When I first told my friends and family that I wanted to attend a Canadian university, their reactions ranged from total surprise to a sense of understanding.
Those who knew that I was a citizen—thanks to my Canadian mother—assumed I wanted a cheaper tuition than what I would get in the United States. Others were incredulous, thinking that a transition to a different country would be far too difficult, especially when most of my friends were attending schools in California, just a few hours from Ross, our hometown.
After living in the Bay Area since the age of four, 18-year-old me was itching for new experiences, something totally alien to the predictable routine I had grown up with. I was excited to experience snow, colourful currency, and Coffee Crisps, all things I had seen in some capacity on my trips to Toronto as an adolescent but never had the privilege of living with.
I still miss California for its variety, beauty, and rolling beaches, not to mention the people who live within it. But now I spend the cold winters thinking of the warm Bay Area sun and the comfort of my family and friends being just a drive away. But now more than ever, I’ve learned to appreciate what I have here in an equal amount.
My citizenship made me feel even more like a local than the shared cultural similarities did, so much so that I sometimes barely felt international at all, but I wasn’t exactly a domestic student either. Most people didn’t even know I was American until I used Fahrenheit instead of Celsius or pronounced the words ‘house’ and ‘mouse’ slightly differently than everyone else.
At the same time, I deeply felt the absence of my family and friends. With them being a 14-hour trip away, I couldn’t see them frequently until reading weeks or winter breaks. Often missing Thanksgiving was another source of culture shock; while my family celebrated togetherness and gratitude at home, in November, when American Thanksgiving takes place, I was slaving away over assignments and studying for tests.
There was also adjusting to the time difference was a whole separate challenge that took a while to navigate. More often than not, I found myself staying awake far too late to talk to my friends, who were three hours behind me.
Beyond the time and cultural differences, I encountered academic changes that shocked me. For instance, the Canadian grading system is completely different than the one in the U.S—an 80 per cent would be considered a B-minus back home but an A-minus here. Those differences extended beyond grading, as being in politics as a foreign student presented a unique challenge.
Being a political science major made my experience even more challenging, as I went into classes that were centered around a political system, I was somewhat familiar with but didn’t know as well as the one I had grown up with. Suddenly, I was expected to analyze and debate governmental rules and regulations I had only a passing understanding of.
Concepts that my peers had been learning for years were completely new to me, which at times made me feel like I was behind the curve. Despite this, the challenge added to my learning experience at times—my lack of innate knowledge pushed me to learn more about the Canadian systems of government, and being able to compare Canadian current events to American ones gave me a more nuanced understanding of the topics I was learning about.
Adjusting to a new life and the distance from home was hard, but family made it easier. My aunt, uncle, and grandparents live just a few hours away, and visits or lunch dates helped ease the isolation. New friends, especially other international students, also made the transition much smoother.
Even among all the more difficult parts of being an international student, there have been constant upsides. The first snow I experienced was on a Halloween night—and although my friends were dismayed, I was overjoyed. Going outside and having a snowball fight with the fresh powder felt magical and anchored me to this country in a way I didn’t fully realize at the time.
Looking back, I’ve realized just how much being an international student has shaped me as a person. I’ve learned how to overcome homesickness, meet new people, and expand my horizons as a person. Travelling to a new country for your education isn’t just about having new experiences; it’s about discovering who you are beyond the confines of your home.
As I enter my third year at Queen’s, I finally feel like I truly belong. The journey to this point hasn’t been easy, but I can say with total conviction that it has been worth it.
Tags
Canada, International student, Postscript, United States
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