"International"

Nine hundred and twenty two days seem so long ago, but it was exactly then we the “international” student (by international I mean most of them Dominicans) of the 2009 class arrived for the first time at Manhattanville College. In those early days, as a freshman no matter where you’re from, what sports your play or what instrument you play; students feel overwhelmed to be somewhere new. But just imagine being in a new country for the first time in your life, thousand of kilometers away from home. Speaking a language that is most probably your second language. Eating that so famous fried food, that you’ve been waiting for, but it turns out it upset your stomach and your in the bathroom 24 seven. Or even worst you have that thick Spanish accent, that classifies you as an alien; no sorry I meant foreigner (but anyways your passport states alien as your new status)That is what I call being overwhelmed. Even the familiar is not familiar enough. I know it has been 3 years since I arrived at Manhattanville, but that day when I was droop by my mother seemed like it was yesterday. I was the new International student from El Salvador, just create. Believe it or not I still have friends that think I am from Ecuador, don’t really understand why it don’t even rhythm

Yes, I know I have adapted greatly to the change, it was easy for me to become “Americanized”, or so do my friends from home think. But have a really become part of America? Do I really belong here? Being international student is a label I hate but it has been imposed to us by school, government and even friends. I am really not part of America, I am a visitor, who would have to say goodbye after graduation. Through, this blog I want people to understand how hard is to come from another country and try to adopt a totally different culture and then four years later have to say bye or unless you get lucky and get sponsored.