When economics senior Symbat Payayeva first came to America, she had trouble adjusting to American culture, food and language. Coming from a very traditional part of Kazakhstan, everything in the U.S. was very different.
Now, she said she has gotten used to American food, speaks fluent English and is president of the International Students Association, a feat which exemplifies one of her favorite things about America.
“You can gain new experiences and start from nothing into the highest level,” she said.
According to the website for the Office of International Students and Scholars, the number of international students enrolled at MSU continued to surpass the number of graduate students in fall 2013, when 7,161 international students were enrolled at MSU. These students came to MSU’s campus from countries around the world, and some were in for a culture shock and change of lifestyle.
Electrical engineering senior Ali ElSeddik, president of the Libyan Student Association, came from Libya to America in order to pursue higher education and a university degree. ElSeddik said one difference that stood out between the two countries was the diversity in America.
“Coming from a very homogeneous society to a place where there are a lot of different cultures mixed together, even people from America have their own culture,” he said. “It’s definitely different.”
Mechanical engineering graduate student Raghav Ravi, president of the Indian Student Organization, said he came to the U.S. to get his master’s degree.
He got his bachelor’s degree in his home country of India. One of the things he said he liked about America is the independence and freedom he has here. He noted, however, American families seem less close and not often in touch with each other.
“It’s all about yourself and it’s kind of good in a way and kind of bad too, because you ... have to do everything by yourself,” he said.
Public policy graduate student Stephanie Lawalu, president of the Indonesian Student Association, said she won a scholarship from the United States Agency for International Development, allowing her to attend an American school of her choosing.
She said she chose MSU because she wanted to experience a colder climate than that of Indonesia’s, her home country. While the U.S. and Indonesia are drastically different in terms of culture, Lawalu said she feels right at home here.
“Of course, at first I felt like I am totally a stranger, but I don’t feel like a stranger at all (anymore),” she said. “Wherever I go in MSU, I can find a community where I can mingle with them and then feel like I’m home, because they are my family here.”
Arts and humanities senior Moussa Traore said he came to America to learn more about English and to earn a degree in that field.
Hailing from Mali, he said he noticed the culture here, particularly in terms of greetings and clothing, is very different. Traore said he finds some social norms to be a bit cold, but he enjoys the freedom and opportunities America has to offer.
“As long as you want to move forward, you will have all the resources available to get you where you want to be,” he said. “Over here, we have enough resources to promote people’s individual development.”
