9 Struggles for International Students

GET USED TO CARRYING YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU

Most international students studying in America struggle with some very real — and very common— issues. When I came to the U.S. from Vietnam, I sometimes felt that every day brought endless frustrations that I wasn’t sure how to overcome.

If this happens to you, just remember that you’re not alone. Be strong and hang in there! Talk to your family, friends, professors, counselors — and ask for help and support. I’m positive that you can get through these struggles.

1. Figuring out the American date format - I grew up with the day/month/year format, but in America, people write dates as month/day/year. Imagine how confused I was during my first year in the U.S.! While it’s easy to realize that 06/25/2014 means June 25, 2014 (since the 25th month doesn’t exist), I still get confused whenever the day is a number less than 12. For example, I automatically perceive 10/08/2014 to be August 10, 2014 when it actually means October 8, 2014 in America!
2. Dealing with people who assume you can’t speak any English ... - If you say you’re an international student, there will always be a person who automatically assumes that you don’t know any English. Trying to be considerate and understanding, he or she will start to speak very slowly and even spell out difficult words, just so you’ll understand!
3. … or assume that you understand American slang - Instead of assuming that you don’t know English, people may believe that your English is as good as a native speaker’s. Thus, they start speaking extremely fast with lots of complicated technical terms, slang words and idioms and expect you to understand and reply with similar terms.
4. Dealing with stereotypes - Regardless of where you’re from, you’re almost certain to have to deal people who believe stereotypes about international students, including your English skills, major of study, food and even personality. You may want to ignore these people, but don’t forget that you have the right to speak up and let them know that these stereotypes are offensive and you’re not OK with them.
5. Feeling lonely without your family and old friends - It’s always challenging at first to be in a new environment, without your close ones around for comfort and support. During my first year in the U.S., I felt lonely, homesick and even lost trying to figure my way around my school and neighborhood and coping with the transition to a new culture. Although it wasn’t easy, I learned how to be independent and to treasure the short times I had with my family and old friends whenever I was able to reunite with them!
6. Getting used to the drinking age - In many countries, the legal drinking age is 18. In America, it’s 21. So even though, you can drink legally in your home country at 18, 19 or 20, you’re still underage when it comes to alcohol consumption in the U.S.!
7. Carrying your passport wherever you go - Before I had my driver’s license, I had to bring my passport with me pretty much everywhere I went, since it was my only form of ID. (Unfortunately, many places didn’t accept my school ID.) I was always worried that I might lose it somewhere and wouldn’t be able to go back home!
8. Getting used to huge portion sizes - In the majority of restaurants in America, food portions are very generous. Like actually huge! I remember going to a Vietnamese restaurant in Orange County, California, for the first time and ordering a bowl of pho — only to see the waiter bring out an almost 12-inch bowl full of pho! Back home, I would eat pho in a 7 or 8-inch bowl! No wonder people typically share food and almost always bring back leftovers. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just remember to pace yourself and ask for to-go boxes when you can’t eat anymore.
9. Accepting that you may have to leave the U.S. after graduation - No matter how much fun you’re having, ultimately you may have to go back home when your study-abroad journey ends — unless you’re able to obtain an H-1B visa or Green Card and can stay in the U.S. legally. This means you may have to say goodbye to all the friends you’ve made and everything you’ve become familiar with in America.

Hue La, center, returned to Vietnam after graduation from USC in Los Angeles

By HUE LA

FROM STUDY ABROAD CORNER

(Hue La, founder of Study Abroad Corner, attended Occidental College and the University of Southern California. Visit: studyabroadcorner.com.)

Opening photo:  Odua Images/Shutterstock.