“I don’t belong anywhere anymore,” is a thought that probably every international student has in their head.

All international students often choose the country with the best quality of education to ensure a good future for themselves. But at what cost?

Moving to a completely new and unfamiliar place, with a completely different culture, mentality, and life. The responsibility to quickly adapt to life in a new environment, study and work in your second or even third language, try to do everything right and not make mistakes, and at the same time find time for a social life. Calling your family and friends on a video call, trying to find a suitable time depending on the time difference between your homeland and the country you are in. Talking to them, smiling and feigning that everything is fine, only to cry after the call is over, as you are unable to tell them that it’s difficult for you here since coming here was your choice in the first place. Loneliness for quite a long time, because making friends in a new, completely unfamiliar environment is not so easy, especially when many have known each other for a long time. While it may seem exaggerated, it’s a common experience for many.

You might then think that every international student feels great upon returning home for vacation, right? I can’t answer for everyone, but unfortunately in my case, the answer to this question is no. After a long time in another country, in one way or another, you begin to lose that strong connection with those who were once close to you in your homeland. The feeling of emptiness during walks in the once familiar places that used to feel like home now seems distant. It’s a subtle yet painful realization that the bond you once had with your homeland is slipping away, and those experiences may never be the same again. The difficulty of making acquaintances with your own people because you have already gotten used to the mentality of the country in which you study. In these moments, it becomes clear that you don’t fully belong in either place. You are caught between two worlds, each one feeling more distant than the last.

Every international student faces a huge number of different obstacles on their way. One of the main ones is the language barrier. No matter how well we know the language, no matter how well we have learned the grammar and all the complexities of the language, talking to people who grew up speaking this language is actually quite difficult at first. 

Cultural adaptation is also a huge difficulty and is probably the most difficult for international students to cope with. Just imagine that you have lived almost your entire conscious life in a certain culture, with its own traditions, and now you are in a completely new country, with a completely different worldview and culture, and you just need to get used to it. 

The same applies to the education system. Although we know what and where we are going when we apply to universities, no international student can really be 100% ready for a new educational system. We need time to get used to it and succeed academically. 

Yes, there are indeed many difficulties, but there are also a lot of advantages to being an international student. 

Staying in a new country definitely gives you a unique opportunity to broaden your horizons. Also, we receive a quality education that is often impossible to obtain in the educational institutions of our home country. Another advantage is career opportunities – by receiving an education abroad, international students open the doors to work at the international level. And of course, personal growth. Living in a foreign country, overcoming difficulties with adaptation, finding a job, and everyday problems, helps to better understand yourself as an individual and better understand your values ​​and the things that you prioritize in your life.

My journey as an international student is just beginning, but nevertheless, in just two years of being in the US, my life has changed dramatically. Many events have happened, some were nightmares, and some the best moments of my life. Of course, it is still a little strange to realize that I am so far from home, but at the same time I really like it here and I am grateful for everything I have. 

Would I change this experience and this period of my life if I had a choice? Absolutely not. I would do it all over again. 

The life of an international student is definitely a difficult one, but it’s also an incredibly interesting experience, full of a huge number of vivid impressions and emotions. In particular, Rowan University provides a variety of opportunities for international students that can allow us to spend these years even more vividly and productively. 

Despite all the difficulties, the advantages of studying abroad do outweigh all these obstacles. So if you are reading this, your thoughts are always racing, and you are worried about everything, while simultaneously trying to succeed at everything, just know that you are never alone. You definitely got this.

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