Worlds apart: The barrier between east and west

Abstract

This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study of the adjustment experience of a group of postgraduate international students at a university in the south of England. Friendship emerged as a major category of research, an aspect of which was the formation of a divide between Asian and European students. The division between the two camps was universally observed, and it was attributed by Asian students to a desire for a more friendly and supportive environment than they felt European students were offering. More research is needed on the European perspective on the communication breakdown between the two cultures, so that institutions can work on realizing the benefits that the international campus is purported to offer. © 2009 National Communication Association.