International Students in the United States: Identity Change and Cultural Perceptions from the Female Perspective

How do the expectations of international students align with the reality of their experience? Do female international students face their own specific challenges? How does the experience of living and studying in America alter these students' sense of identity? Using interviews from female international students attending a four year private university in Southern California, this study will explore these questions to get at the root of these students' experiences and the way exposure to a different culture changes their own sense of identity as well as their connection to and perception of their home culture. Preliminary findings suggest that students have an easier time adjusting to a new culture than in the past due to advances in technology and early exposure to Western ideas. Additionally, identity change is inevitable in these students. Whether the individual has combined the two cultures into one or has adopted two separate identities for each country they reside in, these students are highly affected by the exposure to American culture and ideals.