Offering help to new International Students

boarddotie

Hi all,

Im just wondering what UL does for International Students in terms of connecting International Students (Postgrads in particular) up with Irish students?

Its just that I am in a US Uni at the moment and there is such a huge international PG student community who have been so helpful, kind and welcoming to me that I would love to extend that same kindness to any new international students in UL. How should I proceed?

Zeouterlimits

Hey.
Well first thing you should know that UL has a fantastic International Society, full of international students. They've quickly become one of the biggest societies in the college and do plenty of awesome events.
They actually won Best New Society & Best Society of Ireland this year, they really are "the biz" (do people still say that.. :cool:).
Last year (08/09) every Friday night was International night at the University pub too.

-On a second reading of your post I'm a little confused. Am I answering what you're asking at all?

sceptre

UL itself does very little. There are welcome sessions and so on but there's nothing really done by the college to "connect" students from overseas with the locals.

The International Soc people are excellent though, they've filled a void that no-one else was going to and as a new organisation they did it on pretty much no money last year. The international students get involved with other things of course - a fair amount of them join the Outdoor Pursuits club and the Drama soc for example but the International soc is pretty much the biggest gig in town for them.

So, interested as you are, you've got two options I reckon.
1. Spend the remainder of your entire time in UL talking to college offices and asking why they don't create solid connections between visiting international students at UL with Irish students at UL.
2. Get involved with the International soc and work with them on creating these connections yourself.

Sanity would push you towards option 2:)

boarddotie

Zeouterlimits wrote: »

Hey.
Well first thing you should know that UL has a fantastic International Society, full of international students. They've quickly become one of the biggest societies in the college and do plenty of awesome events.
They actually won Best New Society & Best Society of Ireland this year, they really are "the biz" (do people still say that.. :cool:).
Last year (08/09) every Friday night was International night at the University pub too.

-On a second reading of your post I'm a little confused. Am I answering what you're asking at all?

Thats great to hear! Its only since I have become an internation myself do I realise how hard and unnerving it can be at the start.

More what I was asking was I would like to be some way involved with the Society somehow as a local student. Maybe meet a new PG student in a similar discipline and give them a tour of Castletroy/Limerick as I have a car, help them with some shopping, just stuff to help them when the first arrive.

Yillan

I thought this thread was going to be about taking advantage of International Students.

sceptre

Yillan wrote: »

I thought this thread was going to be about taking advantage of International Students.

You also probably thought that was hilarious, so we could call it even:)

When someone asks a serious question, attempted humour tends to work best if it's accompanying a helpful response. Just a thought for next time.

spideog7

You could start by trying to get more Irish people to join the international society :P It might seem counter-intuitive but last time I went with a few friends of mine who were international students and there wasn't a whole lot of Irish students there other than the organisers. So really they were mostly connecting with other international students and not a whole lot of Irish students.

This seemed to be the case for most of the international students I knew and it was a bit of a pity really. I'm living abroad this year (not a student anymore ) and the last thing I want is to meet a big group of foreigners, no offence to them or anything but it'd be nice to get to know a few locals.

ninty9er

Well for admin and continuity perposes the committee will be primarily either Irish or full enrolment international students.

I joined it, went to a few things....it's actually the best craic on campus. Friday night with International Soc is about as mad as it gets on campus.

Mossin

The International Soc is great alright, and as Ninty9er said, Friday nights out with them are superb craic! I rarely miss one of them. [I wonder why? :rolleyes:]

But seriously, the Connect group also offer help to international students. Or just do as most do, and get drunk in the Stables, and just start talking to people.

DJCR

Also if you do a language in UL (foreign), you will be asked if you want to have an international partner who speaks the language your learning as their first language.

I did this ...... French grades didn't get any better ..... but .....

ULInternational

boarddotie wrote: »

Hi all,

Im just wondering what UL does for International Students in terms of connecting International Students (Postgrads in particular) up with Irish students?

Its just that I am in a US Uni at the moment and there is such a huge international PG student community who have been so helpful, kind and welcoming to me that I would love to extend that same kindness to any new international students in UL. How should I proceed?

As part of the international society committee, we would appreciate any ideas, suggestions or help people could give us. We will definitely need some new committee members next semester as well.

Contact us: ulinternationalsociety@gmail.com

The Lopper

I had no idea you could join the International sociey if you weren't from abroad. Can you really? I thought you'd be looked at as a phoney! :P

We had very few international students in the Music Soc this year, so a shout out to join it this year. Had a few good nights at the start of each semester in The Stables and we had the craic with the "foreigners" but after a while The Stables always loses it's appeal and we stop going there...From what I could see, most International soc events seemed to take place in The Stables - Music Soc will be running gigs in a few of the pubs in town I'd say - a good opportunity to get off the campus and explore lovely Limerick itself...

I think I even kept a straight face while saying that last bit. :P

bazkennedy

I joined the international society last semester (i'm from limerick) and found it to be great. I got ropped in during a speed dating session (i only went to the stables for a quiet pint and two hours later i'm introducing six american girls to the lodge). i think its a great chance to meet some very interesting people

DJCR

bazkennedy wrote: »

I joined the international society last semester (i'm from limerick) and found it to be great. I got ropped in during a speed dating session (i only went to the stables for a quiet pint and two hours later i'm introducing six american girls to the lodge). i think its a great chance to meet some very interesting people

Hang on..... Baz.... was I there that night???? I think I was you sly dog!!!

Mossin

bazkennedy wrote: »

I got ropped in during a speed dating session, i only went to the stables for a quiet pint and two hours later i'm introducing six american girls to the lodge

DJCR wrote: »

Hang on, was I there that night???? I think I was you sly dog!!!

:eek: Were you one of the 6 American women :P

I was actually in the Stables that night also, I came in after the speed dating [unfortunately] ...but the international nights are brilliant nights out!

bazkennedy

yes i believe you were there dave. As i recall you were slagging me off for taking part

Mossin

bazkennedy wrote: »

yes i believe you were there dave. As i recall you were slagging me off for taking part

Which Dave are you talking to?
Me and DJCR are housemates for the coming year also....

bazkennedy

i was refering to DJCR

kinda going OT here aren't we

Mossin

bazkennedy wrote: »

i was refering to DJCR

kinda going OT here aren't we

ah ok, sure it wouldnt be a thread in the UL forum if it didnt go off topic for a while!