International Students in China: Cross-Cultural Interaction, Integration, and Identity Construction

Abstract

This qualitative study engaged five international graduate students from four different countries (the U.S., Colombia, Cape Verde Island, and Spain) who were studying at a Chinese university in Shanghai. The researcher investigated their personal and academic lives in China, their interaction with local people and integration into the local context. Their sense of belonging was also explored. Data were drawn from a questionnaire, email correspondence, face-to-face interviews, and follow-up emails during the period of 1 year. In light of the data, I discussed factors such as language proficiency, engagement with culture, and the power of native language in relation to sense of belonging. I conceptualized a mediated space, one incorporating these students’ multiple cultures, and created through negotiation with themselves and the host culture. Implications for China’s international education are discussed.