Being an international student in the US private institution can sometimes seem hard. People are concerned if you’re able to get used to the new community, if you’re able to find new friends and finally does the language epistemology present a problem during your communication with the natives. Especially if you come from an economically underprivileged country, or should I say economically unconscious country (and trust me, this is the accurate term for the place that I come from) people assume that you’re having a really hard time in the environment you found yourself in.
A fact that a lot of people don’t understand is that by no means I, as an international student, am having a harder time here than the local students around me.
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Yes, the language might come about as an obstacle when my classes start, but that’s what the web is for and I really don’t see language as a barrier in the spheres outside of the academic one.
When it comes to the US customs, I often have a feeling that people would perceive my differentiation from American way of thinking as my inability to fit in, when in fact I often make a conscious decision not to change the way of thinking I have developed before. Therefore, when I strike out as weird, that has to do more with my personal choice to exhibit that part of myself and less with the extent to which I’m informed about the society I live in now.
My socio-economic status rarely has any effect on my life here. Yes, I will not be able to go on the cruise ships or some expensive music festivals, but I wasn’t able to do so in my country either, so I don’t really see myself as underprivileged in that sphere of my social life. Yes, I will apply for a campus job in order to earn myself some pocket money during my stay here, but my university experience could only be enhanced by it. I will earn some working experience and because of the nice living wage in the United States I will be able to travel somewhere for the winter break.
Making friendships has never been easier. I have so many topics to talk about and my wilingnessl to learn more about the United States’ society only pushes me forward to meet people and ask them about it.
Here, I experienced my first football game, my first American hot dog, my first L ride, my first skim milk, my first house party and my first drink from a red cup. Instead of being disadvantaged, I’m actually able to experience more than a lot of Americans coming to the university I’m in.
Therefore, even though I respect when people are being amazed by my decision to go 5000 miles away from home, or to try to start a life on my own, I would really like them to understand that being an international in an US institution is more of a pleasure and less of a burden.
So dear everyone,
I don’t want to be considered underprivileged for my lack of resources or English proficiency, I want to be looked upon for my opportunity to engage in a new culture and build a set of interpersonal skills which will open a door of opportunities for me in the future!
