Summary of Ch. 4 by Chip Fox

Chapter four is about how international students view college in America. One of the first things Nathan brings up is how American students are very independent and antisocial almost. When someone asks another person, "how's it going?" it is meant as a greeting, like hello, instead of a conversation starter as it is in other countries. Another thing she notices is that friendships and relationships are much different here than in other countries. When someone is your friend here, it pretty much just means that they will say, "hi" to you when you see them, or hang out with them at parties. In other countries friendships are much more meaningful, and friends will help each other out with whatever they need instead of acting like helping is such a bother to them. Thirdly, Nathan brings up that classes in America are very different than in other countries. The professors are much more laid back, and classes are more casual. People wear shorts and flip-flops, eat and drink during classes, and even leave early from class. The course material is elementary level until the upper level classes, but we have many more choices and freedoms to pick the classes we want here than in other countries. Lastly, Nathan noticed how ignorant Americans are when it comes to the world. Some people don't understand that no one country is any better than another country, although most of the Americans believe America is the best place in the world. Some people don't even know where other countries are located, or care to learn the culture of other countries.

This chapter was written with a very negative tone towards American college students. The author often criticizes the new customs of students in America, like the way we communicate via the internet, and how superficial we are with our friendships. Nathan really opens the eyes of the American readers because no one really notices how we act since it is second nature to American college students because we have grown up this way. Overall, this chapter is meant to show American college students how impersonal and ignorant we are towards other cultures.