Difficulties as International

Before I came to UCSB, I have never been tagged as international. Before all that, I always lived in a familiar environment with my family and my friends. Honestly, it is hard to study abroad on my own. I have to fix everything in my life, cause no one has the responsibility to help me. I learned the ability to take care of myself and the importance of making friends and how much strength they can give me.

Before college, I have to be honest that I don’t have enough ability to take good care of my own. My body is weak and I don’t know how to cook or fix, since in home, everything was done by others. Maybe that is the biggest reason that my parents sent me there. Even without telling me how to solve all the potential problems, my parents left me in America, where I started my new life. At first, the cultural difference is a big barrier that I was not used to living in this way, like drinking cold water, eating pizza and Mexican food, cold temperature after sunset. Quickly after I came there, I got a fever cause I tried the way that Americans live. Obviously, my body broke down. It is my hardest time during my first quarter. Not only I needed to study, I also to recuperate my health. That is the time that I found the how precious my friends are.

They brought me home food that they made especially for me, fruits and medicine that they brought in China. Eating all the missed food, I felt better from the bottom of my heart. Before that, I have never appreciated how much my parents have done for me and their love. I felt so fortunate to have all these friends in UCSB.They are my family here. After the sickness, I changed my living style by heating up water, cooking, bringing extra cloth. By living there on my own, I have to take the responsibility of making my parents trust me and stop worrying about me all the times.

The greatest change is that I became mature. I can do everything on my own. Although I need helps sometimes, friends are another wealth that I got in UCSB.