Imagine relaxing on a sunny day in Red Square, sipping a cup of Tully’s coffee on the steps of Kane Hall and people-watching. As students stream by, see if you can pick out who was born in the United States and who is an international student.

According to the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), there are about 4,000 international students studying at the UW, 10 percent of the total student population. That means one out of every 10 people walking by is from another country. Half undergraduate and half graduate, international students come from more than 100 different countries to study at the UW.

FIUTS (an independent non-profit organization) was founded after the end of World War II in 1948. Its mission is to foster cross-cultural engagement and understanding in hopes of building international peace in the world. Working primarily with UW students, FIUTS promotes its mission through home-stay programs, education outreach, volunteer opportunities, Wednesday lunches, student activities and more.

Christian Ovesen, a student from Denmark, is on a two-quarter study abroad program in political science.

“I knew nothing about it … not even sure I could have placed it on a map,” Ovesen said about what he knew about Seattle before coming here.

All he knew was that the UW was a top-rated university in the United States with strong ties to his school, the University of Aarnus.

Ovesen enjoys the community feeling at the UW in comparison to the University of Aarnus, .

“You have these sports teams — everyone is going around in purple shirts,” he said. “I even got one myself. It’s like a small village.”

What surprised Ovesen most about Seattle was that everything felt so European — even people’s attitudes. Ovesen expressed frustration about a perceived anti-Americanism.

“Many people here are very critical of the U.S.,” he said. “In fact, sometimes I feel I am more pro-U.S. than they are. I think people here should be more proud of the U.S.”

Efrain Gutierrez is a graduate student at the Evans school of Public Affairs. Growing up in a small town in Mexico in the State of Jalisco, Gutierrez didn’t like school very much until his father taught him the value of education by taking him out to work in the fields.

Gutierrez got his undergraduate degree at the Universidad Panamericana in Guadalajara, where he participated in an exchange program with Webster University in St. Louis, Mo. At Webster, he began considering the possibility of getting a Master’s in the United States, which eventually led him to the UW.

Since coming to live in Seattle, Gutierrez has faced two major challenges: returning to school after being the workforce for five years and being in a different culture.

“For me, it was really difficult to follow a schedule,” Gutierrez said. “You have to plan ahead even to meet a friend here. In Mexico, you just call someone up and say ‘Let’s meet up in 15 minutes.’”

Despite the difficulties, Gutierrez enjoys life at the UW.

“I really like the University of Washington … I think that it’s a great idea that the state of Washington funds this place,” he said. “You can feel the diversity of ideas and talk about every topic you can think about and it’s a beautiful campus.”

One issue Gutierrez has with Seattle and the UW is its lack of political diversity.

“Everyone is so homogenous politically,” he said. “Everyone is a democrat. I would like to hear what republicans have to say, and I don’t find that much because of the environment surrounding the city of Seattle.”

Elizabeth Rabusseau is a graduate student in women’s studies from Frankfurt, Germany. With an undergraduate in American Studies, she has been coming to the United States on exchange since high school.

Living abroad was addictive to Rabusseau. She enjoys the change in perspective the experience offers.

“The experience of studying abroad has allowed me to learn about myself,” she said. “To see myself through different eyes and at the same time, learn about others.”

Although it has been two years, Rabusseau still remembers in vivid detail her flight to Seattle.

“When I flew into the city, it was at night and I saw the lights and the water,” she said. “It was so beautiful. I was immediately so impressed with the beauty of this region.”

A few early frustrations with her living arrangements were challenging, but Rabusseau now enjoys life in the U-District where she has convenient access to campus. Compared to the university in Frankfurt where she studied, she feels a strong attachment to the UW. Not only is it convenient and attractive, Rabusseau is also impressed with the library system and is an enthusiastic user of the IMA.

Of the few things Rabusseau misses, one that stuck out, was Turkish Doner kebabs. She feels that pork, sausage and kebabs taste better in Germany.

“I think what I miss most about the lifestyle in Germany is the outdoor lifestyle,” she said. “We have beer gardens, restaurants with open public areas. So much is going on outside.”

Now the student board president for FIUTS, Rabusseau is enthusiastic about how helpful the organization was and how lucky she felt as a beneficiary of its support when she first arrived.

Many international students say they miss family and friends most while away, but they also miss that intangible sense of belonging, of being in the culture they grew up in.

Organizations and activities have helped some international students feel like a bigger part of the UW community. Whether it is being active in FIUTS, the Q Center, or the Climbing Club, all three students found a way to connect to their new home at the UW.

“It makes you feel that you are welcome and there are people like you,” Gutierrez said. “You can share experiences and learn from each other.”

Rabusseau has her own tricks for staying positive.

“I try to do one thing every week that’s different,” she said. “It helps me to keep me from being homesick.”

Reach reporter Jason Gordon at features@dailyuw.com