As international students adjust to the United States, they are surrounded on all sides by new things. For many however, the biggest adjustment comes in dealing with the different sexual landscape on campus.
For example, seeing multiple couples hook up at W.I.L.D is a shocking introduction to the U.S. for many international students.
While international students adjust to living in St. Louis and studying at Washington University in the first few months, they also need to adjust to a culture of dating, hook-ups and on-campus romance.
“I was surprised that many people have had sex here,” said Renault, a student from Taiwan who asked not to be identified by his full name. “I thought students here would have more self control. In Taiwan, sex is like marriage. It’s very serious.”
Several international students come from cultures where the general public usually frowns upon public displays of intimacy and pre-marital sex.
“Korean culture is very conservative,” said freshman Chan Lee, from South Korea. “A typical Korean would find it awkward.”
The definition of a relationship and how far one can go with a significant other also differs overseas.
“I haven’t seen much of dating in the freshman year,” said freshman Canan from Turkey. “It’s mostly based on hookups, which is not the case back home. It’s less physical in the beginning [in Turkey].”
“Here, it’s easier to [distinguish between a] hookup or to be in a serious relationship”, said freshman Ken Sakamoto from Japan. “Japan is more in-between.”
The initial interaction between males and females is also different overseas from what students have experienced. “In Turkey, guys are more flirty,” said Canan. “Girls have to try a lot more [here].”
Freshman Tina Wang, who is from Taiwan, lived in El Salvador for several years before coming to St. Louis. “Latin America is a very affectionate place,” said Wang.
According to Wang, two people may not have even exchanged names before kissing each other on the cheeks. On the other hand, as the region is largely Catholic, making out in public is uncommon. “I don’t see everyone grabbing each other,” said Wang.
Many international students had encountered American culture before, especially in the form of television shows such as “One Tree Hill” and movies such as “Old School.” “The extent to which it is publicized is ridiculous and blatantly offensive,” said another freshman from Taiwan. “It’s completely unethical.”
For some students, these early encounters with U.S. media have either caused outrage or helped cushion the shock of seeing someone “sexiled” or hearing about a neighbor’s hookup experience.
As American culture spreads to other countries in the form of language and multimedia, the values of local societies, especially amongst young people, have been liberalized.
“Taiwanese values are changing,” said freshman Anny Chung from Taiwan. “My grandma would be shocked. In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable but now I guess I’m used to it.”
At the same time, however, all students interviewed for this article agreed that the movies they saw did not completely and truthfully reflect American culture in the dating arena.
Some students cited their ability to legally drink at an earlier age as preventing them from having any regrettable hookups of their own.
“It puts us at an advantage,” said William Hsu from Hong Kong. “We know our limits.”
Most of the students interviewed were ambivalent regarding their classmates and peers engaging in public displays of affection. Many of them have already gotten used to the stories they hear or the things they witness.
“It struck me how people here are more explicit about sex and relationships,” said Chung. “[But] people can do what they want with their lives.”
“My view on [hookups] is I don’t want to see it but people can do it,” said freshman Ian Chui, from Hong Kong.
Some have nothing against it. “[Hookups are] part of the college life,” said freshman Levent Dinckal from Turkey. “It’s a good part of life.”