University prepares for international students

Although they won’t be arriving for orientation until August, IU is preparing to welcome a growing percentage of incoming international students.\nIU’s percentage of international students has been steadily increasing since fall 2005, according to a graph on the Office of International Services Web site. In 2005, international students made up 8.74 percent of the total student body. While this year’s percentage hasn’t been released yet, last fall’s percentage was about 10.33 percent.\nTo help prepare international students for their arrival to the U.S., the Office of International Services will send students e-mails and create a Facebook group, said Tehanee Ratwatte, Office of International Services orientation coordinator and adviser.\nDuring international-student orientation, which will begin Aug. 18, students will be able to meet current international students and learn about bus routes, Bloomington culture and other subjects of interest to them, Schrader said.\nThe Office of International Services is also working with different student organizations to help new students become familiar with the Bloomington community. \n“We put the welcome note on the wall of the residence hall,” she said. “We are not only helping international students to get started in the academic world but also help them get involved in the social networking.”\nA special handbook was designed for international students to read if they are unable to receive all the exact information from vocal communication because of English not being their primary language, Schrader said. But she also said she has no doubt students will succeed.\n“They seem to be so confident and excellent in speaking a different language, and they are always the best of the best in their own country,” she said.