Essay About International Orientation

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The day most international student board the plane to come study in America is probably one of the best days in life. Thereby getting very nervous, overwhelmed and excited for the challenging yet interesting journey ahead. Despite the jet lag that is very bothersome upon arrival, the excitement to sightsee and get to know the new home is uncontrollable. After settling in and meeting other students from all over the world, the idea of being in a completely different place settles in and you start wondering how to take the next step in life. Unfortunately, being in a new place, especially a place like North America brings along many obstacles to both the academic and social life. This is not the easiest place to live for a foreigner due to the …show more content…

This is when all the new coming students, whether international or domestic, get to know each other and the school in general. But before the general orientation begins, foreign students have what’s called “international orientation” where they complete all the immigration documents and solve any issues that may cause legal problems. During this time, you meet fellow students from several countries and share all your fears and expectations. While having dinner, food is the first thing that you notice being different from how it usually is back home and this is probably the most discouraging part of this journey. For instance, in international orientation, there are several activities taking place around campus and all of them have food and refreshments. As a new person in any new place, the food will of course look different and on some level taste different. On average, chicken is the most consumed food in America, and as an international student here I wasn’t surprised. Although, what surprised me was sweet …show more content…

A lot of foreign students don’t have the English lever required by the university, as a result, they must take the ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. These classes are extremely helpful because you learn how to properly communicate which is something needed to get by everyday activities. On the contrary, this delays students because while other students are advancing with their majors, you are still learning English. “I have no idea what I will be doing in chemical engineering since I am still taking English classes. It is very frustrating, but I guess I need this particular skill in my major” says Joyce, a Rwandese student at Michigan State

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