Remember the hassle of college applications? The transcripts, recommendations, SATs and scholarship applications? The stress of finding the “perfect” school? Now add a visa and passport application to the mess of paperwork, and decide what school to go to without ever setting foot on the campus.
Welcome to the life of an international student.
Why would anyone choose to go to college thousands of miles away from home, experience culture shock and only talk to family on the phone at weird hours because of the time difference?
The answers are as varied as the types of international students, says Diana Dimitrova, director of International Student Services at Ithaca College.
“International students are one area where the definition really matters,” Dimitrova says while explaining that there is a narrow and a broad definition of the term. Dimitrova’s narrow definition includes students who live outside the United States and are here on student visas. Her broad definition encompasses students here on different types of visas, refugees, students who are permanent residents and have green cards, and students who have U.S. passports but live outside the U.S. with their families due to mixed marriages, military service or missionary work.
Naomy Gmyrek, a sophomore at Ithaca College, fits Dimitrova’s broad definition of an international student. Gmyrek’s father is American and her mother is Indonesian, so the family lives in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Gmyrek chose to go to college in the U.S. because the quality of education in Indonesia is much lower.
“Indonesia doesn’t offer a legitimate educational system,” Gmyrek says. “If you get a degree at the University of Indonesia you won’t get a job anywhere but there, whereas in the States you get a degree here and have a ticket to go anywhere.”
Graham King, a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame, left Dublin, Ireland to pursue a career in athletics.
“Tennis facilities back home are terrible; tennis facilities here at Notre Dame are great,” King says. The fact that his older brother was attending Notre Dame also factored into his decision.
Aviva Stahl, 20, grew up in Wyckoff, N.J. but chose to go to college outside the U.S. Stahl attends McGill University in Montreal.
“The most important factor was certainly money,” Stahl says, explaining that her tuition will be around $5,500 this year.
Aside from finances, Stahl says McGill has an excellent reputation and offers a development major, something she was looking for.
“Montreal’s party reputation and the 18-year-old drinking age were factors as well,” Stahl admits.
Because of the tremendous diversity of international students, Dimitrova said it is a challenge to plan Ithaca College’s international student orientation every August to fit the needs of all the students in the group.
“The needs of a student who drove down from Toronto…are different from someone in rural Africa for whom English is a fourth language,” she says. “And there’s everyone in between and over the map.”
Still, Dimitrova says many of the students have questions about the technicalities of college life: “They don’t know what a bursar is. What is a registrar? They have a million questions about housing.”
International students get their questions answered during a three-day orientation. Financial counselors deal with money issues, Public Safety officers explain differences in U.S. laws, representatives from the health center explain medical services available on campus, and campus employment is discussed. A mock lecture on culture shock is presented using Microsoft Powerpoint to prepare students for the format of classes. The placement tests students take are often the first written exams they have ever taken. The goal of orientation, says Dimitrova, is “preparation for what’s to come.”
But students say the challenges are often quite different and subtle.
Gmyrek struggled in her politics classes last year not because she didn’t understand the material, but because she was lacking basic knowledge of U.S. history. Political colloquialisms such as Watergate were lost on her. Keeping up with the competitive pace of America was also difficult.
King says he finds it hard to tolerate some aspects of American culture, such as sports and music.
“The hardest and most annoying part for me has to be the talk about football and baseball, of which I've absolutely no interest,” he says. “People talk too much about sports here. I really don’t like the popular music here. I've no time for rap and all that but I can’t get away from it.”
For Stahl, the difficulties associated with getting home frustrate her. Flights are expensive, and taking the bus across the border is complicated because of customs. The language barrier is also challenging.
“It can be frustrating sometimes and embarrassing not to speak French in a bilingual city,” she says.
Stahl says the small inconveniences collectively pile up.
“I see my family a lot less now, and it’s harder to communicate with my friends, and I miss quirky little American differences like having The New York Times everywhere and not being yelled at for having an American cell phone number. The little things add up, you know?”
Despite the challenges, there are some perks to being an international student. Gmyrek says she feels very free here, a change from being under the strict Sharia law in Indonesia that curbs much of people’s freedom of expression. She also comments on the opportunities in the U.S. that range from freedom of speech to taking interesting electives.
“Where in all of Indo will you find a class that teaches people to do field archery?” she says. “The opportunities here are incredible.”
King says he enjoys the curiosity associated with being an international student.
“Everyone is interested in you and where you come from,” he says. “It’s a great ice breaker.”
To students considering studying internationally, King and Stahl warn that it is a serious commitment to a whole new lifestyle.
“Just know what you're getting yourself into,” King says. “A friend of mine from back home had to go home after the first year. She was really homesick, couldn't take it. Just put some serious thought into the decision before you put pen to paper.”
“It's harder than you think,” Stahl says. “There was definitely some adjustment time for me. Even Canada, which most people think is basically the U.S. anyway, has some real differences in culture and lifestyle.”
Gmyrek warns about having unrealistic expectations and romantic ideas.
“Don’t go with any expectations,” she says. “Most of the time you’ll be disappointed. Don’t expect exotic India with the Taj Mahal and beautiful people dancing in the streets. What you’ll see are smelly markets with chicken poop all over.”
