by NASH DUNN
News Reporter

Like many Appalachian State University students, senior Spanish major Emily C. Adams traveled overseas in 2008 to study abroad.
Although she lived with a host family in Cadiz, Spain, she made no Spanish friends, experienced limited Spanish culture and took classes designed for international students.

In hopes of creating an experience she never received, Adams returned to Boone this year and joined AppPeers, a program designed to help international students adjust to the Appalachian campus and experience American culture.   

Initiated by International Appalachian (INTAPP), AppPeers pairs an international and domestic student together in hopes of establishing a “buddy system” that provides aid, support and cultural insight.

AppPeers is currently made up of 40 members, or 20 pairings, that collectively meet once a month in addition to supplemental activities between duos.

“AppPeers benefits both parties and is a win-win,” AppPeers coordinator and junior global studies major Allison D. Horton said. “International students get to meet American students, which is their No. 1 thing, and Americans get to meet people from all over.”

Horton, who was once an AppPeer, said the depth of relationships is up to pairings, but social activities at monthly meetings encourage bonding.

“The success rate is really weird,” Horton said. “Some people really hit it off, and some meet once and don’t really follow up with it. I still talk to my AppPeer that lives in Costa Rica, and we Skyped last night.”

Potential AppPeers fill out applications prior to the school year, where they specify gender, language and age preferences. Horton then plays “matchmaker,” and pairs applicants based on their specifications.

This year, Adams, who is fluent in Spanish, is paired with Iñaki Gomez, an international student from Benidorm, Spain.

Adams said her experience has “been going really well” and that they “go to dinner, help each other with classes and go to movies.”

“It gives [international students] an opportunity to learn a lot about the American culture through friends rather than classes,” she said. “I really wish there was a program like this overseas.”

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