As befitting its Pacific Rim location, Los Angeles is home to communities from all over Southeast Asia. As a consequence, the Fogarty scholar is apt to feel more at home in Los Angeles than they might anywhere else in the world, outside of their home country, that is. Whether it be food, culture, religion, or simply the celebration of a local festival, a Fogarty scholar will likely be able to experience some of the comforts of home while they are studying at UCLA.

There is extensive networking between the students that help the Fogarty scholars acclimate. Tips on how to cope with life in Los Angeles get passed down from one scholar to the next. Any useful information that a Fogarty scholar obtains will usually enter the public domain very quickly. The camaraderie that the Fogarty Scholars share originates with the philosophy that “we’re all in this together.” The Fogarty Program transcends nationalities, and it matters not whether one comes from China, India, Thailand, or anywhere else; the similarities outweigh the differences. It is this concept binds the current students together, and it is hoped that this attitude will remain with the scholar once they return home.