Adapting in the US

[parakhi]

http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/12/20/adapting-in-the-us-2

December 20, 2011 By: shristy

Once the American Embassy grants us a visa, we feel like that’s the moment we had been waiting for. But that is just a beginning of a new challenge. I have learned so much being in the US and it has so far been worth what I have given up for being here.

The culture of the US is enormously different. First, it was difficult to understand what people are saying because of the difference in accent. Today I am able to differentiate between a northern accent and a southern one. When I first moved into the southern part of the US all the way from the mid-west , it felt very different but slowly I got accustomed to the way people speak. You will also need to adapt to the hospitality of the people in different parts of the country. I live in the South and people are very friendly. They will greet you and smile at you even if they don’t know you that well. It makes you feel welcome in some way but will make you feel uneasy when you are not accustomed to it.

You will have to be prepared for the changes in food. Unless you plan to cook everyday, you will have to get used to eating french fries, mashed potatoes, burgers, pasta, boiled vegetables, salad and meat (grilled or deep fried) most of the time. “Kauli ko jhol” and rice will be a delicacy if you are in the US as a student. Living in the resident halls of the colleges and eating the food at the cafeteria, you will often remember those times at home that you discarded the food your mother served you on the table.

Getting accustomed to America is one thing but learning from it is another. I believe I have learned things I never imagined of. Time is the greatest asset Americans have, unlike the culture in Nepal. Americans value time so much. When professors say class starts at 10:00 am, it means 10:00 am and if you reach class at 10:01 am you feel you are late. I have learned the importance of time which I hardly had when I was in Nepal. Another thing I learned being in the US is time management. The classes I took got harder with every semester and they kept me occupied. Sleeping was a privilege, but in sacrificing my sleep hours I have learned how to manage all my classes properly. Not only have I learned how to keep a schedule but also manage my time to participate in school events and programs.

Similarly you will also learn how to handle your finances and become independent. When you are getting paid on an hourly basis, those hours will mean a lot to you. You will need a job to survive in the US and the great thing about America is that no matter what kind of job you do, people are less prone to look down upon you as long as you work. You need to come with a mindset that you will be ready to do any kind of job when you get here. Having a job is the way of working things out in the US.

Hence, I did not come to the US because I knew everything was out here. I came here just like anyone else to study, and along the way I have learned some important life lessons. I learned perseverance and independence. Being independent is the greatest feeling of all. Living in the US has been the biggest challenge in my life, and I have adapted to it pretty well. This has made me more responsible than I ever was because my parents are not here telling me to study or not to go out. Decisions like that and time management are all upon you and you choose the path you want to take.

Coming to the US is a new and different beginning to your life and getting adjusted will be challenging but as I can tell it is all worth it.

Shristy is exploring her life right now and aims to make something good out of it. She enjoys what she is doing so far in her life and wants to learn as much as she can from everyday situations. She likes to write about anything that comes from her heart and anything that she believes in. She does spend a lot of time on facebook, just because she likes “socializing.”

http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/12/20/adapting-in-the-us-2

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