up hope of understanding how my bank account worked. Online banking, when I first heard of it, only seemed like a further complication. However, as I soon found out, managing a bank account through the Internet may make life easier. Not only do you spend less time on banking errands, but ATM machines, telephone banking or banking by mail are often unnecessary. Online systems allow customers to access banking services from a personal computer by connecting with the bank's computers over telephone lines. Most major banks nowadays offer on-line banking as an option to their customers, under a variety of different names: PC banking, home banking, electronic banking or Internet banking. Regardless of the name, all of these systems offer certain advantages over traditional banking methods.

Services Available
Basic (offered by most banks) - Check account balances, transfer funds between accounts and pay bills electronically. Advanced (offered by some banks) - Applies for loans, download information about accounts, trade stocks or mutual funds and view images of checks and deposit. There are two approaches for online banking:

1. Client based / Customers use money management software and their own computers to access the bank using a modem and a phone line.
2. Internet based / Customers use any computer to access the Internet and then the bank via modem.

Advantages

• You can use your computer and a telephone modem to dial in from home or any site where you have access to a computer.
• The services are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
• Transactions are executed and confirmed quickly, although not instantaneously. Processing time is comparable to that of an ATM transaction.
• The range of transactions available is fairly broad. You can do everything from simply checking on an account balance to paying your bills.

Disadvantages

• You need to be computer literate.
• It takes time to be familiar with all the functions.
• In case you decide to use the bill payment function, setting your data will be an effort that will lead to unlimited convenience.
• Online banking: Expect to pay fees.

There is a broad pricing issue at work here. Just as bank charges for checking accounts vary, online banking fees may differ from one bank to another. The most expensive aspect of online banking is bill payment. The price range starts from no fee and may reach more than $10 per month. You should check with your bank what it charges. In any case, it is recommended to shop around for banks that have no monthly charges but provide a wide array of services at their Internet branches.

Note- Make sure that the bank you wish to join has the FDIC (federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) sign. This means that the bank is insured as well as your money. In the event of a bank failure, federal deposit insurance protects deposits that are payable in the United States.

Credit Cards

Charge card vs. credit card
A charge card requires you to pay your entire bill each month, but does not charge interest (for example: American Express). A credit card allows you to pay your bill in full each month or pay a portion of your bill, with interest, if your payment meets the minimum established by your card company, usually about 2%-3% of your bill (for example: Visa or MasterCard).

Annual fees and APR
Annual fees and annual percentage rates (APR's) are often linked to each other. Many credit cards that have high annual fees have lower interest rates and vice versa. If you pay your bill monthly, look for a card without an annual fee. If you expect to make extended payments, look for a card with low APR.

Grace period
A grace period lets you avoid interest charges for 25-30 days, so you can pay off your monthly charges without incurring interest. To obtain a list of low-cost credit cards write or call to: Bankcard Holders of America, RAM Research Low-rate list, PO Box 1700, 524 Branch Drive Frederick, MD 21702, Salem, VA 24153 (800) 344-7714, (703) 389-5445.

Owning and Operating an Automobile
You must have a valid driver's license to drive a car. Each state in the US issues its own driver's license. Not every state will recognize your country's driver's license or an international driver's license. Most states require car owners to purchase and maintain automobile insurance. Even if the state in which you will live does not require it, you should purchase insurance if you plan to own a vehicle.

Visa Information
A person seeking to enter the United States to study must obtain and appropriate visa for that purpose. By statute, persons entering as temporary visitors are precluded from studying in the US. The most commonly used visa for studying is the F-1 visa. Under certain circumstances, students come to the US on J-1 and M-1 visas. In order to obtain any of these visas, a person must be a non-immigrant.

F-1 Visa
F-1 status is for one to come into the US as a full time student. The person must obtain an I-20 issued by a school or school system authorized by the Immigration Service to sponsor foreign students. Virtually all colleges and universities and many public schools and private schools are so authorized. All schools have foreign student advisors that handle foreign student matters including I-20's. The foreign student must prove that he or she has adequate funds to proved for school and living expenses in the US. F-1 students must maintain a full course of study, which, for an undergraduate, usually requires at least 12 credit hours a semester. Full time for a graduate student is whatever the institution deems it to be. F-1 students are responsible for maintaining their legal status while in the US. Consequences for and F-1 student who fails to maintain legal status can be serious. Students who fail to maintain legal status are ineligible for employment, transfer to another institution, change to another non-immigrant status within the US, and other benefits. Such students must either apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for reinstatement or must leave and reenter the US.

F-2 Visa (Dependent of F-1 Visa Holder)
Individuals in the U.S. as dependents (spouse or children) of an F-1 visa holder may engage in full or part-time study. However, they are no permitted to work in the U.S. under no circumstances.

J-1 Visa (Exchange Visitor)
J-1 status must be pursuant to a foreign exchange program and. J-1 students must maintain a full course of study.

J-2 Visa (Dependent of J-1 Visa Holder)
Individuals in the U.S. as dependents (spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21) of an J-1 student or scholar may engage in full or part-time study. They are eligible to apply to INS for work authorization. With EAD (Employment Authorization Document) issued by INS (Immigration and naturalization Services), they may work for any employer.

M-1 Visa
The M-1 status was created to separate those who come to the US for vocational-type training from those who engage in an academic program. In order to obtain this status a person must be admitted to a school that is authorized by the Immigration Service to sponsor M-1 students. The school issues that person an I-20M-N. The person then applies for the visa or the status by submitting the I-20, proof of adequate financial support and evidence to establish that the person is a non-immigrant.

Documents
Most non-immigrants (except for Canadians) must have a valid passport and visa in order to obtain non-immigrant status, which must remain valid for the duration of their stay in the US. The student must report a lost passport to the embassy or consul of the country, and obtain a new passport to maintain status in the US. All non-immigrant students receive an I-94 arrival-departure record upon entering the US. This should be kept in the person's passport. This indicates the date and place on entry, as well as the person's status. The I-94 will also indicate the date up to which the person will be able to remain in the US - for most foreign student it will be '"D/S" (duration of status). Please note that an F-1 student is considered to be in legal status for 60 days after you have been a full time student, have completed your studies or have finished practical training. During this period you may begin a new degree program, transfer to another institution, change to another visa status or prepare to leave the US. [International Student Guide to the United States of America + "The Big" Bmcc's International Gazette.

Sitting Fit

(For students who make a living sitting!)
Dr. Amram Weiner

As human beings, we have developed a necessary but usually unhealthy relationship with... chairs! Initially, chairs were invented to free our hands and body from physical stress and to allow us to concentrate better. However, since our body was designed and built to perform in motion, straight and erect, we must often get up to loosen our body. For many people, including myself, walking is also a much better way to relax and think than sitting. Still, we must sit much of the time, as you are probably doing right now.

So here are a few helpful tips to cope with the problem:

1. Get an ergonomic* chair, with lumbar support, high back cushion, thick padding, adjustable height and tilt.
2. Adjust the chair so that your feet and knees are at 90-degree angles. Get a footrest; it is good to change the position of your feet.
3. Change your sitting position often by tilting your body from the hips, not by curling your back. Imagine there is a bar between your hips and rotate your body forwards or backwards using that bar as a pivot.
4. Adjust your working station to suit your own needs regarding the monitor’s height, keyboard position, light etc. As a general rule of thumb, you should be sitting between 30 and 70 cm from your computer screen. The monitor should be positioned so that the top of the screen is slightly below eye level. The computer screen should also be tilted backwards, but not so much that it should cause a glare.
5. Micro breaks. This is extremely important! Take, say, a ten seconds break, roll your chair back, do two or three simple stretching exercises**, take a deep cleansing breath and continue your work. Do it as often as possible. Take a longer break every 30 to 45 minutes. Get up, walk, move and stretch.

* Ergonomics: Arranging and fitting the environment to suit our health needs.
** If you like, I will gladly provide you with a sample of exercises. Just call 212-249-3884. You can also look up some exercises on the web, www.csosortho.com/safety/stretching.html
Dr. Amram Weiner is a chiropractor, practicing in the Upper East Side of Manhattan New York.

My Experience as an International Student in America

Tara Nath
Winner of ISO Essay Competition - 1st Place

I arrived in this country on the twenty-ninth day of July, in the year 2000. It has now been over a year since that day. My experiences in the United States of America have been greatly varied. There has been joy mixed with sadness, hope mixed with disenchantment, freedom mixed with a sense of entrapment - the list goes on and on. I left my native country at a time when my life had started to take on structure and form. I had a stable job and income. I had started to build towards a future, a home, a car and perhaps even a family. In coming to America I gave up that security for the unknown. I was accepted into the Ph.D. program in Chemistry and I had to give a chance. If I hadn’t, I would have always wondered what could have been. However, giving up what we definitely have for what we hope to have is never easy. It takes a lot of inner strength and courage.

So now I am in America, "the land of freedom," and yet sometimes I feel like caged bird.
I come from Trinidad, where the lowest temperature is perhaps twenty degrees Celsius. I can wear one layer of clothes any day of the year and go outside. Having to wear layers of clothes plus a winter coat weighs me down. I feel slower and less free when I am outdoors. But sometimes I forget the cold when I see the beauty of the snowflakes falling from the skies and covering the earth with a pure glistening white carpet. I even forget how cold my room is when I see the lights coming from the buildings waltzing on the East River.

At first, the offer to enter a Ph.D. program in America sounded grand. Too grand to turn down. The thought of being Dr. Tara Nath and perhaps discovering some novel concept was overwhelming! At that time I did not realize the depth of the risk involved in doing a Ph.D in chemistry. It has not been anything like studying for a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree. There are no guarantees that I will get this degree. But I try to stay positive. I read in a book once that the sunflower always bends in the direction of the sun; wherever it may hide the sunflower finds it. I have decided to behave like the sunflower and find the sun. I do not know where this Ph.D. shall ultimately take me, but I know every experience in life is for a reason.

I believe that I am still coming to terms with the idea of being in New York. At times I feel a bit displaced here. Some mornings when I wake up I look through my window and expect to see my mother’s rose plants in the backyard. Each time, though, I experience a rude awakening when I see the tall concrete buildings glaring back at me. I miss spending times with my dogs, my friend, my parents and my little sister. I miss driving and watching television and just doing the things that once defined me. I guess I have to start making a new path for myself in this new, different world, but I know that it will take time and endurance. Endurance of loneliness, of uncertainty, of tears, of fears and of a kaleidoscope of feelings.

As a child I would lay on the bed seat of my father’s moving car and watch the moon move with me. It fascinated me that no matter where the car moved the moon moved with it. Little did I know then that the moon could have moved around the world and back. America has exposed me to so many people of different races, creeds and religions. The striking thing, though, is that although we may be from different countries and different cultures, so much of who we are is the same. We all share a vast number of common desires, fears, hopes and aspirations.

I have also learned a lot about the differences in the way of life and culture. I am an East Indian from the West Indies, and when I think of the word ‘Indians’ I think of a race, not a nationality. Interacting with students from India has taught me that being Indian for a lot of them is more of a nationality than a race. I have learned that within China there are many different types of dialects so that two Chinese from different parts of the country may not be able to communicate with each other. I have looked at the photographs of a Russian friend, and found that Russia is a beautiful place with beaches and rustic buildings. By observing the Chinese, Indian, American and European students cooking at my dormitory I can now prepare many different dishes.

It is said that wanting more out of life than we have is divine. It is the need for our spirit to soar. I love Trinidad. Its familiarity gives me a sense of belonging. I have spent most of my life there, but it is small, much smaller than America and even New York. This makes it difficult, sometimes, to grow as a person. So I have been using America’s great size to grow mentally and to discover myself. Every day I use my experiences to help me open my mind to changes, to accept differences in people and to find my individuality. I have been deciphering what my beliefs are and trying to stand up for them. I have been learning to be independent, and I have been practicing saying what I mean and not what others want to hear. I am also coming to the realization that each person may hold on to different values and beliefs, but we can still all live in harmony and even be friends.

America is a land of plenty, there is no doubt about that. Plenty of cuisines, plenty to see, plenty of choices and opportunities. Being here sometimes gives me the feeling that I can be anything that I want to be. Both the public and school libraries are filled with so many resources: books, audio and visual cassettes and microfilms. There is a wealth of information and opportunities that Americans take for granted. In my country there are opportunities, but they are fewer and harder to obtain. As a result, ambition and drive are not always enough to lead you to success. In the United States I feel that ambition and drive are sufficient to allow me to reach my goal, at least. In other words, "where there is a will there is a way." This encourages me to continue when I feel like quitting. I am now sitting on my bed, gazing at the waters of the East River, trying to finish this essay. Writing everything down has given me the chance to express the whirlwind of emotions and experiences that I have been through since I arrived in this country. I guess choosing to come up here has put me in a sort of transition state. Right now I feel like I do not belong here or at home. I have no job to go back to at home; in coming here it feels as if I gave up my old life for a new one. And yes, I am in America, but it feels like I am looking in with my eyes pressed to a transparent glass door. When I see friends and family together, I long for my own friends and family. Here I am just another face in the crowd, but at home I matter to many people. There are moments that I want to be here because it makes me feel that I can climb my mountain, but this is overshadowed by my feelings of loneliness and sadness.

I know that in the end I will choose the path that brings me happiness, but I must first find out what that path is. I hope that my past experiences and my new ones in this country will help me with this task.

Note #1: Day One Fresh Start

Lucie Prochazkova
Winner of ISO Essay Competition - 2nd Place

"Go up the stairs, and then turn right!"
An older lady with a pointy nose and strict eyes is trying to explain to me how I can get to my classroom.
It is my first day here, at Owens Community College. I'm excited, and a bit scared. I walk up the stairs with a little smirk on my face. It’s funny how people have a tendency to speak louder when they realize you're from a different country. I guess they think we'll be able to understand better when they raise their voice. It is kind of amusing, since it’s not the first time this has happened to me since I have arrived in the US. I'm almost on the second floor. Before I enter the classroom I make a mental note to purchase some high quality earplugs, because my experience here might be harmful to the inner ear.

As I step in, I can see ten pairs of curious eyes carefully following my every move. Several thoughts go through my head. Do I have any holes in my clothes? Do I have a big pimple on my nose? Do I look fat? Is it my hair? I knew I should have gone with a different kind of blond. And if not, what is it? Do I look too European? Is it that obvious? I tell myself to stop. I realize I'm getting paranoid.
The whole class is quiet. Nobody moves. We're all waiting for our professor to enter the room. There is a big clock right above the door, and I bet everyone's attention is drawn to it right now. Only one more click and the big arm will hit 12. That's when we officially start our first day, first class, first hour, and first semester here at Owens.

I start digging in my purse. Oh, no, I can't find my pen. Great! My first day, and I won't be able to take notes. What a fabulous start! Great job, Lucie! As I'm having this conversation with myself, I notice that someone has walked in. I raise my eyes. The first thing I see is the unusual high heels, it is a woman. My eyes continue to scan her whole body, just like an X-ray, and… there she is, standing like a goddess on a white pedestal, my good old friend from downstairs. I recognize the sharp look in her eyes, and the pointy nose. What a surprise! Mental note number two: emergency, purchase earplugs as soon as possible.

"Welcome class! My name is Mrs. Hoag, and I will be your economics teacher for the next 18 weeks, " she starts a typical welcome speech. "I’d like to tell you a little bit about me. I've been working here for the past eight years, so I have a lot of experience teaching," she pauses. Only one thing comes to my mind: eight years equals routine, which means a boring class. But I'll give her a chance. "My husband teaches here as well. Maybe some of you will have him later in the semester if you proceed to the higher level of economics." My inner voice jumps in: Is this a family business or what?

Maybe I just have to stop being so negative. Everything will be okay, I tell myself. Everything will be just fine, give her a chance. Lay back and enjoy the rest of the speech. My eyes start feeling heavy, and I realize I have tuned out all external noise. Somehow, fortunately, I manage to stay awake. I’m proud of myself, because most of my classmates were not as fortunate as me and missed Mrs. Hoag’s whole introduction speech. The rest of the class goes pretty smoothly. I can see on everyone’s faces and in their body language that they’re ready to go home. "Just to make sure, class, that I remember all of your names correctly, why don’t we make two groups, and I’ll take pictures of you," Mrs. Hoag surprises me again. It seems she always has some way of spicing up the atmosphere.

We are all confused. We don’t know what’s going on. "One, two, one, two," she starts pointing at people and distributing numbers to make sure we’re grouped evenly. "Okay, group number one, why don’t you stand in front of the board, and I’ll take a picture." Group number one, I think that includes me. I proceed to the board with a few other students. There are huge spaces between us; nobody wants to get in contact with anyone else. "I’ll count to three, and then everybody say: ‘Dividend!" Dividend? What in the world is she talking about? I don’t think I quite understand. In my country, we say cheese. But I guess I’ll have to adjust, this is America. I put a huge smile on my face and after a bit of a struggle I say, "Dividend!" The flash goes off, and our professional picture is done.

Everybody grabs their book bags and walks out the door. It seems a little sad to me. I was used to knowing all my classmates on a more personal level. When I was in Europe, we were a great group. Everyone knew everyone else, and I think that throughout the years we developed some sort of a psychological tie. Most people were caring and concerned with other people’s problems, feelings, and life in general. Here, I feel more like a social security number in a computer than a real person.
I catch myself daydreaming. I forgot that my schedule doesn’t allow me to do that. I have only ten minutes in between classes, and it seems like seconds when you have to walk from one building to another that is located across the street.

I would say I’m a little disappointed, but I’m also curious as to what my other classes will be like. It was my dream to come to the United States and experience the "American Dream" in person. So far, it’s been one surprise after another. However, I love it. I can adjust to pretty much anything, and I’m looking forward to experiencing more of the world famous American culture. I know the memories I will have in the end will be priceless, and I will have a lot of stories to bore my grandchildren with. So, let’s take a deep breath and jump straight into this new world.
Mental note number three: If you survive it, it will make you stronger.

Health Insurance Plan

How to Choose the Plan That Fits Your Needs
Jacob Harel, Ph.D.

I made it! I was accepted to the college of my preference and started my academic journey in America. As the semester begins, there are so many things to take care of: tuition, registration, textbooks, and yes - a new pair of jeans. Not to forget, I have to secure myself with a proper health insurance. This is a priority on my list, since I prefer to do whatever I can to avoid any obstacles that are liable to jeopardize my course of study in the United States. Talking to the international student advisor at my college, I have realized there are several common mistakes students tend to make when choosing their medical plan. I would like to take this opportunity and assist my fellow international students in avoiding these mistakes, and upon all - in choosing the plan that is suitable for them.

Common Mistakes Students Make:

1. I Do Not Need Medical Insurance Plan -This is the greatest mistake you are liable to make. The cost of medical treatment in America is the highest in the world! Even young and healthy students are liable to find themselves in a need for medical services. In case you are sick and need to be hospitalized, the hospital bills may run for sums as high as thousands of dollars. Thus, an injury from daily activities, such as a broken hand caused by an in line skating or basketball game, could cost in hospital bills from $3,000 and up to $25,000 in case a surgical intervention is required. A relatively simple operation such as Appendix might cost as much as $17,000. I know I could not afford such high bills, could you?
2. Comparing Monthly Premium -Do not compare only the monthly premium - mostly $37-$60 a month. You should also compare what you get for your money! Compare the maximum benefits. $10,000-$50,000 is not enough in America. You should not settle for less than $100,000.
3. Ignoring High Deductibles And Co-Insurance Payments -Most medical insurance policies require you to pay more and share with them the bill when you use your insurance. The most common additional payments are:
   Deductible - the amount of money you must pay to a medical service provider before your coverage begins. If your deductible is $100 and your physician bill is for $250, the insurance company will reimburse you for $150 only. Make every effort to have as low deductible in your health insurance as possible.
   Co-insurance - The part (%) of the medical bill you have to carry. If your co-insurance is 80% / 20% and your hospital bill is for $5,000, the insurance company will pay the hospital 80% = $4,000, and you will have to pay the remaining $1000. Avoid insurance plans that require you to pay more than $1,000 out-of-your-pocket.
4. Coverage for Your Spouse and Children-Some students compare different plans only by the benefits for the student and its costs. If you came to America with your spouse and children, you probably want your medical plan to cover them as well. In such a case, you should compare the monthly premium for spouse and child, and the benefits they may get for this premium. The insurance premium for a female-spouse is very high, usually around $200 a month. This is due to the high costs of expected maternity. Some medical plans offer the female-spouse an option that has no maternity benefits. This option costs her much less! So if you do not plan on having a baby soon you may consider that option.

What You Should Look For In Medical Coverage:
The best way to choose a health insurance plan is to run a little research. Start with the office of international students at your campus. Usually this office is a good source of information and alternatives. Then, check if your college has a mandatory health plan, one that you have to purchase and pay for during registration as part of the tuition bill, compare and check it too! Some colleges offer a mandatory plan that is good for American citizen, but may be unsuitable for foreign students. For example, check the maximum benefits (I have seen some medical plans that offers only $10,000 as maximum benefits - who will pay the rest?) and whether or not the plan covers repatriation and medical expanses in your home-country during visits. Most colleges would allow you to make your own intelligent choice, and to waive their mandatory insurance if you prefer a plan more suitable for your needs.

After you have gathered all the information you need, read the brochures of the different plans (yes, the small letters too). Compare the plans according the aforementioned key guidelines: maximum benefits, co-insurance, deductible, number of optional doctors and hospitals, coverage in home country, repatriation, and the maximum out-of-pocket (maximum amount of money you will have to pay over the year).
Remember! You do not want to play with your health, and you do not want to take chances against the odds. If you cannot afford to pay high bills do not stay without a health plan. STAY WELL.

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

The International Spirit magazine – Vol. 8 No.1

• The International Spirit Magazine
• City of Dreams, Tamryn Andrews Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 1st Place
• Let’s Do Lunch, Heike A. Winterheld Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 2nd  Place
• Figuring Out, Srividya Lyer Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 2nd  Place
• How to Protect Your Computer from Viruses
• ADVISE: How to Buy at the Best Prices
• Remember to Live, Caleb Sze-Ern Ho Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 3rd  Place
• Maintaining Your Visa Status 2002

The International Spirit magazine – Vol. 8 No.1

Coming to America, My First Days

 

Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 1st Place

City of Dreams, Tamryn Andrews

The expanse of cerulean blue sky holds the fiery golden orb by day and the gentle silver by night. An ocean zephyr dances its away along the dazzlingly white beaches and off the tops of foamy, aquamarine waves. Tall, ancient oak, milkwood and yellowwood trees fan their boughs in the breeze over lithe, sun burnt bodies happily sprawled in wild, green grass and fynbos. A rocky fortress rising above the city, encases the inhabitants protectively, while a gathering of wispy clouds flow over the mountain’s flat top, a telling sign of rain…Cape Town, South Africa – my home.

 

To leave that behind and find myself in New York City was not easy. I never see the sunset, nor the moon and the only mountains that surround me are ominous skyscrapers that blot out the sky. The stars are hidden behind a veil of smog, like my thoughts that are often lost in the rumble of a city that never sleeps. I would constantly jump as the subway roared beneath the sidewalk. My words, although English, were alien to American ears and for the first time in my life communication was a bridge that I had yet to cross. When asked where I come from, the reply left the questioner confused. South Africa was not on the map of trendy places to visit.

 

I found myself lost in the labyrinth locals call the Village, my new home. Goths and pseudo punk rockers skulked the sidewalks like animals in a zoo. I felt, in my jeans and tackies (sneakers), out of place and a million miles away from civilization. Nothing seemed substantial and a conviction formed in my mind that I had been transported to a movie set. At any moment that facades would fall and a gang of cowboys would come tearing down the street, like the scene from Mel Brooks’ movie, Blazing Saddles. Reality was fantasy and fantasy was reality.

 

I felt trapped in a world of inconsequence. NY was a cage that kept its inhabitants shackled – feeding us our dearest dreams and slowly sapping us of vitality. Hardened New Yorkers were prison wardens, shaping the rest of us into lesser versions of themselves. I had no choice but to relent.

 

New York is a tough place – a testing ground for life in the rest of the world.

I have learnt many lessons about life while being here – some that are positive and infuse in me the love of the human spirit, other lessons exposing the raw, jarring reality of a world less than perfect. People here are ensnared in a bubble of materialism and self-indulgent, superficial whims. Having my judgment so clouded by depression and loneliness obviously led me to despise all that was attached to New York. But then I fell in love.

 

It did not happen the customary way.  Just as I was the unsuspecting lover, so was my beloved. It all began on the 9 September 2001…

 

Evil stole into the morning and drove itself into two fragile towers, hailed by many as a tribute to the efforts of man, despised by me as the reminder of that which I had left behind. But that morning, as I watched the inferno before me, from my apartment window, I realized that I had been attacked too. My new home had become a battleground, a scene of carnage. And as every eye in New York turned south, to the flames of destruction that reeked of death, I became a member of a family - a family forged out of desperation but one understanding that only through unification could the Evil be fought off and Good triumph.

 

Walking through the streets of the West Village, the people around me were no longer automatons scurrying about from one hedonistic activity to another, these were human beings. My perceptions had so been distorted by homesickness that I had seen only the images of the personal nightmare that I felt that I had fallen into. But on this day I saw strangers crying, embracing, smiling, encouraging, helping and in that moment they were strangers no longer. I became a part of New York that day. As I stood with others in a long line outside the Javitts Center to offer my unworthy hands in support, no-one turned me away. The fact that I was an international student me did not make me a foreigner but a friend from a distant land. I was a part of the human spirit that on the day that America was attacked stood up in retaliation and yelled: "We will not be defeated." And as I stood there, in solidarity with others, I fell in love with New York City.

With renewed hope coursing through my veins, I noticed, in that instant, that the skies were the same blue as the day I left Cape Town – as if God had stretched the heavens from Cape Town to New York in an effort to let me know that home is where you make it. And while no replica of Table Mountain Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa with a top as flat as a table top hence the name. exists in NY, to protect its citizens, in its place the Statue of Liberty stands, glorious and dignified,

the protector of all nations. 

 

As dusk fell and weariness necessitated my going home, I chose to walk the streets and learn more about my new love. As I ambled along, my toes squelched in my shoes, I was struck by how I had erred in my judgment of New York. Everywhere I looked I saw people, like myself, with a dream in mind and

a determination so powerful that they had found themselves in Gotham city. The desire to succeed and become a better person confronted me – from the street vendor selling hotdogs to the man in the Armani suit with the Wall Street Journal tucked under his arm.

We are all here in New York, and not anywhere else, because New York is where you make it, where you prove yourself to the world. As Frank Sinatra crooned, "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. It’s up to you…New York, New York."

 

Not one person is the same and this is where our strength, as New Yorkers, lie - in the unification of our differences. It didn’t matter that I was South African or that the man at the deli was Greek or the cabbie Indian. It didn’t matter that I was Jewish and my neighbor Muslim and his best friend Catholic. It didn’t matter because we are all New Yorkers with the same desire to achieve that which had eluded others. Walking along the streets that night I experienced a sense of freedom that I had never experienced before and struggled to vocalize. I was in a city where fantasy was reality and reality fantasy. I could be whoever I wished to be; there were no bounds. I could be me. Finally, I was home.

"City of the World! (for all the races are here,

All the lands of the earth make contributions here;)

Proud and passionate city – mettlesome, mad, extravagant city!

Spring up, O city – not for peace alone, but be indeed yourself, warlike!

Fear not – submit to no models but your own O city!"

Walt Whitman

 

Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 2nd  Place

Let’s Do Lunch, Heike A. Winterheld

I am an international student from Germany, and I came to the US in 1997. At first I attended a university in Colorado. I quickly realized that even if you study English in school for many years, there are things that they do not teach you there, but perhaps should. It would have prevented me from looking toward the sky after being greeted with "What's up". I would have not wondered how do come up with cooking ingredients in the middle of campus upon the suggestion "Let's do lunch". I would have been less panic-stricken after hearing the words "would you like a shot?", would I have known that I am being offered a drink instead of being asked whether I would like to get shot.

 

I transferred to a school in Hawaii after a year. On the plane, I imagined what the islands would be like. "Probably more beautiful, with great beaches and mild winters, but other than that surely not much different from the mainland," so I thought.   I was very excited when I arrived at the airport. The sweet smell of ginger and the sound of Hawaiian music in the balmy air, friendly people with leis - I felt a breathless sense of adventure, with the whole Aloha state stretched out before me. I took the bus to my hostel. The bus driver's "Good morning" was the last thing I understood on the bus. Everybody around me spoke a language other than English. I was thrilled, and I felt quite like the world traveler!

 

I finally arrived at my temporary housing facility. I unpacked, and decided to venture out to get some groceries. I entered a small produce store in Chinatown. I was the only white person, and I was also the only person who shouted "Hi!" instead of saying a gentle and friendly "Aloha". I stuck out like a sore thumb. "Keep your cool, you will adjust,"    I told myself. While I was browsing the store and looking at vegetables that I had never seen before, I saw a Japanese man dropping his wallet. He did not notice that he had lost it, so I picked it up and brought it to him. He thanked me profusely in Japanese, and proceeded to bow to me. I said, "you're welcome" upon which he would bow to me again. I did not know what to do, and thought maybe it would be polite to follow suit. I decided to bow to him as well. Bad idea, as he did the same at the exact same moment.

Our heads bumped together and made the sound of coconuts falling to the ground. For a brief moment, I saw stars. The man laughed till he cried, and so did I. However, I was also very embarrassed, and promised myself to find out about how and when to bow properly.

 

That day I knew that I would experience more diversity during my time in Hawaii than I had ever before. In Colorado, I felt that my fellow students and other people I interacted with on a daily basis were not much different from the people I have been primarily socialized with. In Hawaii, I was clearly not in the majority anymore. I knew there was a lot for me to learn.

 

Shortly after my arrival, I became friends with a classmate. She is Samoan, and invited me to a traditional family dinner at her parents' house. The numerous pairs of shoes by the entrance should have told me something. I was wondering why there were so many shoes outside the house. "Maybe they had a major shoe cleaning day", I thought. After I barged into the house, it dawned on me. Nobody was wearing shoes but me. I hurried back to the door to take my shoes off, and realized that I had a huge hole in one of my socks. "Great", I thought to myself, "now they're not only thinking that I'm rude, but a slob on top of it." The dinner was still wonderful. To this day, I have never again marched into a house with my shoes on. When in doubt, I ask. And I make sure that I wear socks that do not have holes in them.

 

There were other awkward situations I found myself in, most of them caused by cultural incompetence. But altogether, I had a fantastic time. I found an apartment in a high rise building, and each of the twelve apartments on my floor was occupied by residents of a different ethnicity: Korean, Japanese, Samoan, Tongan, Persian, Canadian, Filipino, Chinese, Russian, and German. When I moved into the building, some of my neighbors felt the need to tell me who the "bad" people on the floor are. The Samoans called the Tongans aggressive, the Persians the Japanese sly, I was told to be wary of the Russians, and so forth. Interestingly enough, those I was warned about one day, were the ones that warned me about others the next. I realized that racism, stereotypes and prejudice exist even in paradise. During my time in Hawaii, I learned that it is not quite the multicultural heaven that  I have always thought it is. The sole fact that people of different cultures live next to each other does not necessarily mean that they know each other, or get along. It takes more to get to that point.

 

I realized this in one of the most frightening moments of my life. One night at 2:00 AM, I was awakened by a loud noise. Half asleep, I heard the loud speaker: "There has been a report of an emergency. Please leave the building immediately!" Not fully aware of what was going on, I got up, gathered a few belongings, and opened my apartment  door. There was a burnt smell, children were screaming, and I saw my upset neighbors hurrying towards the fire exit. I ran out of my apartment to join them. We went downstairs, and realized much to our shock that the door, that would lead us onto the roof, did not open. We could not go back as there was only thick smoke behind us. Security men tried to open the door from outside, and told us to remain calm and that help was on the way.

 

In the midst of this terrifying moment, I experienced also my most magical one: as we looked at each other in panic and on the verge of tears, we began to comfort and support one another. I saw people carry the children and help the elderly relatives of those they had warned me about previously. Kind words were exchanged. Where language differences would exist, a hug or a hand squeeze would convey the message. All of a sudden we were not Korean, Japanese, Samoan, Tongan, Persian, Canadian, Filipino, Chinese, Russian, and German - we were scared human beings in pajamas, who feared for their lives.

 

Firefighters arrived, opened the door, and the horror was over. But this experience has changed my life forever. I believe now more strongly than ever that diversity of experience and outlook are very powerful tools in helping us to understand, respect, affirm, and honor differences in people. It is very important to learn about cultural differences, but at the same time we need to foster the awareness that human beings are so much more similar than they are different. There are only a few emotions that we all share. We want to love and be loved. We want to be respected, and we want to be happy.

 

We all feel pain and sadness when left alone or singled out. We all feel fear when our lives, or those of our loved ones, are in danger. I think that this is easily forgotten and we tend to concentrate too much on what separates us culturally, politically, or with regard to our religious beliefs. But only when we recognize our similarities, are we able to truly respect and support one another, even when we disagree in our beliefs. It does not take an emergency situation such as a building fire to make human connections. International students in particular can play an important role in enhancing cross-national understandings and in diminishing racist attitudes as they develop social ties to their native classmates, and as they return to their country of origin, bringing back an appreciation for the culture of their host country. The experience of socializing and studying together challenges stereotyped preconceptions in both international students and native students, and it helps both to learn to communicate effectively with people of varied backgrounds. As we get to get to know each other better, we learn to understand the questions of those that are different from ourselves, and we realize that we share many of the same problems.

 

Cultural differences should never be allowed to separate us from each other as human beings. They should enrich our lives by giving us a variety of perspectives, and help us learn from each other. Oh, and they can make for funny stories we can tell our grand children about.

 

Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 2nd  Place

Figuring Out, Srividya Lyer

 

Welcome to the US of A. I've been told to offer you a spot of advice. So pin back your ears and listen up. This might take a while to explain because it took me several months to figure out.

 

Folks back home might have given you more advice than you wanted, and I know you probably have had it up to your follicles.... But maybe no one told you what I am about to say. The one vital skill for survival in the US is agility - mental, emotional and intellectual agility. Because America is the land of change. America changes her ideas, her technology, her philosophy and her policy faster than you probably change certain unmentionable items of your wardrobe!

 

It's really not as bad as it sounds. In fact, it's probably the one reason you chose to come here in the first place. Isn't it the US's thirst for innovation and capacity for change that makes it the chosen destination of the best students from almost every country in the world? And regardless of where you hail from, it is quite likely that you will be overwhelmed by the sheer inexorable rapidity of change in this country.

 

Why does this country have such a penchant for change? Why does it place a premium on dynamism? Why must you keep pace or stay out of the way? For answers, a peek at the past is in order. Jawaharlal Nehru had once famously remarked that, "A moment comes, which come but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance". He said it when he became the first Prime Minister of free India.

 

The Pilgrim Fathers, who founded the modern American state, did much the same. Tired of British governance, long suppressed by imperialism, they did more than find utterance - they founded a country. It's not surprising that America loves change. She was conceived of a thirst for change. It was up to the founding fathers to establish the system, the machinery of civil society that was needed to initiate and sustain social change.

 

Then, as it is now, nothing in America was sacrosanct. The spirit that won the West was the spirit of change (Wyatt Earp didn't know it, but he was a philosopher.) It was the spirit that threw off the British yoke that abolished slavery that recognized the individual, that accorded primacy to quality and that drafted the American Constitution, the beacon to aspiring democracies to this day. So deep was the respect for change in the minds of America's founders that they even built changeability into their Constitution. That spirit still thrives today. In the past five decades, every great idea, every notion that changed the world, has almost always emerged from the USA. In recent times, Americans have ushered in far reaching processes of change. The information technology that is a way of life for most of us was born here. Overnight, America -and on the strength of American conviction, other countries- had to change the way business was conducted. E-commerce atomized already segmented markets.

 

Dynamism was no longer desirable - it became essential. And so ruthless is the process of change, that it does not spare any entity, regardless of it's stature. Market leaders went bust and non-entities rose to the top within a breath-takingly short time. A look at the Nasdaq will immediately reveal that survival is not for the fittest any longer... it's the privilege of the fastest and the most agile now. (Mr. Greenspan, correct me if I'm wrong).

 

Where else in the world is it okay to be black, gay, fetishist, leftist, radical or anarchist? Even more remarkable than technological change is the process of social change. It's roots can probably be traced to the Underground Railroad, which delivered black slaves to freedom. America shed blood to effect her change so she guards it zealously.

 

America abolished slavery and recognized the right of citizens to equal opportunity regardless of race. The pill did for women what Wallace did for the Scots. Socio-economic change precipitated change in the familial structure - from the clan-like to the nuclear to the single parent within a few generations. Commitment to freedom and capitalism is unshakeable, but all alternative forms of politics are allowed a voice. It is not a flawless social system. Allies become enemies and enemies become allies in no time, depending on the interest at play in politics. Free-marketism is happily relegated to the back burner for the benefit of the steel industry. Feminine access to the Big O is guaranteed, but women are still likely to earn less than their male counterparts. But, as mentioned before, change is inherent in society and spares neither the new nor the entrenched. America is not afraid to re-examine its stance. The media is intensely critical. Dissenting voices are raised even when there's danger of them being branded unpatriotic. This is possible probably because America has outgrown nationalism.

 

The cab driver who will ferry you to your hostel will probably be Asian, your apartment's foreman might be white, you will likely be taught by a Latino at university, the egghead who made the satellite that beams mindless programming to your TV is almost certainly Indian, the CEO of the supermarket chain you will shop at could be Eurasian. There's little room for hollow nationalism in a country as pluralist and diverse as America. Since the US changed its attitude to foreigners, like its attitude to all else, it made great surges ahead. People of all races and religions make valuable contributions to society. An old joke tells of an American CEO telling a Japanese one at a high-level trade seminar that there's no way the Asian Tigers will outdo America because he's confident that, "Our Asians will beat your Asians". Pragmatic society that it is, America embraces all people and draws out the best in them. If they can adapt, if they can keep pace with the zooming American machine, they thrive.

 

What does it mean to live and work in a country that has virtually institutionalized change? How does the human animal cope with the pressure of change that far surpasses the evolutionary pressures that drove countless species to extinction? The laws of aerodynamics state that the more streamlined a body is, the less air resistance it will encounter. Similarly, to cut resistance to change, people must become streamlined too. A good way to begin is to consciously shed the baggage of the past. Don't reject the values and the cultural inputs you grew up with. But don't let them become your fetters.

 

It is very easy to be more intensely Indian or Chinese here than you ever were back home in India or China. This will only detract from your American experience. If you are from the East, as I am, the biggest adjustment you will have to make will be resetting your psyche to be independent. In America you earn your stripes. Not even your parents will carry the burden of your welfare beyond a point. You have to paddle your own canoe. This spirit of independence will be most evident in the education system here. Knowledge you acquire today may not remain current tomorrow. It is difficult to flourish in this system. But it is very enjoyable to try, to be on your toes, to pre-empt and to direct change. If you are from Europe, you will have some fondly held conceptions bulldozed for you. You are probably rooted in history. You might be resting on the laurels of a colonial past. Your systems of governance are time tested and your social institutions are very old. Welcome to America, my friend. Here history is not basked in or resorted to. It is planned and made by people today. The institutions of this country are non-discriminatory and are no respecters of history or hierarchy. Bureaucratic channels are demolished with a vengeance to make information and power accessible to every citizen. Things move faster here. Decision-making is rapid and nourished by rich information. Traditions do not stand only on the merit of their traditionally.

 

I cannot stress enough that you MUST NOT abandon your cultural values. They will be a great source of strength for you. The strong family traditions, the spirituality and the modesty that you may have grown up with are treasures that are being increasingly sought by even the Americans as insulation against the cruel pace of change. But you must never let acquired wisdom get in your way either.

 

Expediency-urged changes in foreign policy, need-based changes in technology, pragmatic changes in values and even silicon-assisted changes in pop idols' bustlines.... America is truly the land of change. Your only vaccination against what Alvin Toffler called Future Shock - the disease of change- is dynamism. From crisis emerges synthesis, which gives rise to antithesis, which in turn generates crisis, and so on. And so my advice is to embrace this culture of change. It will make you a more resilient human being and a more competent global citizen.

 

 

 

 

How to protect Your Computer from Viruses

New viruses are found in the wild just about every week! Most arrive as e-mail attachments. Executing these attachments cause the viruses to send themselves to all users found in the Microsoft Outlook Address Book. Others walk in the door via floppy disks infected by remote, other offices' or home computers.

Anti-virus tools are expected to protect us from the spread of these viruses in all forms; however, good housekeeping on our part, is also necessary for "total defense" against virus attacks.  With this in mind, please be sure to observe the following rules:
 
 * Do not open any files attached to an e-mail from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
 * Do not open any files attached to an e-mail unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from   a dear friend or someone you know. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through e-mail. Better be safe than sorry and confirm that they really sent it.

* Do not open any files attached to an e-mail if the subject line is questionable or unexpected.

If you "must" open, always save the file to your hard drive before doing so.

* Delete chain e-mails and junk e-mail. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of e-mail are considered Spam..

* Always scan floppy disks or files sent to you.

* Do not download any files from strangers.

* Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. If you're uncertain, don't download the file at all or download the file to a floppy and test it with your own anti-virus software.
* Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer.
* When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or e-mail attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats.
* If you have a computer at home, update your anti-virus software regularly. Over 500 viruses are discovered each month, so you want to be protected.

 

ADVISE: How to Buy at the Best Prices

 

1. Watch out for Sale or Sales - it is the most overused word in the English language when it comes to advertising. Over 80% of so-called sales are just bait to get you into the store where high pressure salespersons can go to work.

2. A store that has more than six sales per year has their markup too high in the first place.

3. Time-payment stores as a general rule carry low-end merchandise with high interest or carrying charges. Some stores are really finance companies selling goods as a means to get your credit and charge you 24% interest or whatever your state allows.

4. "90 days free interest" - a year’s free interest without any payments for one year are all tip-offs to very high markup on the item. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Ask for the best "cash and carry" price and you will see what the real cost is.

5. Snob-nose stores are usually located in the best sections of town with high rental charges, they have the best displays and usually a decorator or two on the payroll. They sell overpriced, so-called "name brands", with markups at 100-150% over cost. They offer free gifts and send you a Christmas card and give you the VIP treatment like - and you (of course) pay for it!

6. "Bait and Switch" is a very old practice and is done by running advertising on the name brand merchandise and a good salesman can switch you to something that costs the company much less so their profit will justify the cost of the ad. This is common, for example, in bedding where the stores runs the ad on "name brand mattresses" and switch you to a private brand where the profit is much higher. The salesman gets a much higher commission if he can switch you.      

7.  Beware of "OPEN BOX" or "REFURBISHED" products, especially in electronics stores.  Open box and refurbished products were returned to the manufacturer either as returned items or defected.  The manufacturer then repaired them and marked them as such. They are supposed to be sold to the customer at a reduced price, with the manufacturer’s warranty. However, some stores are tempted to remove the "refurbished" marks and sell you the item at a great "sale" price (which leave the store with        a greater profit). Yes, it is illegal. Yes, many such cases are reported every year.  Don’t buy open box items at full price - always ask for a sealed box. And although refurbished items may present great deals, with high saving to you, be suspicious of boxes were some labels are removed, or were the warranty is not original.

 

A SHOPPER’S GUIDE TO BARGAINING

The biggest problem most shoppers have with bargaining is a feeling that nice people don’t do it. Before you can negotiate, you have to get over this attitude. In this article we will try to give you some ammunition for bargaining, and general guidelines that will help get more for less.

1. Bargaining will not turn you into a social outcast. All a shopkeeper sees when you walk in is dollar signs. If you are willing to spend, he/she will probably be willing to make a deal. They know that everybody is trying to save money these days.

2. Bargaining is a business transaction. You are not trying to cheat the merchant or get something for nothing. You are trying to agree on a fair price. You expect to negotiate for a house or a car - why not for a refrigerator or a winter coat?

3. You have a right to bargain, particularly in small stores that do not discount. Reasoning: Department stores, which won’t bargain as a rule, mark prices 100%-150% to cover high overhead costs. Small stores should charge lower prices because their costs are less.

• The savvy approach: Set your self a price limit for a particular item before you approach the storekeeper. Be prepared to walk out if he does not meet your limit. ( You can always change your mind later.) Make him believe you really will not buy unless he comes down.

• Be discreet in your negotiations. If other customers can overhear your argument, the shop owner will feel obliged to remain firm.

• Be respectful of the merchandise and the storekeeper. Do not manhandle the goods that you inspect. Address the salesperson in a polite, friendly manner. Assume that he will want to do his best for you because he is such a nice, helpful person.

• Shop during off hours. You will have more luck if business is slow.

• Look for unmarked merchandise. If there is no price tag, you are invited to bargain.

 

Tactics that work:

1. Negotiate with cash. In a store that takes credit cards, request a discount for paying in cash. (Charging entails overhead costs that the store must absorb.)

2. Buying in quantity. A customer who is committed to a number of purchases has more bargaining power. When everything is picked out, approach the owner and suggest a total price about 20% less than the actual total. Variation: If you are buying more than one of an item, offer to pay full price on the first one if the owner will give you a break on the others. Storekeeper’s alternative: You spent $500 on clothing and asked for a better price. The owner said he could not charge you less, but he threw in a belt priced at $35 as a bonus.

3. Look for flawed merchandise. This is the only acceptable bargaining point in department stores, but it can also save you money in small shops. If there’s a spot, a split seam or a missing button, estimate what it would cost to have the garment fixed commercially and ask for a discount based on that figure. Variations: You find a chipped hair dryer. When you ask for       a discount, the manager says he will return it to the manufacturer and find an undamaged one for you. Your reply: "Sell it to me for a little less and save yourself the trouble."

4. Adapt your haggling to the realities of the situation. A true discount house has a low profit margin and depends on volume to make its money. Do not ask for more than 5% off in such a store. A boutique that charges what the traffic will bear has more leeway. Start by asking for 25% off, and climb from there.

5. Buy at the end of the season, when new stock is being put out. Offer to buy older goods - at a discount.

6. Neighborhood stores: Push the local television or appliance dealer to give you a break so you can keep your service business in the community.  

 

Winner of ISO Essay Competition – 3rd  Place

Remember to Live, Caleb Sze-Ern Ho

 

The arrival hall is scattered with a handful of people. Some are seemingly excited, while others are more anxious. I am one of them - sitting in anticipation of my friend’s arrival from his 30-hour flight from Malaysia. It would be his first visit to America and he was journeying alone. I wait patiently as the clock hands drift pass 10am. I have been sitting here for more than an hour and I the last thing on my mind is

what I might say to him when he arrives. Honestly, I have not even wondered about the first word. I guess the joy of seeing him would be sufficient to say everything, yet, if I were confronted to give him a piece of worthy advice… I would not know what to say.

 

Just what would I say? I am fortunate to not have met with the situation I have just described above, rather it was my friend who was waiting in the arrival hall at the Lincoln Airport in Nebraska. The one who was arriving from Malaysia and would step onto America for the first time – that was me. It has been three months since that wonderfully tiring day of January 7th. Since then, I have been constantly trying to convince myself that I am finally here, in The United States of America. I still cannot believe the reality of it. I had applied for a US Visa and been denied. Though devastated and lost, I patiently and stubbornly waited for four long years before I nervously applied again. Now, I’m finally here in flesh and bone though in spirit, I’ve imagined myself here for a very long time. I couldn’t be happier. Most of my friends back home had chosen to study in Australia or in the United Kingdom but I was different. I had come to America with a mindset that told me this was the best place to be in the world.

 

Then, in an unexpected twist, I suddenly found myself wanting to go home. Could this really be? Was I really feeling this way? I questioned my doubting mind to the core. Four years I’ve waited for this moment and now, after just three months, my heart was bent on returning home? I was confused for the most part. Why had I come here only to want to return home? I was perplexed more than anything and life it seemed was playing a cruel joke on me. What was driving me away from here? I have many wonderful friends here, I get along well with almost everyone around me and there is such great promise to succeed here. I like the university I’m studying in, I like the town, the people here are nice and friendly, I like the weather

(seriously!), the air’s fresh, and the infrastructure of the towns and cities are fantastic – much better than home. So, if life here is so wonderful, why the desire to return home so soon?

 

A week ago, spring break came and offered me an opportunity to think things over. I needed to clear my  mind and my heart. Getting away from Lincoln, and traveling with friends through Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin awed me with the vast space and beauty that America had to offer. It did not help. America IS beautiful but there was something more beautiful back home. I had always known it but I was too proud to admit it – I was homesick; and having that someone special so far away back home didn’t help very much either. I went through weeks of near depression, constantly calling home, spending an enormous amount of money on it, and losing my focus in my studies which was terrible. My grades were slipping, I refused to be happy and sought as little contact with the outside world as possible. My life here didn’t seem to matter to me anymore. I didn’t care about my studies, I didn’t care about the costs, I only wanted to go home. I was being consumed by my longing for my family and the one I love. I was a ‘dead’ person living here in America with my heart beating back home. I was losing myself; I was losing me.

 

I had seen this before. It happened to one of my best friends from high school. He had such great potential to succeed in America, everyone thought he did, including himself. Though he was Chinese, his first language was English and he was very well versed with the American way of life but his longing for home and the love of his life constrained him within the four walls of  his campus room and eventually brought him back to Malaysia after a mere four months. Now, he is just an office worker in an average company and the love of his life left him for another man. Before I left Malaysia, I promised myself I would not let something like this happen to me, but somehow it wormed its way into me. Now, I’m sitting here in front of this computer writing to tell you how I pulled myself out of this mess. Take note that I wrote ‘how I pulled myself out…". That’s precisely what you should do. No one can pull you out from a situation like this, you have to be the one to save yourself. This is the key to most of our problems.

 

We search for help when most of the time, we are the ones who can only help ourselves but we are too blinded by our problems to see. I realized this and it has brought me to sit here and write of this to you now or else I would still be in a dead-like state of mind.

 

So what advice would one such as me be worthy enough to offer? Well, I can only say this: "Remember your home and the one you love, but also remember to live." There is nothing wrong in missing home, our family and loved ones miss us too. But our parents have so lovingly sacrificed for our need to come here and our loved ones only want the best for us, it is only right that we take their sacrifices and make the best of it.

 

Maintaining Your Visa Status 2002

By Stephen E. Goldberg Director of International Student Service Center at Baruch College

 

For those of you who will be entering or re-entering the United States for the first time Fall 2002, please note:

There will be major changes mandated by the INS and the U.S. Department of State, which will be strictly enforced next academic year. As you have already heard or read in newspaper reports, schools will be required to notify INS if:

• There is change in your present full time statues

• There is a change in your mailing address

• You drop out of school

• You fail to register full time

 

At this time, by law, up to maximum of 64 related data items may be requested by different agencies of the U.S. government. A new tracking system, known as SEVIS, will link every educational institute in the U.S. with every INS port of entry. The system will be available July 1, 2002 and all schools by law will be participating by January 2003.

 

Also INS imposed new restrictions on student visas as well as performing security checks on over 20 countries applicants and enhanced security reviews on any number of INS processes which will further delay application approvals for Change of Status, Optional Practical Training (OPT), Economic Hardship and Reinstatements to Status requests. These "enforcements" of pre-existing regulations are taking the shape of what is known as "Zero Tolerance".

 

If you ever had questions in regard to your status please be sure to check with your International Student Office. Do not listen to your friends or foreign newspaper reports. Check with those professional staff members who are responsible and in the know at your campus today.

 

A Few Basic Reminders

It is most important that as an international student in F-1/J-1 status you must always remain in status.

 

Status, what does it mean?

It means as an F-1/J-1 student you are required to register full time and remain registered full time throughout the semester as well as maintain a satisfactory grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for undergraduate students or 3.0 for graduate students.

 

Very shortly colleges and universities will be required by the INS to report the following:

• Your name

• Date and place of birth

• Country of citizenship

• Current local address

• Current foreign address

• Registration status (amount of credit per semester)

• Date you began your studies

• Date you ended your studies

• Degree program field

• CPT authorization with beginning and ending dates of certification

• OPT authorization with beginning and ending dates of certification

• Termination date and reason

 

Don’t forget to notify INS of any changes.

It is paramount IMPORTANCE that you notify your International Student Office if you change your:

• Major

• Degree Objective

• Local Address 

ISO, International Students Organization, is a leading provider of affordable health insurance plans for international students, scholars and visitors to the USA. In addition to health plans ISO provides dental insurance plans, information on financial aid, scholarships and grants, calling cards and other services for international students studying in the US. ISO offers a free bulletin board (e-board) that allows listing of apartments and rooms for rent as well as other listings. ISO publishes the International Spirit magazine. visitors to the USA. ISO’s additional services are: Calling cards, information on scholarships and grants, dental plans, discount cards and more.

Fall 2004

1. From the editor's desk
2. Understand & cope with stress
3. Advice from your advisor
4. Advice from your fellow students
5. Exam anxiety
6. Stress reduction
7. ISO health insurance plans
8. Calendar of stress
9. First steps in America
10. Adjustment to a different culture
11. Scholarships and grants
12. Essay competition -1st place
13. Essay competition -2nd place
14. Too much stress?

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From the editor’s desk:

Becoming a student can be the most exciting part of your life. College is a time of new challenges and opportunities that can all add up to an incredible experience. However, the unknown may produce certain stress and fear, especially if you are an international student. Beginning college life means leaving behind your friends and family, which can cause loneliness and isolation. The situation might develop into stress and tension due to the language barrier, the cultural adjustment and the common interruption produced by fear of exams

The most important thing to remember is that all international students are "on the same boat". Everyone is trying to make new friends, adapting to a new way of life and coping with these changes. Therefore it is important to hear how other international students are adjusting to their new life in the USA, how they are coping with the adventure of the unknown journey and how they handle stress and related anxieties.

For these reasons we have decided to devote this issue of International Spirit magazine to issues regarding stress and international student experience. This issue will present you, the international student, to the experience of fellow international students who participated in ISO’s essay competition. We gathered articles and pieces of information from academic sources as well as from students and advisors. We hope we will succeed in introducing you to this common difficulty. We offer some useful advice and we believe your awareness of the potential difficulties relating to stress will rise. We also wish you will learn to cope with stress and develop a healthier state of mind. Remember, the first step towards solving a problem is acknowledging it and seeking help!

As always, we will be delighted to receive your responses, criticism, requests and thoughts regarding our magazine. Please be advised that this and former issues of the International Spirit are available online @ www.isoa.org.

Have a successful academic year,

Jack Mount, Editor

Essay Competition Winners

1st Place - $500 Hagay Louk
2nd Place - $300 Deveshe Duttr
3rd Place - $200 Minjung Kim

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ISO MEMBER SERVICES

ISO - International Student Organization — is a membership organization of international students currently studying in the USA. Since 1958, ISO is the leading provider of personal health plans for international students. Founded and administered by current and former international students, our international academic experiences allow us to focus on your specific needs, for your own benefit.

We know how important it is to have someone you can trust, someone that actually listens to you. Hence, our mission is to provide you, your family and friends with the best health insurance at the lowest price. ISO aims at making the lives of international students more comfortable. We are committed to you, our fellow international student. We believe that you deserve the best customer services, so we are doing our best to assist you whenever you need us.

ISO - Your home away from home

• Compass Gold / Silver / Bronze - Comprehensive health insurance by a leading insurance company - AIG
• Mega Hold - Enhanced and cost-effective health insurance plans
• VIP - Health plans for your family and friends
• Calling Cards — really great rates!
• Dental plans
• The International Spirit magazine
• Information on scholarships & grants
• Home return group
• Int'l Student ID card

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Understand and Cope With Stress

College life can be very stressful. Sometimes parents, faculty and others tend to idealize their college experience and remember it as that idyllic time when they had few worries or responsibilities. To students currently attending college, however, the process is often stressful and frustrating. The competition for grades, the need to perform, relationships, and many other aspects of the college environment cause stress.
Before condemning stress outright, we need to understand that stress is only harmful when it is excessive. Much of the stress that we all experience is helpful and stimulating. The challenges of life tend to be stressful and an attempt to avoid stress completely would lead to a rather boring existence. The problem comes when you experience too much stress. Although some stress reactions are part of deeper and more serious emotional problems, many are not, and can be handled with relatively simple counseling and stress-management techniques.

Source and Symptoms of Stress There are four primary sources of stress:

1. Environment - noise, pollution, traffic and crowding, and the weather are the common sources.
2. Physiological - illness, injuries, hormonal fluctuations, and inadequate sleep or nutrition.
3. Your Thoughts - the way you think affects how you respond. Negative self-talk, catastrophizing, and perfectionism, all contribute to increased stress.
4. Social Stressors - financial problems, work demands, social events, and losing a loved one. Symptoms of stress appear in many forms. Some symptoms only impact the person who is directly experiencing stress, while other symptoms may have an impact on our relationships with others. Perhaps you experience some of the examples below when your stress levels are elevated.

Physical symptoms: muscular tension, colds or other illnesses, high blood pressure, indigestion, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, headaches and backaches. Emotional symptoms: irritability, depression, anger, fear or anxiety, mood swings. Cognitive symptoms: forgetfulness, unwanted or repetitive thoughts, difficulty concentrating.

Cope With Stress 1: Develop a Balanced Lifestyle

Stress reactions to various situations are also affected by your overall level of health. Someone who is always feeling overwhelmed, eats poorly, and doesn't get enough sleep (a description of many students) usually has a limited ability to cope with stressful events. You need to pay attention to your own well being. The right balance of sleep, food, exercise, work, school, and recreation is crucial. Some people are in a constant state of trying to catch up. They find themselves rushing and hurrying from one activity to another, always racing with the clock and never getting on top of things. Part of this problem, for many students, is not being well organized. Effective time management can help.

Cope With Stress 2: Gain Perspective by Discussing Problems

It is easy to get caught up in a problem or a narrow view of something you are doing, and to lose perspective and feel that a failure or roadblock is a catastrophe. Discussing your problems with a trusted, empathic friend can allow you to gain new perspective and can allow you to move out of what might seem like an isolated and negative internal world. The act of verbalizing your concerns and putting them together will often help give you a sense of control.

Cope With Stress 3: Clarify Your Values and Life Meaning

Stress is often caused by general unhappiness and a sense of aimlessness or lack of purpose. People sometimes wind up making choices and living life styles that really don't fit them. A student may be studying accounting when he or she really wants to be an artist, or he or she may have a wide circle of friends, but not really have the kind of intimate relationships that feel fulfilling. Clarifying your values and deciding what you really want out of your life, can help you feel better about yourself and have that sense of satisfaction and centeredness that helps you deal with the stresses of life. This process is, of course, not easy. Most of us are constantly growing and developing our sense of self and our ideas about what we want and how we want to live. A sense of spirituality can help with this. You might find this with an organized religion or it might be a more personal, individual process. It may involve a sense of oneness with nature, or it may be related to the deep satisfaction gained from volunteer work that really helps someone. Although each of us must develop our own sense of well being and spirituality, it does help to talk about these issues with others, as a way of clarifying and challenging our own ideas and beliefs.

Source: University of Florida, Counseling Center

For useful notes on time management techniques visit www.counsel.ufl.edu/selfHelp/timeManagement.asp.

Warning Signs — symptoms of Stress

• Changes in sleep patterns
• Taking longer to fall asleep
• Waking up tired
• Changes in eating patterns
• More frequent headaches
• Shorter temper than what is normal for you
• Recurring colds and minor illness
• Frequent muscle aches or tightness
• More disorganized than what is normal for you
• Increased difficulty in task completion
• A greater sense of persistent time pressure
• Increased generalized frustration and anger

Be Productive

One of the best ways to cope with stress is to increase your productivity:

• Start right — do the most challenging or most dreaded jobs first.
• Work short — it is more productive to put short bursts of energy on different tasks then to grind away slowly on one task. When you get tired, you should switch to another type of work.
• Breaks — schedule in short breaks. After working for an hour spend ten minutes walking or napping. The time after the break will be more productive.
• Teamwork — prefer teamwork when you study.
• To-do lists — make a daily to-do list for the next 2 weeks.
• Just say 'no' — to distractions and interruptions. Don't be shy to say "Sorry, but ..."

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ADVICE FROM YOUR ADVISOR

Many things can cause stress for an international student. In the present atmosphere of new rules, regulations, and monitoring, I would tell the students to learn as much as they can about the new SEVIS system and the rule and regulation changes that have been made in the past two years. By knowing the law, they can better protect their status and help their advisers by providing current and accurate data on their situation.

Debra Sherley, International Student Adviser, Wayland Baptist University

 

Seek help - don't try to handle things on your own. Use the services available to you from your institution.

Tammi Johnson, University of Idaho

 

I am a Foreign Student Advisor who came to the U.S. in 1998 as an international student at CSUN. I am currently in a doctoral program, so I really know the feelings. My one advice to a stressful international student would be to take one step at a time and to have faith in oneself.

Roopa Rawjee, Foreign Student Advisor, California State University, Northridge

 

The best, most frequent advice I give to our international students is actually twofold: (1) Breath! Because when distressed, people tend to not breathe properly, thus physically causing us even more distress and agitation, and then we attribute it to circumstances. Between the oxygen imbalance and the adrenaline, we then lose our normal ability to think things through and find appropriate solutions to our challenges. (2) Check our website regularly! because most of the information they need is right there. To generalize this one would be to say "Check with your resources. You are not alone — there are people around to help you."

Deborah Jacques, West Virginia University

 

Very often international students suffer in silence when dealing with a problem and this creates a great deal of stress. They tend to not share their problem with staff or faculty and create scenarios that may or may not be true in and around the problem. Sometimes school administrators may know something that can solve a problem entirely. Students are afraid that culturally they should solve the problem on their own or that they may be bothering school representatives or they may be embarrassed. Students should ask, ask and ask again. Information is power when problem solving.

Monica Plunkett, Cleveland State University

 

Find someone with whom you can talk about your stress. If you can't find anyone, come see the international student advisor.

Pamela Moore, International Student Advisor, Cuyahoga Community College.

 

It seems international students handle stress best when they follow a set schedule, get plenty of rest, eat healthy and accomplish some of the tourist highlights the US has to offer. It also helps that our international students band together and support one another. Getting involved in campus activities, sponsored by our student activities office, such as student groups or events, helps distract students who are missing home. Some of our students volunteer in US elementary school classrooms and sharing their home culture with children both amuses and warms our international students. We have host families for our students so they can get away from campus once in a while for either a home cooked meal or a shopping trip. It helps the students to know what to expect, to have someone to answer their questions and provide guidance.

Melissa Heil, Coordinator of Support Services, Union College

 

"Get away from the university (and everything university-related) at least one day a week."

Douglas Ewing, Director, Office of International Students, Graduate Center, City University of New York

 

If I could only give one advice, it would be: Go for a walk at Central Park, or any park. Don't stay indoors! Here are some additional tips from The Juilliard School: Make time to exercise, e.g. jogging, running, biking; Listen to your favorite music; Read your favorite book; Turn off the cell phone for a few hours each day; Meet new friends outside your regular social circle; Join an international student network; Organize cultural events on your campus to promote cultural exchange; Use school's counseling service; Understand that cultural shock is a normal process and that it takes time to feel comfortable in a new environment.

Lily Lin, The Juilliard School

 

My one advice to stressed students: don't keep your stress to yourself; talk to others about it: your roommate, your advisor, and/or a professional in your campus counseling center. They have both the experience and the objectivity to help you deal with your stress.

Timothy W. Welles, Director of Student Counseling, Stevens Institute of Technology

 

Here are my two bits as stress relievers: (1) Get some form of aerobic exercise. It makes a real difference. (2) Break all your problems into bite-size, manageable tasks, then go about solving them one at a time. Focus on what you can do today, now, this minute, to move forward, and don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the big picture.

Ross Jennings, Executive Director, International Programs, Green River Community College

 

The best stress busters for international students are keeping a good schedule and learning to balance their needs for study, work, exercise, good nutrition, and sleep; as well as having a few close friends, and maintaining one's own spiritual tradition. Good advice for us all, all through our lives!

Jackie Nutter, Community Liaison, Cranwell International Center, Virginia Tech

 

The only suggestion I have is to pace yourself. Step back and look at the whole picture, before you act or make a decision. We give this advice to our students all the time. Ingrid Jones, Florida Atlantic University

My advice would be: Have confidence in yourself. You would not have been admitted to your college if the Admissions Office people did not think you could be successful. When it is difficult for you to believe in yourself remember that many other people believe in you.

Robert A. Pesek, Director, Culture and Intensive English Program, University of Northern Iowa

 

Studies show that the fewer human connections we have, the more likely we are to get sick and flood our brains with anxiety-causing chemicals. The good news is that those same studies also show that the more human connections we have, the more likely we are to be healthy and well. I believe, staying connected is even more important for international students who often have a profound sense of loneliness and don't feel a sense of belonging. I advise international students to reach out — smile and communicate with those students that smile back, avoid staying inside working on their computer, make a friend weekly, and connect with nature daily.

Cheri Lazar, Transcultural Nurse, Colorado State University

 

My one suggestion would be: don't ignore the obvious. Get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, and keep a balance of recreational and academic pursuits.

Marilyn Woolard, Virginia Tech

 

My advice is to leave town! Take a short break, pack up your laptop and study materials if you must, and go! Our university is in a small town and students sometimes feel trapped and miss the city. Some students don't want to leave during vacation times but students have shared with me that when they do leave it can really help their attitude and outlook. Students have said that when they do leave town on a weekend or for vacation periods, they feel more like they are coming home when they return.

Diana Jones, Graceland College

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Get advice from your Fellow Students:

"I make a fun plan for after an exam, so when I feel stressed, I just think about fun things waiting for me. Also, I do not study all the time. Study for a while, then listen to music or talk to friends in the same class, then study again. Every time I keep it in mind that not only I have a hard time now". Eri Kitaoka

"If you are among those who get tensed up during exams, the best way to deal with it is to be prepared beforehand. Start early and try to cover all the required topics a day or two in advance. That way you will be confident and will not be stressed before and during exams. Just believe in yourself. Good luck". Yogesh Iyer

"My advice to deal with stress before and during exam is simple. You NEED to plan your studies. Set up time to study and to relax. You shouldn't study more than 3 or 4 hours in a row with little brakes. After studying a little bit everyday, you should go out, see friends, watch a movie, anything that could help the brain to rest. It really works for me! Good luck to all". Virginie Cauwet

I do not study on the day of the exam and I always make sure that I sleep well; at least 6 hours the day before the exam. During exam, always tackle the questions I know first because it builds my confidence and helps me keep my composure for the rest of the paper. I do guess a lot of answers and sometimes it has paid off especially when I have nothing much to write about or when there is still time left. Well this how I give my exams" vikas b.m

"I plan answer outlines. I go for quality food and drinks meaning healthy and I try to reduce sleepless mornings as well. During an exam week I exercise regularly -run and swim- I Pick out the questions that relate well to my revision. I don’t rush anything. Taking adequate time at this point will pay off handsomely. If I can’t decide which questions to answer, I pick out those I can answer and come back to the others later". Vahap Sumer

"My approach is very simple. I maintain a silent optimism in life and I go about my work/duties without much of a fuss. When it comes to exams and stress/tensions with regard to the same, I am aware that all the student have the same amount of studying to do, will face the same question paper at the exam and invariably find the same question(s) tough. I prepare for the exam by reading the requisite materials and walk into the exam hall with the confidence that I would do well. This would give me the edge over other students". Tarun Belagodu

"Just understand few things: 1) You are not the only one giving the exams. So there are others who share the same amount of stress as you do. 2) All that matters most is your understanding about the subject and that is what adds to your knowledge and the grades that you score are secondary. So, take out enough time for proper understanding and just give the exam keeping this in mind that 'you are testing your knowledge and not competing for grades' 3) Just relax, get some time out, have a nice walk and then get back to studying. Studying under stress does no good. 4) Most of all have a proper sleep the night before your exam." Sunita Gopalakrishnan

"My Answer: Just think about the fun you will be having right after the exam." Sudhanshu Rajvaidya

"I make sure I study the materials well to get ready for the exam. I exercise a lot which relaxes me. I take long bubble bath or watch a comedy movie. This is before exam. During exam, I usually go through all questions jotting down any points I remember on every question. I do this for 5 minutes, and I try to be calm. Then, I just take a deep breath and start working on from the first questions down to the last." Stella Rwiza, University of Idaho

"In order to get relieved from Tension or stress before exams preparation from beginning is the best policy. Basically I don't read every day for hours and hours but what I do is read the days stuff at least for 30 minutes and try to do the homework and assignments on my own without taking anyone's help. This will keep you in touch with the subject and when you the book before exam you will not feel as if you are reading some Latin or Greek. Also while preparing for exams I try to write some notes which I refer just before going to exam. This will make me feel confident while entering the examination room." Srikanth Pilla

"I cope with the exam anxiety in a following way. I take one step at a time. I make a list of things what things are most important first, start with the hardest things and finish with easiest. I always type up study guides before the exam and carry them everywhere I go that way i remember the terms and questions faster. I also drink a lot of tea; it tends to keep me alert and not too caffeinated as coffee would. I find myself more relaxed in a library setting, the mood is more for studying, there are no distractions, and other's concentration makes me motivated. I also try to get a good rest before I study, and I take short breaks between studying". Samara Anarbaeva

"How to Cope With Stress during Exams: 1. Never wait until the last minute to study. 2. Try to do a little reading everyday. 3. Attempt all assigned and suggested homework problems. 4. Get involved in some physical activities (e.g., walking, running, cycling etc.) This relaxes me and helps me focus. 5. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it." Christene Carr "I generally try to prepare for the exams, a couple of days well ahead before the exam. During the time before the exam, I try to keep my mind cool, sometimes by meditation. During the exam time, I go into the examination hall well in advance, keeping my mind cool, and I will take a deep breath for a few minutes. And after the exam starts, I generally start slowly, and increase my pace of answering the questions gradually. I plan the time I spend on the questions well before according to the weight age given to the questions, and I will adhere to that timings. I generally keep at least 15 minutes for revising the final answer paper. I prefer to drink water during the exam in the middle, which would ease the mental strain on the brain, and which would relax it for some time." Raviteja Varanasi

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Stress Management

Stress can be moderated by understanding how we perceive the situation we are in. Here are some useful techniques that might help you deal with those perceptions that are causing stress. Don't Worry. Write down your worries on index cards. Get together with fellow students in small groups and read several cards. Then develop a suggestion for each worry, or at least rephrase them in a positive way.

Acknowledge. Anxieties are handled more easily when acknowledged. Discuss with your friends the pressures you feel and the anxieties you have. Try to define the possible causes and begin to think about ways to address these feelings.

Positive Thinking. Write down all the negative messages you can think of your situation, your status and your life. Then, develop some positive coping statements that you might use to replace negative self-talk. Your friend might be of great help on this one.

Relax. Develop your own simple relaxation technique. Closing your eyes for a minute and focusing on slow breathing (no internal vocalization) can relax you instantly. Another relaxing technique is to imagine your favorite spot and spend a few seconds resting there. This is an effective strategy in those moments before starting on an anxiety-inducing test.

Journals. Keep a journal of your concerns and worries, it will allow you to reflect on possible responses. Writing may help gain perspective.

Source: Indiana State University

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Exam Anxiety

Anat Babani, Clinical Psychologist

An Academic Point of View

Taking an exam could be stressful. Especially when the student finds that his success in this exam is crucial for the preservation of his self-esteem or professional development, yet he is not certain of his capability to pass this exam. A student who fails an exam, but is not aware of it, will not be bothered by this fact at all. However, when the student senses he didn't perform well on an important exam, he will experience stress.

There are various possible responses associated with this kind of stress. The most adaptive way to handle this fear of failure is the Target Focused Method, a method which directs the individual to take steps in order to cope successfully with stressful situations. One example of an adaptive response could be a meeting with a professor and serious study of the material covered in the exam. An example of a non-adaptive response is a denial of the importance of the exam.

There are strong relationships between stress caused by exams, or "exam anxiety", and academic success. Exam anxiety has bad influence on academic performance: it will prevent the student from performing well and achieving the highest grades. The reason behind it is simple. A student who experiences exam anxiety is forced to devote more personal energy to cope with this anxiety or stress. The student therefore spends less energy to study, understanding and memorizing his lesson. Thus, students with low levels of anxiety exhibit higher academic performance than students with high levels of anxiety. Researchers agree that exam anxiety has two main components: Emotional and cognitive response. Emotional response is mostly seen in a change in blood pressure and pulse. Cognitive responses include ruminations about the exam results, fear of failure, low self esteem, feeling of helplessness, and fear of loosing status. Our experience suggests that preparing students for such a stressful event, the exam, will lead to a significant reduction in the level of anxiety. This preparation will also enable the students to perform better on the expected exam. The two most common psychological techniques in preparation for an examination are "Guided Imagery or Guided Imagination" and "Progressive Muscle Relaxation".

Recent studies on this subject revealed that college students who went through a psychological preparation, Guided Imagery or Relaxation, achieved higher grades in exams. In comparison students who did not go through any psychological preparation resulted on receiving poor grades on their exams. We all can adopt the first method, Guided Imagery or guided Imagination, as our stress reduction technique.

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Why DeltaCare?

• Select your primary care dentist from a large network of professional and quality-controlled dentists.
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• Go to www.isoa.org and enroll on line!
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For a complete description of plan benefits please log on to www.isoa.org or call us Choose your own dentist, pay for the service and get reimbursed

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Stress Reduction Guided Imagination

Guided Imagination is quite a simple technique that we can all use and experience by ourselves, alone, at any room, without professional assistance. This is known as the best method of coping with stress before exams, the most helpful remedy to our problem. In order to successfully implement this way of preparation, you need to practice it according to the following text twice a day, starting at least one week before the 'stressing' exam. At the day of your exam you should be able to use the Guided Imagination technique using your memory only, without reading the script. Simply follow the pictures and images you formed in your mind using your imagination during the past week.

Here is a stage-by-stage explanation:

1. Imagine the Fear Machine — an instrument that can measure fear. The value 0 represents "no fear at all" and the value 10 corresponds to "being frightened/terrified/anxious". Describe how your fear machine looks like… Look carefully what is your fear index show now?
2. Now, imagine that this is the morning of your exam. You are getting prepared for college. When you arrive to your school you look around… everything is familiar… time is passing by and soon it will be the time to start the exam… you are entering your classroom and sitting in your chair… what is the reading on your Fear Machine index now?
3. You feel that fear and anxiety is rising… your mouth is getting dry, your hands tremble, and you are all stressed. Now imagine your fear as a character… a very terrifying character, and the character symbolizes all the fear that you are feeling now… look well at this character.
4. Hit the character with all your strength… you can hurt it anyway you wish… you can use whatever tools you need or desire until you manage to terminate it. Now, all your fears disappear, your fear index shows 0, and you are all relaxed.
5. You are looking now at your exam… you feel relaxed and peaceful… your fear vanished… you feel secured and confident in your ability to write this exam in the best possible way, with the help of all your knowledge.

Good luck on your next exam and remember: you should thoroughly study and review your course material in order to pass the exam.

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ISO Health Insurance Plans

ISO is proud to offer you a wide selection of medical insurance plans. Few experiences are worse than being sick in a foreign country. The high costs of medical services in America suggest that everyone who enters the US, especially international students, should have comprehensive medical insurance. International students who come to study in the USA invest a lot of money and great efforts in this move. It is a shame to disturb your course of study due to a serious injury or sickness. Keep in mind that a treatment of such injury or sickness can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $200,000 or more. Besides, it is your responsibility to pay the medical bills. Most students who do not carry proper insurance will find it very difficult to pay these bills.
We, at ISO, want to provide international students and their family members with the best possible medical coverage at the most affordable cost. Our experience and reputation as a proactive student organization has given us access to leading insurance companies such as AIG, Mega, Gerber, and more. Moreover, we do our best to provide you, the international student, with the best attentive customer service.

Choose the plan that best fits your needs

Select among the leading health plans available at affordable rates

Most caring customer service by ISO

All plans are "Quality Monitored" by ISO I HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS

Compass Gold / Silver / Bronze

Insurance Company: AIG

Compass Health Plans offer high coverage and a great deal of benefits at reasonable monthly rates. These plans are offered to international students exclusively at three levels of benefits. The more benefits you select — the higher the monthly rate is. You should choose Gold if you are looking for the most benefits and coverage for yourself. You may decide to save some dollars every month and choose a more affordable option, Silver or Bronze. goto Health Plans

Mega Hold 1 & 2

Insurance Company: Mega Life

Mega Hold Student Health Plans offer comprehensive coverage and supreme list of benefits at attractive monthly rates. These plans are offered exclusively to international students. The plans allow you to choose between two sets of benefits: enhanced (#1) and basic (#2), with minimal limitations on coverage. goto Health Plans

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Calendar of STRESS

Typical sources of stress on your calendar. Know them, face them, cope with them

August / September	Can be stressful for first-year students in particular	• Homesickness; struggle with making new friends and feeling a sense of "ownership" in the university; may feel alienated from others and/or experience discrimination. • Students are confronted with new experiences and new people who are different than they are. • New students may struggle with newfound freedom — specifically, they may find it difficult to develop a structured lifestyle that will help them meet academic demands.
October	Students begin to realize that life at college is not as perfect as they were led to believe by parents, teachers, and admissions staff	• Some may feel lonely because they have been unsuccessful at developing supportive friendships. • Some students get a "wake-up call" after unexpected poor performance on mid-term examinations. • Job panic for mid-year graduates. • Students may begin to feel overwhelmed by all of the academic demands
November	Increased academic pressure may be experienced due to procrastination, difficulty of work, and/or lack of sufficient ability.	• Feelings of sadness and worry may increase because of beliefs that one should have adjusted to the college environment by now. • Economic concerns, funds from parents and summer earnings begin to run out. • Some students are still struggling with making friends and may be tempted to give up; social isolation may also be negatively affecting their ability to study. • May worry about returning home to family if semester is not going well • Some students may not be able to go home for the holidays, which could contribute, to feelings of isolation and homesickness.
December	Extracurricular time strain: seasonal parties, concerts, social service projects, and religious activities drain student energies	• Worry may increase as final examinations approach and papers are due. • Pre-holiday feelings of sadness; especially for those who have concerns for family, those who have no home to visit, and for those who prefer not to go home because of family conflicts. • Financial strain because of holiday gifts and travel costs. • Students may have concerns about losing some or all of the recently acquired • freedom/independence while at home for winter break
January	Sadness over loss of security and familiarity as students leave home and return to school	• Some apprehension about academic performance this semester if first semester was more challenging than expected. Some students may also feel ashamed of their academic performance from the previous semester. • Students may learn that some friends are not returning to school. As a result, students may feel sad at the loss of those relationships. • Students may also find that they do not like the classes they registered for and/or need to register for different classes due to last semester’s performance. Students may experience frustration at trying to establish desired class schedule.
February	Many students experience optimism because second semester is perceived as easier than the first semester	• Some seniors may begin to feel worry when they realize that they do not want a job • in the field in which they majored. • Couples may begin to establish stronger ties or experience weakening of established ones. • Students who have failed to establish social relationships or achieve a moderate amount • of recognition may feel very frustrated and dissatisfied with their college experience. • Students begin to feel the pressure of midterms as spring break quickly approaches.
March	Talk of Spring Break plans tends to dominate students’ conversations.	• Students may hear bad news about students who have died or been seriously injured while on Spring Break. • Returning from Spring Break students realize that there are about 6 weeks left in the semester. As a result, academic pressure may increase. • Existential crisis for seniors. Must I leave school? Is my education worth anything? Was my major a mistake? Why go on? Where is God? Will I make it? • Seniors who have not looked for a job or who have not been able to find a job begin to worry about life after college. • Students may also worry because they have yet to find a summer job.
April	Academic pressure continues to increase because of impending final exams.	• Summer job pressure continues. Students may experience worry while waiting to hear from companies. • Students may experience some worry over choosing a major. • Pressure of planning for graduation increases as invitations need to be sent out and celebratory plans confirmed. • Final exams, papers, and projects may feel overwhelming. • Social pressures; everybody is bidding for your participation on trips and at graduation parties.
May	Concern develops because of the realization that the year is ending	• Seniors may be concerned about transition to new phase of life (job, graduate school, marriage, etc.). • Students may experience sadness, frustration, and anger over leaving friends and facing conflicts at home. • Pressure of passing final exams peaks. • Panic over not having any confirmed plans for the summer.

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First Steps in America

Welcome to America!

We are proud to offer you a set of good advice to ease your arrival in the USA. You might be a fresh international student who has recently arrived to this country to begin a long and exciting journey of acquiring an academic degree. You might as well be a more experienced student. In both cases, we at ISO believe that this article will assist you in adjusting to the American way of life. Please take advantage of this useful information, and remember: ISO is here to lend a hand! Check out our services and benefits and feel free to contact us with any question or need you might have, now or in the future.

The International Student Office

This office should be your first stop for most questions you have. The International Student office is an important source of information and services to students studying in the United States. The advisor and his staff are usually willing to help and provide information beyond their regular duties. The International Student office will usually hold an orientation program or meeting for new and current international students. We strongly advise you to participate in this orientation. This is a great source of information as well as a meeting place for you to make new friends. The office staff will be delighted to introduce you to other international students and help you to get in touch with fellow students from your home country, or even recommend clubs that you might want to join. One task many International Student offices like to carry out is coordinating 'host family' or friendship programs. The purpose of such programs is to assist you in learning about the American community that surrounds you and encourage participation in local community life. Apart from this, the advisor's office will act as a source for information, advice, and assistance related to your non-immigrant student status. In most colleges and universities International Student offices offer information on many other aspects of your life, such as housing, financial aid, medical insurance, cultural events, and more. It is encouraged that you check the office's bulletin board on a regular basis, and ask the advisor or his staff any question you might have.

Housing: On Campus or Off Campus?

Finding the right place to live might have direct impact on your successful educational experience. Some colleges and universities may not offer on-campus housing. On-campus housing is often less expensive and more convenient (and safe) than off-campus options. The advantage of living on campus is the easy access to the school library, computer equipment, the student center, sports and recreation facilities, cafeterias, and classes. The typical US residence hall or "dormitory" offers more than just a place to sleep. It supports students' academic objectives through academic and social activities. Some universities offer special living arrangements for students who share the same interests or geographical backgrounds. Thus, you may choose to join a "fraternity" or "sorority" (social clubs for men and women, respectively) or live in the "International House." Many international students, particularly graduate students, prefer the independence of living off-campus. Sometimes this option is more affordable because it leaves room for sharing living expenses. Some colleges and universities maintain a list of available apartments and provide students with names of other students who seek roommates.

Lease Agreements

If you decided to use off-campus housing, you will be required to sign a rent lease. A 'lease' is a binding legal contract between you and the property owner or landlord. When you sign the lease you are obligated to pay the landlord monthly rent for the duration of the lease. Most leases are for a fixed period of time, and it is usually difficult to break the lease. Before you sign the lease you should be sure that you could live with your decision for the duration of the lease. Make sure all conditions are in writing and clear to you and your landlord. Sign the lease only when you fully understand all terms of the lease. Furthermore, do not sign it unless you are completely satisfied with the apartment and surrounding property. When you sign the lease, you will usually be required to make a "security deposit" mostly equal to one month of rent. This will be in addition to the first month rent. The security deposit will be refunded back to you when you move out, providing you leave the apartment in good condition. You will probably be responsible for paying the cost of your telephone service and utilities such as water, electricity and gas. The utility companies may require you to make a 'security deposit' as well before service is activated. These deposits will be refunded to you or credited to your account upon termination of your service and paying all bills.

Rules Regarding Employment in the United States

Employment opportunities for international students are limited by regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and United States Information Agency (USIA). Employment is available only to students in good academic standing who maintain their non-immigrant status. With the exception of work on campus, F-1 students need approval from the international student advisor or INS, depending on the circumstances, before accepting employment. Student in J-1 status must have written authorization from the responsible officer of their exchange visitor program before beginning employment. It is very important that you do not work without authorization. On-campus employment F-1 and J-1 students may seek part-time employment on campus while classes are in session. Part-time means working 20 hours per week or less. Student assistantship is also considered "on-campus employment" and therefore is also limited to 20 per week. During vacation periods and academic breaks, you may work full time on campus if you are returning to classes the following term. Off-campus employment F-1 Students: off-campus employment is limited to students pursuing academic studies, excluding English language students. Working offcampus requires special authorization and is only available under certain condition, such as a newly emerging financial hardship. Consult your international student advisor. J-1 Students: exchange visitor students in good academic standing may obtain authorization to work off-campus as part of an academic training experience or when unforeseen economic circumstances arise after the student becomes an exchange visitor. Consult your advisor for procedures. [NAFSA's International Student Handbook]

Choosing a Bank

Every September banks 'hunt' students offering unbelievable terms if you open your account with them. Beware! Many of these banks have high fees for checking and savings accounts that drain dollars from your account into the bank's profit column. You should balance convenience with cost when choosing the best bank for you.

1. Ask yourself the following questions. These will help you make the right choice. How much money do I have? How often do I need to make deposits? How many checks will I write each month (rent, phone, books, etc.)? How often do I need to withdraw money? Do I balance my checkbooks carefully or bounce a lot of checks?
2. Get information on your options. If you can keep more than $1,000 in the bank each month, look into regular checking with a minimum balance but no monthly fee and unlimited checks writing. If you can meet a $1500 minimum balance, look at interest-paying account (or combine it with a savings or money market account).
3. Dare to compare. Set your priorities. If you are better at keeping your balance on a surfboard than balancing your checkbook, look for accounts with no minimum balance. If easy access is key, look at ATM services. If you only write a few checks per month, a basic account may be your best bet. Finally, test their service - call the bank and see how the bank’s customer representative treats you.
4. Be prepared when you go to open an account. Start by asking if the bank has a special student account. Make sure that your account is insured by the FDIC (Federal Government) up to $100,000. You will be asked by the bank's representative for your permanent address and Social Security number, or school ID number. Most banks require two forms of ID and signature verification from another bank, an employer or a college advisor or dean. You will probably have to wait a few days to get access to your account, and deposited check in new accounts are often held for as long as 30 days before you can use the money.
5. Don't be afraid to switch banks. If your bank is charging too much or otherwise treating you badly, move your money - it's yours!

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ADJUSTMENT TO A DIFFERENT CULTURE

For students who cross national and cultural boundaries for the purpose of study, the experience can be exciting and rewarding. However, when facing the cultures, values, and traditions of another country, it is normal to experience difficult emotions as well. Emotions such as sadness, loneliness, fear and confusion can be normal reactions to such a life transition. It can be very challenging for students to adjust to their American surroundings. Here is some information to help you manage this stress.

Learning a new culture which may introduce different beliefs and values can be difficult. During this process, it is important to be in contact with American culture. Yet, it is also important to take your time in this "learning process". Thus, international students are encouraged to learn the values and traditions of the US slowly, while still remaining connected to their language, traditions and cultural beliefs. There is some evidence that participation in more than one culture can actually lead to a healthy adjustment. When we learn other ways to think and behave, we can develop adaptive strengths and flexibility.

Possible ways to handle adjustment:

• Become familiar with your International Student Services Office (ISSO) and what they have to offer for support and information.
• Develop social networks and friendships with other students from your home country or other international students if possible.
• Allow yourself to become more aware of life here in the US. Participating in friendship programs, where you are matched with a friend, might help. This will also further help to create and support a multicultural identity while you study in the US.
• Do not isolate yourself. Share ideas and thoughts with others.
• Stay in contact with family and friends from your home country. Write letters send e-mails and make telephone calls when possible.
• Seek help and support when needed. Some of the things that international students talk about in counseling are: loneliness, homesickness, academic difficulties, anxiety, depression, relationship problems and confusion with American culture.

Source: University of Cincinnati

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Scholarships & Grants

please refer to our Spring 2001 issue.

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WINNER OF ISO ESSAY COMPETITION - 1ST PLACE

My First Impression of The USA — Hagay Louk

America has always been like a movie to me. While living in Israel I could only watch its magnificence through theater screens. Now, not only do I have the opportunity to be on the set with real actors, but I also have a role in the movie itself. For almost three years I have lived and studied in Miami, Florida, speaking the English language and watching "live" what America is about. I must say that I enjoy what I see.

As a young kid I thought Israel was the only place that existed. One day it came to my attention that there was a special uncle named Sam who used to handout special presents to whoever came and visited him. It was very strange to me that everybody knew this nice uncle except me. I had an uncle named Josef, but he never used to bring me any unusual gifts. I really wanted to go and visit that kind Uncle Sam but as I finally realized that this uncle "lived" in a very far place called America, I had to let that fantasy go (for the moment), and concentrate on my nearby uncle Josef. It was not easy to stop dreaming of America because everywhere I went it was mentioned with a special passion. America was always there; even though it was thousands miles away, everybody I knew wanted to touch "the wonderland" and live its dream. I didn’t know what the dream was, but knowing it was American was enough to desire it.

As I grew older, I became more and more acquainted with that mysterious country. I was shocked to find out that my country was hardly the size of a city in some of America’s states. I remember how jealous I was, when Richi (my friends and I used to call him Richi the rich) had bragged of the startling toys his brother used to send him from that land of freedom. Richi was paralyzed in both legs and couldn’t join us as we ran and chased each other in the neighborhood. We used to stop our contests and gather around his wheelchair, amazed by the new electronic games that were not even invented in our dreams. Throughout the years my friends and I got the chance to play with some American toys, but I still dreamed of experiencing more of the American splendor.

Coming to the States I found myself paying attention to people’s behavior in a way I had not done while living in Israel. I liked the fact that people here are more polite and patient. Israel, as well as other countries, is always trying to follow and capture the American life style. Living in America is considered as a privilege. Everything here is built with more class: the malls are much prettier and bigger, the cars are fancier, and the services are more professional. I was very excited to see so many luxuries. I finally could experience what they all were talking about.

Though it was very exciting to be a stranger in this multicultural country, it wasn’t so easy to "blend in". It took me a while to adjust to some of the typical customs. I remember walking down the street, noticing a man who kept quite a distance from the lady who stood in front of him, pulling money from the ATM machine. He gave her privacy and stood so far that I almost passed him. In another occasion, I was waiting in line at the supermarket, not knowing there was a "rule" saying I must use the plastic magnet to separate my merchandize from those of the person who was waiting in line. I was too lazy to reach for the magnet, for I had only shampoo and chewing gum. The lady, who had just paid her bill, stared at me as if I just committed a crime.

Speaking the language and using the appropriate slang was not so easy to adapt either. More than once I translated my thoughts straight from the Hebrew language to English, and sadly realized how badly they were translated. Slang is used in the Hebrew language too, but certain words have different connotations and cannot be translated appropriately. I never realized it until I got here, that much of Hebrew slang comes from the English language. Now I wonder if we Israelis thought that by using American slang we could march faster toward the "better life".

Watching American movies and listening to so many different ways of speaking is fun and interesting; but during my first month here, listening to so many different accents really confused me. It was hard for me to follow conversations, since many of my American friends speak too quickly. I must admit that more than once I nodded my head up and down though I had no clue what they were talking about. Outside of school it was even scarier because many people assumed they were easy to understand; In Israel I could give directions to a foreigner who needed assistance, but coming here, the English language seemed ten times harder than what I had studied in school.

Coming here with a soccer scholarship I thought that at least on the soccer field I would feel more comfortable. I was shocked to find out that my coach and 95% of my teammates were Latins. Like me, there were two Jamaicans, an Irish, and a guy from London who couldn’t speak Spanish. When I heard them talking I almost gave up. The Londoner had a very heavy accent; I had to look at his lips and really concentrate to understand what he was trying to say. He thought that he was the "normal one" and tried to "translate" for me the "Irish English". It wasn’t the best idea. The two Jamaicans were always laughing to themselves, and when they finally decided to say some words in English, it sounded as if they were singing. On top of that, they all laughed at my strong accent. In time I adjusted to the accent differences and interacted more easily, but I still preferred to contact my Irish friend by email. After a while I learned to laugh about our differences. I find it cool and funny to live in Miami, when so many outsiders speak the English language in many different ways.

In Israel, no matter where you go, nothing strikes you; people are not that different. It takes only five hours to get from one end of the country to the other. Everyone hears the same news (no matter what channel is on), has the same problems and shares the same holidays, exactly at the same hour. Here in the States, you can’t really sympathize with your "long distance neighbors". Traveling in the States, I found every new place I visited was a "different world." You can’t compare Alabama to Florida. It’s hard even to compare cities in the same states. I find it much more interesting to have such a variety of people and places. It is attentiongrabbing to find out that states have different laws; people talk with different accents, and have different mentalities. In some parts of California I noticed that many people were very materialistic, while in Indiana, I had the feeling people were more "down to earth". In Miami, I have been in parties that lasted till 6 A.M, while in Los Angeles I was disappointed to leave the clubs when the D.J stopped the music exactly at 2 A.M. I also had to get used to the time differences between the East and the West, choose two favorite basketball teams (from each side) and learn all the rules in baseball for being able to talk with my close friends at school. What can I tell you? Only in America.

Studying in a Catholic university where diversity is one of the most evocative pillars, was (and still is) my main pleasure. Sharing a room with a Peruvian who listens to salsa music 24/7 wasn’t that bad after I got used to the rhythm. Watching my American friends drinking so much (even after the party was over) was pretty weird and funny. Getting together, with foreigners with different accents and styles, brought tolerance and open-minded thinking. I didn’t know I would have friends from so many places. In my school there are many international students from all over the world, who just like me, brought their own cultures, habits, religions and mentalities. I was never really into religion, but since I came here I learned a lot about many religions and became more conscious of the spiritual aspects in my life. I learned a lot about different ways of living in a way I would have never known if I had chosen to study in Israel.

My first class as a freshman was religion. My experience with some Jewish rabbis made me think that I would Have to listen to what I should and shouldn’t do, from a Catholic point of view. I was surprised when Father Kent, the priest who taught the course, really brought God closer to my heart than ever before. In Israel I learned a lot from rabbis too, but only about Jewish aspects. Now I could experience in my class students from five or six different religions. Father Kent taught us how each religion can offer "good" in different ways. I found it fascinating how different religions are discussed in such openness, because I know many rabbis would have felt insulted if I came and told them how interesting the Buddhist religion is.

Visiting the school’s chapel for the first time was also a new, exciting experience. In the Jewish temple women sit apart from men and must dress in skirts or dresses that don’t reveal their knees, while in the chapel, all were joining together, singing, and participating. I find it very interesting and I really loved the songs. It is exciting to see how religions differ from each other and can bring us together.

I love and miss my country. I get emotional talking about it. I served my country in the army for three years. As I graduated high school, it was obvious that I would go and serve my country. Thoughts about studies in Israel come only after the service, while here; those who are done with high school can go straight to college. I was sad to see that many Americans were not that occupied with the world’s problems. The kind of questions many people asked me revealed just how much they were not engaged with the Middle East Crisis. I was very motivated to explain what was going on in my home, and why there was (and still is) a constant tension between the Israelis and the Palestines.

I felt a little tense when I found myself interacting with Arab people, but I was happy to talk about our issue and found them open and friendly. I felt that both Israelis and Palestines are more comfortable talking about many delicate problems here in the U.S than they are in Israel. I was also surprised to see that the Middle East Crisis has been regularly covered in the media. Unfortunately, many times it caused more tensions.

Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle East and therefore, a close friend of the United States. Both nations try to bring peace, but also find themselves engaged in many negotiations and conflicts. Only when I got here did I realize and appreciate just how much America is a country with true understanding and concern; a country that is led by morals. Only as I came here could I be more aware of its problems, because from Israel it seemed like America is a land with no troubles at all. Since I came here, I feel that collaboration between Israel and the United States is more important than ever because the terrorist organizations want to hurt them both.

Today, as before, I am still impressed by new matters I discover. I know that I have much more to explore and learn about the U.S. Though now I know and understand more about this dream I have wanted so much to experience. I sometimes feel like going back and shake Uncle Sam’s hand for the first time; to get excited again like a little boy. To be amazed about the simple things like that in America there is a drive through for a pharmacy. Many American norms still look unreal, unnecessary, or "too much". I did get unusual gifts by coming and visiting him. I was lucky to get to know people from all over the world and to live different cultures. I thank him and wish him progress.

As I mentioned before, I really miss home; but I would like very much to keep studying here and developing myself as much as I can. Knowing different places and learning different cultures really "opens up" my mind and teaches me a lot about the world (and of myself). Soon I will get my degree and hopefully have many ways to choose where I want to live and what I want to do. I don’t know where I will find myself living in the future, but for today, living in U.S.A is the best place I can think of to "start" my life.

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WINNER OF ISO ESSAY COMPETITION - 2nd PLACE

My First Impression of The USA — Deveshe Duttr

My first view of America was from a height of 37,000 feet on a crisp, cloudless, winter night. It was so clear that from the little airplane window you could see all the way down to the ground. We entered U.S.A. from Maine. Everywhere I looked were fields of snow. If it hadn’t been for the snow there would have been nothing but stars to relieve the despondent darkness of the night. It was breathtakingly beautiful for someone who had never before encountered snow. Sometimes we would pass areas of civilization and they made the ground look like a refection of the night sky.

Before I even knew it, we were descending towards New York City and my heart began thumping with a combination of excitement and anxiety. This was the moment I had dreamt about for months, the moment I thought would never arrive and now it was passing so quickly. I had finally reached America. I could hardly believe it. Back home the USA has always been touted as the land of plenty, the land of endless choice and endless opportunity. Where success is at your fingertips and you don’t have to be a puppet in the hands of fate anymore. All you have to do is get there somehow. You’re excited about all the freedom you’ve been told so much about and the prospect of finally achieving a wholesome, satisfying existence where rewards are equal to the effort you put in. Yet, just as you are leaving confident of success and material gain, people warn you about the loneliness that one has to endure. Loneliness, the price for material gain, one that many have found too high to pay and returned home to India. Then they warn you about the quick pace of life here, the cultural differences and the bland food. You find yourself wondering if you should even get on that plane. No wonder my feelings were oscillating between excitement and anxiety.

The ride from JFK airport to the hotel was completed with my nose, that was pressed to the window as I tried to absorb as much as I possibly could, never being lifted even once. I was completely awed by the variety of cars that I saw on the road, the winding maze of wide freeways that filled me with confusion and amazement that the driver could navigate his way around them. I was a little disappointed however by the advertisements that were so plentiful on the street sides. They weren’t as witty or picturesque as I had been led to believe. Most of them were simply quick accounts of deals or of the buy two get one free variety. It was only a little later that I realized this was a direct result of the economic slump the country is experiencing. Then we entered the city and I was amazed at how neat and organized it looked especially from someone who has come directly from Bombay, a city whose development is of the random kind and in every direction.

We’d been warned by many people of the dangers of the city streets and to be careful of our luggage and so I stood on the street clutching desperately to four huge suitcases as my father tried to get us a hotel room. When we finally reached our room I spent all of ten minutes opening and closing the window. In India windows open outwards. They are thrown open and pulled closed and this was my first encounter with the kind that you pull up and pull down. Somewhere along the journey I had shed my blase self and was acting like an excited little child, still curious and completely amazed at all the new things the world had to offer.

That first night my father and I decided to venture out on to the street and do a little exploring. I had been lucky enough to land in the midst of a cold wave that had even the most hardy New Yorkers in a state of shock. It was so cold and the wind so chill that everybody was walking past very quickly, faces lowered because they were protecting themselves from the biting wind, their shoulders slouched to preserve the little warmth they had managed to garner from escaping. But I didn’t know then, the real reasons behind the closed faces and slouched shoulders. At that moment I was terrified because I had landed in the midst of a cold, unfriendly people that didn’t even look at each other much less any of the friendly interaction that one expects and looks forward to in a big city where people live at such close quarters to each other. When I looked upwards and around I was even more terrified. All the buildings (skyscrapers), the shops, everything seemed so much larger than anything I had ever encountered before. In comparison I felt tiny and inadequate. Being of a considerably high stature this was a feeling that I was completely unused to. I clung to my fathers hand for security.

It was so late at night that the only place we could find open was an Italian restaurant. It was in this restaurant that my first encounter with ‘choice’ occurred. By the end of the barrage of questions that were being aimed at me by the waiter I was wailing "I just want cheese. Why can’t I have cheese?" In retrospect I sympathize at the frustration the waiter must have felt at the highly uncooperative client he had been landed with. Then came the moment when my fear and anxiety reached its peak. A big burly man walked up to me and asked me if I had change. He didn’t ask very nicely. I was so confused. I come from a land of poverty where beggars are everywhere. You get accustomed to the sight and the feeling of pity you have to suppress for the sake of survival. The absolute last thing you expect was to find the same thing in the land of plenty. That night I went to sleep sad. It was like nothing I had been taught to expect. Except the police sirens that constantly wailed in the streets below. They sounded exactly the same as they did in the Hollywood movies I was so familiar with. It made the experience of being there that night so surreal. It felt like I was in a movie.

I woke up to the sun rising and slowly warming the tall buildings around me with warm yellow tones. The sky was light blue and cloudless. It was all so beautiful that I cheered up in instantaneous response. That morning we went walking around Manhattan. It was an experience I shall always remember because it was a complete opposite from that of the night before. I was presented with the multi-culturalism that makes up America. Rather than a predominantly white society I saw people from every part of the world, walking around and existing with each other in perfect harmony. At that moment I could not imagine anybody getting homesick because there was so much of your own culture everywhere, New York City seemed to be liberally dotted with Indian restaurants and shops where you could get Indian goods and meet other people from your own country. At the same time if you ever got tired of your own culture there was more than enough of other cultures to relieve the monotony. There seemed to be so much to do, I couldn’t imagine being bored there were so many options. At that moment I was excited. It felt like I was witnessing new horizons open up for me everywhere I looked.

I spent that day realizing that though the variety of choice and options available can be a little intimidating for someone who is unused to it, this choice allows people to develop into unique, individual selves. Everywhere I looked were distinct personalities that dressed, looked and acted a certain way, basically behaving in a manner very specific to what they believed in. Individuality was encouraged. It was wonderful. Even the accents were so varied. There was not one that could be defined as being from a specific place. Each accent would have undertones of some other accent and there were some weird melodious combinations i.e. New York combined with Irish. Then of course was the encounter with the eighth wonder of the world, the friendly New York cab driver. I, who had been told that the New York City cab driver was the grouchiest of all the cab drivers in the world, met one who was polite and so enthusiastic that he hailed me from across the street. He then told us all about the city and actually dropped us off to his favorite place to eat where he told the owners to take excellent care of us. Overall I had been made to expect that Americans would be a very rude race of people. But in fact what I found was that they were very polite. I remember sneezing on the road and having at least three "Bless you’s" from the people that passed by. It gave me a feeling of someone caring even though I knew no one there. It made me feel secure and I let go of my fathers hand.

I have been here for three months now. The most important lesson I have learnt is to shed all preconceived notions and keep an open mind. In fact all the preconceived notions that I had about America have been turned upside down. The choice of cuisine is mind boggling and not bland in the least. People are friendly and always ready to lend a helping hand. They are indeed very private but it is something that you grow to appreciate because it translates into a true individuality. With the current economic situation it is tougher to survive here now than it has ever been before. But it reveals a fighting spirit that can only be good for ones development as an individual and as a nation. I wake up every morning excited at the prospect of learning something new, meeting interesting people with a variety of experiences to share and eventually growing into that kind of person myself. I feel America is the right place for this.

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Too Much Stress? Let's Check

Please mark your answers in the table below: 1= almost always; 2 = often; 3 = sometimes, 4 = rarely.

printable list

1 Do you often find yourself experiencing not having enough time to finish all your assignments?

2 Are you becoming confused or frustrated and unable to think clearly when you are trying to do many things at once?

3 Do you feel overwhelmed by demands placed on your time?

4 Do you find that your school work is cutting your free time?

5 Are you feeling that people around you expect too much from you?

6 Do you have to miss meals in order to finish your work?

7 Do you wish you had some help to get everything done?

8 Do you feel that nothing that you are doing is working properly?

9 Do you cry for almost everything?

10 Are you taking a long time to fall asleep, due to your school work, finances, or roommates?

11 Do you feel exhausted when you wake up every morning?

12 Do you feel depressed when you think of all the things you need to do?

13 Do you see no end in site to all the demands placed on you?

14 Do you feel that you are not enjoying college life?

Analysis of your score: I:

You scored 56-42 points. CONGRATULATIONS! You are considered a low-stressed person who seems to positively manage and control his stress.

II:

You scored 42-28 points. You are a moderate-stress person, but be careful — you tend to easily become stressed-out. You may consider talking to your advisor or fellow student-friend. Share your concerns, they might give you a useful advise on managing your stress.

III:

You scored 28-14 points. You are a high-stressed person. Definitely seek help! You may consider consulting with a psychologist, therapist or your doctor, or at least talk to some significant-other who might help you manage your stress. Relax! Chill-out! You need to take some time off and get back into proportions.

Source: www.pitt.edu and www.psicoter.es

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Attention International Students

Every year ISO sponsors an essay contest. This contest gives international students the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on a variety of subjects.

The winning essay writers are awarded cash prizes of up to $500.

Task: Write an essay of about 1500-2000 words, on of the following topic:

My contribution to a better world

First place: $500

Second place: $300

Third place: $200

 

Criteria for judging:

creativity and writing style. A panel of 5 international students, members of ISO, will select the winners.

Eligibility:

You must be an International Student, with a valid I-20 from your school advisor.

How to enter the competition:

Send your article via mail (on disc) or e-mail (text file) to ISO. Make sure you meet the deadline.

Deadline:

All essays must be postmarked no later than 4.1.2005

goto Content List

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The International Spirit magazine – Volume 10 - Number 1

1. From The Editor’s Desk
   
2. Higher Education in the USA / GMAT, GRE & TOEFL
   
3. Employment
   
4. Resume / Reverse Cultural Shock
   
5. Advice from Your Advisor
   
6. ISO Health Insurance Plans
   
7. Winner of ISO Essay Competition
   
8. What Will You Do the Day After Graduation
   
9. The Immigration Attorney
   
10. Interesting Links
    
11. Scholarships and Grants
    
12. Green Card Lottery
    

From the Editor’s Desk…

Dear Friends,
When I look back at my college years as an international student, I thought that the first year would be the most difficult year. I was very much mistaken. Now I say that the most crucial year is the last year before graduation. It brought me closer to realizing the growing pains of becoming an adult. The questions most students ask themselves during the last year in college is "What do I do next? What is the next step for me? Am I ready?" An International Student advisor once told me that the answer to my questions is simple: "PPP – Prepare, Plan and… Prepare!"
We are dedicating this issue of the International Spirit magazine to these next steps you might take after graduation. The magazine will contain articles that are related to post graduation. Even if you have just started your academic journey, you will find useful information for planning ahead. You will find articles on how to obtain your OPT (Optional Practical Training), how to go about finding an employer that will sponsor you, how to write and edit your resume, and finally how to prepare yourself for job interviews. You will read essays written by fellow students who participated with our essay competition on the topic "What is my contribution to a better world." Finally, for those of you who are seeking higher education, our magazine will also provide in-formation on what tests you should take and the importance of attaining your bachelor’s degree.
Whether or not you are completing your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, I strongly believe that one must be prepared and well informed in order to survive today’s society. Samuel Johnson once said that "knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it." We welcome your comments regarding our magazine, and would be delighted to know your thoughts, suggestions, and entertain questions.

Finally, I wish you success in the new academic year.

Good Luck,
Jack Mount, Editor

ISO – for international students, by international students

ISO - International Student Organization – is a membership organization of international students currently studying in the USA. Since 1958, ISO is the leading provider of personal health plans for international students. Founded and administered by current and former international students, our international academic experiences allow us to focus on your specific needs, for your own benefit.
We know how important it is to have someone you can trust, someone that actually listens to you. Hence, our mission is to provide you, your family and friends with the best health insurance at the lowest price. ISO aims at making the lives of international students more comfortable.
We are committed to you, our fellow international student. We believe that you deserve the best customer service, so we are doing our best to assist you whenever you need us.

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Higher Education in the USA

In this article we wish to assist you in understanding the different options for continuing your course of education towards a higher degree. Here is the meaning of the most common degrees you can obtain in the USA.

BACHELOR’S DEGREE:
This is a typical degree provided by undergraduate colleges and universities. It requires about four years of full-time studies. There are many types of bachelor’s degree. Most common are the Bachelor of Science (BS), Arts (BA), Engineering (BE), Business Administration (BBA) and so on. A student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree must select his ‘major’ no later than by the end of his second year of study. You will be required to conclude a bulk number of courses in your ‘major’. In addition, you must complete courses in a wide array of basic subjects, such as English, Math, American History, and similar. Bachelor’s degree may be obtained at numerous colleges and universities, public and private.

ASSOCIATE DEGREE: This is a 2 year degree program given by community colleges and US junior colleges. There are 2 classes of associate degree. One is the Associate of Arts (AA) and the other is the Associate of Applied Sciences (AAS).

MASTER’S DEGREE AND PH.D. PROGRAMS
After you graduate from college with a Bachelor’s degree you might find it necessary to pursue an advance degree to move ahead in your career. Not all USA colleges offer master’s degree programs. Even fewer offer Ph.D. degree programs. For these advance programs you should probably attend a university or research facilities. Also, the number of majors offered at the graduate level by a graduate school is usually smaller in size in comparison to the number of majors at the undergraduate level.

MASTER’S DEGREE:
You will take highly focused courses in a specific field. It usually requires two years of full-time studies to be completed and the writing of a research paper, a thesis.

PH.D. DEGREE: Doctorate of Philosophy or a Doctoral degree is more focused and research oriented than the Master’s degree. It usually takes 4 to 6 years to complete.

A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: Is an ideal choice for a student who already has a Bachelor’s degree and wants to expand or shift career focus. It is usually a short program that requires between 4 to 6 subjects to be completed.

A PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA: Is a valuable credential that can help to advance an existing career or jump start a new one.

Source:www.usastudyguide.com

GMAT, GRE & TOEFL Vera Polina

No, these are not medical terms. If you plan on getting your Master’s or Ph.D. degree you will most probably be required to take one of these tests. The Graduate Management Ad-mission Test (GMAT) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are both tests that most academic institutions require you to take when you apply for graduate studies. TOEFL is a test that measures your ability to communicate successfully in English in an academic or professional environment.

As an undergraduate student, I realized that get-ting a Bachelor degree is not exactly what our mothers planed for us (at least my mother). Unless we come home with a "Dr." before our name, the whole "studying in the USA" project was not fulfilled. So, we have no choice but to be familiar with, and pass, the aforementioned tests.

GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) that measures general verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills. The student is required to take the GMAT when he applies for a busi-ness graduate school. The GMAT is taken only in English, and all instructions are also provided in English. In a Computer Adaptive Test, the computer displays one question at a time. The first question will be of medium difficulty. The selection of the questions thereafter is deter-mined by the response of the examinee to all previous questions. GMAT includes two analytical writing topics, which you will have to key in your essay responses. You will have 30 minutes for each essay. On the quantitative section the students will have 37 questions, and 75 minutes for answering them. There are 41 verbal questions that you will have to answer within 75 minutes. Taking GMAT test costs $250. For more information visit GMAT web site at www.gmac.com or call 1-800-GMAT-NOW.

There are three different types of GRE tests: general test, subject test and writing test. The general test consists three scored sections: 30 verbal questions and 30 minutes to answer them, 28 quantitative questions in 45 minutes, and 35 analytical questions in 60 minutes. Like GMAT, it is a CAT test. As long as you respond correctly to each question, questions with increased difficulty will be presented. The GRE subject test contains multi-choice questions, ranging over the material in your undergraduate curriculum. The subject test is given in fourteen subject areas. The test lasts for 3.5 hours. The writing test contains two parts of 45 minutes and 30 minuets. In both parts you will have to write a short essay. In the first part you will present your perspective on a broad issue, in the second you will have to respond to an argument. GRE general test costs $115 if taken in the U.S. GRE Subject test costs $130, and Writing Assessment test is $50. For more information you may visit their web site at www.gre.org or call 1-800-GRE-CALL.

TOEFL is a test of English as a second language. The purpose of TOEFL is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English. Since 1998 TOEFL is available as a computer-based test as well as a paper-based test. The computer-based test has four sections. The first two sections of the test, Listening and Structure, are computer-adaptive. Following is the Reading section, and finely the writing section. In the writing section, you will have 30 minutes to write an essay on one topic. A new TOEFL will be Launch on Sept 24, 2005. It will be the only large scale standardized test that will integrate four basic communication skills, the test will be approximately 4 hours long and the sessions will be reading, listening, speaking and writing. The cost will be $130. For more information please refer to www.toefl.org or call 1-800-GO-TOEFL.

You may take the above tests once in every calendar month (except for the GRE Subject test, where you have specific dates). Commercial test preparation courses are available for the GMAT, GRE and TOEFL tests. However, if you decided not to take a preparation course, you should become familiar with the different types of questions, and general directions for each section.

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Employment

Can I work at the university while I am a student? Yes. Some universities offer student employment. No special permission from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is necessary to apply for an on-campus job. On-campus employment must either be performed on the school's premises, or at an off-campus location which is educationally affiliated with the school. However, jobs must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session. Also, money earned from either an on-campus or off-campus job will not be enough to cover your tuition and living expenses. This money should be considered to be only a small supplement to your other financial resources. The USCIS expects all students admitted to U.S. universities to have sufficient funds for their educational expenses.

Can I work off-campus? Yes, but there are some additional requirements that you must fulfill: You must be a full-time student in the U.S.A. for at least one academic year (9 months) and your DSO (Designated School Official) needs to demonstrate that you are in good academic standing. Part-time off-campus employment is limited to no more than twenty hours a week when school is in session. You may work full-time during holidays or school vacation. The employment authorization is automatically terminated whenever the student fails to maintain status.

How will my work opportunities compare to those of a citizen of the U.S.A.? International students have an equal opportunity in applying for on-campus jobs. Off-campus employers are required to make jobs available to U.S. residents first, but when international students are employed, the employer must pay them same wage they pay U.S. residents.

After you complete your studies:

Must I leave the U.S.A. after I complete my degree program? You will have up to 60 days after you complete your degree requirements to leave the U.S.A. You may stay longer if:

• You begin another degree program. For example, after you finish a bachelor's degree, you may begin a master's degree program. In this case, you will need to apply for an extension for a new program of study. You may ask your foreign student advisor for assistance.
• You apply for "Optional Practical Training" (OPT). Again, your foreign student advisor will be glad to help.

What is Practical Training? There are two kinds of Practical Training: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an opportunity for you to gain employment experience in your profession. The work must be directly related to your major field of study and it must be appropriate for your level of education. The work may be full time or part time and may occur anywhere in the U.S.A. Part-time CPT is limited only so far as it is instrumental in meeting your academic program objective. You should limit full-time CPT to less than twelve months or you will not be eligible for OPT. To be eligible for Practical Training, you must have been a full-time student for at least one consecutive academic year provided that the period of employment will not begin until after the completion of the full academic year as indicated by your DSO.

You may be granted authorization by making an application (with fee) to the USCIS to engage in employment for Optional Practical Training:

• During annual vacation and at other times when school is not in session, if you are currently enrolled, and are eligible for registration and intends to register for the next term or session;
• While school is in session, provided that practical training does not exceed 20 hours a week; or
• After completion of the course of study, or, for a student in a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree program, after completion of all course requirements for the degree (excluding thesis or equivalent). Optional practical training must be requested prior to the completion of all course requirements for the degree or prior to the completion of the course of study. A student must complete all practical training within a 14-month period following the completion of study.

Is it difficult to get the "Employment Authorization Document" for Practical Training? No. All students who apply within the time guidelines are granted permission for practical training. Yet, the student is responsible for finding a job. What Is the H1-B status? The H1-B status may be issued to foreigners who want to work in the United States, provided that they meet certain requirements. The H1-B status may be used to extend your employment after your post-completion Optional Practical Training expires. How does the quota system work? Each year, the USCIS sets up a quota for issuing the H1-B. The quota period starts October 1st and ends at September 30th of the following year. If you apply for an H1-B status after the quota has run out, your application will not be processed until the next October, when the USCIS resumes issuing another year's H1-B statuses. If you are included in the current year's quota, you will mostly get your H1-B status in 3-4 months.

How long can I work under H1-B status? If the USCIS approves your H1-B application you will be authorized to work with the sponsoring company for three years. You may renew for another three years. The total time limit is six years, after which you must leave the country for at least one year before applying again.

I wasn't able to get into the U.S. until after my H1-B application was approved. Is the time between when I was approved and when I started working subtracted from the amount of time I can work on an H1-B status? No. Your three/six years begin when you arrive in the U.S. under your H1-B status.

Is an H1-B status applicable to my situation? To be considered as an H1-B applicant, you must have a degree from a four-year college or 10 years of work experience in fields related to the work you will be performing in the U.S. You need to find a company that will hire you for a position directly related to your degree or experience, issue you an offer letter, and sponsor your H1-B status. Your employer must then file a Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor. This attests to the fact that you will be paid what is considered by the Department of Labor (or an independently published survey) a prevailing wage or higher in the geographic area of the position you have been offered.

How do I file an H1-B application? The process of filing an H1-B application is quite complicated. You or your employer should hire an immigration lawyer to file the H1-B application and to take care of all the legal issues regarding your work and tax status. The cost for an immigration lawyer is about $1,500 or more.

If my lawyer files my H1-B application before my student status expires, but I don't hear from the USCIS by the time my student status expires, do I have to get another status while I wait for the answer? No. As long as your application was filed while your student status was still in effect, you may legally remain in the United States until your H1-B application is either approved or denied. However, if you didn't have work permission with your student status, you cannot work unless and until you get approved for H1-B status.

I have changed my status from student to H1-B. Do I need to re-apply for permission to be in the U.S.A.? No. Your passport was stamped when you entered the United States as a student. You do not have to get a new stamp after you switch to an H1-B status. When your H-1B status is approved, you will receive an Approval Notice from USCIS. This notice (combination form I-797/I-94) replaces your original I-94 card with student status. The new I-94 card becomes your new permission to remain legally in the United States. You should keep your original I-94 card and turn both in at the airport when you leave the United States to travel abroad. Note that once your status has changed to H1-B, you must abide by all of the restrictions that apply to that status type.

Can I change my job after I have been approved for an H1-B status? During the time you hold an H1-B status, you have the right to change your job as often as you want. However, you must re-apply for an H1-B status each time you change your job. This new H1-B status will not count toward the annual quota. You may re-apply for an H1-B more than two times, as long as the combined duration for all such statuses does not exceed six years.

Can I work for more than one employer at the same time while I am here in the U.S.? Yes. Each employer must have a valid H1-B status for you.

I used to work full-time, but my employer reduced my hours, so I am now only working part-time. Will this invalidate my H1-B? As long as you continue to provide H-1B services for a U.S. employer, most changes will not mean that you are out of status. You may change H-1B employers without affecting status, but the new H-1B employer must file a new Form I-129 petition before you begin working for the new employer. However, if the change means that the alien is working in a capacity other than the specialty occupation for which they petitioned, it is a status violation.

Can I apply for an H1-B status again after six years? No, you can only start the H1-B process again if you first leave the U.S. for at least a full year.

Can I switch back to an F-1 visa? Yes, you can go back from an H1-B status to an F-1 status at any time. The processing fee is $195.

* For elaborated and updated information on employment and non-immigrant status, always refer to your international student advisor.

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Resume

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to secure an interview. If it doesn’t, it is not an effective resume. A resume is an advertisement of you, nothing more, and nothing less. Here are some tips to succeed when you send a resume:

1. Always tell the truth in your resume.
2. Be very careful about spelling mistakes.
3. A good resume should not have more than one page.
4. Focus on information that is relevant for the job position; some times you will have to write different resumes for different positions.
5. Volunteerism, association memberships, computer skills and languages are always good elements to include in your resume, no matter what kind of job you are applying for.
6. The way you organize your resume is very important. Start with stating what kind of job you are looking for, then describe your experience and present your education, concentrating on college and after college education. Finally list any skills that might be useful for the job you want.
7. It is very important to use verbs to start the sentences. Use words like achieve, implemented, organized, developed.
8. Lastly, remember the resume should be short and concise; you need to provide enough information to convince the person who reads it to invite you for an interview. You do not want to bore him with too much information.

You can start by posting your resume on the internet sited below. You will also find there information about different positions available.
www.jobsniper.com www.jobweb.com www.careerbuilder.com	www.careers.msn.com hotjobs.yahoo.com www.monster.com

Write a cover letter to introduce yourself, your objectives and your resume. This letter will accompany your resume. Invest enough time in writing a good letter. It is important for the creation of "supportive first impression". The cover letter will create a personal relation with the person receiving the resumes and will clarify some issues that might not be included in the resume.

The following are some concerns to have in mind when writing a cover letter: Usually a cover letter is composed by 3 paragraphs: the first should have information about who you are and what you do, the second would be a short description of your experience and why it is relevant for the position you are seeking, and finally you will express your interest in the company and wish for an interview.

If you succeed, the next step is the job interview. An interview provides the employer with the opportunity to learn more about you and determine if you will fit in the company. It is the most important step in the process of finding a job! Therefore it is crucial that you prepare yourself in the best way possible. Here are some tips that might be of assistance to you:

• Know your resume and be prepared to discuss any item included in it.
• Before the interview, make sure you are prepared for obvious questions like why do you wish to work for this company, what are your strengths and weaknesses, where do you see yourself in 5 years, etc…
• Always arrive on time.
• Introduce yourself in a courteous manner.
• Read company materials before the interview and while you wait.
• Have a firm, but warm, handshake.
• Try to relax, do not get flustered during the interview and take your time to answer the questions.
• Provide concise answers and be prepared to support your arguments.
• Do not respond to a question with a question.
• Pay most attention to the interviewer.
• Use body language to show interest and confidence.
• Smile and give nonverbal feedback to the interviewer.
• Have some questions prepared to ask the interviewer at the end of the interview, it shows interest in the position.
• Ask about the next step in the process.
• Thank the interviewer.
• Write a thank-you letter to anyone you have spoken to.

Source: www.jobweb.com, www.rockportinstitute.com

Reverse Culture Shock

Many international students will go back to their home country after graduating from school. Going back home can be very exciting, you are returning to everything you love. But at the same time you are also leaving many things you learned to love in America: new friends and different culture. Here are a couple of things to prepare you for when you return to your home country, especially if you’ve been away for a long period of time.

At the beginning you might experience an initial stage of euphoria and excitement caused by the joy of being home. Following that you will start getting back to your old routines and habits. In this moment you will realize that the experience of studying in a foreign country changed many of your perceptions. Your insight on things and behaviors is different, you will realize that you are a different person, a new person. When you talk about education you are not only referring to books and exams, you also explore your personal growth. Therefore you might experience a period of disorientation. You find that you don’t share the same experience with your family and friends.

Keep in mind that the only person that will fully understand what you are going through is your-self. New experiences can bring about very interesting changes, and it could change the way you communicate and share ideas with your old and new friends.

Awareness to these changes will help you to reintegrate to your home country. These changes might include a more independent way of thinking and living; growing awareness to global issues; interest in other cultures and respect for their differences; open-minded attitude in general; and aspiration to change and improve things in your home country.

Sources: international.missouri.edu, www.uiowa.edu

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Advice from your advisor

Things to remember before graduation

Deborah Jacques, West Virginia University, Office of International Students & Scholars and International House

First of all, thoroughly read and understand the instructions provided by your International Student Office on how to apply for your OPT. Many schools have this information on their website, but some may require you to report to their office. After you have read and under-stood the instructions and you still have questions, call, email, or visit the office before you do anything else.

Second, get your application in early! Three to four months is optimal in my opinion. That way, you are almost certain to have it by your re-quested start date. If you turn in your application to the International Students office at your school less than 4 weeks in advance, you will almost certainly not have the EAD card when you want it. If the USCIS Service Center gets your recommendation packet after your completion date, it will be rejected.

Third, bring all of your application materials to your International Students office together at one time. If you bring it in by bits & pieces (and if they accept them that way--I don’t), it may be hard to pull them all together again.

Fourth, start now to make sure you have every I-20 that’s ever been issued to you. If you cannot find them all and do not remember disposing of any, relax. Sit down with a cup of tea or glass of wine or whatever will relax you. Then, in a leisurely fashion, search again. If you cannot find all of them for any reason, write a brief letter explaining the circumstances and requesting that your application be processed with the documents you are able to provide. It will help if you can include copies from your file, but do not try to pass them off as new--they might have had something on the back that is not copied into your file but could be discovered during processing.

Fifth, do not try to take the required photos yourself. Passport photos are cheap, and far more likely to be accepted by the USCIS Service Center, without needing to be replaced.

Finally, don’t start work until you have that card in your hand, and re-member--the day you begin studies at a higher degree level, your OPT is automatically terminated no matter what the card says.


Beth Burford, Eastern Washington University, Coordinator of International Education, International Education Office

The most important thing for international students to do in order to be successful in the job search is start early! Preparation for getting a job begins on the first day at university. Yes, getting good grades and tak-ing the right classes is important but there are so many other factors that employers look for that it is invaluable to start planning early. Students should join a professional club or association at the beginning of their studies. This will help them meet contacts that may help them find internships and jobs later on. Club and association memberships are also something that can be listed on a resume. Students should get involved. Join clubs and activities that interest you. Become a leader on campus. These types of experiences will help you improve your English and show that you are a team player. The more comfortable you are in using your English skills in everyday conversations, the more comfortable you will be in interviews and work situations. There are so many international students that I know never join any clubs and remain shy in using their English throughout their education. These are the same students that are frustrated after graduation because they have difficulties in finding a job in the US.


Sarah Jome, Illinois state university

Start applying to new graduate schools early – it is easier to get an assistantship that way; take the GRE or whatever well before grad applications are due; get your resume ready early; go to mock inter-views on your campus early; apply for jobs the semester before you plan to graduate; do summer internships on CPT so that you will have "experience" and references.


Michele Janosko, Duquesne University, Assistant Director / International Advisor

Apply for OPT early in your final semester (unless you are not 100% sure about graduation). The sooner the application goes to immigration, the sooner you have your employment card. Waiting until closer to graduation when the majority of students are also applying only increases wait times. For a May graduation, I have students applying the beginning of February. Another advice would be to always take advantage of what your university has to offer as far as career counseling first. Many schools have very comprehensive assistance with finding a job.


Kelly Czack, M.Ed., Cuyahoga Community College, International Student Advisor

I think students need to be reminded that while they are searching for their OPT job, they really ought to keep all documentation of resumes sent, to whom they were sent to and when. It’s also helpful to keep all rejection letters to prove that the student is actively searching for employment in case they are questioned about not working.


Roopa Rawjee, CSUN, Foreign Student Advisor, Student Development and International Programs

I will share my thoughts on continuing for higher education this time: I came to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) as a foreign student in 1998. I was a very active participant in extra curricular activities and I was soon employed as a graduate assistant by the Office of Student Development and International Programs at CSUN. I was hired by them as a Student Services Professional in 2001 and I love my work here. I also love going to school, so as soon as I graduated from my Master’s program at CSUN, I started looking into doctoral programs. I planned and studied for the GRE during my year out of school, and before I knew it, I had been accepted into the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership at California Lutheran University. I have been in the doctoral program for 2 years now, and am getting ready to defend my research proposal and portfolio this fall. Working full time and pursuing higher education at the same time has not been easy, but planning well, organizing my time effectively and setting priorities have made it all possible for me. I am looking forward to graduating in 2007.

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ISO – Health Insurance Plans

Choose the Health Plan that Fits Your Needs

Due to the cost of health care in the USA, the highest in the world, all international students are advised to purchase a personal health insurance policy.

You made it! You were accepted to college and started your academic journey in America.
Now you have to secure your-self and your study efforts with a proper health insurance. Purchasing the proper health insurance plan should be a must on your list. You want to avoid possible high expenses. You want to avoid unexpected obstacles that are liable to interfere with your course of study in the US.

ISO is proud to offer you a wide selection of medical insurance plans. Few experiences are worse than getting sick in a foreign country. The high cost of medical services in America suggests that everyone who visits the USA, especially international students, should have comprehensive medical insurance. International students that come to study in the USA invested a lot of money and great efforts in this project. It’s a shame to interrupt your course of study due to a serious injury or sickness. Keep in mind that a treatment of such injury or sickness is liable to cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 and even more. Furthermore, it is your responsibility to pay the medical bills. Most students who do not carry proper insurance will find it very difficult to pay these bills. Such students are forced to quit school and leave the USA back to their home country, leaving behind them unpaid medical bills and broken dreams…

We, at ISO, want to provide international students and their families with the best possible medical coverage at the most affordable cost. Our experience and reputation as a proactive student organization has given us access to leading insurance carriers such as AIG, Mega, Gerber, and more. Moreover, we do our best to provide you, the international student, with the highest quality of customer service.

COMPASS Health Insurance Plans: Gold, Silver & Bronze

Insurance Company: AIG
COMPASS Health Insurance Plans offer high coverage and a great deal of benefits at reasonable monthly rates. These plans are offered to international students exclusively at three levels of benefits. The more benefits you select – the higher the monthly rate is. You should choose Gold if you are looking for the most benefits and coverage for yourself. You may decide to save some dollars every month and choose a more affordable option, Silver or Bronze.

ISO Med 1 & 2
Insurance Company: ACE USA
ISO Med Student short-term accident and sickness medical coverage is made available by ISO and ACE USA. The plans offer comprehensive coverage and supreme list of benefits at attractive monthly rates. This plan is offered exclusively to international students. The plan allows you to choose between an enhanced plan and basic coverage.

How to Choose the Plan That Fits Your Needs

When looking for health insurance plan, follow a few simple principles and avoid mistakes many students tend to make. I Do Not Need Medical Insurance Plan - The cost of medical treatment in the US is the highest in the world. Hospital bills may come up to thousands of dollars for relatively simple injuries. An ordinary injury, such as a broken hand caused by falling from your in-line skates or during a basketball game, could cost in hospital bills from $3,000 and up to $25,000 in case a complicated surgical procedure is required. A minor operation is liable to cost you as much as $17,000. Comparing Monthly Premium - Do not allow your eyes to focus on the expected monthly rates and do not choose your plan only by comparing these monthly premiums, usually between $27 and $57 per month for young students. Instead, you rather compare what you will get for your money! Compare maximum benefits and don’t settle for less than $100,000, $250,000 is preferred. Calculate how much money will go out of your pocket in case of injury or sickness. Ignoring High Deductible & Insurance Payments - Most medical insurance plans require you to share with them the payment of your medical bills, in case you submit a claim. One such additional payment you will have to carry is the Deductible. If your deductible is $100 and your medical invoice is for $250, the insurance company will reimburse you only for $150. Another method of "sharing" the bill with you is called co-insurance. The insurance company tells you its "share" in the upcoming bill payments, expecting you to pay your "share" out of your pocket. If your co-insurance is 80% / 20% and your hospital bill is for $5,000, the insurance company will pay the hospital 80% = $4,000 and you will have to pay the remaining $1000. If you do not have extra money (who does?) you may have difficulties to pay this amount. Prefer a plan with minimal co-insurance or 100% coverage of your medical expanses. These plans usually cost few dollars more, but you will get it all back with the first claim paid. Remember! Most students cannot afford themselves to get injured or sick without being insured. You cannot afford to pay the high bills – don’t stay without health insurance plan. What should you seek in health insurance coverage? In order to make the right choice among the qualified health insurance plans you should find the plan that best fit your needs and means. Do that by doing some "shopping". Start at the international student office. It is a good source for information and alternatives. After you gathered all the information you need, read the brochures of the different plans. Compare the plans according the key guidelines: maximum benefits, co-insurance and deductible. Check the availability of doctors and other service providers. Can you go to a limited network of service providers or to any qualified service provider in your area? Finally, make sure the plan covers you for evacuation and repatriation.

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Winner of ISO Essay Competition

My Contribution to A Better World by Dora Enyonam Adoboe, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Loud sounds of wailing from our compound woke me up. I sat up immediately on my sleeping mat as I wondered about what was happening. Memories of the previous evening came flooding back into my mind. Our next door neighbor was having a difficult child birth the previous night. One of the traditional birth attendants was called in to tend to her. My friends and I stopped playing on the compound. We huddled together and waited anxiously to hear the cry of the new born baby. I saw my grandmother come out of our neighbor’s room accompanied by Esi’s mother. They had a sad expression on their faces and we could all sense that there was something wrong. The older women around told us to go home because it was getting dark. My grandmother took me home, but I could not go to sleep. I kept thinking about Esi the young woman in labor. She took good care of me anytime my grandmother was out of town and I had come to love her as member of my family. She was looking forward to having her first baby and jokingly promised she would name the baby after me if she gave birth to a baby girl. I closed my eyes and said a prayer for her.

I must have drifted off to sleep, because when I opened my eyes I could see the sun rising beyond the hills at the eastern part of the village. I dressed up immediately. My grandmother entered the bed-room quietly as I was about to leave. I could see tears in her eyes. Noticing the confusion on my face, she hugged me and told me Esi passed away at dawn. She died as she was being transported to a nearby clinic which was several miles from our village. Both mother and baby were pronounced dead upon arrival at the clinic. My little body shook as I cried profusely in my grandmother’s arms; the wailings from the compound seemed louder than ever. I was five years old at the time, living with my grandmother in Begoro a village in Ghana, when this incident happened. It was very typical to hear early morning wailings in that village which signified the mourning of the dead. The village of Begoro had no health care facility. The inhabitants of the village had to travel several miles in order to receive health care, many dying in the process. The people tend to rely on the traditional healers and herbalists in the village when they needed health care. As a child I wondered at what could be done to alleviate the situation. I made up my mind to take care of the sick when I grew up.

I became involved in health issues when I had the privilege of being the health prefect of my high school. Assisting the school nurse and interacting with students who were ill was an eye opener that instilled in me the desire to help people who were ill. The experience also heightened my sensitivity to other people and the difficulties they faced, and my view of education began to take on a new dimension. I became curious about what I was being taught at school and how that knowledge could be harnessed to benefit mankind. I enjoyed the critical and analytical thinking that science entailed. It became an obvious choice of major for me since it incorporated most of what I enjoyed studying.

A year of working at a Maternal Child Health and Family Planning Clinic in a district in Ghana after high school as a service to the nation enhanced my experience in the field of public health and also gave me the opportunity to contribute positively to the quality of life and health of the underprivileged. Traveling to various villages with the public health nurses and doctors to immunize children, conduct antenatal and postnatal care for women, provide family planning services, counsel teenagers about reproductive health, and conduct school health inspections made me aware of most of the loopholes in the public health system in Ghana. I also came to appreciate the importance of public health and the ability to work effectively with others in a team.

Having lived in a village for most of my childhood, I was able to identify with the villagers, and often I served as the team’s liaison in explaining our mission to them and in counseling them. They accepted me as a member of their community. One vivid example was during the national polio immunization day when I was called upon to explain the importance of the polio vaccine to their children because the villagers were reluctant to have their children vaccinated. They had heard rumors that the vaccine was a means by which the white man wanted to transmit HIV/AIDS to their children in order to eradicate them from the earth. I was able to convince them about the importance of the vaccine and also help build the trust that was needed for the administration of the vaccine to their children. Routine visits to most of the villages revealed the ignorance the women had about immunization and pre and postnatal care. They preferred to see herbalists and traditional healers to give them concoctions to take instead. They did not want the white man’s medicine, but after being educated, they were finally receptive. I was glad to have been involved in making a positive difference in the lives of these women. They began to live healthier lifestyles and healthier babies. That year, there was a significant decrease in the maternal and child mortality rates in the villages in which we worked.

Knowing that I needed to have a tertiary education in order to acquire the skills I needed in public health, I sought and gained admission to University of Ghana. Majoring in biochemistry and microbiology provided me many skills in laboratory work that continue to enhance my research work in epidemiology. As an executive of my hall of residence and the vice president of the student’s Representative Council Women’s Commission, I dealt with issues concerning women on campus and also helped female students to realize themselves as important resources for the advancement of society. Being with the commission also gave me the opportunity to liaise with non governmental organizations to promote health, education, and the overall status of women and children in the country. I was involved in teaching illiterate women how to read and write and also perform basic mathematical calculations to help them manage the money they made from their trade.

Working at Alpha Medical Center gave me more insight and experience in the field of public health. Working in the laboratory, surgery, and other departments, I realized that most of the illnesses that patients reported at the medical center could have been prevented before their onset. I was trained as a youth counselor at the medical center and my duty was to counsel the youth in that community on reproductive health, violence against women, and provide emotional support to girls who had been physically and sexually abused. I also helped in training other youth in peer counseling.

The public health system in Ghana, which is typical of most public health systems in Africa, needs reformation. There are villages in the country which have no access to healthcare due to distance, insufficient public health personnel, lack of funds, and the overall lack of political interest of policy makers. The challenge of achieving health for all worldwide is enormous, especially in Africa, in the face of increasing rates of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poverty, lack of potable drinking water, and poor sanitation. The answer to most of these problems lies in sound and effective public health interventions. The continent must focus more on public health than on medicine.

Currently I am a student at the School of Public Health pursuing a master’s degree in public health. By acquiring a public health degree with concentration in epidemiology, I hope to acquire the necessary skills I need to train more public health personnel in Africa, in order to increase the numbers and capacity of such personnel. This will help create greater availability of health services, increase the promotion of adolescent, maternal and child health, and increase the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS in communities in Africa. I hope to work with the World Health Organization and research organizations to conduct and support research on the diagnosis, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS infected victims throughout their lives including clinical studies of therapeutic interventions.

I am also a current member of the Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) which is part of the Health Action AIDS in the United States. We are involved in a comprehensive education and advocacy campaign with the goal of securing adequate resources from the US government to provide prevention, treatment, and care programs to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in resource poor settings worldwide. A Physicians for Human Rights Students Chapter was recently formed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with the aim of raising awareness and understanding of the fundamental connections between health and human rights, educating current and future health professionals about their roles as advocates for human rights, and increasing the involvement of students, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals in the work of Physicians for Human Rights. I was involved in organizing a PHR national conference at UAB which took place in the on the 5th of March this year.

Health professional students, law students, human rights advocates, and others interested in helping to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic came from all over the nation to attend this conference. Participants were educated, inspired, and energized through various workshops and seminars to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between health and human rights. The workshops and seminars also addressed the various ways in which they could use their voices, knowledge and advocacy skills to achieve equity in health and justice both domestically and globally.

I may have contributed little in my efforts to make this world a better place; however I hope I have started a spark that will continue to make a positive impact in this world. Yesterday was a lesson, tomorrow is a promise. Today is all we have to contribute our quota in making the world a better place than it was yesterday.

ISO Essay Competition - 2nd Place

My Contribution to A Better World by Bakhtiar S. Akhunji, St. Cloud State University

A very popular Chinese proverb says, "By nature all human beings are alike, but by education widely different." In order to contribute to a better world I think nothing could be more important than obtaining higher education. It should be the real education that teaches us to be a better person with better heart and knowledge. To me, getting higher education in a foreign country is a more rewarding choice for many students who aspire to make a difference in their social, cultural, and professional lives to contribute more to the world. I, myself, am one of those students.

It is very important to International students to choose a country for higher education that can help them to have the highest opportunity to better educate themselves and to meet students from the rest of the world and to know how the other people of the world are surviving. There are many countries in the world that offer higher educational opportunities to international students. The United States, especially, has welcomed international students into higher education for a long time and has excellent diversity inside the country and at the educational institutions. With more than 3,000 recognized colleges and universities across the country, the United States opens its door to thousands of international students whose participation creates unity in diversity. To me the benefits are mutual because by this the campus gets international diversity and recognition. For the students, it is an opportunity of a life time to experience world cultures and get a higher education. That is why I am working on my degree at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota where students from 80 other countries are attending. The university with its "tradition of excellence and opportunity" has been consistent in attracting students from almost any mapped region of the world to create not only better graduates but also better human beings. Nevertheless, there has been a substantial expansion in different programs for international students at the SCSU campus.

At the very beginning, I came to USA as an International student from Bangladesh for my bachelor degree. For those of you who do not know about Bangladesh, I want to present a little idea. Geographically, People’s Republic of Bangladesh is a country of southern Asia in the northeastern portion of the Indian subcontinent bordered on the west, north, and east by India, on the southeast by Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), and on the south by the Bay of Bengal. Since 1971, the year of independence, the country has been considered as a third world country because of its poor economy.

Ever since I am advancing toward my degree at SCSU, I think every single day is making me a more responsible person to work for my country as well as for a better world. As I am from a poor country of the world and did experience a lot of sufferings of the people with my own eyes, I know how much work needs to be done to make this earth a better place. Since my first day in USA, I have been trying to keep up my positive attitude to reduce the gap between different nationalities. I am an active member of the Bangladesh Student Association and Model United Nations at SCSU. With these two organizations I try to represent my own identity and my responsibility as a world citizen.

Firstly, as a citizen of Bangladesh, I consider myself as a student ambassador of the country. I try to uphold my culture on campus and share it with other students, faculties and staffs who are from 81 different countries of the world. I make a lot of effort to convey the friendship messages towards other people. With our cultural night presentation I try to show the local community that there are many things to be learned from a different culture. Through the ethnic songs and dances, the audiences get a chance to experience authentic differences between cultures. And if people start learning it from today, then there will be a very small gap between the cultures in terms of accepting other’s view. Many people attend the cultural show every year and most of them really feel like they learn something about the culture every time they come.

Furthermore, I like to go to the local junior high schools to do presentations on my country every now and then. It helps me to communicate with the children of the USA and help them to have a different perspective about the world outside the USA. I also like to share my experiences in class interactions. I help other students to learn something they do not know about the world and try to educate myself from their point of view. Also, I volunteer as a note taker for the disability services in my campus. Because I think disability is not a disease, nor is it a lifetime punishment for committing any crime. It is an unfortunate legacy that burdens normal living practices for a human being. Although disability is a familiar term to us, it is unbelievable that one tenth of the worlds’ population live with some kind of disability. It is our prime responsibility to work for these people.

I did notice that even if we are stepping into the most modern era of our life time, still a person with disability represents the most marginalized group of societies in any country. Human rights violations against disabled people are very common, hitting hard on humanity. Not only in the least developed countries, but also in the developed countries around the world, disabled people are neglected on a routine basis. I do believe, to create a better world we need to facilitate to build up the confidence of persons with disabilities and make them happy in the long run. The continuing compliance of action and thought is essential at different levels for accommodating these people to mainstream life. I think that with a little bit of extra love and care for these people our world can be much brighter than tomorrow. If the disabled are given proper facilities to bloom their talent, half the battle with advancement can be won.

To better this world the biggest contribution will be how a person reacts to the people outside his/her own country. I am sincere in this issue; whenever there is a natural or man made catastrophe I react in a caring way that shows my concern on world issues. I think human beings are known by their actions not by the words they use. I think about the children of the world, in particular, the children who are affected by war and violence or by any natural calamities. As a leader of the Model United Nations on my campus I try to be concerned about the political issues of the world. It is important for international students to react on such issues. Students from different cultures and diverse backgrounds are continuously in need to have their voices to be heard. I protest against war and do it in a pro active fashion not as a reactive way. Because I think pro-activism can even stop the planning for the next war but re-activism can only create sympathy. Natural disasters like the recent Tsunami in my part of the world create concern for the victims. I did work as a leading fundraiser from my country on my campus to help out the people who need some financial assistance during the aftermath.

My way of thinking is very simple that is "pray for what you want but work for the things you need". I keep working for the things that need to be done. I do think about the generations to come and want to make it a better place for them.

All I want for my endeavor is to make this world "a little bit of paradise". I know that every in order for one’s good work to grow it needs to start with a promise and if the focus of the promise is maintained the work will never stop growing. I want to sing the same song which Pop singer Michael Jackson once sang, "Heal the world. Make it a better place for you and for me, and the entire human race. There are people dying, if you care enough for the living, make a better place for you and for me." As my study continues in a place where students from more than 80 countries of the world are gathered, with so many different motivations, I work as much as possible to connect this people with an idea of a better world, the world people always dream about. It is my dream, the craving of my heart, which people of the world will come up with kind hearts and glorious merit for tomorrow. Thus, they will bring prospect for a better world. All of us are looking forward to that day. Hopefully, our wishful thinking works and will lead us to our destiny.

ISO Essay Competition – 3rd Place

My Contribution to a Better World by Syed B. Mohiddin, Ohio State University.

When I first read the topic of the essay, I was eager to get started on it. I have rarely seen a person, including myself, not complain about how bad this world is and how things need to be amended. With so many people fussing about so many different things around them, there should certainly be myriad ways to contribute to make this world a better place to live. Jumping on the bandwagon of preachers, I too was able to quickly put down a list of things to be changed in this world to improve its state of affairs – spread peace, feed the poor, take care of the sick and on and on. As I was patting myself on the shoulder for coming up with cool ideas to make a better world, a state of reasoning and sense of reality dawned on me and I was asking myself how I would actually implement these ideas. What will it take to get these noblest of the ideas put into action – is it money? Do I need to be the next billionaire or is it power that would make men listen to my talk and carry out the actions. Why would they listen to me anyway? The barrage of these confusing questions left me bitter and I was no more enthusiastic about writing the essay. I felt empty and was sad that I will also end up to be just one of those that preach but never act. I was finding excuses not to write this essay and just move on as I was before. However, someone dear to me insisted I should not give up and do the writing.

I was then thinking about all those people who made a difference in my life – who made this world a better place for me. What was it that they did to me and the world around me that makes me remember them and their actions. I was surprised at the endless list of people that came to my mind – from my kind parents who took care of me when I was a helpless child, my teacher who practiced and taught flawless manners, my friends who stuck with me in rain and shine, to the unknown stranger who smiled at me on the road and made me forget all my worries even it be for a moment and the list kept coming to my mind without an end. Not to forget the dear one who saved me from the misery of self-blame I would have experienced had I turned away from taking this essay seriously. Hope seems to return and I was truly convinced that neither money nor power is needed to spread a little joy and happiness in this world. Even a little act that brings a smile on at least one person’s face would make justice to the time spent writing this essay and would contribute to a better world. However, I could do more than that.

I realized that what I am today is an essence of the environment I was exposed to as a child. Every one enters this world as a child, an eager bud that wants to grow into a blooming flower – not only pleasant to the sight but also fragrant to the nose. The positive impact of my schoolteachers was so profound on me that memories of their selfless behavior, impeccable manners, upright character and attitude to serve are still vivid in my memory. I have found the finest of men and women in the profession of teaching. The titles of "Brothers and Sisters", as we lovingly referred to them in a missionary school, were literally true in meaning. They loved us irrespective of our race, religion, color. This was my first taste of true love besides my parents. Their acquaintance left an indelible mark on my heart – to be like them… to serve the budding flowers, the children of today, the full blooming and fragrant flowers of tomorrow. To me, this was the highest level of service and satisfaction.

Even as I work for myself day and night, towards my education, I remind myself of the promise to fulfill. No action, however insignificant shall go unnoticed; it will influence someone somewhere in this world. Working on that principle, I have spent time, effort and paltry amounts of money that I could afford as a student to organizations that care for the children of our world. It is only with good education and favorable environment will the children grow up to make this world a better place and it is every adult’s responsibility to ensure this development. Children who grow up with a sense of universal love and tolerance will put an end to the existing problems of our world. As a child, I was taught human life is more sacred than anything in this world, yet, we see thousands of lives wasted over petty differences arising due to race, religion and ideologies. What right do we have to share a world that is not ours if we cannot learn to live in harmony and peace? Mother Theresa has been a remarkable source of encouragement, symbol of universal peace and unfailing love. Both Mother Theresa and Buddha experienced the same suffering of the people and felt compassionate about them. While Buddha renounced this world for its suffering, the Mother took up the challenge and contributed so much that the world will be in her debt for eternity. She set a fine example to follow. She neither had money nor power, yet touched the lives of millions of people directly and comforted their aching souls with nothing but pure love. Love, that each one of us can afford to contribute for a better tomorrow.

I would like to take up my part of the task for educational and medical help that the world could use. I would like to be a teacher at all levels, from kindergarten to university. The constant human touch with children is essential to mould the buds in to beautiful flowers. Education is vital to expand the horizons of understanding and make children appreciate the beauty of diversity. Although, we find human race in such a splendid variety of forms, languages, colors and beliefs, we are all very similar in that we can feel, experience and show the love for humanity and associate with each other, no matter what. All we need is a little broader perspective of looking at things. I am happy that my education in United States of America has been the primary source of building such broader perspective. Had not for this international experience, I would have been deprived of this overall perspective and would cling to my own country, my own people and my own beliefs. It reminds me of a beautiful tale of a few blind men. Once upon a time, a few blind men stumbled upon a sleeping elephant. None of them had seen the elephant and had no idea of what it is like. This was their chance to get a grasp of what they used to hear. Each one touched the elephant from his own place – someone held on to its leg, someone to its tail, someone to its tusk, someone to its belly. Not wanting to let go of their real experience with the elephant, each one started describing how the elephant is like – the one who held on to the leg said the elephant is hard like a wall, the one who held on to its tail said the elephant was like a rope, the one who held on to its tusk said the elephant was smooth and sharp, the one who held onto its belly said that it was soft like a couch. Each of them was right in his own perspective, but none of them was right about the elephant overall. This is what not having education does to a person, makes the person blind to others perspectives and deprives the person from appreciating the beauty of this world. Having tasted the sweetness of finding unity in diversity, I would like to help others and especially the budding flowers of tomorrow taste it too.

I believe in the proverb, "action speaks louder than words". Therefore, no matter how enthusing my words appear to be, they are of no use until I put them in action. I have learnt it is imprudent to wait for favorable conditions to take action, rather conditions turn favorable when we take action. Therefore, I would like to end this piece of writing by reminding everyone including myself first, that action, however insignificant shall bear its fruit. A fruit, whose taste shall be sweet and memorable, and eventually these little actions make up everything around us in this world, just like little drops of water make up the vast oceans. The trick however is not to give up and loose hope that we cannot contribute anything substantial, but rather to continue doing the actions, even minute ones. A winner never quits and the quitter never wins!

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What will you do the day after you graduate from school?

Thoughts and wishes of international students, members of ISO

We have asked ISO members to share their thoughts and comments on what they would want to do the day after their graduation. Here are some fun and interesting comments:

Sneha Jagdap – "PARTYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Guillermina Cristofaro – "I hope that for that day I already have my first job as a graduate. I would love to start working as soon as I can after graduation."
Taner Ozdil – "I want to throw a big party for my family and friends since I haven’t seen my family for over fiveyears."
Joel Dias – "Make preparations for job interviews and graduate school"
Vanessa Arita – "The day after I graduate, I want to check into a hotel and sleep in, have my breakfast/lunch order room service, and spend a day in complete relaxation."
Susana Alonso Aftyka – "The day after I graduate from my MBA program there will be three things waiting for me: God, my family in general and my future boss."
Juan Landazuri – "The day after I graduate from school I want to see my parents and family. Show them my degree and tell them: I made it!"
Maya Zadok – "I would like to be in a warm place, on the beach from sunrise till sunset thinking about NOTHING!!!"
Tawanda Mkanganwi - The day after I graduate from school I want to SLEEP!!
Shyam Mantravadi – "I will start the day by going to a temple and offer prayers. Then after watching a movie and some shoping, I will join a flying club to learn how to fly an air plane. Then I will join a violin class; have dinner at Waldorf Astoria, another movie, then sleep in central park."
Indira Mohandoss – "The day after I graduate, I will read the books I have been wanting to read, see the movies I have been waiting to see, visit the places I have been dreaming to go, talk to people I have just had the time to say ‘hi’ to, sleep the sleep I have missed on those sleepless nights and eat three meals without having to skip them…"
Zana Coulibaly - "Currently in my mind, the day after I graduate or the days following (after a big and nice party to celebrate of course), I want to go back to my country to ‘share’ the knowledge and experience that I’ve gathered here in the United States."
Aramayis Sedrakyan - "The day after I graduate the school, probably, I’ll go to Hawaii and take a good rest and enjoy my time, so that I won’t have to think about classes and type things, and then only after I have taken a good rest I’ll go ahead and look for a job."
Nalinda Mavilmada - "I would let my parents to know how special they are, and how much I appreciate their support and the sacrifices they made to educate me so I can have a better life."
Jinesh Maisuria – "Start looking for job and start paying may parents because they contributed so much to may college education."
Lisa Benjamin – "The day after I graduate from school, I would like to have a completely relaxed day at the beach just listening to my favorite songs and reading a novel that is completely unrelated to my career."
Nin Esmeralda – "I would love to go somewhere, near the beach ... where the air seems to be cleaner than the city, where the sands are pinkish or white.... Mainly go to a place where I can relax... escape from the material world and just enjoy what is left of nature.... Hopefully, after a couple of days, I’ll be rejuvenated and ready to jumpstart... my working... life…"
Hiromi Omatsu – "I want to clean up my room so that my mind will be free from papers and school. No more worries about grades!!! Then go camping with my friends, away from ordinary life and open up my mind for the next step!"
Aravindan Ramarathinam – "Go on a Road Trip to Key West Florida with my friends and research group mates."
Dilyana Kirova – "The only thing I want to do the day I graduate is to go to the beach, enjoy and forget about the school."

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The Immigration Attorney

At some point it may be necessary for you to seek the assistance of an immigration attorney. As with all professions, there are many qualified, competent immigration attorneys, and there are some that are not very good. Unfortunately, there is no reliable directory to assist you in determining which ones are great and which are not. This handout is intended only to provide you with some general tips in deciding which attorney is right for you and to give guidance in working with the attorney and his or her staff.

Do Your Homework
Gather all your immigration documents. Gather any documents relating to your education, accomplishments, marriages, divorces, birth of children, any arrests or convictions, etc. Know what your goals are and do some basic research. For example, if you need an attorney to assist you in obtaining a waiver of a J-1 two year home residency requirement, then find out some basic information about the J-1 waiver process so you can better evaluate the basic knowledge of the attorney you choose to retain to assist you with this matter. Does the attorney seem to know how to initiate the process? Does he or she know what needs to be filed in order to obtain the immigration benefit desired? If you are seeking to have an H-1B processed and the attorney does not know that Form I-129 is used for this, do not retain him or her. Do not think, however, that you need to be experts. Immigration law can be very complex and a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. There is a lot of information out there, but not all of it is accurate.

Be honest in your dealings with the attorney who needs to have a clear, accurate picture of your situation. If you’ve worked without permission, neglected to file tax forms, been arrested – even for silly things – the lawyer needs to know this as it may affect your immigration options. Your discussions with the attorney and his or her staff are confidential.

The Initial Consultation
The first step in hiring an attorney is the setting up an initial consultation. Consultations can be in person at the attorney’s office or over the telephone. Prior to the consultation, you will be asked to complete an initial intake form and send copies of current immigration documents. To make the most of your consultation, you should get these documents to the attorney prior to the consultation so they can be reviewed and analyzed ahead of time. Consultations may range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The attorney should be able to provide you with a preliminary analysis of your case and a plan for achieving your goals. They may not be able to provide this immediately particularly if some specific research is required. If an attorney informs you that he or she must do some preliminary research, do not assume that they are not up to the task of representing you, particularly if your case is unusual or complicated or if there have recently been changes in regulations.

Many attorneys do charge for the initial consultation. This is not unusual. It does take an attorney time to read your documentation and to provide a legal analysis. Time spent on your case in these initial stages is time not spent working on cases for other clients. Some attorneys will deduct the price of the consultation from their legal fees if you decide to retain them for your case within a certain period of time.

Expertise and Staffing
It is important that you find the right attorney for your needs. Attorneys, like physicians, specialize in certain areas of law – immigration, tax, criminal, contracts, etc. Since many areas of U.S. law are very complex, most attorneys do not practice in all areas of law and gain an expertise in one or two. Immigration law is an area of administrative law that lends itself easily to considerable subspecialization some attorneys specialize in asylum, some in family based immigration, employment, etc. It is important to choose an attorney with expertise with your type of case. For example, physicians needing a waiver of a J-1 two year home residency requirement should seek attorneys who have successfully filed such cases. Determining expertise can be a tricky thing.

Unfortunately, there are no guaranteed methods for doing a background check on an attorney. Many immigration attorneys are members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Determining whether your attorney is a member of AILA can be a starting point. Please remember, though, that any attorney can become a member of this association – even those that are not very skilled in immigration law. Look at the attorney’s website for any information about your type of case. Talk to any friends who have used an immigration attorney for a similar case. Finally, it is all right to ask the attorney or his or her staff about the firm’s experience. You might actually want to ask about this before setting up and paying for an initial consultation. A good immigration attorney will refer you to another attorney if he or she lacks the relevant experience.

Once you’ve established that the attorney has experience with your type of case, you need to know who will actually be working on your case and whether you can you easily reach these individuals. In many law firms the bulk of the work may be done by paralegals and legal assistants. This is not necessarily a bad thing, if they are well trained, organized and responsible. Can you meet or talk to these individuals ahead of time to establish a rapport? Large firms have the advantage of resources – if your attorney is on vacation, someone else on staff will work the case until his or her return. Small firms have the advantage of more personalized service where the attorney is more likely to know the status of your case. Solo practitioners generally make arrangements with colleagues for them to cover the cases when they are away.

Location
Immigration law is a form of federal law that can be practiced to some extent anywhere in the U.S. Indeed, many attorneys have what is known as a national practice. An attorney in Washington, D.C. can file cases for clients in California and vice versa. You are able to choose attorneys from almost anywhere in the U.S. Most of your communications will occur via email or the telephone and fax machine anyway rather than through in person meetings.

It is recommended that you get a local immigration attorney if your case involves appearances before local immigration judges or the local CIS district office. In these cases, local attorneys know the personalities and procedures of the local immigration office better than someone across the country. If your case involves filings at the regional service center or dealings with consulates, then it doesn’t matter where your attorney’s office is.

A word of caution about choosing an attorney: scrutinize any attorney closely. All communities have attorneys who are not very good who can unintentionally do more harm than good. Bad attorneys come from all backgrounds – even from your home country. Take the time to find a good attorney. It’s important that you are comfortable with the lawyer. But be careful in your choices.

Pricing: Attorney Fees
Another important factor in choosing an attorney is his or her pricing structure. The temptation is often to seek the least expensive attorney possible. While your bank account may appreciate this strategy, it could prove to be shortsighted if this is the main factor in choosing your attorney. Attorneys’ fees vary greatly. Some outstanding attorneys are costly, some are not. Some really, really bad attorneys are very inexpensive, some are expensive. You cannot rely on cost in determining who you will hire. There are two primary methods of pricing: an hourly rate or a flat fee. Occasionally, a mixed pricing structure may be proposed by the attorney. It is important that you understand how you will be charged for work on your case.

Hourly Fees: Many attorneys charge by the hour, charging you for the time they and their staff spend working on your case. If your case is very simple and does not require much time, this may be appealing to you. However, if your case is labor intensive the hourly fees will add up quickly. You will pay not just for the time the attorney spends working on the case, but also for the time each paralegal and legal assistant works the case as well, including time when they are discussing your case amongst themselves and all the time you spend on the phone with them. Some lawyers charge different rate for their time as opposed to the time of their support staff.

Flat Fee: Many attorneys use a flat fee for fairly "routine" cases such as H-1B, Labor Certification, etc. In this pricing model, you and the attorney agree on the price ahead of time, regardless of how long the case may take to work. In this model, it is to the advantage of the attorney to work your case as efficiently as possible. If unexpected complications arise that change the nature of your case, it may be necessary to renegotiate the contract.

Combination: With some complicated cases, an attorney may not be able to assess a flat fee up front as it may not be certain how much work is involved in the case. The attorney may suggest that the case be handled on an hourly basis. Since some cases can result in significant number of billable hours, you may wish to explore the possibility of converting the case to a flat fee after the legal fees have reached a certain figure. This would serve to limit the expense from your end and deter the firm from running up your fees. However, if your case involves considerable amount of court time and preparation, this may not be an option. If your attorney charged an initial consultation fee, does the amount of the fee get "discounted" or deducted from the total legal fees if you decide to retain the firm?

Other Costs: Filing Fees, Copies, Etc…
In addition to the legal fees, it is important to understand what other costs you may be expected to pay. Ask about these costs up front as they may add significantly to the cost of your case: Photocopies: How much does the firm charge for copies? Since you should receive copies of all documents filed with the government, the per page cost, if any, could quickly add up, particularly if the type of petition or application files involves considerable supporting documentation. Are there separate charges for getting a copy of your file after the case is closed?

Filing Fees are you responsible for paying any government filing fees? How much are they? When must they be paid?

Translations, Evaluations, Etc…: Does your case require documents to be translated? Do your credentials need to be evaluated? Are DNA tests needed to establish relationships for family based immigration? If so, who pays them and when are these costs payable?

The Retainer
After the initial consultation, the attorneys should send you a retainer agreement to sign. This agreement formalizes your relationship with the attorney, establishing the scope of the case – what is the case – an H-1B, a J-1 waiver, a case for permanent residency? What are legal fees will be charged? What are the costs you will pay and, importantly, when are you expected to pay? Read this carefully. Understand the terms of the representation agreement.

Working with the Attorney and Staff
Remember that you are responsible for your immigration status. Keep track of your expiration dates and deadlines. A good lawyer will also track these things, but they are human and can sometimes overlook an important date. The attorney and his or her staff work for you. They should provide you with updates on the status of your case in a timely manner. If you do not hear from them for an extended period of time, follow up with them. Ask about the status of your case. Document your attempts to reach them. However, do not harass them. Calling them ten times in twenty minutes and getting angry at not getting an immediate answer to your question is not helpful. Do not shout and curse at the attorney and/or any person working on your case. Treat them as professionally and courteously as you want to be treated. They should provide you with copies of everything that is filed on your behalf with the government. You should receive copies of receipt notices, approval notices, etc. If you do not receive them, you should insist on it.

ISO would like to thank Helena Robertson, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at the Catholic University of America for this article.

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Interesting links

kaptest.com - Kaplan Centers for test preparation
ncaa.org - The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
collegesource.org - virtual library
collegeconfidential.com - information about colleges
commonapp.org - one application to send to many colleges
campustours.com - college information, images about different college campuses

Staying in college:
collegefreshmen.net
collegeseniors.net
mathforum.org
coolnurse.com

College news:
reuters.com
popmatters.com - music
alternet.org
collegenews.com
allyoucanread.com

Getting away from college: (for short/long vacations)
studentcity.com
iiepassport.org
statravel.com
greentortoise.com

Student housing/dorms:
collegeroommates.net
loc.gov
residentassistant.com
bulkfoods.com - is about food?
collegestories.com

After college/future career info:
careerbuilder.com
wetfeet.com
gradschool.com
brokescholar.com
college-student-finance.com

Standard test for admission to US colleges and universities:
SAT i & SAT ii: collegeboard.com
ACT: act.org
Graduate Record Exam (GRE): gre.org
Law School Admission Test (LSAT): lsac.org
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT): aamc.org
Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT): gmac.com
Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) & Test of Spoken English (TSE): toefl.org and tse.org

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Scholarships and Grants

Protect Yourself from Scholarship Scams Check out these warning signs (Federal Trade Commission) The company guarantees a scholarship or your money back. The scholarship service promises to do all the work. There is a fee required for the listings the service provides. The scholarship company claims to have exclusive information. You become a finalist in a contest you can’t even remember entering. There is a request for your credit card or checking account number. Never provide anyone with your credit card or checking account number, especially not over the phone. Many of these fraudulent scholarship companies pose as legitimate foundations or scholarship search services. They advertise in cam-pus newspapers and on the web; they pass out flyers and send out direct mail cards featuring toll free numbers. They promise "free money for college," when all they’re doing is targeting vulnerable students. Report any service you suspect is a scam. Call the Better business Bureau or visit their site at www.bbb.com.

General Guidelines:

• Seek for possible grants at the offices of sponsored research, International Students advisor and financial aid, as well as your department bulletin board.
• Contact as many scholarship sources as possible. The list of funds bellow specifies address and telephone number of most sources. Write or call them and ask that an information kit be mailed to you. You may shorten the work by visiting their web site, where available.
• Pay attention to all rules and procedures of each source you intend to apply for.
• Most sources have deadlines. Contact them several months in advance of the published deadline.
• Expect a long waiting period between your application and the onset of funding.
• Work thoroughly on your Curriculum Vitae. This is your personal "Business Card" in the way to get funds.
• Your own government may have financial aid available. Usually this support requires that you return home after your education is complete. There may also be private organizations in your home country that provide support for study in the U.S.A.
• Some US schools have direct exchange programs with their counterparts in foreign countries. Such exchange programs often include financial aid for the international student. To find out about these programs, ask your local university.
• Fulbright scholarships are awarded to approximately 4,700 students worldwide each year. For information about the Fulbright Program, contact the US embassy or consulate in your country, or visit their internet site www.iie.org/fulbright/ff/fulbapp.htm

Scholarships list

AAUW Educational Foundation International Fellowships. 1111 16th St. NW, Washington DC 20037 #202-728-7603. Fellowships will be awarded to graduate female foreign students of outstanding ability who can be expected to give effective leadership in their fields upon return to their home country. www.aauw.org/fga/index.cfm

ADAMHA National Research Service Awards. Westwood Bldg.. #240, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 #301-594-7248. Offer Ph.D. program in areas of biomedical & behavioral research within one of the three institutes. grants1.nih.gov/grants/

Africa America Institute, 833 United Nations Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10017 www.aaionline.org Agency for Health Care Research and Quality. Grants for Dissertation Re-search. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Grants Management, 540 Gaither Road, Suite 4000 Rockville, MD 20850. For students in the social, medical, management or health sciences. www.ahrq.gov

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. 3417 Volta Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20007. Administering various awards for auditory-oral stu-dents who a) were born with profound hearing losses, or b) experienced a severe hearing loss before acquiring language. Applicants must enroll in a college or university program that primarily enrolls students with normal hearing. www.agbell.org

American Antiquarian Society. 185 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609. #508-752-5221. Dissertation fellowships for conducting research using AAS library’s resources. www.americanantiquarian.org/

American Association for the Advancement of Science. 1333 H St. NW Washington, DC 20005 #202-326-6605. 10 weeks summer fellowships at the institution for environmental sciences and engineering. www.aaas.org/careercenter/

American Bar Association, International Legal Exchange Program (ILEX). 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW # 620 Washington, DC 20006. Grants for Law studies. www.abanet.org

American Cancer Society, California. 1710 Webster St., Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94612. Dissertation fellowships for research in the social & behavioral aspects of cancer. Applicants must be currently enrolled at a California institute. www.cancer.org/docroot/RES/RES_5_1.asp?sitearea=RES

American Council of Learned Societies. Grants for Chinese Studies. 288 E. 45 St., New York, NY 10017 #212-697-1505. Fellowships are available for original research on Chinese culture or society. Language training and support for China specialists available. www.acls.org

American Council of Teachers of Russian. 1776 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20036. Administering many funds, especially for Eastern European students, in the fields of Communication, Journalism, Education Administration, Library & Information Science and Public Policy. www.coun-cilnet.org/pages/CNet_Members_ACTR.html

American Council of Learned Societies. East European Language Training. 288 E. 45 St., NY, NY 10017 #212-697-1505. PhD. Dissertation Fellowships for research on East Europe are available to students of the humanities or social sciences. Study trips may also be sponsored. www.acls.org

American Council of Learned Societies. East European Language Training. 288 E. 45 St., NY, NY 10017 #212-697-1505 grants for summer training and study of any East European language (except Russian languages) in the US. Both for students and scholars. www.acls.org

American Foundation for Aging Research. North Carolina State University, Biochemistry Department, 128 Polk Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695. 919-5155679. Fellowship Awards for undergraduate, graduate, & Ph.D. students of biology, cancer, biochemistry, or biophysics in the aging research. www.agin-gresearchfoundation.org

American Institute for Economic Research. P.O. Box 1000, Great Barrington, MA 01230. #413-528-1207. Fellowships to college seniors applying to graduate programs leading to a Ph.D. for research in the institution. Also, Summer Fellowships in Economics for undergraduates & graduates who may apply for stipends to participate in an 8 weeks summer program in economics. www.aier.org

American Institute of Indian Studies. Fellowship Program. 1130 E. 59th St. Chicago, IL 60637 # (773) 702-8638. Graduates specializing in Indian aspects of academic discipline & for study in India. www.indiastudies.org/fellow.htm

American Jewish Archives Fellowships. 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45220 #202-326-6605. For Jewish related research or writing at the archives. www.americanjewisharchives.org/aja/programs/

American Museum of Natural History. Roosevelt Fund. Central Park W. & 79th St., NY, NY 10024 #212-769-5467. Undergraduates & graduates for study of North America wild-life. research.amnh.org/grants/grantsprog.html

American Museum of Natural History. Chapman Fund. Central Park W. & 79th St., NY, NY 10024 #212-769-5467. Undergraduates & graduates for re-search in ornithology. research.amnh.org/grants/grantsprog.html

American Numismatic Society. Broadway & 155th St. NY, NY 10032 #212-234-3130. Undergraduates & graduates for summer seminars & research involving numismatics. www.amnumsoc.org/about/study.html

American Oriental Society. Fellowships for the Study of Chinese Art. University of Michigan, MI 48109 #313-747-4760. Undergraduates& graduates, for the study of Chinese paintings. Applicants must speak Chinese. www.umich.edu/%7Eaos/index.html

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Green card lottery

Every year the US State Department initiates a Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery (also known as the "green card lottery"). Participating in this lottery will give you a chance to get a green card, the right to live in the United Sates permanently. Winners are selected randomly, and there is no fee to enter the lottery. Be on the lookout for businesses and attorneys. They will claim that, for a fee, they can make it easier to enter the lottery or increase your chances of winning the DV lottery. Your chance of being selected is the same whether you submit the entry or you pay someone to do it for you.
Entries to the DV lottery must be submitted online at www.dvlottery.state.gov. This site is only accessible during the application period which begins at early November of each year.

The DV lottery has two eligibility requirements:

• The applicant must be from an eligible country. You must have been born in an eligible country, or have parents who were born in eligible countries and who were not residents of your country of birth, when you were born. Every year, the State Department announces the countries whose natives are ineligible for application. Applicants should check with the State Department to determine the ineligible countries for future DV lotteries.
  
• Entrants must meet an education or training requirement. You will have met the education requirement if you have a high school education or have successfully completed a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education. You will have met the training requirement if you have at least two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience to perform. For a list of qualifying occupations, visit travel.state.gov

Protecting Yourself from Fraud
The best way to protect against green card lottery scams is to understand how the State Department’s lottery works.

• There’s no charge to enter the green card lottery. You can enter on your own at the State Department’s Web site - www.dvlottery.state.gov. You’ll need to answer a few questions and pro-vide passport-style digital photographs. You’ll get an acknowledgment from the State Department once you’ve submitted your entry.
  
• Submit only one entry. If you submit more than one, you will be disqualified.
  
• Selection of entries is random. Spouses who are eligible for the DV lottery can apply separately; the "losing" spouse can enter the country on the Diversity Visa of the "winning" spouse. This is the only legitimate way to significantly increase your chance of entering the U.S. through the DV lottery.
  
• Be alert to Web sites promising government travel or residency documents online or by mail. Except for entering the DV lottery, most applications for visas, passports, green cards, and other travel and residency documents must be completed in person before an officer of the U.S. government.
  
• Be thoughtful about who you send your personal documents to. Unless you have an established relationship with a business, do not mail birth certificates, passports, drivers’ licenses, marriage certificates, Social Security cards, or other documents with your personal identifying information to businesses promising to complete your application for travel or residency documents. These businesses may be engaged in identity theft.
  
• Be skeptical of Web sites posing as U.S. government sites. They may have domain names similar to government agencies, official-looking emblems (eagles, flags, or other American images like the Statue of Liberty or the U.S. Capitol), the official seals or logos of - and links to - other government sites, and list Washington, D.C., mailing addresses. If the domain name doesn’t end in ".gov," it’s not a government site. Bogus sites may charge for government forms. Don’t pay; government forms and instructions for completing them are available from the issuing U.S. government agency for free.
  

ISO essay contest

Every year ISO sponsors an essay contest. This contest gives international students the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on a variety of subjects. The winning essay writers are awarded cash prizes of up to $500. Task: Write an essay of about 1500-2000 words, on of the following topic:

The most important lesson I learned in the USA is? First place: $500 Second place: $300 Third place: $200

Criteria for judging: Creativity and writing style. A panel of 5 international students, members of ISO, will select the winners. Eligibility: You must be an International Student, with a valid I-20 from your school advisor. How to enter the competition: Send your article via mail (on disc) or e-mail (text file) to ISO. Make sure you meet the deadline. Deadline: All essays must be postmarked no later than 4.1.2006

The International Spirit magazine – AIDS

You may think that AIDS does not effect you, but if you don’t know someone infected with HIV, chances are that you will soon.

Approximately 1 million Americans are infected with HIV - about 1 in every 250 people. Each year, as many as 40,000 to 80,000 Americans become infected with HIV.

AIDS can effect anyone; male or female, married or single, young or old, rich or poor, in any community, in any country in the world. This makes AIDS a problem for all of us.

Everyone can get involved in the fight to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. First, educate yourself. Make choices that will keep you healthy - and may even save your life. Then, help others learn about HIV prevention. Together, we can stop one of the world’s most serious health problems.

What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. When you have AIDS, it means that your body’s immune system, which helps fight disease, has been weakened. You are vulnerable to serious infection, often called opportunistic infection, which can kill you.

What is HIV?

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, which is short for: Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

HIV is the virus which, along with other contributing-factors, is belived to cause AIDS by slowly destroying our body’s ability to fight off disease. A positive, or "reactive" HIV antibody test means that you have come into contact with HIV and have been infected with this virus.

HIV is an unusual virus because a person can be infected with it for many years and yet appear to be perfectly healthy. But the virus gradually multiplies inside the body and eventually destroys the body's ability to fight off illnesses. It is still not certain that everyone with HIV infection will get AIDS. It seems likely that most people with HIV will develop serious problems with their health. But this may be after many years.

A Brief History of the AIDS Epidemic

1981: As reports of unusual cancers and infections among gay men come in, the CDC coins a temporary and, ultimatly, misleading name: gay-related immunue deficiency.

1982: the new disease seems to spread through sex and blood. Officials rename it acquired immune deficiency syndrome - AIDS.

1983: Health officials declare AIDS the USA’s No. 1 health priority as the U.S death toll passes 1,000.

1984: American scientist Robert Gallo announces that he has discovered the AIDS virus. French scientists also lay claim to the virus, later dubbed humman immunodeficiency virus, HIV.

1985: An HIV antibody test is approved, greatly reducing the risk of getting AIDS from a transfusion. Public interest in th epidemic skyrokets with the news that movie idol Rock Hudson has AIDS.

1986: Surgeon General C. Evert Koop launches a controversial AIDS education campaign that stresses condom use. The worldwide AIDS count reaches 100,000.

1987: people with AIDS from activist groups and begin demanding more attention from goverment, scientists and the pharmaceutical industry. The first anti-HIV drug, AZT, is approved.

1988: Human trial of AIDS vaccines begin, but scientists are pessimistic about their potential.

1989: A drug that can prevent AIDS-related pneumonia goes on the market and is credited with extending lives.

1990: Ryan white, a charismatic teen with hemophilia who helped increase public compassion for those with AIDS, dies of the disease at 18. The overall U.S death toll reaches 100,000.

1991: Ten years after the first reports, the World Health Organization says 10 million people worldwide carry the AIDS virus. In November, basketball superstar Earvin "Magic" Johnson announces that he is one of them.

1992: Both major political conventions feature moving speeches from women with HIV-Elizabeth glaser at the Democratic conventioon, Mary fisher at the Republican convention.

1993: the World Health Organization predicts 40 million HIV infections by the year 2000.

1994: The drug AZT is proven to greatly reduce the risk that an HIV-infected mother will pass the virus to her baby. Pedro Zamora, a young man with AIDS made famous on MTV, dies of the sisease. Tom Hanks wins an Oscar for playing a gay man with AIDS in Philadelphia.

1995: The first of a new class of AIDS drugs, called protease inhibitors, is approved. Within a few months, surprisigly positive results from early trials of these drugs will ignite a wave of optimism among AIDS patients and doctors.

1996: Worldwide, 20 million people have been infected and 4.5 million of them have developed AIDS.

1997: 21.8 million people are living with HIV / AIDS.

How Large a Problem Is AIDS and HIV Infection as for Today?

The first person with AIDS in the United States was diagnosed in 1981. As of today, 21.8 million people are estimated to be living with HIV / AIDS. Of these, 21 million are adults and 830,000 are children.

Acording to the Global AIDS Policy Coalition, if current trends continue through the end of this century, between 60 and 70 million adults will have been infected with HIV by the end of the year 2000.

Since there has never been a vaccine against a human retrovirus and experience in the development and production of such vaccines for retroviruses of other animals has been limited and often disappointing, a vaccine may not reasonably be expected to be available to the public in the next few years. Even for the next 5 or 10 years, the probability of a licensed vaccine becoming available is low. However, vaccine research using diverse approaches - to protect the infected as well as the uninfected - is already undergoing testing trails in humans and other primates.

There are two ways in which a person can become infected with HIV:

* By having sexual intercourse with an infected partner.

* By injecting drugs using a needle or syringe which has already been used by someone who is infected.

HIV can be passed on in both ways because the virus is present in the sexual fluids and blood of infected people. If infected blood or sexual fluid gets into your blood, then you will become infected. If a man with HIV has vaginal intercourse without a condom, infected fluid could pass into the woman's blood stream through a tiny cut or sore inside her body. This can be so small that you don't know about it. If a couple have anal intercourse the risk of infection is greater than with vaginal intercourse.

If a woman with HIV has sexual intercourse without a condom, HIV could get into the man's blood through a sore patch on his penis or by getting into the tube which runs down the penis.

If there is any contact with blood during sex, this increases the risk of infection. For example, there may be blood in the vagina if intercourse happens during a woman's period. There can also be bleeding during anal intercourse.

HIV is a virus, a tiny germ. It attacks the body's defences against disease and breaks them down. If these defences are really badly damaged the body can't fight off some infections and cancers. When this happens a person is said to have AIDS.

What can you do?

Learn basic facts about how you can and can not become infected with HIV. Knowing the facts can help you protect yourself and reduce fears about contracting HIV through casual contact.

Assess your personal risk for HIV infection. Evaluate any current and past sexual and drug-using behaviors.

Seek counseling and testing if you thunk you could be infected. To find local facilities that provide these services, contact you health department, a local AIDS service organization, or the Center for Disease Control (CDC) National AIDS Hotline 1-800-342 AIDS.

Avoid risky behaviors such as unprotected sex or sharing needles and other drug equipment.

New Tactics For Fighting HIV / AIDS

It has been 15 years since the HIV / AIDS virus was first identified. Tragically, the AIDS epidemic has claimed 4.5 million lives worldwide.

Today, significant strides are being made in understanding the virus and ways to battle the disease.

There are 42 approved medicines and over 120 drugs currently being developed by pharmaceutical company researchers to fight HIV / AIDS.

Among the most promising advences is a new class of medicines called protease inhibitors. Studies show that when protease inhibitors is combind with one or more of the established HIV / AIDS medicines, they work together to attack the HIV virus at different stages of its progression. The combination of "cocktail" therapy has been shown to reduce the level of HIV in the bloodstream by up to 99% in some patients, including people with long-standing HIV infections, thereby potentially halting or slowing the advancement of the disease.

Although the AIDS crisis certainly isn’t over, important steps have been taken to improve already exisiting medicines and to research and develop new medicines to treat and prevent HIV / AIDS and deadly AIDS-related illnesses. Breakthroughs such as protease inhibitors make the outlook brighter for enhancing the qualitu and the length of the lives of many people with HIV / AIDS.

HIV Tests

It can take many years for HIV to cause enough damage for someone to develop AIDS and get sick. Most people who are infected with HIV go through a long period when they feel quite well. Many don't even know that they are infected. So a blood test has been developed which can tell someone if they are infected with HIV, even if they feel well.

The test looks for antibodies. When germs invade the body it produces special chemicals called antibodies to fight them. Different antibodies are made for each germ. If someone has antibodies to fight HIV in their blood we know that they must have HIV.

The antibodies that the test looks for take several weeks to appear in the blood. If you have become infected with HIV within the last 12 weeks the infection may not show up on the test. If the test finds someone has HIV we say they are 'HIV positive'. If they have a test and they don't have HIV, we say they are 'HIV negative'.

Many people who have an HIV test have been worrying unnecessarily. Getting a negative result which means you are not infected can put your mind at rest.

If you do turn out to be positive then: A doctor can keep an eye on your health. If you do start to show signs of becoming ill you can have treatment to slow down the damage done by the virus. You can also have medicines to prevent some of the most common illnesses that people with HIV get. You may be involved in trials of new drugs or other treatments.

If you know you have HIV then you can take steps to protect other people. For instance you can avoid sex which puts your sexual partner at risk. If you know that you have HIV you can let other people know that they may also be infected. For instance you can inform past sexual partners.

If you are thinking of starting a family knowing whether you have HIV may affect your decision.

Blood Tests

Several specific blood tests are available which can help guide you and your doctor in decisions about beginning treatment. The most important tests are the lymphocyte subsets or T4 (or CD4) count, and the viral load test.

The T4 count is used to predict your current risk of infections and in other wards it tells us how far we are in terms of HIV disease progression.

HIV can infect cells in the blood and in other tissues including the brain. HIV mainly infects cells of the immune system which is the body's defence against disease. In particular the T4 (also called CD4) lymphocytes are infected.

These cells are important in co-ordinating the immune response, and as they eventually decline in number the HIV positive person is more likely to get certain infections, known as 'opportunistic infections', and cancers. When certain specific opportunistic infections or cancers develop, a person is considered to have AIDS. Also, in the USA, someone is considered to have AIDS if they have a T4 cell count of less than 200.

The time between becoming infected with HIV and developing AIDS is on average 8 to 10 years. However, some people may become ill sooner than this, whilst others have been infected for.

15 years or more without becoming ill. It is not known why some people become ill faster than others, but the answer is likely to be complex and to depend on a number of different factors.

Viral Load Test

The home test kit let people take a blood sample at home, mail it to the laboratory and three business days later, learn by telephone if they have the HIV virus that causes AIDS.

Johnson & Johnson began limited sales of its confide home test this spring.

To conduct thr Home Access Test, the person pricks a finger, places drops of blood on a test card and mails it in a protective envelope to a laboratory. The sample has a personal identification number. To get the results, the person calls a toll-free number and gives the identification number. People with positive or inconclusive results get the news from counselor who can refer them for long-term counseling and medical treatment.

Drugs used for treatment of HIV

1. Antiretrovirals

This is the group of drugs used for the treatment of HIV infection itself. Currently there are two main types of drug which are licensed in the UK, Nucleoside Analogue drugs and Protease

Inhibitor drugs. There are many other drugs currently under development and beginning to be available in some countries,and further information should be available via your doctor.

Some of the drugs currently under development are in a new group called Non-Nucleoside Reverse-Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTI).

2. Nucleoside Analogues

Nucleoside analogues work by inhibiting a specific HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase, and the following nucleoside analogue drugs have been licensed in most of the west world countries: zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir)

Inhibitor drugs. There are many other drugs currently under development and beginning to be available in some countries,and further information should be available via your doctor.

ddI (didanosine, Videx)

ddC (zalcitabine, HIVID)

3TC (lamivudine, Epivir)

d4T (stavudine, Zerit)

ZIDOVUDINE (AZT, Retrovir) - The Most Popular Drug

In 1987 a trial showed that people who took zidovudine lived longer and developed fewer opportunistic infections than those given a placebo (inactive tablets). Other studies have shown similar results. Subsequently, trials have looked at the use of zidovudine in earlier stages of HIV infection, to see if it is beneficial in people who have no HIV-related symptoms. Several studies have suggested that the use of zidovudine may delay the onset of symptoms in people who are well but who have a T4 count of less than 500. However, the Concorde study which followed up participants for longer, does not appear to show any differenc in the benefit of taking zidovudine alone when asymptomatic with a higher T4 count, compared to delaying taking it until either symptoms have developed, or the T4 count has fallen.

The results of a recent study suggest that zidovudine taken during pregnancy may help to reduce the chance of transmission of HIV to the baby.

The best way to use zidovudine appears to be in combination with at least one other drug. During 1995, two studies demonstrated an advantage for combination therapy over zidovudine alone in terms of both survival, delay in opportunistic diseases and slowing of T4 decline in people with T4 counts ranging from 50Ð 500 and both AIDS, symptomatic HIV and symptom-free infection. Importantly, combination therapy did not appear to result in a significant increase in side effects.

Side effects of zidovudine

The side effects of zidovudine are divided up into transient, initial problems and late effects. Early side effects include nausea, insomnia and vague headaches, and these effects may last up to six weeks but are usually more short lived than this. They occur in less than a quarter of the people started on zidovudine. Some of these side effects can be helped by other medication. Late side effects are infrequent (affecting less than 10% of people) and include anaemia, which may require blood transfusion, and myalgia (muscular aches and pains). These are reversible on stopping zidovudine.

Replication of HIV

1. The HIV goes throuth the surface and binds to T helper cell.

2. HIV is taken into the cell losing its envelop.

3. The genetic structure of the virus is copied and double stranded DNA with long terminal repeats are made.

4. The infected DNA is migrates to nucleus and is integrated into host DNA. The virus remaiins latent in the cell. Once a cell is infected there is always a low level of viral production; the rate is regulated by the activity of infections stimulating the cell and by the rate of cell replication. Thus, with activly replicaling cells the body keeps production more infected cells.

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