Int’l students find vast differences in U.S. drinking law

Tamara Lim, a School of Management freshman from Taiwan, went out to dinner with her mother and sister on her first night in Boston. There she got a taste of the country’s restrictions on underage drinking.

“We all decided to order a glass of wine to pair with our meal,” Lim said. “I was surprised when the waiter asked for our IDs. Back in Taiwan, as long as you have parental permission, you are allowed to consume alcohol.”

A number of Boston University’s international students, many who hail from countries with lower drinking ages or less rigid alcohol laws, said they find themselves at odds with restrictions in the U.S.

“Coming from a country where the drinking age is 18, I generally feel annoyed that I am considered underage when it comes to consuming alcohol,” said College of Communication freshman Kevin Adato, of Istanbul, Turkey.

Adato said he respects the law and doesn’t try to buy alcohol in restaurants or bars, but still drinks at social events when he has access to it.

“Aside from house parties, I find it difficult to get access to alcohol,” he said. “It’s a lot more strict here compared to underage drinking in my hometown.”

The BU’s International Students & Scholars Office website referred to BU as one of North America’s “most international universities,” with its international students comprising 17 percent of the student population.

BU Police Department statistician Officer Peter Shin said the department does not distinguish between foreign and domestic students involved in alcohol transports.

However, Scott Paré, deputy director of public safety, said from what he reads in the reports, BUPD appears to issue few citations to foreign students.

“I see very few problems with international students and the drinking age,” he said. “I think by now they know the drinking age is 21.”

In spite of the low numbers, BUPD officers address the issue of drinking for incoming international students at orientation each semester. The students view a presentation called “Making Choices” that includes representatives from Student Health Services, Judicial Affairs and BUPD.

Paré, who speaks at orientation, said he doesn’t particularly change anything about his usual speech to emphasize the differing drinking age in the U.S. when addressing international students.

Assistant Dean of Students Daryl DeLuca’s presentation focuses on the dangers of fake identification cards, Paré said. The dean dumps a bag of confiscated IDs onto the stage, which Paré said students tend to remember the most.

“Dean DeLuca really does a good job on that as far as reminding them that the drinking age is 21, and then he talks about that point extensively,” Paré said.

SMG freshman Nadine Kaunang, an Indonesian international student from Singapore, said BUPD focused more on student safety than the legal repercussions of drinking in her August 2011 orientation session.

“They were very aware that college students do drink, and so they emphasized a lot on the safety of students,” Kaunang said.

However, CAS senior Julien Uracca, of Paris, France, said he most recalled being shown a testimonial video of a student who was caught hosting a party. In the video, the student told students not to make the same mistake he did.

“It was all put to somber, mournful music as he said he wished he had never done such a thing,” Uracca, 21, said. “It was ludicrous.”

Uracca said he recalled BUPD telling the students they have to uphold the law, even if they come from countries where the legal drinking age is 18, such as France.

A CAS international student from Lebanon, who wished to remain anonymous, said he found BUPD to be strict about the rules.

“They told us not to drink and that over 60 percent of freshman choose not to drink,” the student said. “I’m pretty sure that each official on stage got damn well hammered at various points in their lives.”

The anonymous student drinks even though he is under 21, as the legal drinking age back home is 18.

“I do what I can to cope with [the restrictions],” he said. “All parties have alcohol, and there isn’t too much stress near non-residential areas.”

In light of the restrictions, CAS freshman Sam Wong of the Philippines said she barely drinks. Instead, she and her friends partake in events that do not involve drinking.

“The rules are the rules, whether or not I agree with them,” Wong said.

The restrictions appear to not just be a matter of law, but also a reflection of how drinking is viewed in American culture, Uracca said.

“There is evidently a huge cultural gap,” he said, “between the USA and most of the world on the issue of drinking.”