Students confront American dream
Campus Times
February 13, 1998
Xavier Lattaignant, Elsa Michel, Rachel Wilberforce and Kalle Kaub
are the spring semester's exchange students from England, France and Germany.
Lattaignant is a business and economics major who has traveled to India
and Germany. Michel is majoring in marketing and has a talent for dancing,
which she has been pursuing for 11 years. Wilberforce is a communications
major who has been in two Hollywood movies during her first stay in America.
Kaub, who is majoring in communications and has traveled around the world,
purchased a Volkswagen bus upon his arrival to travel around in.
Each came with a particular dream in mind -- one to learn from a new
culture, another to adapt to the English language, another to simply explore
greater horizons and yet another to return and further her education in
the land she has always loved.
Whatever their personal expectations, the two French students, German
student and English student arrived in the United States of America with
the intent of continuing their educational study at the University of La
Verne and experiencing the entire idea of studying abroad.
French students Elsa Michel and Xavier Lattaignant, along with German
student Karsten "Kalle" Kaub arrived at the University in late
January and immediately prepared to begin classes the following week. Senior
Rachel Wilberforce, an exchange student from England, took her first step
into the classrooms recently, as she arrived late last week due to visa
problems.
Michel, a 22-year-old senior, chose to participate in the study abroad
program in order to "speak English better," she said.
The Clermont-Ferrand, France, native hopes to complete this goal in
order to advance, both verbally and mentally, in the field of marketing,
her major course of study.
"My goal is to understand it [English] and speak it, period,"
Michel said.
Occasionally, she and Lattaignant, her classmate and co-traveler, will
converse in a mixture of French and English in order to assure they have
understood the conversation correctly.
Lattaignant, 23, is a native of Beauvais, France, and expresses his
own aspirations of being in America.
He said, "I expect to discover American culture, people and life.
I also want to improve my skills in my major [Economics and Business]."
Wilberforce, a 23-year-old communications major, admits that she enjoys
spending time in the United States.
"I love America. I wanted to come back again," she said.
Wilberforce has previously studied abroad in New York and Boston, Mass.,
and has also worked in West Hollywood producing a script for the British
Broadcasting Company (BBC).
"Actually, I am here for two reasons -- to follow up on my research
with the BBC, and to study as well," she said.
She hopes to continue her work in the field, and is also considering
acting as a support. For the time being, she is still uncertain about the
acting profession.
Kaub, a 28-year-old communications major, is preparing to continue his
second year of study at ULV.
"Quite frankly, my expectations [of America] have gone down,"
he responded.
The German-born Kaub has also experienced a period of study in England,
and admits that his experience at the University has been different.
"They [students] seem to be working more individually," he
said. "The teaching is more self-sufficient and professional."
Aside from the general curriculum and lifestyle of ULV, the idea of
arriving in California was overwhelming to each of the exchange students.
Though the experience has affected each student in a personal manner, they
have each adapted to the changes of culture and setting without much hesitation.
"This is a bit of a change, really," Kaub said. "But
you go abroad to actually see what's going on in the world."
"I imagined California to be hot and sunny," said Lattaignant,
jokingly.
Commenting on some of the recent rainstorms of the Southern California
area, he added, "This is definitely not the same [as what I thought]."
Wilberforce said, "It is quite different from England. Of course,
instantly I miss my friends and family. I especially miss English tea; there
is nothing like English breakfast tea with a pastry."
From Michel's perspective, she is convinced that there is no particular
area of the North American lifestyle which is too different from that of
her hometown in France. She does admit, however, that she misses one particular
part of the French culture the most-a personal treat she said can only be
found in France.
"I miss the cheese of France," Michel said, using her hands
to gesture the delicateness and uniqueness of French-made cheese. "American
cheese is just not as good. It is just very different."
Apart from a life within the boundaries of the classroom and the city
of La Verne, each of the exchange students tries to stay occupied by taking
part in special interests and hobbies.
Lattaignant joined the men's tennis team upon the commencement of the
second semester.
"I heard about tennis through Josep [Hernandez-Escandell, Spanish
international student]," he said. "He also plays tennis and I
went to try out as soon as possible."
Therefore, Lattaignant spoke with Tim Fitzgerald, the University's men's
tennis coach, to inquire about trying out for the team.
He made the team the same day, and is currently one of the team's top
singles players.
"I play tennis and try to stay really active," he said. "Playing
against other universities ... it's a good thing to see other people and
a way to get involved."
While in the United States, Michel has found it difficult to refrain
from one of her favorite activities.
"I'm always reading and I am used to practicing [modern, contemporary]
dancing. In France, I always practiced, but here I don't really know where
to go," she said.
Kaub, who is described as "an explorer" by his peers, also
finds the lifestyle transition somewhat difficult.
"I normally do skydiving, canoeing, climbing and skiing, among
others," he said. "I would love to meet someone who could do that
with me; I have some equipment, but it's been hard to find someone who is
interested in these things."
Wilberforce describes herself as a person who likes to do a variety
of things in the world.
In fact, during her first weekend at the University, she accomplished
a goal she has had for nearly two years.
"I got my [left] eyebrow pierced and got a tattoo," she said,
lifting her shirt sleeve to reveal her upper left arm.
On it, the Japanese character for "Love" was boldly tattooed.
"My parents are going to kill me if they see it [the tattoo], and
they'll be disappointed," Wilberforce said.
"I definitely won't let them see the tattoo, but they will have
to see the eyebrow piercing. Of course, they will be a bit upset , but they'll
get over it," she says proudly.
Having been at the University for little over two weeks, the exchange
students believe that life within the city of La Verne is quite interesting
in itself.
"This city is very different from everything. There are a lot of
structures such as libraries, computer labs and other buildings that we
don't have," said Lattaignant.
Michel agrees with him without hesitation.
"It's difficult to see what's out there because there is not a
lot [in La Verne]," Michel said.
"I am not used to living in the dormitories; I feel trapped,"
Wilberforce said. "I was accustomed to live in an apartment during
my study in New York and Boston, so this is different."
"The school is okay, though," she added. "I like looking
at the mountains. It's a very pretty city and definitely much like an old
town."
Kaub has also concocted his own impressions of the University's surroundings.
He said, "One thing that has really surprised me is the wheelchair
repair shop on C Street. The fact that the place is in the center of a student
town is quite interesting-it says a lot about this place."
