December 05, 2010
Not Alone
There are many students around the world who decide to go study abroad. Their place of choice is usually a far country, with a different language (s), different cultures, customs.....etc. What they might have mostly in common is their share of homesickness,loneliness, cultural sock or difficulties to adapt themselves to their new surroundings.
At HCC, their are a few students from Senegal that I have befriended over the semesters. Among them is Awa; Awa has being in the USA for two years and half now. She is pursuing a major in Computer Science following her childhood fascination with everything that deals with computers, Internet and networking. She speaks 3 languages:Wolof, French and English. According to Awa, being able to speak different languages helps her interact better with other students or people from other backgrounds. So far, she thinks choosing to come to USA has been a great experience for her because it has enabled her to meet new people and learn about others` cultures thanks to the diversity at HCC.
Just like other foreign students, she has also experienced homesickness and loneliness even though she has some relatives around the country. Her remedy to beat homesickness is to cook Senegalese food, socialize with other Senegalese people, watch Senegalese music, movies videos on Youtube or go to visit her friends in New York to change air a bit.
For this holiday season she is planning to go visit her family in Senegal since she has not been there for quite a while now, and also because the winter is not one of her favorite seasons at all.
Hopefully she will have a good vacation in Senegal with her friends and family before coming back and dealing with the cold weather....again :)
At HCC, their are a few students from Senegal that I have befriended over the semesters. Among them is Awa; Awa has being in the USA for two years and half now. She is pursuing a major in Computer Science following her childhood fascination with everything that deals with computers, Internet and networking. She speaks 3 languages:Wolof, French and English. According to Awa, being able to speak different languages helps her interact better with other students or people from other backgrounds. So far, she thinks choosing to come to USA has been a great experience for her because it has enabled her to meet new people and learn about others` cultures thanks to the diversity at HCC.
Just like other foreign students, she has also experienced homesickness and loneliness even though she has some relatives around the country. Her remedy to beat homesickness is to cook Senegalese food, socialize with other Senegalese people, watch Senegalese music, movies videos on Youtube or go to visit her friends in New York to change air a bit.
For this holiday season she is planning to go visit her family in Senegal since she has not been there for quite a while now, and also because the winter is not one of her favorite seasons at all.
Hopefully she will have a good vacation in Senegal with her friends and family before coming back and dealing with the cold weather....again :)
November 14, 2010
Life Away From Home...
I came to the USA on a cold and snowy January morning. One of those mornings where you wish the sun would come out and bring some warmth. I was very exhausted after eight hours of flight over the Atlantic Ocean and hours spent waiting in airports between connections...but still excited after all . It was my first time seeing snow...lol. Yeah. It does not snow in Senegal! Along the way I met some nice people who were kind enough to answer my questions and direct me whenever I seemed lost, which I appreciated a lot.
For someone who was born and raised in a different country, living in the USA was not an hassle mostly because I am very adaptable.
Nevertheless, the first year was the hardest as always. Being away from home, not being able to see those you loved and the cold winter with no sun in the sky contributed to making me more homesick.
Along the way, I was lucky to have some great people as my teachers who were always open to help me and give me good advice. Besides, while living on campus during my first year at my previous school in Bristol, VA I made some great friends who taught me about the American culture and made my transition smoother. I liked that school a lot; everyone was very friendly and my adviser was such a sweet person but I felt like I was missing that international experience I was looking for. Besides I was the only African student there.
Coming to HCC has given me the opportunity to meet different people from different countries and experience that international diversity I have been seeking. Nothing is more comforting that walking in the hallway and hearing someone speak a language that you have spoken all your life or meeting someone who lives in the same city or country as you do when both of you are miles away from home!
Living away from home for the first time was not easy at the beginning but with time I have come to enjoy it and appreciate every bit of it. I have come to realize that the best way to deal with others is to keep an open mind and try to understand them rather than being judgmental.
Besides, I think it is through life experiences that we grow into responsible human beings. Experiences nurture our souls and broaden our horizons. Traveling helps us see the world beyond what the media shows us on television.
For someone who was born and raised in a different country, living in the USA was not an hassle mostly because I am very adaptable.
Nevertheless, the first year was the hardest as always. Being away from home, not being able to see those you loved and the cold winter with no sun in the sky contributed to making me more homesick.
Along the way, I was lucky to have some great people as my teachers who were always open to help me and give me good advice. Besides, while living on campus during my first year at my previous school in Bristol, VA I made some great friends who taught me about the American culture and made my transition smoother. I liked that school a lot; everyone was very friendly and my adviser was such a sweet person but I felt like I was missing that international experience I was looking for. Besides I was the only African student there.
Coming to HCC has given me the opportunity to meet different people from different countries and experience that international diversity I have been seeking. Nothing is more comforting that walking in the hallway and hearing someone speak a language that you have spoken all your life or meeting someone who lives in the same city or country as you do when both of you are miles away from home!
Living away from home for the first time was not easy at the beginning but with time I have come to enjoy it and appreciate every bit of it. I have come to realize that the best way to deal with others is to keep an open mind and try to understand them rather than being judgmental.
Besides, I think it is through life experiences that we grow into responsible human beings. Experiences nurture our souls and broaden our horizons. Traveling helps us see the world beyond what the media shows us on television.
Studying Abroad......Three Thousand Miles From Home?
I am by nature an adventurous person, maybe it because I am a Sagittarius, a sign known for its love of adventure and new discoveries, who knows? Well, I have always wanted to see the world and experience how it would feel like living in a foreign country and learning about other cultures.
I remember during my senior year in high school when everyone was busy searching about schools to go to in Europe or Canada, I had already made my mind. I wanted to go and study in the USA. One of the things that has motivated me to do so is the fact that I like learning new languages and English is one of those languages that are spoken by many people around the globe. Besides an American education would allow me to meet other people from different countries and cultures who are seeking the same experience as I do.
Therefore, I can honestly say I wanted something new, different, exciting, and since my desire was to study Business, my research showed me that the USA has some good business schools that could give me the formation I needed in that field.
Just as Twain said it: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." I think going after your dreams even if it means traveling to the other side of the world to an unknown place can be a rewarding experience; furthermore it saves you from future regrets for not having done what you really wanted to do in the first place.
I remember during my senior year in high school when everyone was busy searching about schools to go to in Europe or Canada, I had already made my mind. I wanted to go and study in the USA. One of the things that has motivated me to do so is the fact that I like learning new languages and English is one of those languages that are spoken by many people around the globe. Besides an American education would allow me to meet other people from different countries and cultures who are seeking the same experience as I do.
Therefore, I can honestly say I wanted something new, different, exciting, and since my desire was to study Business, my research showed me that the USA has some good business schools that could give me the formation I needed in that field.
Just as Twain said it: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." I think going after your dreams even if it means traveling to the other side of the world to an unknown place can be a rewarding experience; furthermore it saves you from future regrets for not having done what you really wanted to do in the first place.
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