Workshops offer advice on American culture

Zoë Dehmer
Contributing Writer

The Global Education Office (GEO) launched a new series of workshops for international students that aims to educate and inform students about various — and sometimes confusing — aspects of American culture.

International students were invited to “Sex and Drugs in the U.S.” last week, a workshop held by the GEO geared toward teaching international students about understanding American culture when it comes to sex and drugs.

The workshop was designed to offer a place for students to ask questions about cultural differences that may exist between students’ own countries and their new environment at VCU in regards to sex and drugs.

“Things like knowing what’s legal and what’s not, cultural nuances and idiomatic terms for these subjects are important for our students to know,” said Renee Russell, a communications manager at GEO.

The seminar was offered as part of GEO’s series Transition Workshops for International Students, and men and women were divided between two rooms to make students feel more comfortable. The discussion topic was American ideas about sex and drugs and tips on how to safely and legally deal with them in the U.S.

The Transition Workshops series serves as a learning tool to answer any questions students may have about the nuances of living in the U.S.

For those who have questions and prefer not to discuss them in a group setting, Russell said that there are plenty of other opportunities open to not just international students, but any VCU students.

“GEO offers one-on-one academic advising as well as a peer advising program. Of course, the university offers the Wellness Center for health-related matters and VCU Counseling Services for students experiencing culture shock. We all work together to try and assure the complete well-being of our students,” she said.

Upcoming workshop topics include how to manage time and money, how to do your taxes, academic research and writing skills and getting to know Richmond.