iber Comment Wet ber 1978 international students number 300 this year — Immigration and alization, Weber has had in- mk ional students, growing in ‘uber from a very few in the begin- gto 100 in 1977 and tripled this 7 There are over 100 students from / fai,70 from Saudi Arabia, 30 from igeria and 30-40 from the oriental Mouliries. One or two come from mst every country in Europe and hee are some students from South Anica and 20-30 students from from oil studying 7The majority are countries Wiwucing #emnology,” said Mr. Spanos. Widents from the orient and aada, however, are leaning more Mya academic degrees. I think Weer is a natural because we have #pogram for all students and most Mudents do stick it out until they Wraduate. Of the 300 close to 100 are with omen, the majority in allied @alth areas and business ad@iistration. They are usually from _$8t0 20 years old.”’ Last year the International Student banquet was a great success with specialty dishes from the ee ee stl by families. “We Americans look upon international students as being from very rich families. The majority are from lower middle class families who are sacrificing to send them. The money situation is touchy for any foreign student. Right now our Nigerian scholarship students haven’t been paid for three months. We can’t grant them loans. Other students on private incomes help them out. The number one counseling problem with these students is financial.”’ The International Student Organization is becoming more viable each year in addressing problems and Mr. Spanos noted that studentbody president Greg Garfield has shown interest in doing all hecan to help them. i most other students are sponsored il ad- lee student A panos, international Tony Spanos, international student advisor, explains requirements to Hassan Alesafar, from Iran, Jari A-Amri, Saudi Arabia, and Ali-Riz-Y ounessian, Iran. American History for the foreign student and tutors. “These students are here to ‘make it’. It is a great disgrace for them to to other cultures. We can learn much from our international students and the closer they get to us the more ratte and esteem they have for us 00. go home without the degree they camefor.” _ countries, dance and cross-cultural communication. “We as individuals will be much better off the more we are exposed : One of the main challenges Mr. ‘We do need some specific curriculum to meet their needs. I would like to see courses such as Spanos faces as a counselor is giving each student greater self-confidence. |Shah, women and attitudes highlight international student remarks TWilwching on international news Wines regarding the Shah of Iran, Moriage and the status of women, “WBilattitudes of Americans toward Wren students, three Weber State Wilke intemational students exWessed their views and also their mings about education at the ee, Wiassan A lesafar, a political scienmajor from Iran, sited the conUs if i 1d "am of Iranian students about ‘aeegisiaent Carter’s support of the >aagman of Iran. mance his major is in political eLICE that was the focus of his arKS. A ‘) siden 'd ctor Iranian students are striking , in the United States. People us why we are demonstrating pest President Carter when the is in Iran. We are angry with Vil American government because MH) are supporting the Iranian -@yanment and support the Shah. oseul plein Iran are going hungry and mg. We are having demon- indqu ations in the U.S. to explain to mm 9). oberit people what is going on,” said InSé Ste “te loves political science and cker “Wats to go back to his own country rearing a degree. ‘‘I will do my for my people,” he said, adding that other he would countries like to work and enjoys with in- ternational relations. _ Hassan went home for a summer, married and brought a wife back with him. She is planning to start school too, next quarter. Jari Al-Amri, Saudi Arabia, stressed that most Americans misunderstand the position of women is the Islamic world. Women there have always had their own name and there is no connection with her husband’s name, a right U.S. women are fighting for, said Jari. A man and woman share everything in marriage except for personal things, he said. When a couple is married the man gives the woman a gift and even if they divorce he has no right to take it back. Her property is hers. The father is responsible for supporting the children and in separation they do not try to take the children from one another. They both continue on with their responsibilities to the children. “A woman can say no if she doesn’t wish to marry someone,” Jari said. The culture is family centered. “Destroy the family, destroy the nation.” he maintained. He also pointed out that women are free to study whatever they wish although education is still separate. Most women do choose education, medicine and social work. The Islamic world is controlled by religion. There is no prostitution nor | illicit affairs. There are more women than men in the culture and polygamy is accepted but the first wife must give her permission. “Because the people are satisfied they follow tradition and society will not accept change easily.” __Jari said Americans have strange ideas of Saudi Arabia, picturing desert and camels. “They must get their ideas from the movies. There are no camels in Saudi Arabia and I am from the south where there are green mountains. said that manufacturing is very important for most countries and he is not concerned where he uses the knowledge he gains. ‘“‘T want to be useful wherever I am,” he said,” I had a dream of being a creative man in technology.” He has been at WSC three years and will complete his training at the end of the year. After the first seven months he returned to Iran for a vacation and married. His wife has eamed a degree in cosmetology at WSC and loves it but she does plan to study child development. Ali said he, too, can’t see where people get their ideas about his country and religion. “In Persia most people love and want to help people from other countries. They. have a high regard for them. I do not find this attitude A data processing major, Jari sees a great need for this profession in Saudi Arabia. He feels WSC is a very good college and especially in his field. here. Some students have even said to me ‘I hate you because you are here to steal out technology.” “Saudi Arabia has made a great shift in ten years,” he said. “Life was very difficult before the wealth of oil.”’ He plans to go on for at least an M.S. ‘‘With education you can ‘“‘A few are interested in leaming about me - but most don’t want to bother to learn my name. The U.S. take your place. has the greatest civilization but has older countries experience to build He is on a government scholarship. Ali-Riz-Younessian, a manufacutring engineer from Iran, on. Persia is 7000 years old and customs cannot be destroyed. “T like Americans and do have good friends. There is good and bad in every society,’ he concluded. - ‘nena Wolkge this year,” said Anthony Mr. Spanos said most Saudi Arabian students are government sponsored as are 90 per cent of the igerian students. Iranians and re ‘We have approximately 300 inHemational students at Weber State