I found the video on Culture Shock fascinating! As an international student from India, most of the points outlined in the video really hit home.
I loved that the experiences shared by students in these videos were honest. The feeling of arriving in the United States and setting foot into your dorm is eerie and also exciting. The first few weeks at school for me were wonderful thanks to some excellent people who I met during orientation who went on to become my best friends, but I imagine that it is not the same for everyone. I can relate to the girl from Germany who talks about sitting alone in her cold apartment wondering if she made the right decision to come so far way from home to study. This is something that I think about often as well, but I remind myself that I am truly lucky to have the opportunity to study here.
Another topic which I can definitely relate to is the difference in academics in the US versus in other countries. In India, one isn't encouraged to engage in dialogue with a professor during class and content should generally not be questioned. I really appreciate that this isn't the case in the US. I often find it hard to break out of this mindset, but at times the old mindset of not questioning creeps up and I still find it hard to disagree with professors. I really appreciate that professors here go out of their way to make students feel comfortable with asking questions and approaching them after class/for office hours.
I can also relate to the difference in the way English is spoken in America. It took me a long time to adjust to the quintessential 'how are you?', and to respond by just saying 'Fine, thanks, how are you?', as opposed to engaging in a meaningful conversation.
Culture shock is something that is very real for people who are new to a country, but having good people around helps tremendously with the move to a new country.
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