International Student Living in USA?

I think the most difficult concept in America was the fact that following Sep 11, 2001, by holding the F-1 status you have gifted your personal liberties to the International Student Office. As an international student, you can not travel home without getting a signature from the Office of International Students which even today, I find outrageous. Furthermore, at certain State Universities they ensure you do NOT feel home...

It was also a time, voicing concerns on Human Rights, and peace sentiments were considered as a threat to American Values. Furthermore to this depending on the school you attend, it was also possible to see that foreign students were not very welcome, although I must add this might be unique to South,and old fashion colleges, good old boys...

Another point to raise is the suburbia culture. Esspecially for people from fast paced metropolitans, this is a bit awkward situation. You are missing so many elements of life, and you stay alone. It provides time to think, what you wanted to do in life.

Then comes the system. By definition, when you first arrive you are a foreign element. You do not have a social security number, no one is willing to provide a cell phone, or a credit card which are the essential elements of the modern life. Hence  you really have to try hard to integrate.

The fact that you will stay to be foreign to America for a long time fail to encourage one.  (Though it is questionable why should you decide to do so when you are so unwanted).Spending time in Canada is much more meaningful.

Finally, you start questioning, when your peers are working in big metropolitans like London, Paris, why should you settle for suburbia, even if the state of the art does exist there...

I think the US post Sept 11, is a lonely sad place. Miles away from the dream Bill Clinton exhibited. I am afraid even Obama did not manage to change that.

My father used to talk about the Vietnam depression. W definetly managed to leave his bruise in the history...

Hi,

I was an International Student at the University of North Carolina 5 years ago and I don't think I experienced any major culture shocks.  By nature of American culture being such a dominant part of the global culture I think you walk into it with your eyes fairly open. 

Also, I lived on campus and I was surrounded by liberal, well educated, fairly well travelled individuals who were all intrigued and excited to learn about people from other cultures.  The major difference is that it's not as academically rigorous at the undergrad level in America and students take a wider range of subjects.  There's also a  level of informality that's not typical of the European uni experience both in terms of relationships with lecturers and the general dress code i.e., students turning up to class in pyjama bottoms.  There are other minor differences like having to share with a roommate and not cooking for yourself when you're living on campus but that is part of the fun. 

I had an excellent experience with the International Office at the Uni of North Carolina who were timely in setting us up with bank accounts, information, cultural events, etc.  We were also given a lot of support throughout the year from the International Office and had no problems in leaving the Country and going home for holiday's etc. 

Good luck with your research.

Hi,

I have been an international student in the US for nearly two years. I did not experience cultural shocks, but it was a bit annyoning when americans assumed you knew everything about their culure.

I wish I had known that education would cost me the annual income of the average american. The quality was not that great and I felt like overpaying for learning most of what I have already learned in high school.

I did not like the laws and rules. Speeding tickets do not exist where I'm from and the drinking age is only 16. The tuition fees where ridicoulous, car insurance very expensive, and paying for my health insurance was a rip off. I was paying over a thousand for my health insurance per year and one day I had a stye in my eye. My insurance would not cover medications; CVS & Walgreens asked me to pay over a hundred for a stye ointment.

Even if the academic experience was not that great meeting other international students from all around the world, speaking to them using their native language was a very nice eperience.