My students often ask me, “Are you a native American?”

    One of my favorite things about working with international students is that I get to learn about all of their cultures.  For example, my students from Saudi Arabia have taught me all about the calendar that they use in their country and how it compares to our calendar.  The months and years are completely different.  Now I understand why sometimes they aren’t sure about their own birthdates!  My students from Korea have taught me some of the traditions about luck in their country.  They told me that pigs are very lucky, especially if you have a dream about them! 

    In addition to learning about other cultures, I have been able to watch my students explore American culture.  They have had many questions and many laughs as they learn about the differences between their cultures and American culture.  I have enjoyed looking at American culture through fresh eyes as I join them on their international journey.  In this blog, I hope to share with them some of the typical ‘American’ experiences that come up in my life.  

(Note on the title:  A 'Native American' is someone whose family lived in this area before the Europeans came to the Americas.  Another name is the 'American Indians.'  So, even though I am originally from America, I am not a 'Native American' because my family is not from this group.)