Life experiences of overseas Chinese university students in Taiwan
Through in-depth interviews employing a phenomenological method, this study attempts to advance the understanding of the life experience of overseas Chinese students (OCS) who have expressed a sense of satisfaction about their university experience in Taiwan. A snow-ball method was applied to recruit 18 participants, nine male and nine female OCS, from a small-scale university in central Taiwan. The findings of the study revealed that these students were primarily focused on academic and financial issues. However, they demonstrated effective coping mechanisms, such as strengthening their ability to adjust and overcome difficulty, establishing interpersonal interaction and social support networks, working through culture shock and culture integration, and developing self-identity. Key words: overseas Chinese student, university life experience ********** Overseas Chinese students (OCS) are defined as people of Chinese descent who have stayed overseas continually for more than six years (Ministry of Education, 2010). Taiwan has been recruiting OCS to study at universities since 1962 (Ministry of Education, 2010), which over 40 years has resulted in a steady increase in international students. In 2004, a total of nearly ten thousand OCS came to study at Taiwan's universities, while in 2010, the number was about thirteen thousand (Ministry of Education, 2010). Although OCS are only one of more than 80 different nationalities, they comprise the majority of all foreign students enrolled in Taiwan's universities (Ministry of Education, 2010). Despite the great number of OCS, little research has been conducted on lives of OCS studying in Taiwan. Common Chinese origin notwithstanding, OCS are not familiar with all Taiwanese traditions and the overall culture. Therefore, they must still adapt to the culture, educational system, campus, and society of Taiwan. The sheer number of OCS, along with the persistent efforts of the government to recruit OCS, means that it is imperative to provide assistance to these students regarding aspects of education, learning, living, working, interpersonal relationships, and careers. Indeed, the OCS studying in Taiwan is in a new environment, often far from their families, relatives, and friends. As a result, various psychosocial problems emerge when they transfer to study in a new campus. They face the continuous challenges of adapting to and accommodating a variety of Taiwanese sociocultural and educational characteristics. Besides the normal developmental concerns that every student may have, the OCS encounter additional stressors due to the demands of adjusting to a new culture, as well as a new educational and social environment. To be successful, OCS must adapt to the requirements and roles of being university students in Taiwan. Research indicates that if international students fail to adapt to the new culture, they may experience high levels of loneliness, depression and increased physical health problems, which may prevent them from achieving their educational goals (Pedersen, 1991; Stoynoff, 1997). On the other hand, international students who are able to acclimate themselves to their new environment should undergo far less physical and emotional stress. The experience of OCS who has demonstrated effective coping skills in overcoming obstacles while studying and living in Taiwan could prove invaluable to those who have not adapted as successfully. Therefore, this study aims to identify which factors and qualities might contribute to and foster a sense of satisfaction for OCS within the sociocultural and educational context of their university lives in Taiwan. The results of this study could benefit OCS themselves, as well as counselors, student affairs professionals, and educators who work with OCS. Overseas Chinese students come to Taiwan for many reasons. Some factors leading to the decision to study in Taiwan include the Mandarin language, tuition subsidies, scholarships, academic interests, and moonlighting opportunities (Chiang, 2003). …