Cultural Differences

As I find my way around the learning centre online where I will spend the next two years, I ponder the difference between this culture and my own. I think it is a cultural difference. Maybe I am wrong. Online learning from my culture does not mean alone learning. It means collaborative learning. That means we discuss issues, ask questions, give opinions, and work together. We are set up for this here, but I am the only participant that has posted anything on the discussion site.  Being the only foreigner there I was hoping to pick the brains of the locals immersed in this program. I have not found that happening. In fact, there does not seem to be any two way communication between myself and the professors either.

Right. That is why I decided to take this degree here.  I wanted to understand the cultures more deeply.  It guess I am confused about a collective culture keeping at arm's length in a discussion arena.  I guess I should not; that is exactly what is happening.  I mistakenly thought that they would come together and discuss things and, like myself, want to get to know each other.