You will quickly find that class participation is an important part of coursework in most of your classes. Participating in class discussions can be quite challenging for many international students. The learning culture in the classroom across the world differs widely. In certain countries, students are not encouraged to speak up and ask their instructor questions; students are supposed to digest the delivered information from their instructor and to demonstrate their mastery of the material only through written tests. There is not much interaction between students and the professor in the classroom. The old saying in Asia “Silence is Gold” is deeply embedded in the learning cultures of some countries.