Advantages as an International Student
As an international student, I have lots of troubles during the process of attending college, but I also have some advantages.
We can practice a second language as international students. When we are studying in America, we have to speak to others in English instead of our mother language. Although it’s not easy, and sometimes it could be an obstacle of communicating with people, we can practice English in this all-English environment, and it can absolutely improve our English speaking skill. My English speaking is not enough for now, but I believe I can be better here.
Moreover, while we are living away from our own country, we can learn more different culture and traditions. Different places have different customs, and getting to know more unusual things is very exciting for me. For example, in China, humility is very popular virtue. When someone makes achievements and be praised by others, he usually shows respect by lowering himself. But in America, people would never deny others praises. They would show gratitude back. There is numerous cultural diversity between China and America, and it is always interesting to study other cultures for me. As an international student, I can also spread Chinese culture here to contribute to the development of multi-cultural society.
International students can learn how to be more independent while studying abroad. In a foreign country, there’s no others can take care of us. We can only do it by ourselves. During these years studying abroad, international students will be more capable of various kinds of things in daily life, like better cooking skills, better ability of enduring loneliness, and stronger mental capacity of facing challenges. When I first came here, I felt really sad because of the departure between me and my family. I felt extremely stressed out at the beginning of the quarter because there are many things I need to deal with by myself, and no one can give me a hand in that I hardly have friends here. But now, I become much stronger than before. I can solve lots of problems by myself, and I am not as timid as I first came here. Strange environment makes me braver and tougher, and I believe I can be more independent in the future.
