As an international graduate, studying abroad is always a new and unique experience. However, with unique experiences come new challenges. We may frequently feel baffled, unsure and uncomfortable studying in different country. People have different values and distinctive ways of doing things that might seem peculiar to us. We may feel that everything has changed, including the support of family and friends. Despite all these challenges, I choose to study in the United States to accomplish my future goals. There are several reasons why students choose to come and pursue their education in the United States: internship opportunities, beneficial job prospects, advanced facilities and cultural enhancement.
Culturally, there is a lot of difference between Thailand and the United States. Unlike Thailand, United States is a very diverse country with many different cultures. People in America tends to lean towards individualistic society and are more self-centered and emphasize personal achievement. In contrast, people in Thailand tends to lean towards collective society and emphasize the importance of group rights over individual rights. For instance, when I first started my undergraduate course, I was surprised to learn that my classmate did not want to complete the presentation as a group. Instead they wanted to complete the presentation individually, but in Thailand, people would work collectively to complete their assignments. Being the only international student for my undergraduate class, it was a bit intimidating. However, I began to learn about the American culture and started adapting to it. I was able to interpret the local customs and behaviors that felt unusual to me initially and became more familiar with the culture.
Another major culture difference that I noticed here is that people like to make eye contact while conversing with other people, which is completely opposite in my country. Most of the international student studying here in the United States experience this particular issue. In our culture, people do not usually make eye contact while interacting with others. It is considered as a sign of disrespect while making eye contact with the elderly person. However, in the United States, it is considered as a sign of ignorance when people do not make eye contact while communicating. For example, people in the U.S. have a misunderstanding about people making eye contact. Most people in Asia do not like making eye contact and the U.S. people tends to have different opinions about our behavior. Considering the fact that this is just a misinterpretation about people, we need to adjust to the local culture and act accordingly.
Studying in the U.S. have been really astounding and to learn about new culture and experiencing unusual custom have been exciting part of my life. I came to America not only to study but also for a social life and society and learning the culture. Students should understand that it is crucial to participate in various activities and take advantage of the time staying here. This process will enable them to make the best use out of the time spend here. Considering some of the challenges that I faced, I had the opportunity to learn more about myself here and was able to identify the things I wanted to achieve. This experience of studying here will help me develop myself greatly.