As an international student, one of the first things to learn is how to be independent in a foreign country.
In countries like mine – the Dominican Republic – and especially in Latin American nations, we are used to having things easy. Our mothers and fathers are always there for us. Most of us live with our parents until we get married, and we know how to get to every corner of our cities.
But when you arrive in a new country, you tend to feel disoriented. My own experience helped me realize that international students really do need some extra help, something I wish our campus would offer more.
I understand that because USF St. Petersburg is a small campus, the international services department is at the Tampa campus, in a city with a much larger foreign population.
According to the university, there were 42,030 students enrolled at the Tampa campus in fall ‘15, compared to 4,725 in St. Pete.
But foreign students still need some kind of assistance – whether it’s to help them get to the office in Tampa, find safe and affordable places to live, or how to navigate around town.
These things are important when you arrive in a new country.
Every student has an advisor, and while they are certainly helpful, international students aren’t just leaving their parents for the first time. They aren’t just transferring from another U.S. school. These students just left their country, left everything they’ve ever known, to come study here.
And while there is an international student adviser that foreign students can contact, it simply isn’t enough.
I know USFSP is a considerably smaller campus. I don’t expect the same international services that are offered in Tampa, but I do think administration should make implementing additional resources for foreign students a priority.
My department and professors have guided me during this process, but as an international student, sometimes you need someone to tell you, for example, which neighborhoods are safe and which aren’t, where the closest or cheapest grocery stores are, and so on.
This college can offer so much to an international scholar, and I hope that other foreign students who come in the future will be able to get more guidance and advice.
All the challenges we face at different points in our lives are part of becoming an individual. I can say that, after my first semester, I feel stronger. I’ve seen how we just have to do things for ourselves and survive.
I would advise any international student to not be afraid to express your feelings, it can save you a lot of frustration. When it comes to asking for help, approach your classmates and professors. You will be amazed at the amount of people who are willing to give you a hand.
It’s like a labyrinth, you might not see the exit right away, but eventually, you’ll be able to get out of it.
All of us can get overwhelmed by the new faces and fresh course loads that come with a new semester, but imagine all of that happening in a country that you just set foot on – for the first time.
