Quotes from International students

I went around asking International students, what it feels like to be an International student at Trinity University and below are their responses.

Miroslav Getov from Bulgaria,
“I feel like I am in a very accepting place, both because of the number of international students and of the tolerant attitude of everybody else towards me.
I always know that there is somebody I can relate to.
I feel enriched by the chance Trinity gave me to come into contact with people from so many different cultures.
I feel there is no segregation between internationals and Americans, although I do feel closer to the internationals - it is as we share a secret only we know.”

                                            


Nellin Njovu from Tanzania,
“Learning abroad, responsibilities too soon”

                                              

Asavari Jalan from India,
“Being an International student at Trinity is very enriching yet challenging at the same time, but I must admit that Trinity was prepared for us and welcomed each and everyone us well.”

                                                          

Thavindra Ekanayake from Sri Lanka,
“My experience as an International student in Trinity University so far has been very positive. For me the best part about being here is that I get the opportunity to make friends from students all over the world. I have become friends with students from Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ecuador, and India...etc. This makes the Trinity experience more exciting and enjoyable.”

                                                  

Alex Serikali from Tanzania,
“Being an international student means getting the chance to learn a whole new culture you are not used to. As time goes by, you get used to it though. Being an International student also gives me a chance to live an experience of living thousands of hundreds of miles away from my family and home, it is not any easy encounter, not at all!! One American student admits he wouldn’t be able to live that far away from home, he can barely stay on campus on the weekends.”

Mai Dang from Vietnam
“It has been a wonderful experience studying at Trinity University. Here I find everybody including students, professors and even the President so friendly that I have had no trouble adapting to college life.”

      Finally, although it’s been a very welcoming experience, everything comes with its costs and benefits and certainly from most of the International students, the benefits outweigh the costs. On behalf, of all international students, we are all very grateful that we are here.

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Points of Differences

Coming from a completely different setting with completely different customs, cultures and traditions presents international students with a situation of cultural shock and extreme adaptation. The beginning of the semester was a journey like no other. Most of the International students were homesick by mid October and it was a rough time as most of them wanted to go home. However, flying home wasn’t the option in mid-October and so international students had to adapt quickly to the Texan way of life and the way things were done here.

            One of the areas where we as international students had to adjust to was the language and the jokes. Apart from the language difference, at the beginning of the semester it was hard for most international students to get some of the American jokes, and sometimes when we were translating a joke from our native language it didn’t come across as funny. Therefore, most of us learnt that a language is a big part of a nation’s culture. The language that people speak defines its culture.

In addition, the food was extremely different, most of us come from countries where we don’t fry everything we eat, therefore that was a major difference. Most of us have boiled foods and food that is cooked with lots of other vegetables and so it took some time for us to get adjusted to Mabee and Coates food.

 Furthermore, the clothing here was relaxed, as students went to class in their  pajamas, but where most of us are from, you are never meant to be seen in your pajamas, they are only meant for sleeping. And whenever, you walk out of your house, you are supposed to be dressed well,  regardless of whether you are going to a nearby shop, class or restaurant.

Another thing that was really shocking to me, personally, was the meaning of the words, “let’s go out”, back home, if somebody says lets go out, they the ones who initiated the plan, are the ones paying, but here in Texas, you each bring your own money. It was really astonishing because back home people take you out and when they do, they pay all your bills. When your friends back home say ‘let’s go out,’

 You rest assured that they will be paying all of your bills.     

Therefore, for most of us it was a great learning experience as you get to see just how different our cultures really are and the importance that a language has in defining a culture.