Washington and Lee University
First-year undergraduate international students from 17 different countries arrived a little early to Lexington to participate in the 2009 "Pre-Orientation for International Students and Global Nomads", organized by the Washington and Lee Center for International Education. The pre-orientation program is aimed at helping students make the transition not only to life in the United States but to an American college campus and there was a plenty of activity to help make students feel welcome. In addition to receiving necessary and vital information regarding legal and health care issues for foreign visitors, how to set up a bank account locally and everything you need to know about visas and immigration, students received their first introduction to academic and social life at W&L and the benefits of living in Lexington. Highlights of the program included an afternoon in the sun and water at Goshen Pass, an introduction to the local host families who so generously give of their time to international students, and a day-long retreat to W&L's beautiful Skylark Conference Center nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains just 30 minutes away from campus.
This week students will plunge into the University's orientation for all new and First-Year students so that by the time classes begin they will all have a good sense of where they are and what is expected of them at Washington and Lee.
