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Unforgettable Experiences in the U.S. Essay

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Unforgettable Experiences in the U.S.

Problems faced by international students who come to the U.S. for the first time are not always easy to overcome. As one of them, I've found it very difficult to handle most of the problems I've encountered. I've experienced a very terrible culture shock that still makes me upset. As a student, I've found that the personal and cultural problems I experience may gravely affect my grades. The three major problems I've encountered deal with independence, homesickness, and loneliness, which really shocked me.

Since my culture is completely different from the U.S., I was very surprised and shocked by the U.S. way of doing things independently. For many years, I lived in a totally different culture; I …show more content…

As a result, I always think about going back to Indonesia and can't concentrate on studying.

The second problem I face is loneliness. Since I am the only Indonesian student in this university, I can't share my feelings with someone from the same culture and language as mine-someone who can really understand me. So I have nobody to talk with, nobody to complain to, and nobody to share with. For example, as I have observed lately, many other international students prefer to spend most of their time with students from the same country they are from. The only time I can spend with those students is when there is a meeting for international students or an activity that includes all international students. Other than that, I have to stay in my room by myself and just think about home all the time and study. This has put me under great pressure for the four months I have been here, and it's a really serious problem for me to deal with. During weekends, many international students always have fun together with friends from their own countries while I have to stay alone all day in my room. This causes boredom and a dislike of being in America.

The third problem is homesickness. In Indonesia, I used to have a good time with my friends, and my parents made me feel comfortable and secure. I felt that I was always

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