PITTSBURG, KS.--- Jesie QI and Minh Bui are a long way from home. Jessie is from China and Minh is from Vietnam and they're both enrolled in the Pitt Pals Program. Where they're teamed up with American students to lean about the culture as they go to school at PSU.
"For international students, we are a little shy," states Jessie Qi, PSU Student from China.
"My Pitt Pal, so basically we stay together all the time. Every activity together, stick together very close," states Minh Bui, PSU Student from Vietnam.
The program helps the foreign exchange students learn about our culture and also teams them up with an instant friend.
"Hand around, or have a meal, go to the cinema, play bowling," states Lindsay Lewis, Pitt Pal.
This will be the 2nd year Ellen Wieberg has signed up for the program and she still talks to her 1st Pitt Pal from Taiwan.
"It's so rewarding. I still talk to Sophie. I took her home for Thanksgiving and that was our bonding moment. My family loves her," states Wieberg, Pitt Pal.
Lindsay Lewis also has a Pitt Pal and she's visited overseas before and she knows how tough it can be.
"Strange not being able to talk to people in the market. See them on the street ask directions. It was just so difficult. I can't imagine going to school and learning," states Lewis.
"They're so brave for coming here. It's so great that they want to, I went abroad and being able to go to school for a few days, I didn't know any of the language or culture," states Wieberg.
Many of the foreign students say the food here is one of the hardest things to get used to.
"First few weeks hard to get used to food, kind of bland. Vietnam very salty and spicy," states Minh.
"Food? She hated American food. She just wanted to go back to her country and eat her food," states Lewis.
"For international students, we are a little shy," states Jessie Qi, PSU Student from China.
"My Pitt Pal, so basically we stay together all the time. Every activity together, stick together very close," states Minh Bui, PSU Student from Vietnam.
The program helps the foreign exchange students learn about our culture and also teams them up with an instant friend.
"Hand around, or have a meal, go to the cinema, play bowling," states Lindsay Lewis, Pitt Pal.
This will be the 2nd year Ellen Wieberg has signed up for the program and she still talks to her 1st Pitt Pal from Taiwan.
"It's so rewarding. I still talk to Sophie. I took her home for Thanksgiving and that was our bonding moment. My family loves her," states Wieberg, Pitt Pal.
Lindsay Lewis also has a Pitt Pal and she's visited overseas before and she knows how tough it can be.
"Strange not being able to talk to people in the market. See them on the street ask directions. It was just so difficult. I can't imagine going to school and learning," states Lewis.
"They're so brave for coming here. It's so great that they want to, I went abroad and being able to go to school for a few days, I didn't know any of the language or culture," states Wieberg.
Many of the foreign students say the food here is one of the hardest things to get used to.
"First few weeks hard to get used to food, kind of bland. Vietnam very salty and spicy," states Minh.
"Food? She hated American food. She just wanted to go back to her country and eat her food," states Lewis.
