Aside from the instrumental values attached to English, some of the participants stated that they needed to learn English to survive in the U.S., not necessarily to achieve a higher economic or social status. Such perceptions were especially common among the participants who reported their future jobs did not require English language proficiency and those who were planning to pursue careers in the U.S. Attaining communicative competence in the English language was essential to fully function in the society. Therefore, it was crucial for them to learn this language thoroughly and use it fluently in the contexts of academic and daily life, if they were to survive and pursue a career in the U.S. For some of the participants, English was of vital survival importance in the sense that if they did not have the English language proficiency to make progress in their academic work and communicate in daily life, then they would be forced to go back home. For these participants, English language was perceived as the primary tool to survive in the U.S., not necessarily a language that helped them gain higher economic and social status in the society.