I was born and raised in Khumjung, a small village in Nepal. My father was a teacher before he retired. When I was a child my father taught me that knowledge is the only asset no thief can steal. So, I began dreaming of collecting as much knowledge as possible.
I completed my master’s degree in Nepal. To further my education, I decided to study abroad in the United States. Here, not only am I getting a degree but am also learning about new cultures and gaining new experiences.
In the U.S., people from all around gather, learn and share under the same roof. This is a golden opportunity for me because it facilitates my desire for knowledge and learning.
About two years ago, I applied for the NIU graduate program. When I got my acceptance letter, I was overjoyed. At that time I was mentally prepared to face any challenges that might happen in the future.
After landing in the U.S., I felt I was in a dreamland. Airports are so large you need to catch a train to get from one terminal to the next; most families own multiple cars; there are flashy lights and huge billboards; people are everywhere and anywhere.
Some details were more underwhelming.
In Nepal we have mountains and hills, but in Illinois there are no mountains, no hills.
DeKalb is covered with corn and beans.
Back home, I imagined skyscrapers everywhere in the U.S., but they are mostly only in big cities. Most of the houses are made of wood, and so small that they look like doll houses.
The first challenge for me was adapting to the weather. I come from a subtropical climate, where the temperature changes gradually. Here, winters are extremely cold and summers are very hot. Most of the fall and spring are marked by snow and strong winds.
A second challenge was adapting to the flavor of the food here. American food is too bland for me, and it took a long time to adapt to the flavor – or lack thereof.
Back in my home country, we prepared food by ourselves and bought fresh vegetables and meat every day.
But preparing food every day is time-consuming, and if you do not have a car, shopping is hard here, especially during winter. I prefer spicy food, and to prepare that kind of food, I need different kinds of ingredients. For those I have to go to Chicago, and those spices are expensive because they are imported from India.
Homesickness is another challenge other international students may relate to.
I am from a joint family and, being the youngest, I was pampered growing up. Most of the time my older siblings would do the cooking and cleaning chores. Food was prepared according to my taste. They never scolded me, and I was never alone. Here, I have to do everything by myself, and I cannot complain because they are my choices.
Here, all are busy with their work and studies. I don’t often have as much time to express or share my feelings with my friends and family. My family and I are on a 12-hour time difference, so I cannot properly talk with them. My cousin, brother and sister live in America but in a different state. We all are busy with our own studies and work, so it’s hard to keep in touch.
I have to handle everything by myself, and even small problems can make me feel anxious and overwhelmed.
After classes started, I felt pressure from the combined work of attending classes, researching and teaching classes to maintain grades, completing weekly assignments for my studies, doing research and receiving unexpected results.
English is a second language for me. As a graduate assistant, I need to teach a general chemistry lab and communicate with my students.
Lots of times, there are misunderstandings during communication with my students.
Even though I was mentally prepared for every negative possibility with this transition, sometimes the problems I encounter in the U.S. go beyond my imagination.
After a long and tiring day of work, I miss the aroma of homemade food, I miss my parents calling me to have dinner and talking about work while we eat.
Being an international student opens me to a new world with a new perspective, but I cannot overlook the responsibility and expectations that come with it.
I’ll keep working on it until I have achieved my dream.
