<\/p>\n
When Ahmed Al Ameri \u201919 heard line dancing was on the agenda for international student orientation, he was a little apprehensive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen it in movies,\u201d said Al Ameri, a native of Abu Dhabi. \u201cI thought at first it was silly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Within one week of arriving to South Carolina, Al Ameri had already surprised himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cLine dancing is actually a lot of fun,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to show my friends dances from my home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Al Ameri was one of 31 international students from 15 countries who gathered at Asbury Hills Camp near Caesar\u2019s Head State Park for nearly four days of off-campus orientation, which included team-building activities, mock classes (including homework assignments) and outdoor recreation.<\/p>\n
More than 135 international students call Furman home, said Nancy Georgiev, Assistant Director for Study Away and International Education. This year, freshmen have come from countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Chile, Georgia, Germany, South Africa and United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n
The program gives newly arrived international students the opportunity to get settled, become acclimated to their new home and get to know other students before freshman orientation begins, said Chrissy McCrary, International Student Advisor and Study Away Coordinator.<\/p>\n
It also provides a valuable opportunity for students to learn about campus resources, Georgiev said. Furman faculty and administrators take time to visit with students at Asbury Hills and discuss everything from academic regulations to time management and study skills.<\/p>\n
Though she\u2019d heard much about Furman from friends, Melina Churt \u201919 of Krefeld, Germany, said she was feeling very apprehensive about the start of classes.<\/p>\n
The mock classes were a big help for Churt. \u201cIt took away a lot of the fear,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll feel nearly as afraid on the first day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mock philosophy class with Professor (Aaron) Simmons was amazing,\u201d said Nani Sutidze \u201919 of Tbilisi, Georgia. \u201cIt was so interactive. The professors were so open to questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Internet connections only available in the camp dining hall, Al Ameri said he was grateful for the lack of available technology in the shared cabins. \u201cIt forces you to speak with people and get to know them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The close-knit feel of campus was the main reason Al Ameri said he chose Furman. \u201cI like small communities where you can learn more and do more,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said he\u2019s already talked with Volunteer Services Coordinator Nancy Cooper about arranging visits with senior citizens at the Woodlands to teach them the basics of Skype and Whatsapp to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learn from them too and they\u2019re a great resource for life,\u201d Al Ameri said.<\/p>\n
Will Booker \u201916, a church music major, said he was happy to give up two weeks of his summer to come back to campus early and serve as a resource for new international students.<\/p>\n
As an orientation assistant, Booker was there to welcome them when they arrived at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and drove them to campus for the first time. He answered their questions on all sorts of topics, ranging from which company offers the best cell phone service to how to go about setting up a bank account.<\/p>\n
When it came time for one of orientation\u2019s key events, the student talent show, Booker was one of the first ones to jump up and sing for the group.<\/p>\n
\u201cFurman is all about connections with other people,\u201d said Booker, who performed a song in German. \u201cIt rejuvenated my life to see how excited they were.\u201d<\/p>\n