I know some chinese and korean Stundents studying over here because Education including studying at famous colleges is free here in Germany (at least it was until this semester
).
They are really good in everything what you can practice, math, drawing, writing, history etc. and they are nice to talk and work with, but as it is with most of them the case, they have no imagination. They have always had somebody to tell them what to do their whole life and if it was not the case for some time, they have a strict plan to follow. Why would the imaginate something new when they startet to obey every rule and learn hard since their birth? When they come here, they first seem to follow very strict plans but alwas ask for what to do. It is a pleasure to work with them in this time cause they can help you where you tell them. Then there is a time where they don't know what to do and cause of that just do nothing. And maybe after that they start to make Plans on their own.
I have also met very different asian Stundents, but that were exceptions.
I really prefere the unenslaved way of self-developing, i don't get as much expert knowledge drummed into me, but the gift of unique abstract thinking that we have is much more value to me.
If you don't have that, you can't help but be a copycat.