A survey among exchange students living in Belgium

Résumé du document

We have decided to conduct a survey of the exchange Exchange Student living in Belgium" to analyze their living habits. We have decided to focus first on the reaction of foreign students living in Belgium. We have also decided to question other students that had been a part of a foreign exchange in another country. They visited exchange students in Belgium and had been able to observe whether this intercultural experience was unique to Belgium or quite common for exchange students at large. Lastly, we conducted a poll among Belgian students in order to gather their feeling about exchange students living in their country. This perspective permitted us to give more credit and more objective results to our study. The foreign group analyzed constituted of students (mainly from European countries and American countries) studying in the Faculty of Applied Economics of Antwerp. They were between 19 and 25 years old. The main objective of our survey was to draw the characteristics of the foreign students' group in Belgium. How they got along in the country and whether they changed or adjusted their behavior. The underlying objective of the survey was to know whether foreign students enjoyed the intercultural experience in Belgium or not.

Extraits

[...] A second relevant point is that foreign students have been eager to discover new specialities. They have wanted to try new meals and new specialities cooked by other foreign students. Living in an international residence has especially entailed huge habits changes. Indeed, each student cooked its own country specialities and others when they liked it used to cook and adopt to other's food and specialities. For example, most Americans and Canadians are used to "grab a bite" at home especially for lunch. [...]

[...] I don't get as drunk here as I get at home. I go to discos here, at home I never go to discos - usually my friends and I go to bars or a house. Study Yes. I study and do work every day at home. I have exams and/or papers every couple weeks. So far in Antwerp I have had 3 short case studies, the Markstrat game presentation, and 1 paper. My study habits have changed so much that I find it very difficult to get any work done. [...]

[...] CONCLUSION Foreign students living in Belgium have quite changed their habits in term of way of living but also way of thinking. Being surrounded by other students coming from different countries and continents have completely changed some former opinions or prejudge. In that respect, their Self Reference Criterion, that is to say, "Relying on one's own values and practices for interpretation and prediction" (Paul Verluyten) has evolved. Being confronted by other opinions and way of living is the main explanation for this change. [...]

[...] We have decided to focus first on the reaction of foreign students living in Belgium. We have also decided to query other students that had made a foreign exchange in another country. They visited exchange students in Belgium and had been able to observe whether this intercultural experience was unique in Belgium or quite common for exchange students at large. Last, we have polled Belgian students in order to gather their feeling upon exchange students living in their country. This perspective permitted to give more credit and more objective results to our study. [...]

[...] A lot of them have purchased a bike in Belgium and want to take it back home. They have taken the habit to use it and definitely do not want to abandon it! 2 - Foreign exchange quiet addicted to spend time travelling Foreign students have travelled a lot during their exchange period. They have travelled among Europe and were not afraid to spend time going to the airport for example through public transports. They are quiet flexible because they have time to travel and to spend in transports. [...]