DISASTER
Continued from Page 1
magnitude. Thus a rending of
7.5 reflects nn earthquake 10
times stronger than one of
8.5.
Scientists said Monday's
quake may have occurred
along part of the same fault
system that caused the Whit
tier Narrows earthquake.
But unlike the much
stronger Landers quake. Mon
day's quake was located
much closer to a heavily pop
ulated area. Landers is about
40 miles east of downtown
Los Angeles; Monday's was
centered in Northridge. only
20 miles to the northwest.
Scientists said Monday's
quake showed that timing
and location can be just as
important as magnitude —
and that Southern California
doesn't need a Big One to suf
fer heavy losses.
Now comes another prob
lem; aftershocks.
Seismologists said there
was a 50-50 chance of a mag
nitude 5 aftershock in the
next week and a one-in-four
chance of a magnitude 5.5
aftershock. The odds of a
magnitude 6 aftershock in the
next week wore l-in-10.
Monday's quake, like oth
ers before it, helped push two
mountain ranges higher and
shrink the San Fernando Val
ley.
“The big picture is. it’s sort
of smashing the San Fernan
do Valley together,'' said Jim
Mori, a IJ.S. Geological Sur
vey seismologist.
Mori said it will take a few
days for scientists to gauge
how much the quake raised
the Santa Monica and San
Gabriel mountains, which
create the San Fernando Val
ley.
INTERNATIONAL
Continued from Page i
For main international students. Ameri
can culture is dramatically different from
their own. Mogul Slur/adegan. an interna
tionol student adviser, said that oftentimes
international students may learn the lan
guage but are not taught the behaviors or the
norms of I'.S mh iet>
"I know how to write and how to speak,
but I felt very much unprepared for the
slang." said Kvelyne Santana, a French grad
uate exchange student.
In the American classroom. Santana
notices a lax learning environment "Stu
dents are more relaxed in class, physically,
with their fee! on the t hairs, and they call
the teacher hv their first name." Santana
said.
Santana is also surprised by (he accossi
bildv of teachers during office hours In
France such a policy is virtually unheard of
during the beginning y ears of college
International student adviser Ginny Stark
counsels many students about "getting used
to a different system of studying and learn
ing with different expectations "
One of the biggest cultural differences that
international students experience is in the
system of education Many students are used
to a system in which there is hardly any
open discussion or debate in class Tests and
essay writing throughout the year are not
common.
Senior Duffy Youm. who is from Senegal,
said. "You can do whatever you want until
the end of the year." However, the entire
year is lwsed solely on a final exam
Youm. assistant director of the Interna
tional Student Assot intlon. said that the sys
tern of education in Senegal is highly
competitive. The country of Senegal has
only two universities for 7,5 million people
From the time that students begin their
undergraduate degrees, they are placed on a
track of classes that they complete every
year: there is no such thing as choosing
classes or having an undeclared major
Gurung. also used to a system in whit h
< lasses can last for two years, said she does
not see as mill h teamwork between class
mates as she did in India or Nepal She finds
that in the United States. "If one student
knoyy s something, that student doesn t want
to port with it because he feels if he does
that, then the other person would know
something that he knows yvithout any
effort."
Typically, Stark said many foreign stu
dents are amazed by the friendliness of
Americans However, she said they find dis
couragement in somi' Americans' inability to
remember a new person's name the day after
they meet
Manv students haw American acquam
tam es. hut Stark ha« been told by foreign
students that it tan he hard to develop
friendships with Americans
International student* often make ( lose
( ontai ts with other foreign students From
the beginning of International Orientation
and throughout the veer, they t an find a very
active international community that stages
events for international students to part it i
pate in
Some international students tend to
socialize within a circle of international
friends
"I don't see this as a problem, there are a
good number of us that want to reat h out to
the community said Cilia Wei Slung, dins
tor of the International Student Asstx intion
Shir/.adegnn. once an international stu
dent from Iran, uses what he believes to be
an African saving to < harm terize the main
tenance of cultural identity in a foreign
country
"When a t heetah goes in the yvator it will
get wet.1' Shirzadegan said, "but when it
comes nut of the water it still maintains its
spots,"
Many international students may not
return home to their country or \ isit their
families for several years Yount, for exam
pie. returned to Senegal during the winter
break for the first lime in four years Com
munication to his home is through letters
and expensive phone calls
"Instead of feeling better after a telephone
conversation, you feel worse Ih-« ause that is
the only link you have." Curung said
"Isolation is one of the big problems to
help them oven omtt," said Peter Hrtggs. an
international student adviser who supports
and counsels international students Briggs
recognizes that international students may
withdraw within themselves and reject the
American culture
Peer assistants are available to interna
tional students through the Office of Inter
national ( dm atton and Fl.xi hange, which
can aid them in many yv.iys Currently. 10
students serve as peer assistants, many of
whom were once international students
themselves
During winter term, the peer assistants
will conduct four workshops to address
common interests "Friendship and
Romance." "Career Development." "(lender
Roles.'" and "Communication Outside the
Classroom "
A host family program is organized by the
Office of International education and
‘The U.S. has got a very
good reputation for its
system of education/
Sunita Gurung.
International student
K\< hange lo ho ip prov ide i ommunii atiou.
support atttl a pirn t' lor a home-cooked meal
Many international students i onto to the
University ami lost- their support system;
siimr international students don't return to
their homeland for several years The (lost
family program matt lies international stu
dents vs itli families m the ( onimunity th.it
are willing to share their homes
Hie host family and international student
i minor turn ran he very strong
"I was very surprised ivlien my host fam
ily gave me a big hug it y\as a big shock to
mu." Siting saitf. taken altar k bv the physical
nature of Amertr an i ulture
American families often remain in touch
with their international sturlents after they
leave the University and some travel to the
foreign country to visit Spanish exchange
student I rone (iandara. a junior, went home
to Quito. Kcuador. for the winter break and
took her host family's teen-age daughter
with her
Throughout the year, the International
Student Association as well as other organi
zations on campus provide events for inter
national sturlents to participate in On a
weekly twisis it organizes a sor nil forum, the
International Student Coffee Hour
Many foreigners are shrieked by Ainerir an
i usualness in conversation Shirzudegnn.
who is from Iran. said. "My major r ulture
shor k yvus how freely people could rlisi uss
politir s and lake it for granted
The International Student Association
also organizes International Week in April,
which provides a week long series of events
to celebrate internationalism. One of the
highlights of the week is a dinner and an
international performance; the event draws
many University students, who least on
dishes from a variety of countries
(>urung was sent lo India to he edm ated.
when she began school, it was not common
for girls to he edm ated in Nepal She t ame
to the United States lor the opportunities
that edu< at ion would provide for her
" The U.S has got a yery good reputation
for its system of education When you apply
for jobs (in Nepal), you'll definitely lie one of
the first applir ulions Iks ause y ou've got the
brand name of the U S," Curling said
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JAN. 18-23
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. Tuesday, January 18, 1994 Oregon Daly Emerald 3