It’s the beginning of school, and though most new students are adjusting to classes or joining one of the many clubs on campus, there is a group of students who are adapting to an entirely different country.

Leigh Poole, director of the University’s International Student Life Office, said 1,200 to 1,300 foreign students were accepted this year – making up 4 percent of the student population – and they’re trying to get accustomed to classes in a new town.

Andreas Kuntzsch, a post-graduate student from Dresden, Germany, said his favorite part of American culture is the friendly nature of its citizens.

“People [here] are very open and easy to talk to,” Kuntzsch said. “They’re open to different ideas.”

Kuntzsch said his mission is to open American citizens to cultures in other countries. “I’m very glad that I’m here,” Kuntzsch said.

Christina Zeng, a first-year student from Shanghai, China, also believes she made the right decision by coming to the University. After living in Shanghai her whole life, Zeng said she wanted to come to Georgia to learn about the rest of the world.

She chose the University because her aunt and uncle live in Suwanee and she thought it would be convenient to have a relative living close by.

“I’m tired of staying in the same place for such a long time,” Zeng said.

In order to help foreign students better transition into their new lives, the International Student Life office holds an orientation for international students each year in August.

At the orientation foreign students learn how to do everyday American tasks, such as writing a check.

Winn Davis, a third-year student from Savannah, said the international students also take part in a restaurant hop and a scavenger hunt during orientation to become more acquainted with the Classic City. Davis was one of 40 leaders at the international student orientation who encouraged the new students to give back to the community by sharing their culture or learning about other cultures they’re interested in.

Poole said the International Student Life office serves a dual purpose: easing foreign students into their new home and fostering a connection between international and American students.

“[The International Student Life Office] is like a revolving door . The entry point to the University [for international students] and an entry to the world for U.S. students,” Poole said.

According to Poole, American students can travel around the globe without ever leaving home because of the amount of international students on campus. The top three countries represented are China, India and Korea.

The International Student Life Office holds a coffee hour in Memorial Hall every Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for foreign students to meet other students. All students are welcome to attend the coffee hour, which includes a free lunch featuring cuisine from different places around the world.