My life has changed a whole lot in the past one year. So much so that I feel I am a new person altogether, perhaps something like a coccoon transforming to a butterfly and spreading its wings to fly off.
I have been brought up as a very sheltered child who never did anything except studying and spending time with family and friends. I had freedom, but coming from a traditional household, that was limited too. 23 years of my life was spent like this...in one house with very less exposure to the outside world.
August of 2007 brought a sea change in me as I crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The first thing I felt was "the world is so GREAT!!!" I felt alone, yes I did but the experiences I started gaining was so wonderful that I understood why people from early days used to leave home to find the unknown...
wanderlust they call it. I feel that...
There are thousands of international students who come every year to the US for their higher studies and I am no exception. I am an FOB (Fresh off Board) who came to the US with high hopes. But I dont want to be just a masters student who wants to gain a high career, my aim is not just reaching the end point of the road but to cherish the sights and sounds I get to experience while I walk down that road of life.
And life has given me all wonderful things!!! I was so excited when I saw the Moon over the North Pole while on the flight from New Delhi to Chicago... it is wonderful and I am so lucky that I get to appreciate these facets of life.
Don't I feel homesick like the other internationals?? Yeah, surely I do. But I have another home here too. My friends from so many countries, Bangladesh to Brazil and Spain to Philippines make me feel so special and I understand that people from different countries, having different cultures, speaking different languages can be so similar to one another. It feels awesome to think that the people I spend time with now were literally spread out all over the world just a year back. Someone grew up in the deserted land of Libya, someone was in a bustling city of China and someone was a boy from the farmlands of Illinois!!! But they are my friends now and they make my life the way it is.
Not just my friends, but my advisor and my project manager are two people who have made my life a lot easier. When it comes to motivating a student, look up to my advisor. She understands the feelings of an international student and knows exactly well how much to push a student. Somehow, she has never forgotten her own grad-student life and NEVER pressurizes me to do something which is way too difficult for me. My project manager is kind of my guardian angel...from showing me how to write a check and to taking me for shopping, she is always there!!!
My birthday is always THE DAY for me. I love to get all the attention of people (I am quite a "demanding princess" to quote one of my friends!!!) I was rather doubtful how my birthday party would be this year. But, it seems people really love me, for not only did my friends prepare for a blast, one of them sang Happy Birthday in Chinese and my roomie prepared noodles for me as is a custom in her country!!! I was so moved!!!
Believe me, there are only two kinds of people in the world-- good and bad. And there are many many more good people than bad ones. The world is such a nice place to live in...and it becomes nicer when you have sweet people to share it with.
I love my life in USA so much... I now know the taste of hot dogs and sweet tea....I celebrated 4th of July with a cookout...I know football teams get 6 points when they score a touchdown... and today when a group of high school students were singing the American National Anthem, I felt that though this is not my original home, I love this country a lot because of the wonderful experiences I am having here...!!! I thank my parents for not just letting me come here but understanding that this would be the best thing for me.
I hope to have many more nice experiences here as I want to blend the east and west in myself and in people I am close to so that we get a next generation of world citizens who are rich in humanity and love for the humankind.
I have been brought up as a very sheltered child who never did anything except studying and spending time with family and friends. I had freedom, but coming from a traditional household, that was limited too. 23 years of my life was spent like this...in one house with very less exposure to the outside world.
August of 2007 brought a sea change in me as I crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The first thing I felt was "the world is so GREAT!!!" I felt alone, yes I did but the experiences I started gaining was so wonderful that I understood why people from early days used to leave home to find the unknown...
wanderlust they call it. I feel that...
There are thousands of international students who come every year to the US for their higher studies and I am no exception. I am an FOB (Fresh off Board) who came to the US with high hopes. But I dont want to be just a masters student who wants to gain a high career, my aim is not just reaching the end point of the road but to cherish the sights and sounds I get to experience while I walk down that road of life.
And life has given me all wonderful things!!! I was so excited when I saw the Moon over the North Pole while on the flight from New Delhi to Chicago... it is wonderful and I am so lucky that I get to appreciate these facets of life.
Don't I feel homesick like the other internationals?? Yeah, surely I do. But I have another home here too. My friends from so many countries, Bangladesh to Brazil and Spain to Philippines make me feel so special and I understand that people from different countries, having different cultures, speaking different languages can be so similar to one another. It feels awesome to think that the people I spend time with now were literally spread out all over the world just a year back. Someone grew up in the deserted land of Libya, someone was in a bustling city of China and someone was a boy from the farmlands of Illinois!!! But they are my friends now and they make my life the way it is.
Not just my friends, but my advisor and my project manager are two people who have made my life a lot easier. When it comes to motivating a student, look up to my advisor. She understands the feelings of an international student and knows exactly well how much to push a student. Somehow, she has never forgotten her own grad-student life and NEVER pressurizes me to do something which is way too difficult for me. My project manager is kind of my guardian angel...from showing me how to write a check and to taking me for shopping, she is always there!!!
My birthday is always THE DAY for me. I love to get all the attention of people (I am quite a "demanding princess" to quote one of my friends!!!) I was rather doubtful how my birthday party would be this year. But, it seems people really love me, for not only did my friends prepare for a blast, one of them sang Happy Birthday in Chinese and my roomie prepared noodles for me as is a custom in her country!!! I was so moved!!!
Believe me, there are only two kinds of people in the world-- good and bad. And there are many many more good people than bad ones. The world is such a nice place to live in...and it becomes nicer when you have sweet people to share it with.
I love my life in USA so much... I now know the taste of hot dogs and sweet tea....I celebrated 4th of July with a cookout...I know football teams get 6 points when they score a touchdown... and today when a group of high school students were singing the American National Anthem, I felt that though this is not my original home, I love this country a lot because of the wonderful experiences I am having here...!!! I thank my parents for not just letting me come here but understanding that this would be the best thing for me.
I hope to have many more nice experiences here as I want to blend the east and west in myself and in people I am close to so that we get a next generation of world citizens who are rich in humanity and love for the humankind.
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