| English is only one part of your adapting to college life here. Cultural adjustment is often a huge issue for foreign students. Cultural norms vary so much from country to country. For some people, it feels like every aspect of their life has been turned upside down. It's not just the language that's different, it's the rules for social behavior. In your country, you know how close to stand next to your friends, what is and isn't appropriate behavior between males and females, how to get the attention of the waiter in the restaurant, and hundreds of other "bits" of cultural knowledge. Now, through trial and error, you get to learn it again in the US. Two important things you need for success are a sense of humor and an ability to suspend judgment. If you have the ability to laugh at yourself and at the mistakes you are going to make, it will be far easier to make friends. And, if you can keep telling yourself that things in the US are not better or worse than they are in your home county, only different, then being here will soon feel comfortable and natural. It's quite an adventure you're undertaking. Best of luck! |