Welcome back to the second part of “Being an International Student”! Where I dig deep into what its like being an International student here in the U.S. Last time, we talked about my personal story on how I got here and now I’ll be explaining to you what its like now that I’ve lived here for a couple of years. We’ll also be tackling the myths surrounding international students so stay tuned for that!

            Being away from friends and family can be a blessing and a curse, depending on how you look at it. A lot of kids in high school look forward to college as a chance to live independently, get away from their hometown, and get a fresh start in a new environment. I personally could relate to this because I wanted to expand my horizons in a university and meet new friends and form new connections.

            This does become scary for some people, as forming new friendships can be hard for some them. I know I had some fears of not making friends because of my introverted nature. But God knew what was best for me and provided me with like-minded people who became some of the closest friends in my life. And it turns out that if you are where you’re supposed to be, you don’t have to worry about a thing because God will provide to you all that you need.

            Next is family. Although communicating with your family is easy and can be done with a push of a button in your phone, not being able to spend time with them can be sad. This realization is most apparent during the holiday season, when everyone is having family gatherings and you’re thousands of miles away from your family. Even though I have been to several Thanksgiving and Christmas parties with my friends, the lack of my family with me can be sad and makes me homesick from time to time. But sometimes, the distance that you have right now is important to truly understand what it’s like to miss your family, so that once you meet up with them again after months and maybe years, you’ll truly be able to understand just how much they mean to you.  Now, we’ve all seen the many memes and jokes surrounding international students in America. There are many jokes made about international students that portray us as rich and spoiled students who buy their way into top universities in the US. While this may be true in many cases, there are also outliers to this trend. Which is why today we will be debunking the myths surrounding international students, with an international student (myself)!

Myth #1: All International Students are Rich and Spoiled:

True…for the most part.

Although a large number of International students do come from wealthy families, not all of us go to class with a Gucci bag and a Rolex Watch. I wish. The spectrum of wealth in International students can be pretty wide. I personally know some international students living on the West Coast that go to the best universities, spend thousands of dollars every month, and drive an Audi that they will sell once they get their degree (watch the movie “Crazy Rich Asians” for reference). These international students are those with the mindset that they’re enjoying life in the US for themselves and, although they might still get good grades, their primary focus in college is to experience the country they are living in to the fullest.

On the other hand, we have International Students who work long hours and spend lots of time in the library because they know that they’re here to study and get a degree so that when they do come back home, they can be of service to many others. This is because education abroad is never cheap for anyone, and many of us value the experience that we have while we’re here by getting the best grades that we can as a way of appreciating the University that we represent.

Myth #2: International Students are Bad at English

            Okay, so this myth comes from the common fact that most international students come from non-English speaking countries. And although some international students can’t speak English very well, you have to remember that English is not their first language. Imagine if you went to another country where English is not the primary language. Would you be offended if you were made fun of for not being proficient in that language? So, before you make fun of someone for not being a good English speaker, please remember that they’re trying their best and that they might have an accent, but that’s because they know another language that you may not.

            Instead of calling someone out and making them feel bad for not having the best English, there’s something more positive that you can do. You can instead be friends with them, converse with them in English and have them learn the slang and modern words that they would normally not find in textbooks (not curse words though). And maybe by doing so, you’ll be helping a fellow student improve their ability to speak English!             I hope this article gives you an insight on what it’s like to study abroad. If you’re ever feeling adventurous, you can always contact your academic advisor and try to apply for a semester overseas. Just be sure to respect the local culture, make some friends in the process, and have fun in the new environment!